Taxi driver who verbally abused grieving pensioner after card reader failed has licence suspended

An Edinburgh taxi driver who allegedly verbally abused a grieving pensioner in a funeral home after his card reader failed has had his licence suspended for two months.

Baris Eroglu had his licence suspended once before, after allegedly telling a council employee to “watch [their] f***ing words”.

This time, the suspension is on the grounds of public safety, following an incident in January that saw him allegedly drive dangerously near a cyclist and shout at them.

According to a report published last month, the cyclist said Mr Eroglu had nearly struck one of the pannier bags on their bike while trying to overtake them at a roundabout.

It is claimed Mr Eroglu said ‘cyclists are not vehicles’, and that they should not use the middle lanes in a roundabout.

The report says Mr Eroglu disagreed with this interpretation of events, and said that the cyclist had made a racist remark towards him.

He was given a written warning by council officials, and said he would not cause any more complaints.

But, in May 2025, the report says he followed a grieving woman in her 70s into a funeral home when she could not pay her fare because his card machine would not work.

A statement emailed by the passenger to the council said Mr Eroglu had ‘no people skills’, and claims he subjected her to a ‘verbal assault’ in the taxi.

She wrote: “I pointed out that all his abusive behaviour was not going to make cash appear in my purse.”

At Tuesday’s Licensing Sub-Committee meeting, Mr Eroglu’s solicitor, Jonny Nisbet, said the driver accepted some wrongdoing, but maintained a different view of the January incident.

He told councillors: “It is disappointing to be back here again with Mr Eroglu, I’m not going to hide that fact.

“He has been licensed by this authority for a period in excess of 12 years now. And for most of that period, he’s managed to operate well.”

Mr Nisbet said Mr Eroglu was still feeling the mental impact of a bad breakup, to which he also credited the taxi driver’s last suspension.

He added: “At the level of seriousness, there are considerably more serious issues that have come before this committee for drivers who are continuing to drive today.”

According to Mr Nisbet, the taxi driver was subjected to racist remarks by the cyclist at the roundabout, and said it was part of wider racism directed at cabbies who are not white in the city.

Addressing the May incident at the funeral parlour, Mr Nisbet said his client “accepts that he showed insensitivity and a considerable lack of people skills in relation to this situation.”

He added: “An elderly lady, going to a funeral home, read the room, quite frankly.”

Mr Nesbit said Mr Eroglu had booked on to the council’s taxi skills refresher course for a slot in October this year, after the council committee asked him to do so in December last year.

Conservative councillor and committee convener Joanna Mowat asked: “Mr Eroglu was last here in December.

“Committee stated that they were going to lift the suspension, but that they wanted him to do the course. Why are we sitting here in September, with the date in October?

“Why would Mr Eroglu show such contempt of committee that he had not taken that course by [the meeting date]?”

Mr Nisbett said he understood there was an eight-month waitlist for the course, but was rebuked by licensing officer Catherine Scanlin, who said that was ‘not true’.

She said Mr Eroglu had been offered a number of opportunities to apply for the course, and that he was told that he could be worked into any course date he wanted to attend.

After speaking with his client, Mr Nisbett said that Mr Eroglu was struggling with money, and could not afford the course due to being unable to drive his taxi after the suspension.

He also said Mr Eroglu disagreed with Ms Scanlin about which course dates he was offered by the council.

Labour councillor Joan Griffiths said: “He is back again for another two offences, I would have thought that somebody who was in that position would be ultra cautious and careful in dealing with the public.

“I have to say, the circumstances of taking an older woman to a funeral parlour, and the way your client spoke to and dealt with,again goes all back to ‘he’s the victim, the passengers are the one that are causing the problem’, so I have real concerns around that.”

Cllr Mowat said: “I’m struggling to see that this is a fit and proper person to hold a licence, so I will be recommending suspension.”

She asked the committee if there was any suggestions for a length of time, with Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross suggesting two months.

He added: “He has had eight months in which to demonstrate his contrition, his remorse, his understanding that committee weren’t pleased with his behaviour last year.

“He has a duty to his licence and the licensing authority to behave in a professional manner, and that he has been seen to be lacking in two occasions, given the evidence that we have.”

After discussing which grounds for a suspension were to be used, councillors agreed to suspend his licence for two months.