Crazy passenger risks his life in 'taxi-surfing' stunt

A YOUNG man risked his life to "surf" on the roof of a taxi as it drove through Edinburgh city centre.

The late-night stunt was captured on a friend's mobile phone camera and posted on the popular YouTube website. The video shows the man climbing out of the window of a black cab as it heads along South Bridge. He then clambers over the roof before re-entering the taxi through the window on the opposite side.

The prank was today condemned by police and safety campaigners as council chiefs ordered an investigation to track down the cabbie involved.

The taxi can be seen driving past the Festival Theatre on Nicolson Street when the incident takes place. The vehicle does not slow down or stop, and, though the man and his friends can be heard laughing and joking, there is no sign of the driver making any protest.

Councillor Chris Wigglesworth, the convener of the council's regulatory committee, whose remit includes taxi licensing, said the film would be looked into.

He said: "This sounds crazy. I'm just glad nobody was hurt.

"We have a cab officer, who is a police inspector paid for by the council. I will make sure that the footage is drawn to his attention and see if there are grounds for further action. We will try to establish which taxi was involved."

It is understood the taxi driver would be likely to lose his licence if he is found to have been aware of what was happening and taken no action over the incident.

The 55-second video describes the stunt as a "late-night adrenalin rush". The friend who recorded the stunt and another passenger can be heard laughing throughout, and describe the man who climbs on to the cab roof as a "legend".

The video was posted on the web in August and is classified in the "comedy" category.

But Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said similar stunts had ended with disastrous consequences.

"There have been problems with other surfing-style incidents, with people trying this on moving trains - and some have ended in tragedy," he said.

"We do hope nobody will be stupid enough to copy or emulate what this man is doing.

"What might seem like a fun prank could easily have resulted in the parents and family of this young man waking up to deal with the horrendous consequences."

The footage starts as the taxi heads north on Nicolson Street. The man, who is not named on the web, climbs out of the window to the right of the driver and clambers on the roof as the cab passes Surgeon's Hall.

His heavy footsteps can be heard as he runs across the roof of the cab and climbs back through the opposite window as the taxi reaches South Bridge.

The video, which was posted by "Wilfibaby1" on August 26, is titled "Taxi Surfing - Edinburgh".

A police spokeswoman said: "This is an extremely dangerous act to have been carried out and the person being filmed could have been seriously or fatally injured. He may have thought it was a funny thing to do at the time but the consequences could have been tragic for his family and friends.

"This utterly stupid act should not be copied by anyone."

Have you seen behaviour like this in Edinburgh? Do you know who the man in the footage is? Contact the Evening News on 0131-620 8746.