Taxi Driver Online

This is an official GMB press release, and caused a minor ripple in the national press earlier in the week

And while the headline focuses on last year's 'race riots', the stuff below seems as much about the wider environment of fear and violence.

And slightly odd that it only mentions PHDs, although maybe only PHDs were surveyed, for whatever reason (can't remember if the GMB has a specific private hire branch, but that's certainly not mentioned here).

And ironic, too, that the results were delivered to the GMB's congress in Brighton, where there's certainly less of a difference between HCDs and PHDs than elsewhere...

Funny thing, too, is that the race of the complainants here isn't mentioned. Or perhaps it just doesn't need mentioned, because 'gammons' unlikely to be targetted in this way, at least to the extent that this is specifically about last year's 'race riots'.

Or maybe we're just supposed to assume that the vast majority of PHDs aren't gammons


85 per cent of private hire drivers fear race riots will reoccur#

https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/85-per-cent ... ppen-again

A massive 85 per cent of private hire drivers fear race riots will hit the streets of the UK again this summer, a GMB survey shows.

In the poll, answered by almost 400 drivers, 85 per cent said they believe riots or similar acts of violence may happen again this year.

Drivers were worried future violence would impact their families 77 per cent) and their livelihoods (82 per cent)

Results from the survey will be delivered to GMB’s annual congress in Brighton today [Tuesday]

Almost half (46 per cent) said they were hit by the riots last summer, either directly or indirectly.

Drivers described being threatened with knives and machetes, racially abused and having stones thrown at their cars.

Many reported being too scared to work, while one said they carried a baseball bat in their car to ward off attackers.

One said it was ‘just heartbreaking to witness humanity at its worst’.

Eamon O’Hearn, GMB national officer , said:

“These terrifying survey results show our private hire drivers were on the front line of last year’s riots, and a huge majority fear they may happen again this summer.”

One respondent said:

“I passed by a mosque and had several people approach me with knives and machetes so I speeded up and did the quickest U-turn ever and got out of there.”

Another driver said:

“I do not feel safe in the United Kingdom any more, I have started to carry my own baseball bats as I am in fear of having acid thrown at me.”

Bats? How many do you need?

And a very specific fear as well - have read thousands of articles about attacks on drivers over the years, but can't specifically recall an acid attack. Thankfully.

But, I mean, is it a good idea for the GMB to advertise this?

If there's a rash of cars being searched for offensive weapons in the near future, we'll all know who to blame

What a load of old fanny.

Drivers deal with idiots most nights of the year, the issue of race riots is not an issue I've ever encountered in the taxi/PH trade.

Clearly there are a load of right wing nutters out there, but guess what, there are a load of left wing nutters out there as well.

Any driver with at least two brain cells will keep well away from any argy bargy, be that right or left wing nutters, or pi**ed up nutters late at night.

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IDFIMH

neither hackney or PH can carry weapons the police will not allow that and licensing will take a dim view

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector