Taxi Driver Online

Ooft. Not the normal kind of videoed violent confrontation we'd expect to see and read about.

This seems to be filmed by one of those lockdown sceptics who has a large audience on social media.

The HCD seems to have gone to a Covid test station, but seems to take objection to the fact he's being videoed, albeit from some distance.

The HCD then loses his rag, and things get a bit lairy.

I can kind of see why the driver's annoyed, but why he reacted like he did is anyone's guess - he must have been aware he's being filmed for a start.

But I'm guessing it's bye-bye badge. But with such an obvious short fuse, makes you wonder how me manages to keep his cool as an HCD at the best of times. And I doubt if Salford is just old ladies going for afternoon tea.

But I'd guess he's been in trouble in the past.

Anyway, the Manchester Evening News article is below, but maybe easier to view the incident on YouTube rather than on the MEN's website. And the driver's face is blurred in the MEN version, and the swear words are edited out.

It's mostly commentary before the incident, and all the action is from about 5.00 onwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnSjFkKk0wA


Taxi driver has licence suspended after video emerges of bust-up with filmmaker outside coronavirus testing centre

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... r-19315044

The video shows the pair engaged in an argument before the driver appears to lash out several times


Image: Charles Veitch/MEN

A taxi driver has had his operator licence suspended after a video emerged of a bust-up with a filmmaker outside a coronavirus testing centre.

Charlie Veitch, whose YouTube videos are watched by nearly 100,000 subscribers across the world, captured footage of the confrontation at the facility outside Salford Civic Centre, in Swinton, on Thursday morning (November 19).

The video shows the pair engaged in an argument before the driver appears to lash out at Mr Veitch several times.

Salford council confirmed it had suspended the driver's taxi licence 'with immediate effect'.

Mr Veitch, 40, said he was using the test centre as a backdrop for a video, in which he was discussing Joe Biden and Donald Trump, when he was confronted by the driver.

As a taxi leaves the mobile facility, it can be seen being driven towards Mr Veitch.

The vehicle then pulls up next to him.

Mr Veitch can be heard saying: "Hi, how can I help you?"

The taxi driver asks him whether is filming, before repeatedly asking him to stop.

After a tense exchange, the video shows the driver appear to attempt to hit out at Mr Veitch through his window before, climbing out of the vehicle.

The filmmaker appears to concede that he was compelled to 'slap' the driver'.


Image: Charles Veitch/MEN

Mr Veitch says he was with his young son when he was attacked and feared the youngster was also 'in danger'.

"I felt shell shocked," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"I feel I was excessively reasonable.

"In the video, you see me trying to say 'dude, come on. I'm here with a baby'."

Staff at the test centre dialled 999, Mr Veitch said. Police officers arrived within minutes, he added.

He also reported the incident to the council.

Mr Veitch insists he was not trying to film anyone at the test centre. He was unhurt.

A spokesperson for Salford council said: “The incident was also captured by our CCTV cameras and footage has been passed to the police for review.

"We have suspended the drivers’ taxi licence with immediate effect until a full report can be put before the licensing panel.”

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said officers were aware of 'a video purporting to show a confrontation' and are investigating.

Not much

So the taxi driver threatened violence but the "youtuber" actually slapped the taxi driver so he has put evidence on line of himself committing assault!

So if the police become involved he's in trouble as well

It was an over reaction from the driver but i suspect he was worried that he was being filmed being tested when he intended to work. he has now probably lost his license

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Police did arrive and took statements, apparently.

But you're right - watch the video from about 6.45. At around 6.50 there's a clear edit, because that's when Veitch claims to have slapped the driver. Obviously he didn't want that bit in the public domain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnSjFkKk0wA

Reason I watched it again and noticed that bit (I initially just thought it was a technical glitch) is that Veitch put up another video commentary, asking for donations etc.

But on it he said that he'd slapped the driver once, but that didn't have the 'desired effect', then slapped him so hard that "birds flew out of the trees, and it was like a gunshot."

I must have missed that bit

But that must have been what happened at around 7.00, so Veitch seems to be exaggerating slightly. (Of course, Veitch says he abhors all violence, blah, blah, and only gave the driver a 'medium strength', 'open-palmed' slap initially, which is presumably why he's felt the need to edit it out )

Veitch also said the HCD was driving 'very erratically' and thought he was about to ram him. Again, didn't quite get that impression from the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvElDwLC-dE

So Veitch defo exaggerating a bit, and milking it for all it's worth.

But what the HCD thought he would gain from all that

Obviously fancies himself as a bit tasty. Maybe he is, but he should have known how it would all work out. And calling Veitch a 'mong' etc

Anyway, Veitch's follow up commentary can be viewed here - his comments about the incident are in the first couple of minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvElDwLC-dE

And if you want send Veitch lots of cash, you can do so here