Getting stiffed, what are the victim’s rights?

If you’ve ever waited tables or driven a cab, it’s probably happened to you. It’s time for the person to pay, but they’ve already taken off. They stiff you.

According to the law, that’s theft. What rights do you have if you’re the victim of a crime?

Marino Ranj, owner of Mr. Taxi, said, “If you put all the taxi drivers in a room, and said ‘how many people have been stiffed on a fare by someone running out, I’m sure out of 150 people you are going to get at least 120 hand raised up in the air.’ ”

That’s just what happened to one of Marino Ranj’s drivers in December, except now his driver is being charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

NHC District Attorney Ben David explained, “You can’t bring a knife to a fist fight, you can’t use a car to hit someone on the street.”

Police say the driver was taking his customer to an ATM to get cash. When he ran, Ranj said his driver tried to chase after him. Ranj said, “I think the guy was trying to do a ditch move, and I think he took a curve and hit him.”

This opens up a much larger issue, how do you protect yourself, or your business?

David said, “If they are not in danger of losing their life, of having serious injury on themselves, they can’t use deadly force because that is said to be both an aggressor and excessive.”

The bottom line is you can’t use force greater than what is being used against you.

The driver no longer works for Mr. Taxi.