Tauranga Perspex designer Karl Cochrane is still hopeful the innovative taxi security shield he created over a year ago will grow in popularity, despite being unable to sell a single unit.
From the middle of this year it will be compulsory for taxi companies in New Zealand's main centres and some larger towns to have security cameras installed.
Taxi driver Sukwinder Singh demonstrates the shield a year ago.
Karl's design was inspected in Tauranga by NZ Transport Agency officials shortly after he finished it.
They gave the green light for the shield to be installed in taxis, but no taxi companies have purchased it.
'There's no interest in spending money on shields when they know they have to spend the money on cameras,” says Karl.
He believes the design will be a better deterrent in stopping Tauranga taxi drivers being attacked.
Early last year there was a spate of attacks against Tauranga taxi drivers.
Many of those drivers already had security cameras installed when they were attacked.
'The cameras are not going to stop attacks – people still get attacked when the cameras are around.”
11 comments
Shields are Safety
Posted on 04-05-2011 17:13 | By tabatha
We will have to wait for another driver out earning a living for his family, to be hurt, and then someone will make shields compulsory. About11 years was in Sydney Australia and saw the shield for the first time and thought what a great idea and according to the driver if they did not have a shield they could be fined. I just hope the cost is making drivers shy away. Taxi drivers you are part of our city look after yourselves.
Plenty of money for shield and camera
Posted on 04-05-2011 17:21 | By al pillocksworth
At the prices taxis charge it should be easy for them to buy a shield.
Safety Shields
Posted on 04-05-2011 17:40 | By Glen Clova
Its their lives so if they want to risk it so be it,but dont come winging when one of them gets attacked as it will surely happen,though a lot of the drivers are only employee`s so its the owners responsibility and they should be prosecuted by OSH for having a vehicle which has insufficient protection for the driver.
Money or your life
Posted on 04-05-2011 19:16 | By Hebegeebies
It looks like a really good design that will give protection to taxi drivers.Assuming the price is reasonable then the public won't want to hear about it next time one of them is attacked. The balls in their court
cheap way out
Posted on 04-05-2011 20:35 | By crazysteed
if they want to put there vehicle as a taxi service then it should be up to the owner of the vehicle not the goverment they looking for the cheap way out
OSH
Posted on 04-05-2011 21:30 | By Openknee8ted
Surely the OSH requirements to provide a safe workplace covers it. Why does this industry have to have everything made compulsory? The cameras, stab proof vests and shields have been in the market place for years, if the Taxi owners don't want them thats their choice. What would be nice to have compulsory is how to speak english, navman so they know where they are going, a meter that doesn't tick over at $1 a second and a huge stick of deodorant.
Why compulsory?
Posted on 05-05-2011 07:01 | By Chris
Why do shields or camera need to be compulsory? Every taxi driver in this country can install a shield or camera if they want to. They don't need the government holding their hand.
Stupid is what stupid does
Posted on 05-05-2011 12:42 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
This is what happens in a society where you keep asking WHATS THE COUNCIL/GOVERNMENT going to do about it" instead of getting off your arse and doing it yourself. Its none of their business, until you demand that they DO SOMETHING - and then inevitably moan and complain about the STUPID STUFF they FORCE on you (because they dont know the taxi business - or any other business for that matter - half as well as those whose LIVELIHOOD depends on the taxi business.) Personal Responsibility has GONE MISSING, and not about to be found anytime soon - and mores the pity! Cameras will do NOTHING to protect the driver - all they will do is fill government coffers with cash from those that get snapped pumelling a taxi driver. Government win - Taxi Drivers LOSE
A regulated industry
Posted on 05-05-2011 15:15 | By waiknot
It's not that easy for an individual taxi operator to fit a shield. This industry is highly regulated which restricts the individual operators ability to operate independently. The industry is facing tremendous costs at the moment attempting to comply with new bureaucratic decisions/regulations to come out of wellington. Do not be surprised if some of Tauranga's taxi companies disappear due to this additional administrative cost.
Reason
Posted on 05-05-2011 19:59 | By carpedeum
Hey Chris- cause if its compulsary them the Gvt or taxi company or ACC or whoever......may have to pay for the shield and the installation NOT the taxi owner
Viable or not?
Posted on 06-05-2011 04:09 | By [email protected]
After building partitions for police cars and taxi cabs, starting in 1981, I can only conclude that taxi partitions are counter-productive. They create an adversarial atmosphere for all the honest patrons and will never prevent an assault. There is always the possibility that an assailant will poise a threat through a side window. With a partition the weapon is most likely to be a gun and not a knife. Murder rates rise with partition use mandates, leave them optional.
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