By Paul Thornton
A CAB driver was sacked after he spat on a woman’s car during a road-rage bust-up.
Dawood Masood, 34, launched into a fouled mouth rant when Lorna King pulled in front of him in a busy three-lane road.
Despite the 35-year-old woman apologising for her mistake, Masood pulled-up beside her and shouted shocking language at the terrified motorist before spitting on her windscreen.
Revoked
Masood had his black taxi licence revoked following the incident but insisted he was a “professional driver”.
Yesterday (Friday) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court he was also fined £300 after he admitted a breach of the peace.
Fiscal depute Gillian More told the court how Masood had been cut-up by Miss King on Edinburgh’s Quality Street on August 7 last year.
Miss More said: “She inadvertently pulled out into a queue of traffic in front of the taxi and signalled with her hand to apologise.
“He pulled up beside her and motioned for her to roll down her window.”
Miss More said that when the woman rolled down her window Masood screamed “what are you playing at” to her.
After receiving the abuse, the woman mad a ‘V’ sign at Masood and noted down his comments.
Masood replied: “Here is something else for you to note down, you f****** w****.”
Miss More said: “He gesticulated with his middle finger, he pulled forward a little bit and spat, hitting the bottom of her windscreen.”
Incident
The woman noted Masood’s taxi number down and reported the incident to police.
He later told them he could not remember spitting at the woman, adding that he spat a lot because he had a “phlegm” problem.
Miss More said Masood had been a cab driver for around three years and when police asked him if he considered himself a professional driver he told them he was.
Masood told the cops: “I do indeed, it is my livelihood.”
His solicitor, Ray Megson, said that his client had lost his temper after being cut-up while nose to tail on a busy stretch of road during rush-hour.
Mr Megson said that following the incident Masood had had his taxi licence revoked and was now working as a shop assistant.
The loss of his taxi licence had cost him £300 per week in lost earnings, said Mr Megson, but Masood is hopeful of getting back behind the wheel.
Mr Megson added: “He plans to reapply for his taxi licence but there is no guarantee of success.
Unacceptable
“He deeply regrets the incident and accepts that his behaviour was unacceptable.”
Sheriff Fiona Reith told Masood: “This was disgusting behaviour from any driver, more so for someone who was a licensed driver for a taxi.
“The language you used was absolutely disgusting – there is no excuse for it.”
Sheriff Reith added that it was down to the appropriate authorities to decide whether or not Masood was “suitable” to be reinstated as a taxi driver.
She fined Masood, of Ratho Station, £300.
