Nothing particularly remarkable here, and just the Dundee trade I knew back in the day, except there was no racial element back then, because, er, there were no 'minority' drivers
In fact, could be anywhere - no doubt some places worse, some a lot better.
At least no mention of any actual violence, or event threats of violence. But maybe he's a better psychiatrist than me
Life after dark: The late night Dundee taxi driver who talked a woman out of suicide
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifesty ... xi-driver/
As the clocks go back, we interview one worker who embraces the darkness for a living. Gayle Ritchie reports.
Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson
When the clocks go back on Sunday, it’ll be an excuse for some folk to launch into full hibernation mode, cosying up in front of the fire, or pulling on the PJs and heading to bed.
However, there are others who wholeheartedly embrace the darkness – those who work through the wee small hours.
Dundee taxi driver Qaiser Habib regards himself as “basically a psychiatrist”.
He’s been picking up and dropping off customers for more than a decade, and he’s met his fair share of interesting characters.
Dundee taxi driver: ‘I love talking to different characters’
It’s night shifts that Quaiser, 49 who’s better known as ‘Kaiser’, loves most.
“I meet drunk people rolling out of pubs and clubs, folk who don’t know what they’re talking about and don’t know where they’re going. It can be a challenge,” he admits.
“But I love talking to different characters. You have to be cool, calm and patient to do this job.
“You can meet some aggressive, abrupt, unhappy and annoyed people so you need to know how to calm them down.”
Night workers suffer abuse
It’s no surprise that Kaiser – who runs Kaiser Taxi Ltd – has found himself on the receiving end of abuse, depressingly, some of it racial.
More often than not though, it’s people swearing and shouting, or answering him rudely.
“I’m an Asian taxi driver and I don’t hear a lot of racist abuse, but sometimes people will say: ‘Whaur you fae?’ or: ‘You fae Turkey, Syria or India’.” he says.
“I’ve also had a few comments like: ‘Why are you in this country? You’re an immigrant!’.”
One particularly unpleasant night sticks in Kaiser’s mind. He’d picked up an “army guy” just back from Afghanistan and told Kaiser his best friend had been killed there.
“He asked if I was Muslim, then said: ‘You guys murdered my best pal.’
“He started getting angry and I feared he might bring out a knife and harm me. I tried to calm him down but the entire journey I was looking in the mirror, desperate to drop him off.”
Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson
Dundee taxi driver Kaiser helped change mind of suicidal girl
Another night, dad-of-two Kaiser picked up a girl who was feeling suicidal. She told him she was considering throwing herself off the Tay Bridge. Thanks to his counselling skills, he helped change her mind.
“She was 99% sure she was going to take her own life.”
“We talked on the journey and I tried to motivate her, to get her to love life. I managed to change her mind. That felt like a ‘good citizen’ moment.”
Kaiser has also had to deal with injured and unwell passengers, often driving them to A&E for minor injuries.
His patience can be tested, too, with passengers often asking mindless questions. The worst? When they ask what time he started, when he finishes, and when he’s taking a break.
“It’s par for the course I guess!” laughs Kaiser. Bear that in mind next time you hop into a taxi!
He makes it his business to be well informed about news, sport and politics so he’s in a position to talk to people from all walks of life.
Ultimately, Kaiser sees his role as getting passengers from A to B safely, comfortably and speedily.
He’s also happy to act as a tour guide, sharing tips on where to eat, drink and be merry.
He’s a representative for Dundee City Taxi Drivers Association.
Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson
