CabFlog
TAXI authorities have condemned an Islamic recruiting drive by some of Melbourne's Muslim cabbies using propaganda-style DVDs featuring radical preacher Sheik Khalid Yasin.
This curious item appeared in Melbourne earlier in the week. Why, I wondered, would any cabbie with a modicum of self-preservation, a driver's first consideration, presume passengers would be interested in uplifting products like, Death...Your Time Is Up !
Talk about how to win friends and influence people. Moreover, such a dodgy marketing strategy is about as smart as those fundamentalist Christian preachers who descended on the Middle East after the second Gulf War. One imagines they didn’t last very long.
An indicator of the diminishing rate of conversions to Islam is telling...
"In the past 10 years, the ITI has delivered more than 5000 persons to Islam and an additional 1476 since the September 11 attacks," the DVDs say.
Assuming the statement is current, this reads as approximately 881 annual conversions pre 9/11, and only 246 annual conversions post 9/11. Hence, one guesses, the cabbies' recruiting drive.
Whilst taxis can be considered an ideal space to promote causes or flog products, I struggle to remember other examples of entrepreneurial cabbies. The only ones I’ve heard of are drivers selling cleaning products through multi-level marketing deals, plus those taxi decals advertising the Chinese religion/philosophy, Falun Dafa.
Which reminds me, I must order some Cablog business cards.
Don't worry about the business cards, get the bumber stickers going. You could put them on the back of all the cabs whilst you are in the holding pen at the Airport.......
Posted by: Keith B | July 20, 2007 at 07:12 AM
When I was in Sydney I had a part time Christian Preacher driving cabs and after a few passenger complaints I had a word with him about it. He couldnt see what the problem was so I tried a different tac and told him that I was prepared to do a contra deal with him. He could continue preaching in the cab and I would have signs made adverting the taxi company for display in his church.
He stopped preahing in the cabs.
Posted by: turner mitteron | July 20, 2007 at 08:11 AM
I once caught a cab in Melbourne that was full of books for sale written by the driver. I think he may have been a photographer or artist. Anyway, I got the sales pitch as we travelled. I didn't buy anything though.
Posted by: Gibbo | July 20, 2007 at 08:26 AM
I caught a cab last year in the CBD and the cabbie was selling dried out cane toads that had been made into little purses or something.
My boss and I as Queenslanders, found it quite funny.
Most people consider cane toads as vermin but this guy was extremely proud of his work, and it was actually pretty clever. I found it quite touching.
Posted by: LaLa | July 21, 2007 at 07:45 PM
I once had a cab driver offer me some Islamic writings. I showed it to my Muslim friend afterwards. She said it was pretty crazy stuff and we threw it away. Didn't really bother me, and certainly didn't lead me to want to convert. If there's one thing that puts me off, it's evangelism.
Posted by: Legal Eagle | July 21, 2007 at 10:42 PM
hi champ just wanted 2 say hello thx 4 the gr8 posts u r compulsory 4 me i love your glow bro and im not gay/random/sic even tho my daughter thinks i am lmfao.u r a credit 2 yor anti-bodies keep up the gr8 work.plz adrian dont smoke unless u really need em they BAD justlike me lol.butte if u need a new ashtray let me know ok ill put my image on 1 4 u then u can put me out. (ashes 2 ashes dust 2 dust etc.)cheers bro.
Posted by: _DR_ASHTRAY_ | July 22, 2007 at 10:32 AM
so my next cab ride is with an afganhi trained teacher with pakistani wife 5 kids living in strathfield absolute genuine gentleman.he was a boy during flower power tourist season 2 funny sum of his stories.gr8 memories 4 him.he said hez happy 2 be here his kids love it and he gets his wife home every 4 years loved our country.he said 20 million ppl in afganistan most of them nice just like oz.
please people keep your faiths dont hate.
Posted by: _DR_ASHTRAY_ | July 22, 2007 at 07:30 PM
Keith, that makes sense but I think there are restrictions on blatant vehicle advertising.
Dr Ashtray, thanks for the warm encouragement. As a former cabbie you well understand the mid-winter blues. Plus that's a nice encounter with your driver; fortunately decent drivers are the majority and good for you for taking interest in his lot. Regards, and I hear you on the smoking advice.
Posted by: adrian | July 23, 2007 at 07:49 AM