My Joust with the Blue Badge of Death

Chin up!

Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

Ah mate, looks nasty! Really sorry to hear about it... Hope it heals up fast.
Let me know if you want a hand with the wheel..

Nice tracks on the face there. You should grow a beard now, if you're lucky it'll have a crazy white streak in it.

All the best with empting the bastards wallet.

ouch - get well soon

Tom, best wishes for recovery. I'm glad, considering the circumstances, that you weren't hurt worse--a fraction of a second earlier and he might have hit you rather than the other way around.

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I wonder if it's possible anywhere to get data on private hire vehicle operators' overall collision record.

No. Nothing will happen to him. He will get a caution and that will be it. Sad but true.
Not if he has previous for driving like that...

Tom, best wishes for recovery. I'm glad, considering the circumstances, that you weren't hurt worse--a fraction of a second earlier and he might have hit you rather than the other way around.

[advertising]It is always worth mentioning in these sorts of circumstances that the LCC has a dedicated legal advice line which is free for members.[/advertising]

I wonder if it's possible anywhere to get data on private hire vehicle operators' overall collision record.

PCO is an arm of TfL, who are covered under the Freedom of Information Act. If you don't pursue personal data (name, address etc) then there would be a reasonable argument that the release of information would be in the public interest exceeding the interest of witholding it.

Just caught up with this, fuck Tom that looks nasty! Glad it wasn't any worse. As TT Tom said, it's worth joining the CTC (or British Cycling) to get access to their legal services. Another alternative is to contact Alyson France who specialises in cycling accidents.

Heal up soon.

I wonder if it's possible anywhere to get data on private hire vehicle operators' overall collision record.

Maybe they should introduce a system like this.

http://englishrussia.com/?p=531

Nasty enough, but as always with these non-fatal crashes it could have been muuuch worse...heal up fast!

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That's a pretty serious injury there, hope you heal up soon, chicks dig scars!

IF HE'S NOT INSURED, GET IN TOUCH WITH MIB QUICKLY!

I think you have something ridiculous like 14 days to sort a claim out if personal injury is involved. MIB is the motor insurers' bureau, which pays out claims against uninsured drivers. Roxy's thread is a goldmine, it sounds like you're well on your way to the best possible outcome of an interaction with a Blue-badge-taxienger!

Just caught up with this, fuck Tom that looks nasty! Glad it wasn't any worse. As TT Tom said, it's worth joining the CTC (or British Cycling) to get access to their legal services. Another alternative is to contact Alyson France who specialises in cycling accidents.

Heal up soon.

Thanks Andy, I'm going to look into CTC pronto. Will also check the others out. Cheers

Nasty enough, but as always with these non-fatal crashes it could have been muuuch worse...heal up fast!

This needs to be a t shirt! Or maybe it is already?

Sorry, I meant the image you posted up jonlubi!

Heal up fast dude, that was a lucky(ish) one! Now repeat after me "I got it in a knife fight, protecting some children", the ladies will be rolling in...

Shit Tom, thats some epic train tracks you got there!
Glad you're ok, hope they take the fucker to the cleaners!

Tynan where are the IABD stickers!?

Stickers were made at some point - I think you deserve one as a souvenier!

I wish that were true, I don't believe the stickers were ever made.

Bit of a subtle in-joke, really.

If you have a minor brush with a Bloo Badge, see if you can take a pic of their taxi license no. and vehicle licence plate. Then check them out here:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/businessandpartners/taxisandprivatehire/ph/licensing/

If they don't check out on here, they aren't legal. That means they are outside TfL jurisdiction (because they no longer have a valid licence) and immediately becomes a criminal matter - go straight to the police about it.

I also found out that both the vehicle and the driver are licenced separately, so if you have a bash with one, get a photo of the back of the cab for the two licence numbers, get a photo of the driver and ask for their licence as a driver too. It wouldn't surprise me if some people were time-sharing their cab with other people, so the cab may be licensed but the person behind the wheel may not.

BTW, TfL just told me there 40,000 Blue Badges of Death across London. That's a LOT of rubbish drivers...

Tom, fk mate looks sore.

glad u weren't any worse and that witnesses/rozzers etc all had your back.

as u know i'm only round the corner so if u need some help or company just holler...(i can blendz gud) :)

Sad to hear it monsiour but glad it wasn't worse and that the police are helping you out..

Why does it not surprise me that a driver with the blue tfl badge on his car has priors?

If you have a minor brush with a Bloo Badge, see if you can take a pic of their taxi license no. and vehicle licence plate. Then check them out here:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/businessandpartners/taxisandprivatehire/ph/licensing/

If they don't check out on here, they aren't legal. That means they are outside TfL jurisdiction (because they no longer have a valid licence) and immediately becomes a criminal matter - go straight to the police about it.

I also found out that both the vehicle and the driver are licenced separately, so if you have a bash with one, get a photo of the back of the cab for the two licence numbers, get a photo of the driver and ask for their licence as a driver too. It wouldn't surprise me if some people were time-sharing their cab with other people, so the cab may be licensed but the person behind the wheel may not.

BTW, TfL just told me there 40,000 Blue Badges of Death across London. That's a LOT of rubbish drivers...

Useful but scary info. I've put the details into TFL - the car checks out but no record of driver...

hey tom hope you get sorted out quick, come to south easts again soon for the miraculous healing properties of beer.

fucking minicabs again. they are the WORST.

Heal up fully and quickly.

fucking minicabs again. they are the WORST.

We'll chase up PCO/TfL to see if we can get stats on minicab collisions. To get the details of cyclists involved might take an official question to the mayor.

I was in court a couple of years ago when a mini-cab driver was up for crashing into a black cab, turning it over and breaking the passenger's arm. At first he said that he had to work 12 hours a day, six days a week to feed his kids and step kids. But he had not been sworn in so the magistrate stopped him and made him take the oath. After that he didn't repeat the story and the dozy prosecuter didn't push him to say how tired he was. As a result his fine was probably much lower than it should have been.

You may be able to make a 'victim's statement' to go to the court if they get round to sentencing.

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