[Brighton] Taxi driver takes passenger passport

[Tokyohands]

A mate and I got a lift home from a black cab driver once. Unfortunately, my mate dropped his mobile phone in the cab. When we called it the cabbie answered and said he would drive it over to us for £60.

We reported the thieving *******.

I wonder what Raheem Sterling would have to say about that post

 

[BrickTamland]

I'm intrigued to know how they pre-authorise when they don't know what the fare is going to be ?

A colleague of mine took an Uber and her payment bounced but only after she'd left the cab. Her Uber account was locked until she paid what was owed. So I don't believe they do pre-authorise.

But they do know the fare beforehand, that’s the whole point?? You put in your destination when you request it

 

[Westdene Seagull]

No because they pre authorise up front so you wouldn’t be able to get in without it

Either way don’t see the issue here, if the lad gets his passport back Monday all good no?

But they do know the fare beforehand, that’s the whole point?? You put in your destination when you request it

And they give you an ESTIMATE.

 

[BrickTamland]

And they give you an ESTIMATE.

I use it incredibly frequently and have never once paid more than what was given upfront

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I use it incredibly frequently and have never once paid more than what was given upfront

So do I. So used Uber last night and the estimate was £12-£17 ..... how much do they pre-auth for that ? I even moved money into my account while in an Uber cab before when there wasn't enough in there to pay the estimate so how on earth did they pre-auth it ?

 

[Springal]

Uber pre with £2 I think. I can’t find an Amex ‘alert’ for one on my phone but they definitely try and pre auth to make sure it’s active

 

[BrickTamland]

So do I. So used Uber last night and the estimate was £12-£17 ..... how much do they pre-auth for that ? I even moved money into my account while in an Uber cab before when there wasn't enough in there to pay the estimate so how on earth did they pre-auth it ?

Must be different here then, as I’m only ever given a fixed price, never a range

 

[happypig]

Mrs H was in Tenerife a couple of weeks back, left her purse in the cab. Fortunately the driver had given her his card in case she needed further trips so she rang him and he found it and drove it back to her, charged her €5 for the fare to bring it which is fare enough I thought.
£15 is taking the piss.

 

[worthingseagull123]

The taxi driver should not have taken it. Illegal act and the passport has been compromised

 

[wallyback]

The guy didn't turn up. But spoke to the taxi driver who I have arranged to meet at a Starbucks in town this evening. And so it goes on!

 

[Notters]

Must be different here then, as I’m only ever given a fixed price, never a range

Yep- always a range in the UK.

 

[Triggaaar]

Update: guy said he will return passport tomorrow for a £15 premium on a £10 fare. Plus I'm guessing he will need to cancel that passport and get a new one.

The guy didn't turn up. But spoke to the taxi driver who I have arranged to meet at a Starbucks in town this evening. And so it goes on!

At first your son inconvenienced the driver - now he's inconvenienced you. I wouldn't pay a penny more than £10. If he doesn't return the passport, I'd report him to the police for theft, he has no legal right to hold onto it.

£15 is taking the piss.

Sorry I thought it was £15 total, not £15 on top of the £10?

Don't pay it!

 

[Da Man Clay]

At first your son inconvenienced the driver - now he's inconvenienced you. I wouldn't pay a penny more than £10. If he doesn't return the passport, I'd report him to the police for theft, he has no legal right to hold onto it.

Sorry I thought it was £15 total, not £15 on top of the £10?

Don't pay it!

Good luck with that. Totally civil dispute between cabbie and passport owner.

I’d agree with not paying him an extra though given he’s now messed you about.

 

[Triggaaar]

Good luck with that. Totally civil dispute between cabbie and passport owner.

I’d agree with not paying him an extra though given he’s now messed you about.

It's the extra I'm talking about.

 

[Da Man Clay]

It's the extra I'm talking about.

I agree on that point. You won’t get the police interested in any of it though.

 

[Triggaaar]

I agree on that point. You won’t get the police interested in any of it though.

If he doesn't return the passport, why not? Surely a stolen passport counts as a crime?

 

[Da Man Clay]

If he doesn't return the passport, why not? Surely a stolen passport counts as a crime?

Nope. It’s a dispute over payment where one party has taken a legitimate item of collateral instead. An additional payment whilst questionable is reasonable given the inconvience the driver has had in needing to return to the address (or elsewhere) on his own time. What the taxi driver has done does not fit all of the necessary parts of theft.

 

[Triggaaar]

Nope. It’s a dispute over payment where one party has taken a legitimate item of collateral instead.

As others have said, it's not legitimate collateral, the taxi driver is not allowed to keep it, it belongs to the government.

An additional payment whilst questionable is reasonable given the inconvience the driver has had in needing to return to the address (or elsewhere) on his own time.

That's debatable, and if fair then so is the removal of the payment for the inconvenience the OP has had by the driver not showing up.

Nothing the taxi driver has done fits all of the necessary parts of theft.

If the original bill is paid and he doesn't return the passport, that's theft.

Also, when the lad didn't have the cash in the first place, I don't suppose the driver agreed an extra charge for having to collect the payment later. It's a fine he's added on top without any legal standing.

 

[Da Man Clay]

As others have said, it's not legitimate collateral, the taxi driver is not allowed to keep it, it belongs to the government.

That's debatable, and if fair then so is the removal of the payment for the inconvenience the OP has had by the driver not showing up.

If the original bill is paid and he doesn't return the passport, that's theft.

Also, when the lad didn't have the cash in the first place, I don't suppose the driver agreed an extra charge for having to collect the payment later. It's a fine he's added on top without any legal standing.

A) Except, in the eyes of the law around theft, it is legitimate collateral. A reasonable person would assume that the ‘owner’ of the passport would be able to provide it as collateral in lieu of payment and has done so. Whether or not at the most technical level it belongs to Hm Government is a bit of an irrelevance.

B) Debatable it may be - But it does not make it a Theft.

Ca) Arguably that may become a theft. But it’s not happened so a bit of an irrelevance. Could get into some very dull discussions around intention to permanently deprive or dishonesty at that point but it’s not there yet.

Cb) Maybe/Maybe not. Still doesn’t stop it being a civil dispute.

 

[Triggaaar]

A) Except, in the eyes of the law around theft, it is legitimate collateral. A reasonable person would assume that the ‘owner’ of the passport would be able to provide it as collateral in lieu of payment and has done so. Whether or not at the most technical level it belongs to Hm Government is a bit of an irrelevance.

1) It isn't irrelevant.
2) It wasn't provided as collateral. It was provided as proof of ID, and the driver held onto it without permission.

B) Debatable it may be - But it does not make it a Theft.

What? I said that whether an extra charge was reasonable or not was debatable. That's nothing to do with if the driver doesn't return the passport, which he has to.

Ca) Arguably that may become a theft. But it’s not happened so a bit of an irrelevance.

This whole discussion is based on what might happen. If they pay the £10 and the driver returns the passport, of course there's no theft. If he doesn't return it however, then that is theft. It can't be collateral for a fee which has been paid, and also can't be collateral for a fine which has not been agreed.