Sydney taxi driver fined by police for wearing wrongly coloured shoes

AN INCREDULOUS Sydney taxi driver was fined $100 by police not for a traffic offence, but for a crime of fashion.

Taxi Driver Brown Shoe Fine

POLICE have been left red faced after they fined a taxi driver for wearing brown shoes.

Sydney cabbie Pierre Chahoud was busted for his shocking shoe slip up at the city’s Star casino early last month, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Waiting at the casino’s cab rank, Mr Chahoud said he was approached by a police officer at about 7am.

“He saw me wearing my brown shoes and said, ‘You’re not in your proper uniform … and you are in a no-stopping zone,’” Mr Chahoud said.

“Then he said ‘If you have a good record I will only give you the smaller fine for the shoes.’”

Sure enough, Mr Chahoud received just the one fine, for the shoes, amounting to $100. But when he decided to pursue the matter NSW Police took a step backwards (presumably not in brown shoes) and annulled the footwear fine.

While wearing an incorrect uniform was indeed an offence, the Government did away with the penalty in December as part of a wider reform that also legalised ride-sharing service UberX in the state.

Mr Chahoud’s trouble making brown shoes. Pic Stephen Cooper

Mr Chahoud is now tickled pink he can continue to wear his brown shoes.

According to the NSW Passenger Transport Act 1990, “the driver of a taxicab that is connected to a taxicab network must wear an approved network uniform at all times while driving,” while the NSW Taxi Council said cabbies should “present a professional appearance” or risk a maximum fine of $550. The hue of their shoes, however, is not specified and it seems these regulations have now been superseded.

NSW Police has been accused of being increasingly overzealous. Last month, the owner of a Sydney wine bar criticised officers who accused his upmarket eatery of “promoting unsavoury behaviour” by displaying a blackboard with a list of wines that could be served by the glass. Police said it appeared the restaurant was operating more like a bar due to the fact people were drinking but there were no menus on the tables.

The NSW Taxi Council have been contacted for comment.