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Police on ticket blitz, say cabbies

Officer denies crackdown on taxis encouraging bar patrons to drive

By: Bartley Kives

25/09/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 52

WINNIPEG - Taxi companies claim the Winnipeg Police Service is cracking down on cabs lined up outside nightclubs and making it more difficult to pick up intoxicated fares who might otherwise drive drunk.

Unicity Taxi, Duffy's Taxi and Spring Taxi managers and drivers claim police started in August enforcing traffic regulations too rigorously outside Winnipeg watering holes.

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While the number of tickets issued for double-parking, seatbelt violations and other offences outside bars stands at no more than several dozen, the taxi industry is accusing the police of making city streets less safe by enforcing the letter of the law.

"I don't know why they are targeting taxi drivers, but they are targeting them specifically while they're getting customers outside bars," said Joan Wilson, general manager for Unicity Taxi.

"I think it's very unfair. A taxi driver is not going to sit double-parked on just any street. But when the bars let out, there are a lot of people on the streets and they require transportation because they are drunk. The police know this is happening and lie in wait."

A manager with Spring Taxi said his drivers are reporting the same situation outside nightclubs. And Duffy's Taxi has gone as far as to issue electronic warnings about approaching bars to its drivers.

"You go to a bar and the cars are parked in line and you have nowhere to park. So you pull alongside and put the flashers on. This didn't used to be a problem," said Duffy's driver Jamie Hogaboam, who said he received a ticket outside the Pyramid Cabaret on Fort Street on his first night back on the job after a summer break from the Winnipeg taxi business.

"I didn't get the message. I didn't know what was going on."

Unicity's Wilson said she is in the process of collecting photocopies of the offences racked up by her drivers and plans to meet with police. While she is primarily concerned about a loss of business, she also fears more drunk drivers could wind up on the streets.

"If you can't get a taxi, you're going to get into a car and drive, are you not?" she asked.

Cabbies who used to line up outside bars are now swooping in quickly when they learn of a fare, creating unsafe situations on streets were pedestrians are intoxicated, Hogaboam added.

"It was like that outside the Green Brier the other night," he said, referring to a West Kildonan hotel. "This is a joke. It's 12:30 in the morning. I'm in the North End. We have people getting stabbed and shot and babies being beaten, and they're pulling over cabs picking up customers?"

The Winnipeg Police Service, however, denies it is doing anything differently outside Winnipeg bars when it comes to traffic enforcement. "There is currently no initiative by the Winnipeg Police Service, but that does not mean that officers patrolling the area do not hand out tags when they see an infraction," Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Blair Good said in an email.

"If the taxis aren't breaking the law, they won't get tickets -- problem solved. If they are double-parking they will likely be interfering with other traffic in the area."

Doug Mowbray, president of the Winnipeg chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said he can see both sides of the issue, but the removal of intoxicated drivers from city streets is a more pressing public-safety concern.

"The police have a tough job. They have every good reason to uphold the law, but I agree the taxicabs help and I would like to see the drinkers off the road," Mowbray said.

St. Vital Coun. Gord Steeves, who chairs city council's protection committee, said this dispute could be resolved easily if the taxi companies and the police sit down with each other.

He said he is inclined to believe there is no crackdown and said "it's a myth" police engage in specific traffic-enforcement practices merely to collect more cash.

The Winnipeg Police Service is projecting a $4.7-million budget shortfall by the end of 2009 due to lower-than-expected photo-radar revenue.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 25, 2009 A3

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52 Commentscomment icon

How often, have you seen a cabbie, on the cell phone, changing lanes, without a signal? I have lost count. In my opinion, anyone who drives for a living, who are on the road a larger percentage than the average person, should be charged double the fine, when caught.

I am so glad the police are doing this. I sometimes go to these night clubs or a lounge in a hotel and because of my disability I need to park close. It is so fustrating to see good parking spots being used by cabs just sitting parking and drivers talking to each other while people like myself need park close to where we are going.

I thought the idea of a cab was to drive around and pick up fares, if they can't afford to do that because of the cost of fuel then the drivers need to look at a new line of work/business.

It's critical to take a lesser-of-two-evils viewpoint on this.

First: at 2 a.m., clearly, there is SO much traffic on the road that double-parking is a life-and-death issue.

Anything that makes it easy for someone who is drunk and clearly not thinking straight to do the right thing is a good thing. By definition, if you're drunk, your thinking is impaired. You become belligerent, to the point that if getting a cab is difficult, you're more likely to say, "Oh, p*** on it. Let's just go home."

There is a more intelligent way to look at this than "the rules are the rules."

This story seems to clearly illustrate that there are small changes that could make a difference in impaired-driving rates. Wouldn't those changes be worth more than holding firm to a "rules are rules" viewpoint?

In most cities, it is standard operating procedure to establish "taxi-only" parking spots near busy hotels and/or watering holes. These reserved spots can be 24/7, or they can be selective. Regardless of limitations, the aim is to ensure that tourists and/or inebriates have unfettered access to taxis.

Oh, and by the way... It is about time that Winnipeg got used to the idea of hailing a cab, rather than phoning a cab, as the principal means of getting transportation services. And this is the sea-change in mind-set that is essential for implementing viable taxi-ranks or "cab-stands" on more streets in the downtown area.

Can the cab companies please provide actual evidence they are being targetted? Where are all these alleged tickets they speak of?

Cabbies are not exempt from the HTA, they should follow the rules and KNOW the rules more than a regular driver.

If you're not guilty, go to court.

Sounds like someone is reporting with one side of the story.

So cabbies think people will drive drunk if they are not allowed to double park? I'm not sure I understand there logic, they can still pick up people, they simply need to line up single file. I'm sick and tired of anyone who thinks that since there job requires them to drive they can break the law as they please.

We even have paper delivery "boys" running stop signs, driving down the wrong side of the street, and not turning on there lights in the dark, and these "drivers" don't even need to drive for there jobs.

Enough is enough, cabbies are notoriously bad drivers, they seem to enjoy racing and speeding. Laws are for everyone, no-exceptions, (well there shouldn't be)learn to follow the rules of the road, or surrender your vehicle.

@abstract,just a little humor. sorry you didn't like it. i guess you didn't pull that stunt when you were younger. won't happen again because i won't be posting again!

You aren't loosing fares people will wait for cabs cause most of them do not have cars to take themselves home. Why should taxies get away with not wearing seat belts and being road hazzards when no one else can. PLay by the rules like the rest of us have too!

I think the WPS is doing the right thing. You break the law, you pay for it. Too many times I've seen taxi cabs stop in the middle of a lane. An example is outside the Palimino Club. When there was construction on Portage Ave. they didn't care who was behind them, they just stopped, expected you to wait for them and then they would move. I've also seen them sit there, double parked. The reason they were double parked? They were parked beside another taxi cab talking. Why wouldn't they ticket you. Come on! You guys and gals are no saints. Suck it up princess.

@harley
"lets face it these cab drivers are just uneducated or lazy..."

I'd be interested to know what profession you have, that apparently requires an implied 'high degree of education', that would permit you to both stereotype and insult cab drivers to such a degree? Let's try to steer clear of such "uneducated" comments.

I'm not saying they're in the right, but I do understand that they're only trying to make an honest living.

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