An amputee Aberdeen taxi driver has been admonished for wearing baggy jeans that fit his prosthetic – and stopping his car in a layby to adjust the fake leg.
The city licensing committee – some denim-clad themselves – put a formal warning on Billy McKenzie’s record after four complaints were lodged against him.
One was filed by a sweary passenger, while another was for stopping to adjust his fake leg.
Breaching taxi licence conditions is a criminal offence – though councillors agreed he had “an explanation for each and every” allegation.
‘I may not be a clothing expert but…’ Aberdeen taxi driver was wearing baggy jeans for his fake leg
Aberdeen taxi drivers have a dress code which demands dress trousers or skirts on their lower half.
Jeans, t-shirts, tracksuits trousers or tops and trainers are all banned.
Unite the Union brought Tommy Campbell out of retirement to represent Mr McKenzie at the licensing committee hearing.
“The reason the trousers are quite baggy is Billy doesn’t have a left leg. He is an amputee from just below the hip. The prosthetic limb he is wearing needs him to wear baggy trousers.”
Mr McKenzie had claimed he had thought they could be classed as chinos.
He conceded: “If that is the case I will not wear them again. But I thought they were classed as trousers.”
Aberdeen taxi driver snapped in jeans after dispute with foul-mouthed taxi passenger
Conservative councillor Ken McLeod said: “I may not be an expert on clothing but from the photograph I am looking at, Mr McKenzie is not wearing chinos.
“Those are definitely jeans.”
An incriminating snap had been taken by a husband and his pregnant wife who launched a foul-mouthed tirade at the taxi driver when he asked them to use both doors to enter his vehicle.
The pair agreed to leave his black Mercedes 350 for another taxi.
But as Mr McKenzie loaded up a suitcase into his boot for his next railway station fare, they surprised him with their camera phone, councillors were told.
‘I dinna gie a f*** if she’s pregnant’
They later complained.
“I dinna gie a f*** if she’s pregnant, no climbing on seats,” they claimed he said.
But the dad-to-be admitted to a sweary return: “I pointed out to him we never climbed on any f***ing seats and I don’t care for his f***ing attitude.
“I make no apologies for swearing at all.”
Walking with a crutch at the Town House, Mr McKenzie claimed the husband had been cursing first, which had prompted him to react as he did.
The couple also complained that about Mr McKenzie’s “very average Mercedes and disgraceful appearance”, as well as the taxi driver not displaying his ID badge.
Mr McKenzie said it was pinned to his jumper and possibly hidden beneath his jacket, and that he would ensure it was “always visible” in the future.
Complaint follows confusion of Aberdeen taxi’s car park crash
The Aberdeen taxi driver also was reprimanded for a woman he had crashed into taking down his phone number incorrectly.
Councillors were told he had taken full responsibility for the crash in the car park of the Beach Boulevard retail park.
He had given the other driver his name, address, vehicle registration and taxi plate number – but his phone number was taken done wrongly.
Realising something had gone wrong, Mr McKenzie sought her out after four days of silence, Mr Campbell said.
The blue badge holder was also probed for his use of a disabled space, which he had reversed out of as he collided with her stationary car in a queue.
Aberdeen taxi driver warned for… stopping to adjust his fake leg
Mr McKenzie also faced scrutiny for his presence at the airport.
He faced one complaint for picking up a pre-booked fare at Bristows heliport in November.
It was a pre-booked fare, though the complainer argued it was too close to an airport rank to be allowed in any case.
And pictured at the same terminal a few months before, Mr McKenzie explained away another complaint.
“I had just taken someone to (CHC) Scotia heliport. I was coming round the corner and my leg was giving me a bit of gyp.
“So I stopped in the layby, not at the pick up point, to adjust my leg.
“That’s why the door was open. There’s no one in my car as the photo shows.”
Formal warning despite having an explanation for ‘each and every incident’
Dressed in a suit, the Lib Dem vice-convener of the licensing committee Steve Delaney accepted the explanations for each offence.
“From what I am hearing, an explanation has been given for each and every incident,” he said.
“There is quite a number of incidents – quite a number of complaints – that have come to us.
“But I don’t feel there is sufficient evidence to necessarily take anything any further.”
But then, SNP councillor Neil Copland pressed for a formal warning to be placed on Mr McKenzie’s record.
Independent councillor Kairin van Sweeden, who looked to be wearing black jeans, and Labour’s Graeme Lawrence, in blue jeans, were among councillors who agreed to the reprimand unanimously.
Unite grandee Mr Campbell told The P&J the council had been “unfair” in giving Mr McKenzie a warning.
He added: “I would ask them to reconsider.”
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