Cabbies face racism and violence

by **Admin** Thu 29 Jan 2009 - 1:08

Taxi drivers are the victims of racism and violence

Published Date:
26 January 2009
By Matthew Squires
Taxi drivers have found themselves victims of an increase in violence. Reporter Matthew Squires spent a week on the night shift in a Preston cab to find out more.
It is just before 2.45am on Sunday morning and the city's pubs and clubs are beginning to wind down. I'm sitting in the passenger seat as two men in their 20s jump into Steve Baines's cab.

"Bloody hell," said one of them, even before he told Steve where they are going, "two white drivers, I never thought I'd see the day."

The conversation went downhill from there.

The man goes on to claim he was threatened by an Asian driver in a row over a fare before telling us for five more minutes how much he "hates" Asian cabbies, using the word "Paki" six times.

"Cheers lads. I love talking to white people," he concludes as he jumps out.

"It is amazing," Steve says as he drives off. "I have been called Bin Laden by some people. When people get in the cab they can't automatically see you because it's dark.

"Recently I got about five lads in on Friargate and I asked them where they were going. They were all arguing among themselves so I asked them again and one of them said 'Just drive you black ****'.

"I turfed them out, but that's how nasty they are.

"I would say every weekend you get 'Bloody hell, a white man' and some of them get really nasty. I get that so what they get God only knows."

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Cabbies-face-racism-and-violence.4914157.jp