Taxi Drivers

Hi Ray

Not sure where you live but here in Syd, the taxi council and RTA introduced measures to stop attacks against drivers...,. The drivers fought the plan and eventually the security screens were removed. If they don't want to help themselves, what more can be done ???

Donks

Needs zero tolerance .... about every thing. all they get is a good behaviour bond or community service, The pi$$ weak judges need a good swift kick in the ass.
Cairns is a classic example , the city has little mongrels (kids) roaming the streets all night bashing, robbing, and causing damage to people and property.

.

Hi Ray.
I agree they need much better protection and it's not just at night they need it.
I owned and drove a cab in Perth for years before giving up 14 years ago and the behaviour of some of those daytime riders leaves a lot to be desired as well.
Forget the local rags rhetoric about those warm hearted West Australians, when they've got to pay out to yet another person and he's on his own, they very brave, even some Mums who've been shopping and want the driver to put it in the fridge for them, can get very abusive when he won't!
I won't mention the behaviour of their rotten spoilt kids.
Bus drivers also need that protection (I've driven buses as well) as some of the scum around don't need booze to make them brave, as they are probably not in a secure asylum only because of the lack of places.
Afternoon/evening shift buses always had driver protection and they need it often.
I've been spat at, had rocks thrown at me and the protective shield has saved me from wild swings from agitated loonies who quite often have been the holders of Health Care Cards or other Welfare Benefit Cards but who certainly haven't looked sick or hard done by to me.
And strangely enough they all seem to smoke, drink and have mobile phones.
Just dare to point out that their card is out of date, or the ticket they bought a month ago can't be used, but before you do make sure the shield is in place!
What it's like to be an African or Asian driver I can't bear to think about, but in saying that I know taxi users get very upset by the sight of yet another obvious foreigner who quite often can't speak the language, doesn't know the area and whose driving is frightening sometimes to say the least.
Thank dawg I no longer deal with the taxi or bus riding public.
Alan.

not only do they need a protective screen [most in melbourne]
need to speak english [or australian] no where they are going
have clean clothes, wash them selfs & be polite to there
employee me who is paying there wage

One of the more disgusting trends in community violence has been in the number of serious assaults on medical personnel. Visit any emergency department of any public hospital and you'll see what I mean.
Apart from mental and drug cases, some parts of our society seems to have undergone a radical transformation. Some people seem to think that it's their RIGHT to assault those who are there to help them, whether it's the doctor, policeman, teacher,taxi or bus driver, or just an innocent bystander. A few drinks, and who cares, the Law won't do much.
Try and defend yourself against a home invasion and see whose side the law is on.
Legalized theft by the corporate giants is fine, but try forgetting to pay for your fuel (or breakfast...how did that guy go I wonder?)
Crazy.

it sucks that people out there ruin the lives of taxi drivers but maybe there will be no end to the violence that is caused.

9yrs ago (almost to the day) a local was killed and then burned in his taxi (and a family friend too) all because the guy didnt want to pay his bill

maybe they should do a prepay and set payment thing....but that would have to have the car set up with a digital map with kms etc (which isnt hard these days really)

Err,in SA it is the other way around! Taxi drivers attacking their customers. I wouldn't want to put my daughter in one! If i had one that is.LOL
We try to avoid catching them as the driving is SOOO BAD, i would be safer driving bleep .
We have had it all, no english,stink,rude, fell asleep at the wheel TWICE, driving at 100km/hr in a 60k zone in the pooring rain etc etc!
We try to catch buses now.