barrelomonkeys wrote:I think the abuse of alcohol is a problem. I stopped drinking when I was very young because I had such a disgusting example infront of me illustrating the dangers of alcohol abuse.
Alcohol lowers inhibitions and people do things they would not normally do. I have a very interesting job, even though a dangerous one at times. This is a news report about one of my workmates:
THE New South Wales Taxi Council is outraged over the $1000 fine given to a man who bashed a cab driver.
It says the penalty handed to the 26-year-old man who punched 64-year-old cabbie Farouk Elmoubayed in the face is a "slap on the hand".
Mr Elmoubayed was unable to work for 15 days and needed stitches across his nose after the bashing on June 23 at Barrack Heights, near Wollongong.
The taxi council wants the NSW Government to appeal the sentence handed down yesterday in Kembla Local Court after the man pleaded guilty to punching the cabbie during a drunken argument.
Taxi council chief executive Howard Harrison said the penalty fails as a deterrent.
"An attack on a taxi driver is a serious crime, not a misdemeanour," Mr Harrison said.
"These gutless bastards who attack our cabbies should not be able to get off with a slap on the hand.
"Taxi drivers should not be fair game just because they are out on the road by themselves."
The state's 1200 taxi drivers will be surveyed next week as part of an ongoing State Government taxi safety and security audit.
The audit is already calling for panic buttons and mandatory security cameras in all taxis.
This is only one reported incident of many that happen. This just came to public attention because the police were involved and the perpetrator caught. Often they are not.
From a study:
The high incidence of
assaults on taxi drivers compared
with other workers is consistent
over time (Chappell 2000, p. 290;
Knestaut 1997; Jenkins 1996,
p. 224).
In the United States, taxi
drivers account for nine per cent
of all occupational homicides and
have nearly 60 times the average
rate of assault (NIOSH 2000, p. 2;
NIOSH 1995, p. 3; Jenkins 1996,
p. 222; Myers 1996, p. 5; Davis
1987).
In my experience almost all of this is alcohol-fueled. Physical assault is only one aspect. As the report stated:
Violence is a common experience for taxi drivers, although most
incidents involve only shouting, swearing and threats. While physical
attacks are less frequent, a minimum of one homicide a year occurs in
Australia. This paper discusses the patterns of violence and identifies
risk factors. A subsequent Trends and Issues paper (number 179)
focuses on prevention strategies.
Taxi drivers are “popular” targets because they work alone, are
unprotected, accept passengers whose attitudes to violence are
unknown—and they carry cash. Media publicity about assaults may,
unfortunately, increase the probability of future attacks.
"Only"? When you're threatened by four drunk young males on a deserted road let us know how you feel. Now I'm not complaining, that's the nature and risks involved in the job, and I choose to work night shift, and there are far more positives than negatives, and far more good people than bad ones, but a few bad ones is enough to wreck your night, or your career. I know another driver stabbed in the eye by a drunken youth, lost his eye, and never drove night shift again, because that's when the drunks turn out. I have picked up the same people when drunk and when they were sober, and the difference is nothing short of remarkable. They are polite when sober, but a dark side comes out when they've consumed too much alcohol.
Abuse of drivers is only one aspect. The drunks are harming society, and violence occurs in the streets too, and the police response is mostly lame. I have had domestic arguments in the cab too. Families turning on each other after a night out at the pub. One girl cursing her father and threatening to jump out of the cab. You don't know when violence is going to erupt. Husband and wife coming to physical blows too. All alcohol-fueled. Another young man bashed in a nightclub asked me to take him home so he could get a gun and go back. Fortunately we (his father was in the car too) talked him out of it. After I dropped them off, the father remained in the car to have a chat with me, and this was the last thing he said: "It's a changing world, isn't it?" In the "old days" fights were one on one, and you shook hands afterwards. Today its gangs bashing old people, or resorting to weapons in gang fights, and uninhibited violence. When taxi drivers have to illegally carry concealed weapons (we do) you know society is in a sad state of affairs, and unfortunately most of this is caused by alcohol and cocaine, and other deadly drugs. We are at the coalface of all this, and know intimately, too intimately, what's going on. Most people have no idea, and are shocked at some of the stories, and they find it hard to believe. What makes it worse is that the next generation appears to be turning out worse. The thieves and abusers are getting younger and younger, and getting on to illegal drugs much earlier. Anyone who believes that hard drugs should be legalised has to be off their rocker. When that day comes, people will be walking home after a night out. The bleeding heart lefties have caused much of this, creating what they call "a tolerant society". If it feels good, do it. The police are afraid to arrest people for fear of being charged with "wrongful arrest", because so many "rights" have been given to people who abuse those rights. The sad aspect is that many cabbies have become hardened too. Some of them will not hesitate to bash an abusive passenger or one who refuses to pay the fare. One driver I know was called an "ugly wog", and racial abuse hurled at him, again by a drunk. He held the passenger's head and smashed it into the dashboard several times. Actions, and reactions, and all of it caused by uncontrollable drunk people.
Rant over. Time to get on with domestic responsibilities. Throw any sarcasm you wish, but if this doesn't concern someone, consider this a tidal wave warning. We are a society out of control.