Runners

Along with paltry wages, heavy traffic, violent drunks and a myriad of regulations, runners are the bane of a cab driver’s life. I explained this to some nineteen year old kids on Saturday night whilst travelling from the City to Penrith Panthers.

Normally I'd be fairly apprehensive about such a fare but they assured me they were paying with their mother’s Cabcharge voucher. And so they did, with an added 12% tip.

The next fare was a single fella of the same age heading to St Mary’s. Though pretty drunk he was still under control and quizzed me on the job finances. I related how the first eight hours only covered the lease payment, fuel and wash. Thence the final four hours, 11pm-3am and the roughest part of the shift was when we made our wage.

After stopping for five minutes outside the Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre where he was violently ill, we arrived at his house where he flicked me $50 for the $35 fare and hopped out. Champion!

Around 2am I stopped for two fellas aged nineteen at Central Station who climbed in the back seat and requested Turramurra station on the upper North Shore. It didn’t actually suit my plans but with the Vacant light on I had no choice and headed off without objection or rancour.

As one fella was clearly under the weather and dry retching out the window, I left them alone and listened to the BBC sports program. Our only exchange was at Artarmon where I inquired if the drunk was okay. “Yeah, mate,” he said, “I’ve just had a big night.” “Okay,” I replied, “just keep the window open in case you need it.”

That was it until arriving at the destination where upon being asked for the fare, they duly flung open the doors and bolted in the opposite direction. I immediately gave chase on foot, cursing them, but quit just as quickly. A bloke on the wrong side of fifty chasing fellas on the right side of twenty, hilarious!

Two quick laps around the block was also futile and I resigned myself to forfeiting $65 in wages. Needless to say I was pretty pissed off but what could I do? They had disappeared and that was the end of the matter, or so I thought.

Upon checking if the drunk had spewed on the door, I spotted a mobile phone on the back seat. Genius!

I called the last number dialled and told a friend they should meet me at the police station with the money. Within minutes the phone owner called and offered me “one hundred dollars plus the fare not to go to the police”. No further discussion occurred.

A half hour later the police delivered the two idiots to the cop shop. One fella handed over the fare and requested the five dollars change, despite my losing an hour in wages during the busiest part of the shift.  

I was assured that fare evasion was a crime and that the runners would be charged. Fair enough and I left. Rather than return to work for the final two hours I headed home feeling completely drained from the emotion and stress of the event.

Shortly after, at home, the officer called to say there was a problem. Apparently, because I’d demanded and accepted payment this had somehow negated their ability to charge the offenders. But they could issue a ticket called, ‘Failure to pay upon termination of the hiring’. Huh?

“So if you can’t charge them,” I asked incredulously, “why should they pay a fine?” Well, yes, was the response. Despite this contradiction it appeared that the runners would effectively escape punishment as they had reimbursed me the fare.

I opined that fare evasion happened every night and 99% of the time nothing was or could be done for hapless drivers. If what he was suggesting eventuated, I asked, where was the deterrent? Why would wrongdoers not consider fare evasion and the law a big joke?

“In that case,” I suggested in frustration, “I would have been better off accepting their bribe and getting back to work?” This was dismissed out of hand.

 Three more unsolicited phone calls followed, regarding whether I wanted to return and give a statement, go to Hornsby court if they appealed, download the camera images (requiring a police order and costing me $150), all of which I agreed to.

It was tempting to think that thwarting drivers was standard procedure in dealing with taxi runners, or that the police considered the case closed and not worth further effort, or even that strings were being pulled on behalf of the offenders.

To be fair, however, I got the impression that the officer really was trying to get it right and so I gave the police the benefit of the doubt

By the third call I’d become somewhat bemused and so informed him that by virtue of my website I felt an obligation to publish the incident on behalf of the voiceless cabbies who are constantly being ripped off by arrogant runners. This was understandably received without comment.  

Whatever, it was clear neither of us were up to speed on the law. Indeed, he conceded it had been so long since he’d had such a case that he was unsure of the current status of the offence due to it being changed so often. Thus he promised to call back last night, and so he did.

After further investigation he reported there was now definitive legislation pertaining to fare evasion. In short, it is a summary offence. As such the offenders would be issued with infringement notices and fined $300 each.

Good.   

Comments

[Danny]

The runner( he thinks he is not the runner just forget to take money with him)in ploice office, wrote dowm the note to send me money in 7 days, the police kept it. after 10 days I called the police I got nothing, the police said because he is willing to pay, so it's not a issue of police's duty, suggest me to go to court.

[Rainer the cabbie]

This incident reminds me of a story that happened ten or so years ago.On the upper north shore as well. [Future bankers and money market dealers in training?]
On that occasion the driver got so angry that he turned his cab around and ran over the fare evaders. One young boy got killed, the other injured. Nobody could find the cab or driver afterwards until the driver committed suicide and left a note of regret behind.
So two people died over a couple of bucks. What a waste.
If any of our party dudes are reading this, pay the fare as the driver feeds his kids from it. After spending $120,--for drinks in a nightclub and $80,-- on some ekies or lines, you certainly can afford the fare for the fellow that delivers you home safely.
If not, catch the bus.

[LeftyBanana]

NSW Police have two overriding motivations for everything they do.
The first is their desire to avoid work.
The second is their determination to defend each other from "us" - the citizenry.
You ran into Number One.

[Steve at the Pub]

I've seen runner confess (to "not realising" he was expected to pay the fare at journey's completion), and STILL a Magistrate let him off, without even ordering the fare to be reimbursed to the cabbie.

I was a witness in a following case, idling away as earlier cases were heard.

In the cabbie's statement from the witness box, he covered everything, the ride, the "please stop here" & as the taxi slowed, the sudden slamming door as the runner legged it into the early morning shadows....

The Magistrate opined that as the cabbie hadn't actually asked for payment, it would be unfair to say that there had been intent to defraud.

Note: The taxi was still in motion when the passenger alighted.

[Gerri Patrick]

The law is a ass.

[Marcellous]

Hey, how come the police don't pay the $150 that it costs you to get the video?

Anyway, they only need that if they decide to court in the event that the perpetrators don't pay the $300 penalty notice.

Incidentally, I reckon your first suspicion was spot on: the police considered the case closed and not worth further effort.

If the matter goes to court, the maximum penalty is 10 penalty units (I think that is $1100 these days)rather than $300. But it's also possible a magistrate might even let them off with less than a $300 fine (though they would have to pay court costs).

[manly cabbie]

why don't you ask for money up front on long job late at night,if they wont cover what i think the fare is i say go find another cab,you know once bitten twice shied.(my last runner was about 5 years ago same desto city to turramurra)

[John]

Why do my comments never appear?

[adrian]

Danny and Steve at Pub, sadly both accounts are not uncommon amongst cabbies caught in these situations.

Rainer, that's absolutely tragic and a sobering reminder of the extreme risks involved. It's so easy to lose it in the heat of the moment, for both parties.

Marcellous, any chance of pointing me to the relevant Act or regulation which the police used to issue the fare evasion infringement? Also, will confirm $150 charge to driver, of which I learned recently.

JOhn, sorry but can only suggest you've previously overlooked completing the CAPCHA field needed to finalise comments.

MAnly cabbie, we can't actually ask for the money, only to show proof of payment.

[marcellous]

For the fare and the penalty it is regulation 163 of the Passenger Transport Regulations and for the penalty notice it is regulation 217 and then schedule 3 of the regulations.

I'm afraid I'm too lazy to make these links more aesthetically attractive. You have to look elsewhere for what a penalty unit is, etc.

[Ernie]

Perhaps Premier Cabs are more sympathetic to drivers but THEY have never charged me to download pictures of runners. They do however require an official Police request for the pics and getting that can take more time than the whole affair is worth. Having had 2 runners reappear into the same cab at a subsequent date to their original run I can attest to the joys that such a reunion brings (to the driver). Ernie

[adrian]

Thanks, Marcellous, now linked. Penalty unit is $110.

Yes, Ernie, TCS don't charge either but advised another network does. Pretty sure Premier once did.

[Ernie]

Adrian, it must have been the weekend for runners!

I had a runner too on Saturday night/Sunday morning who passed all my usual tests but duped me anyway. $77 on the meter plus tolls from the casino to West Pennant Hills. What a bummer.

I've taken a previous runner to Kings Cross cops. They issued an infringement notice for a $150 penalty, middle of last year, but despite their efforts all I achieved was more unpaid time. I still didn't get my fare, I just earned another $150 for the State Govt.

In the weekend before Christmas I had a looney smash one cab window with a baseball bat. Happily the cops got the bastard and thankfully he pleaded guilty so I didn't have to testify. He was fined $800 and ordered to pay for the damage, given 28 days to pay.

After the time expired I asked the court clerk "So, where's my money?" they said "Oh. He hasn't paid. So now you can get a Certificate of Conviction which you can use to pursue him in a civil matter". I asked "And what will that achieve?" They said "You can then get a court order requiring him to pay" And is he any more likely to abide by a second identical order?????

And they wonder why nobody wants to drive cabs!

[John]

The London cab has a lock him in device.
The doors will not opeen until the car is stopped and the driver can lock them in until they are paid.
The screen is a great safety feature too.
Australian males have a habit of doing runners over here as well.
But you are all right,the law is an ass.
Taxi drivers are sen as the last link in the food chain so we get no sympathy.

[AustinExBrisCabby]

Another case where prevention is the only cure.

two young males -One looking much worser for wear hailing in central (prolly missed the last train) going more than $15+ away = EXTREME RISK!! DO NOT PICK UP OR GET $$ UP FRONT!

We've established the law is USELESS with runners. Now you need to ask yourself "How can I never let this happen again?"

You had a get out of Jail free card with the lost phone. My advice would be push them to pay $200-$250+ or you go to the cops. Then meet them somewhere open with a straight road in front of you. Lock your doors, roll your window down 3 inches and get the money 1st. SPEED OFF!!!! and yell out "How does it feel you little fkn prix!?" [Optional throw there phone out the window 100 meters away from them]

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[manlycabbie]

i know you carn't ask for money up front but i always do to fares that i think are sus if they don't hand over the cash they just have to get another cab,thus no runners for 5 years now.