Fare evaders spoil good night

Last night I had 2 fare evaders or 'runners' as we call them. They come up with all their excuses, some try the sympathy vote, the 2nd fare last night just plain bolted when we stopped outside his unit block.

The thing is what can you as the driver do?? I went to the police after a runner a couple of weeks ago. It took them 2.5hrs to download the photo's from the camera and write the report. Neither of the officers who were trying to download the camera had ever seen the software before and actually had to refer to the help file while doing it. It took 5 officers before someone could even enter the password to load the software itself as no-one knew what it was.

The whole procedure could have been handled in a half hour or so if police were trained in how to operate the software instead of fumbling along learning as they go and taking up the cabbies work time.

Then there is the pax. They ring from public phones even thou they have mobiles as they are untraceable. There is also the benefit of no traceable address as they aren't at home they are on some non-descript street corner somewhere.

With my 2nd runner last night the 1st couple got out next to a lane way to "save money" instead of driving around the block into their actual street. Again ensuring there is no traceable address. Then the last guy goes to his street and gets me to stop past his apartment block, in front of a house. After fumbling with his wallet for a bit he bolts out the door heading behind me and is gone. I did actually get my hand to his arm before he left which is something I usually never do but I was just so mad.

Lucky for me he got away as you will see here Fare evader stabs taxi driver It's just not worth the grief.