A cab driver has lost his taxi license after being filmed on his own security camera verbally abusing three elderly women.
Elyas Hardari, the first taxi driver to be caught out by the new ‘taxi cam’ system employed by Southampton Council, had his license revoked by the council’s licensing committee after three, partially sighted, pensioners complained about his abusive and shocking behaviour.
Council officials downloaded footage from the camera within hours of the complaint being made and were stunned when they heard Mr Haidari telling one passenger “you die tonight”.
The incident occurred during a trip where Mr Haidari was taking the women, all in their 80s, to their day centre. The camera also caught the unscrupulous taxi driver yelling “shut up” at his disbelieving passengers and “get out”, upon arriving at their destination.
Cab Abuse
Councillor Brian Parnell, chairman of the committee, said: “Mr Haidari’s extremely offensive behaviour, abusive language and actions towards three elderly and infirm residents, who just wanted a taxi to take them to their day centre, was truly shocking.
“The whole of this serious incident was captured on the “cab cam” fitted to the taxi, which made the evidence easy to see and hear.”
Earlier this year, Southampton’s licensing committee voted to make it compulsory for CCTV cameras to be installed in hackney and private hire taxis when they’re due to be replaced. The idea is primarily to protect taxi drivers against verbal and violent attacks by passengers but this case shows that the system can also help protect passengers from abusive behaviour by cab drivers.