On Instinct

A taxi driver has been seriously injured after he was lured from his vehicle, then attacked and robbed by three men in Melbourne early Tuesday. Police say the three men stood in the middle of the road shortly after 3.30am and refused to move for the driver.

Whilst the driver broke the cardinal rule - never get out of the cab, the fact two of the assailants were African, as was the driver, may have induced him to leave the vehicle.

What could one do if faced with the same scenario ? Lock the doors, close the windows and trigger the alarm. If an attack then proceeded, hit the throttle in reverse gear. If reverse was not possible, well hey, one has a right to defend oneself...

Easy to say I know, but it's such a simple attack to stage. Yet if a cabbie did react instinctively this way, and killed or seriously injured an assailant, it would send an unequivocal message to any scumbags thinking of pulling the same stunt. Too harsh ?

Comments

[98h2tfqavhq21975]

Several years ago I was in Chicago (USA) for a convention and a couple of blocks outside the convention center there were free lance cab hailers who would flag down a cab for tips. Since it is illegal for a cab to pick up rides that close to the legal queue at the convention center, these guys would often have to run out into the intersection at red lights stand in front of the cab with their hands the hood. Sometimes they got a short ride on the hood too. They inevitably got the cab to take the passenger. However it was annoying for passersby as well as the taxi drivers since if you were walking past in a business suit and didn't want a cab you were a @#%@!$. The cops would come by and chase them away only during rush hour. My point is that it's not that easy for a normal person to endanger another person even if your're threatened unless you've had training and experience. I think I prefer humanity to have this fault.

[Greg]

I'm sorry for the driver and hope he'll be o.k. As much as I agree getting out of the cab is a cardinal error, I wouldn't recommend deliberately running into the assailants, either, unless they were threatening with an equivalent amount of force, a gun, for example, since that could bring about a 'vehicular homicide' situation. Getting the hell out of there is certainly warranted, but so's calling for help.

By 'trigger[ing] the alarm', do you mean an audible alarm or a signal back to the dispatcher that there's an emergency? Both would be good.

[Walter]

Back in the day, I'd never get out of the cab, but then it was a 5000 lb. Checker cab (people think of them as the old NYC style cabs) with steel panel sides.

[shadow]

There was a spate of robberies of taxi drivers outside Redfern station in this style in the seventies.Aboriginal youths would surround the cab ,open all the doors and take the driver's money.

[Lee]

Just lock your doors, put your windows up, plant your bloody foot down on the pedal, Adrian...and too bad...let the bastards scatter! When it's a case of yourself or 'them'...always consider yourself first!

[adrian]

98h2tfqavhq21975, Whilst an admirable sentiment this doesn't take into account the natural 'fight or flight' instinct.
Greg, the alarm is silent and back to base, alerting all cabs and police. Tomorrow I'll detail an actual case in Sydney involving a cabbie's self defense against unarmed assailants.
Lee, regarding locked doors and windows I've seen a driver's window shattered by a single boot from an enraged assailant. At which point the terrified driver floored it, scattering onlookers. 'Fight or flight' in action.

[Lee]

I can imagine, Adrian...but you definitely don't want to stick around to see what their next move...will be! Better to imagine what it might have been after you planted your foot and see them drawing smaller in your rear vision mirror!

You never know what these clowns have 'indulged' in...they don't give a damn about any other person...life of another is cheap to them...all they want is their next 'hit' or means to get it. Even if drugs aren't involved, alcohol most likely is...mixed with anger and no respect for fellow man. It's becoming a more violent world out there and I don't envy your role in it, Adrian.