Cab bilking - Government style !

Cab bilking - Government style !

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Discussion

Earthdweller

Original Poster:

15,596 posts

139 months

Yesterday (14:39)
quotequote all
Just when you think you've heard it all

It appears a couple booked a taxi to take them from near Bologna in Italy to a Ski resort in France, a distance of 360 miles

On arrival there was a dispute over the fare and an outstanding amount of €700 ( part of the fare had been prepaid)

The taxi driver claims the male became aggressive and snatched the bill off him when he asked for payment

When the passengers refused to pay the driver left them at their destination and drove to the local police station to make a complaint with the passengers luggage still in his car

The taxi driver claimed he didn't know who the passengers were so the Police searched the luggage and found two diplomatic passports and a coded secure U.K. Government briefcase

This led the the Gendarmes to identify the passengers as the foreign secretary David Lammy and his wife

The driver has filed a formal complaint ... and Lammy has countered by accusing the taxi driver of stealing their luggage

Oh the great offices of state

laugh


simon_harris

2,049 posts

47 months

Yesterday (14:45)
quotequote all
probably a racist taxi driver

bitchstewie

57,723 posts

223 months

Yesterday (14:52)
quotequote all
Strange that the driver has apparently been charged with theft.

Police State

4,185 posts

233 months

Yesterday (14:56)
quotequote all
Sharing a car with Lammy for 360 miles... Driver deserves The Legion of Honor.

BlackTails

1,222 posts

68 months

Yesterday (14:56)
quotequote all
It makes for an entertaining headline and no doubt some blushes/cackling, but reading between the lines it seems that - and this is going to shock some readers to the core - this might be more a case of the taxi driver being a bit of a rascal.

Camoradi

4,490 posts

269 months

Yesterday (15:01)
quotequote all
Surprising. He doesn't seem like the arrogant, bullying type.

whistle

julianm

1,646 posts

214 months

Yesterday (15:01)
quotequote all
I have an odd image of Lammy on skis in my head ..... Would take a bit of stopping.

Lotobear

7,733 posts

141 months

Yesterday (15:08)
quotequote all
State of it, utter filth

Gareth79

8,243 posts

259 months

Yesterday (15:35)
quotequote all
BlackTails said:
It makes for an entertaining headline and no doubt some blushes/cackling, but reading between the lines it seems that - and this is going to shock some readers to the core - this might be more a case of the taxi driver being a bit of a rascal.
A quote from an article:

"He added that, had he known who Lammy was, he would've charged 'much more'."

Yeah it sounds like he was trying to screw more money from a pre-paid booking. He probably drove off in a huff and then realised he still had their luggage and they were important, and tried to make something up.

mick987

1,574 posts

123 months

Yesterday (16:06)
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
Strange that the driver has apparently been charged with theft.
Who do you think they are going to charge a taxi driver or the foreign secretary of one of the most powerful nations in the world ( even though he is a slimy git who can't lie straight in his bed)

bitchstewie

57,723 posts

223 months

Yesterday (16:07)
quotequote all
mick987 said:
Who do you think they are going to charge a taxi driver or the foreign secretary of one of the most powerful nations in the world ( even though he is a slimy git who can't lie straight in his bed)
Possibly the one they think is a thief?

It isn't always a plot.

Earthdweller

Original Poster:

15,596 posts

139 months

Yesterday (16:10)
quotequote all
The really odd thing is that the Foreign Sec is a protected role, one of the few ministerial positions that is

Where was his security team?

If they weren't with him why was he travelling alone and in a taxi, whose driver you'd presume wasn't vetted?

Massive security issue looking beyond the farcical nature of the event

mick987

1,574 posts

123 months

Yesterday (16:10)
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
mick987 said:
Who do you think they are going to charge a taxi driver or the foreign secretary of one of the most powerful nations in the world ( even though he is a slimy git who can't lie straight in his bed)
Possibly the one they think is a thief?

It isn't always a plot.
HA HA you really are funny.

bitchstewie

57,723 posts

223 months

Yesterday (16:11)
quotequote all
Private holiday apparently.

Earthdweller

Original Poster:

15,596 posts

139 months

Yesterday (16:16)
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
Private holiday apparently.
No such thing when you hold a great office of state that has 24/7 armed Police Prot teams

The prot teams are there for a reason

bitchstewie

57,723 posts

223 months

Yesterday (16:18)
quotequote all
Oh I'm curious too just saying that's the context for being in the taxi.

Countdown

43,951 posts

209 months

Yesterday (16:28)
quotequote all
mick987 said:
bhstewie said:
Strange that the driver has apparently been charged with theft.
Who do you think they are going to charge a taxi driver or the foreign secretary of one of the most powerful nations in the world ( even though he is a slimy git who can't lie straight in his bed)
If Lammy was at fault but they didn't want to upset the UK Govt they would have just brushed it under the carpet as a "misunderstanding". Charging the Taxi Driver means that it goes to Court and everything is up for public scrutiny.

Gareth79

8,243 posts

259 months

Yesterday (16:42)
quotequote all
Earthdweller said:
bhstewie said:
Private holiday apparently.
No such thing when you hold a great office of state that has 24/7 armed Police Prot teams

The prot teams are there for a reason
It was widely-reported at the time when Boris was seemingly travelling alone after a trip to Lebedev's party.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/26/b...


vikingaero

11,815 posts

182 months

Yesterday (17:06)
quotequote all
Earthdweller said:
The really odd thing is that the Foreign Sec is a protected role, one of the few ministerial positions that is

Where was his security team?

If they weren't with him why was he travelling alone and in a taxi, whose driver you'd presume wasn't vetted?

Massive security issue looking beyond the farcical nature of the event
Some taxi drivers are vetted if they regularly "attend" at some Govt departments.