Video of overcharging taxi driver goes viral
Caroline Coyle from Arnold had been on a night out in Nottingham, and took a taxi home. However, instead of being charged the usual fare of £11 for the four-mile journey, the driver told her it would cost £33. And when she refused to pay, he drove them to the local police station, which bumped it up to £42. Coyle recorded a small part of their argument, and put it online.
On the video she can be heard telling him he'll go viral on YouTube, and she's right. The video has been watched more than 180,000 times on YouTube and Facebook. On her Facebook page, she added that she was reporting him to the council.
The consequences
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Nottinghamshire Police told The Metro that they had received a call at 4.22am on Sunday, but had classed it as a civil dispute. It means that the taxi driver himself will not be forced to reimburse the money.
The Nottingham Post did the calculations. At that time of night, drivers can charge £3.88 for the first 1.5km, and then 25p per 100 metres. A four-mile journey should therefore have cost £11.38. Gedling Borough Council said it took complaints of this kind very seriously and were investigating the matter. If the driver is found to be overcharging, he risks losing his licence.
However, Coyle is facing unexpected consequences too. She has not spoken to the media, and told her Facebook friends that she didn't want to. However, on Facebook she is being approached by journalists, and she told her friends that the national press had been on her doorstep. She has been criticised by a few people posting to her page, and her most recent Facebook status simply reads 'enough'.
Social media has given us more power than ever to demand fair treatment, and in this case has ensured the council will investigate whether there has been any wrongdoing. However, as Coyle is discovering, this power comes at a price.
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