Taxi drivers in England are getting hot under the collar about a proposal to ban them from wearing shorts.
The new rules will be debated by the Bath and North East Somerset council next week.
Supporters argue that shorts can be “provocative or sexually revealing” in some instances and that a blanket restriction is the only way to address the perceived problem.
“One driver’s idea of an acceptable pair of shorts may be unacceptable to a person traveling in a licensed vehicle and may make them feel uncomfortable,” a member of the governing council told SWNS.
But the drivers argue that they’re the ones who’ll be uncomfortable, especially in the summer.
Lloyd Cook from the Bath Spa Taxi Association said, “After the summer we had, it would just make people more irate. I don’t see shorts that come below the knee as a problem.”
Cabbies are also taking issue with the fact that drivers for ride-hailing services like Uber won’t be governed by the dress code, which already restricts ripped clothing, items with suggestive or offensive words, sporting uniforms and tracksuits.
“The dress code, whilst subjective in manner, is there to encourage drivers to convey a professional appearance, thereby improving the confidence of the public in choosing licensed vehicles as a preferred form of transportation,” a council officer said.