http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4262042/Melbourne-taxi-driver-protest-Tullamarine-highway.html‘It’s just a massive ad for Uber!’ Social media users ridicule taxi drivers after they stage ANOTHER protest by blocking one of Melbourne’s busiest roads
Taxi drivers blocked one of Melbourne's busiest roads with an anti-Uber protest
Drivers gathered at the city's main airport at 8am and had a short rally
They then drove slowly along the Tullamarine freeway to parliament house
Social media users said the strike only made people want to use Uber more
Taxi drivers have been ridiculed online after blocking one of Melbourne's busiest roads in protest at state government plans to deregulate the industry.
Hundreds of drivers gathered at the city's main airport at 8am on Monday and then drove slowly in convoy along the Tullamarine freeway to parliament house.
Cabbies are angry at the state government's decision to legalise Uber, and don't think its planned compensation for taxi licence holders is enough.
But angered commuters took to Facebook to ridicule the taxi industry for acting like a 'group of entitled, self-centred victims doing themselves no favours' and said the strike would only make people want to use Uber more.
The protest was expected to create traffic chaos during peak hour and commuters travelling to the city for work were advised to avoid the area completely.
'The impact will just be a massive ad for Uber,' one angered commuter wrote online.
'Instead of ruining everyone's morning, how about reducing prices and improving services. They still get the benefit of exclusive rights to taxi zones, airport taxi ranks and driving in bus lanes.'
'Oh well! What better way to promote Uber than a 7/11 cab strike,' one man wrote.
'I hope I get caught up in a taxi protest I have a lot of built up anger, a [edited by admin] car and no insurance. It won't be a good day for the driver,' tweeted another.
'We had 180 (taxi drivers) at the last one but this one will be bigger because we're inviting all the drivers,' one of the protest organisers told 3AW radio.
Sandy Spanos, president of Victorian Taxi and Hire Car Families, told the TODAY show the government was 'stealing assets' and hurting over 5,000 families.
'All we're asking for is the government to not steal our assets, it is a very clear message, you cannot take peoples assets away and not pay them back fairly and justly,' she said.
'It's not good enough, taxi licenses have always had the value of a home - it will financially ruin 5,000 families.
'What makes us protest? Do we enjoy protesting? We're not activists, we just want what is rightfully ours.'
Uber drivers are also said to be switching off their apps in support of the taxi protest.
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