'It was unbelievable, he just sat there and didn't even turn round to check on what was happening. All he did was stare at the meter, he didn't even offer to help once. It's disgusting the way I was treated. My baby was still attached to the umbilical cord and it was five to ten minutes before the paramedics arrived - then another 15 to 20 until I was put in the ambulance. But he still insisted I had to pay him the money there and then. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.'
Mellisa was eight-and-a-half months pregnant when she began having contractions at her sister's house in Coventry in the early hours of Thursday. She rang local taxi firm Central Taxis to take her three-year-old son Ewen to her father's house before rushing her to University Hospital with her sister. But while on the way, her waters broke and she gave birth to her daughter Rowena who weighed 6lb 8oz.She added: 'I'd been having contractions and I didn't know what to do so I phoned for Central Taxis as I have used them for years.
'While on the way to hospital my waters broke - I was down on my hands and knees pushing and screaming. The baby was already there before we got to the hospital so paramedics had to come to us. I couldn't stop laughing at first I thought it was so funny - I kept saying to myself "I've just given birth in the back of a taxi" it was all so surreal. But then I started to feel angry - I felt really exposed just sat there. He only got out of the taxi once when I thought he was coming to help but he just called someone on his phone.' Mellisa was charged £14 for the journey and a further £40 soiling fee.
It would be interesting to hear what exactly she excpected the taxi driver to do. Offer her a free ride and not charge her for the inevitable clean-up of the car interior? She had her sister with her, what additional midwifery did she require from the taxi driver? Did they ask him for help? Sure, he should have offered, anyway, but some people freeze in unexpected, foreign situations. And if they didn't ask him to come and help them, how could he know the women wouldn't just be furious at him for trying to come and see her exposed like that?
ReplyDeleteOver here I've heard on several occasions both taxi and ambulance drivers complaining about women choosing taxis over ambulances when they go into labour. There's no soiling fee in an ambulance and you and your child have smaller risk of dying if there are complications.
It could be that he knew that he could face a massive lawsuit if he had gotten involved in any way and if she there were complications and the mother or baby were harmed.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would have offered to call an ambulance, and offered to help if even just holding her hand or giving moral support. With a healthy baby being born I wouldn't have charged her for the lift or a soiling fee as I would have been caught up in the moment.
Beyond that...how was his English? My experiences with cab drivers have been close to the stereotype.
ReplyDeletebeing self employed he can't afford to throw 54 quid away, and an ambulance is on its way so what is he supposed to do to help that the sister isn't already doing ? Presumably he's not trained in midwifery any more than most of us.
ReplyDeleteI'd think the soiling fee would be cheaper than a labor and delivery room.
ReplyDeleteAh, Anonymous, I'm imagining you're American.
ReplyDeleteThere's no charge here for having a baby. we all pay a certain amount of our wages for "national Insurance", and are thus free to break as many bones, have as many babies, go as crazy as we want, all for no extra cost.
It seems your country views this "socialised medicine" as a sinister commie plot, but the truth is, there are advantages to not having to check your bank balance when you think you maight need a doctor.
As for the taxi-driver, yes, he might sound a bit mean, but through no fault of his own, he's about to lose quite a bit of working/earning time. His taxi's full of body fluids and god knows what. He can't do his job or earn any money until the taxi is clean, and dry, and doesn't smell of blood or shit, or birth. How long will that take? Should he assume there's no biohazard? Or should he treat her as a possible source of HIV, hepatitis, or other contagion?
Legally, and sensibly speaking, I'd say he should hope for the best, assume the worst.
Either way, there'll be no more fares, today.
I'd say the £40 is cheap.
Given the number of women who soil themselves (night soil that is, not just make a mess) during birth. I suspect there's probably more than blood there. Admittedly the driver may be a complete bollocks who wouldn't ever lift a hand to help anyone, but you've got to give them the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDelete