Taxi Driver Online

A cabbies life...
By Asian Image reporter



There have calls for better protection for cab-drivers after a number of attacks on taxi-drivers in the space of weeks.

In Bolton, Usman Patel was ambushed by a gang of youths who hid in a tree and hurled a 3ft-long log at his windscreen. Mr Patel swerved into the path of approaching traffic when the log crashed against his screen. He avoided a collision - and as he pulled up the youths climbed down from the tree and fled.

"The log appeared to fall from the sky.

"It hit the windscreen on the passenger side and bits of glass flew into the car. It was lucky I didn't have a passenger.

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"If it had hit my side, I might have lost control of the car and who knows what could have happened, I could have been killed."

In Nelson, Mohammad Ahmed said he was assaulted and his car doors were smashed after he picked up a fare.

Father-of-four Mr Ahmed, 33, needed hostpital treatment. He said, "It was terrifying. I was very scared and I am just glad I managed to escape.

"Something needs to be done to protect drivers."

The chairman of the Pendle Taxi Association and owner of Brunswick Street-based Cavalier Taxis, Mohammad Akram, condemned the incident.

He said: "This is the worst case of alleged racial abuse I have seen against a taxi driver in my 20 years of being a driver.

"Incidents like this are not something we will stand for and we just hope there is not a more serious incident in the future."

Mohammed Pervez was robbed by a man wielding a screwdriver in Bolton Town Centre.

Five men approached his cab and while one thretened him with a screwdriver, another opened the cab door and grabbed cash.

"I would support the idea of fitting cameras-it would improve safety for drivers."

"The robbery was very frightening. I didn't know what was going on. We should be able to go out and earn a living without feeling our lives are in danger."

Charles Oakes of the the Bolton Hackney Carriages Association said, "Attacks on drivers are coming in thick and fast. If it's not bricks and stones being thrown at the cabs it's personal attacks on drivers.

"They have even had their vehicles broken into outside their homes."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin