Article from: www.thenewspaper.com/news/02/246.asp
3/10/2005
Australia: Cabbies Fined for Helping Blind Man
Cab drivers who help a blind man in Shepparton, Australia to pay his bills are rewarded with parking tickets.
Cab drivers who help a blind man in Shepparton, Australia to pay his bills are being rewarded with parking tickets. In February, White Top Taxis driver Russell Parker went to take Max Lillie, an 85-year old blind man, to pay his bills.
Parker had to park his taxi in a bus zone briefly to guide Lillie to the post office. Without the assistance of such cabbies, Lillie would be entirely unable to live on his own. But the city parking authority doesn't care -- they issued a parking ticket to the cab driver and turned down his appeals.
Two other cab drivers have been ticketed while helping Lillie live an independent life. Lillie said, "The taxi drivers are not going to want to take me if they're gonna get pinched."
Article Excerpt:Mr Parker said the incident then escalated at Greater Shepparton City Council's offices, where several council employees told him they were too busy, or the parking inspector was only trying to do his job. "All I'm trying to do is help a blind man. Why should I pay the penalty?" Mr Parker said. "I don't want other cabbies to say `I'm not going to get Max Lillie because I'm gonna get fined'."
Source: Cabbies see red over blind fines (Shepparton News, 3/10/2005)
Permanent Link for this item
Return to Front Page