Am I racist...?? :(

LegacyUser

ok, I’ll keep it short and to the point. going un-regged for obvious reasons.
I work mostly day shifts for a small taxi firm here in Dublin. I’ve been doing this job for about 13 years and I always feel I have done a fair job.

lately though I have wondered if some rules I have for my taxi are racist. these aren’t official rules just my own for how I give a lift to or not.

since I have started I have never given lifts to anyone who looked rough. I’m not the biggest man so I avoid any trouble. lately I’ve also included this rules to black people. now I know that sounds racist but the last few I gave a lift to were very abusive and about a month ago one of them pulled a knife on me over a fare. I told him to just leave but he was still very aggressive. so I’ve decided to avoid any black people in my car in the future. would this be racist since its only blacks that have given me a hard time and they are more likely to start trouble?

MrStuffins

Yes, you are determining your fares by race.

BUT............ you're trying to protect yourself and they sound like valid reasons. I wouldn't actually call you a racist person. You should feel you are safe while doing your job.

LegacyUser

....and you've never been abused by a white person in 13 years, or a chinese person, or asian.....
Yes you are being racist, I don't think you have hateful racist feelings but have developed a stereotype of black people from your own experiences. It's a very incorrect and negative stereotype and I think you know that avoiding black people is being racist, that's why you posted here. You should keep an open mind about all races and at the same time be sensible about your own safety too!

herya

Unregistered wrote: »

so I’ve decided to avoid any black people in my car in the future. would this be racist since its only blacks that have given me a hard time and they are more likely to start trouble?

It depends. Would you ban all white people if one of them threatened you?

My name is URL

50/50 I'd say =p

Seriously though, if your simply worried about your safety then have a camera installed in the cab and stick a sign inside stating that there is one.

It'll help deter any abusive behavior.

LegacyUser

op here.
you see i dont think im rasict because im still letting poles/eastern european people in my taxi even though they have always caused me trouble, if only in a minor way.
it's only blacks that i will refuse a fare to, but as i stated i have had a few rough situationjs with them. there has been a few situations where i've been hailed, i might put down the window slighty and if i hear nigerian/african accents i'll wave and move on. i ALWAYS let african americans/other blacks in my taxi, who i havnt had any run-ins with whatsoever.
i know i probably sound like a total racist but i genuinely have had some bad experiences with these lads. what should i do? should i give them another chance and just be more street smart about who i pick up???

HouseHippo

Unregistered wrote: »

op here.
you see i dont think im rasict because im still letting poles/eastern european people in my taxi even though they have always caused me trouble, if only in a minor way.
it's only blacks that i will refuse a fare to, but as i stated i have had a few rough situationjs with them. there has been a few situations where i've been hailed, i might put down the window slighty and if i hear nigerian/african accents i'll wave and move on. i ALWAYS let african americans/other blacks in my taxi, who i havnt had any run-ins with whatsoever.
i know i probably sound like a total racist but i genuinely have had some bad experiences with these lads. what should i do? should i give them another chance and just be more street smart about who i pick up???

I was assaulted by a nigerian doorman in a popular dublin club,he punched me because he said I had vodka in my bag,which I didn't. A nigerian Taxi man also wouldn't let me out of his car and was very aggressive with me. I was tempted to label all nigerian people with the same brush until my friend start going out with a really nice guy from Nigeria.
I understand how bad experiences make you racist, and it is your own choice who you have in your cab as long as you aren't abusive in public or voice your opinion to others then you aren't really hurting anyone,but driving away when you hear someones accent is bound to upset or offend someone,I just wouldn't stop at all.

As for having trouble try and get maybe a barrier between your section of the car and the passengers also install a camera,make sure they know they are being watched! I know plenty of white people who cause trouble in Taxi's remember that couple who stabbed a taxi man to death not too long ago!

LegacyUser

You're not a racist.

There will be many from the PC brigade who will jump at the opportunity to label you one. But cold hard facts are present. You've had far more trouble from Black people lately so therefore you have every right to avoid putting yourself in that situation again and if you "tar everyone with the same brush" then so be it.

Black people are inherently more aggressive and their Caucasian counterparts.

My name is URL

I found an Irish company that sells and fits in-car CCTV systems..

http://halosecurity.ie/tag/taxi-cctv/

Dutchie_in_DUB

It is a pity that the few black people that are rude and violent ruin it for the good ones. But still it is a very ignorant thing to say that all of them are the same and should be refused in your taxi.
I am a dutch coloured woman (and probably in your eyes seen as one of those blacks) and I am hard-working & well educated. To read this shows me already that you know it is wrong to think like this, but I can also see where your point of view is coming from. Not that I agree with it, but it shows me that it is a colour thing. Cause how many rude white people have you maybe had in your taxi or have you heard of doing terrible things to colleagues of yours. Would you then also think to refuse all white people?
Have had many times over the last 6 years I have lived here that taxis have driven by to pick up the next white woman. I wear designer clothes, am polite and behave decently and still I was treated like this. And you know what it made me not hate all taxi-drivers either ;-)
The only last thing I can say on this, well thank god there are many more taxi drivers now than back then, and they have to earn the right for my money as I can pick which taxi I want to take.

Happy Monday

The fact that you are asking the question suggests that you are not racist - that you have qualms about all of this.

Who are we to judge who you choose to pick up or not?

Do some black people become aggressive because they feel that in a foreign country they can make the rules as they go?

oisindoyle

Unregistered wrote: »

ok, I’ll keep it short and to the point. going un-regged for obvious reasons.
I work mostly day shifts for a small taxi firm here in Dublin. I’ve been doing this job for about 13 years and I always feel I have done a fair job.

lately though I have wondered if some rules I have for my taxi are racist. these aren’t official rules just my own for how I give a lift to or not.

since I have started I have never given lifts to anyone who looked rough. I’m not the biggest man so I avoid any trouble. lately I’ve also included this rules to black people. now I know that sounds racist but the last few I gave a lift to were very abusive and about a month ago one of them pulled a knife on me over a fare. I told him to just leave but he was still very aggressive. so I’ve decided to avoid any black people in my car in the future. would this be racist since its only blacks that have given me a hard time and they are more likely to start trouble?

No you are quite right .Do what you have to do to keep safe ...i know lots of taxi drivers who have had trouble with numerous nigerian "passengers"..Is that a sweeping statement ?not really ask any driver if the have had a run in with a nigerian and i bet the answer is yes

LegacyUser

You are providing a service and can pick up who you want how you want when you want. The why is entirely your business and if you keep it to yourself it doesn't become anyone elses business.

You are not racist.

Dutchie_in_DUB

Do some black people become aggressive because they feel that in a foreign country they can make the rules as they go?[/quote]

Probably just cause they are rude, un-educated and have no decency.. Has nothing to do with their colour.

donmeister

Dutchie_in_DUB wrote: »

Probably just cause they are rude, un-educated and have no decency.. Has nothing to do with their colour.

+1

procure11

Unregistered wrote: »

You're not a racist.

There will be many from the PC brigade who will jump at the opportunity to label you one. But cold hard facts are present. You've had far more trouble from Black people lately so therefore you have every right to avoid putting yourself in that situation again and if you "tar everyone with the same brush" then so be it.

Black people are inherently more aggressive and their Caucasian counterparts.

You said that " Black people are inherently more aggressive and their Caucasian ",what reasearch have you personally carried out to come to such conclusions.Anectodally ,Irish people were regarded as poor,inconsequential drunks but we all know that is a fallacy.Twins that are born on the same day do not behave alike not to talk of different people .I am a Nigerian,and I have noticed that no day goes by without someone having something negative to say about us ( every black person that does anything negative is automatically a Nigerian)Incidentally,in Nigeria we have respect for Irish people due to the good folks that were missionaries and built schools that are still a legacy till today.I think some people can't have their day complete without having a dig at Nigerians.You might think we are deviod of feelings or helpless so you say and act with impunity but that is not the case at all.If I was the OP ,in the current tough economic climate I would concentrate on how to maximise my profits especially with the competition they complain so much about.He made claims that some "black people attacked him with knives",I would be very interested if he reported this to the Gardai and if he did where the investigation process is at this time and if he hasn't...why not.

procure11

Dutchie_in_DUB wrote: »

Do some black people become aggressive because they feel that in a foreign country they can make the rules as they go?

Probably just cause they are rude, un-educated and have no decency.. Has nothing to do with their colour.[/quote]

RATM

OP I think you'll find a majority of people in this world are racist; its just a matter to what degree. Most of us supress our racism since it is politically incorrect but latent racism is still racism nonetheless.

Anyway if you want an answer to your question you could try the Harvard Implicit Racism Test here
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

Calibos

OP. Could you see yourselve dating a black person. Could you see yourself becoming mates with one? I'd say the answer is yes and going by your post I would not say you were being racist. What you are doing is 'profiling' your prospective fares. As you said, you have no problem picking up African Americans or other foreign language speaking people of colour. Its no different to avoiding rough looking Irish skangers or poles etc. The difference is that while you have profiled caucasions too based on their socio-economic background its easier to correctly profile them because you are familiar with European/Western cultural fashions, mannerisms, demeanors etc. ie. You can tell instinctively with a high degree of accuracy what kind of person this is. Unfortunately for the Nigerians you can't instinctively tell the Nigerian Skangers for want of a better word from the majority of decent hardworking Nigerians in the country because you are not familiar with this particular nationalities specific culteral fashions, mannerisms, demeanors etc. You are going to have to befriend some Nigerians and get them to explain to you how to tell a Nigerian Skanger from the rest of them.

I too have profiled Nigerians in my shop. The profile I have built up about them is that I don't have to watch them like a hawk like I do with Irish skangers, Roma Gypsies or even Irish Middle class rocker kids. Thieving little bar stewards Never once have I had to deal with a shop lifting Nigerian. So my profile of Nigerians is actually a positive one.

SoWatchaWant

Mate, you're probably less adept at spotting the rough black people, as well as you can spot the rough Irish people. It's natural I think.

Brian.

SoWatchaWant wrote: »

Mate, you're probably less adept at spotting the rough black people, as well as you can spot the rough Irish people. It's natural I think.

ha, thats gotta be true. black people can and are just as friendly as any irish person......

mikemac

You are profiling your fares OP.

Back in the dark and distant days before deregulation, a group of lads would have an infinitely harder time of getting a cab then a group of girls at peak hours when the nightclubs shut
Yeah, it was tough getting a taxi but you could see what the driver was doing.
Thankfully those days are gone.

Besides, it's no different to choosing to take a businessman to an airport over some lowlife to a rough tower block.
Maybe the same money but easier for you and your business.

LegacyUser

O.A.
Right ive sorted out what to do. I dont want to descriminate against anyone so Ive bought an Imitation handgun. Anyone who gives me serious trouble Ill will take it out ( I was in the army for 2 years ) just to sort the situation out. No-one can get hurt cause its not real and ill only use it on people who are causing major trouble. This might sound like a bit too much but it means i have peace of mind and dont have to worry about anything. It will make me a lot more likely to pick up blacks

procure11

Dutchie_in_DUB wrote: »

Do some black people become aggressive because they feel that in a foreign country they can make the rules as they go?

Probably just cause they are rude, un-educated and have no decency.. Has nothing to do with their colour.[/quote]


I really do not think so.My thoughts would be more inclined towards( with your comments)that it has to do with people that hate and cannot stand people that are do not look like them.

How many Black people do you personally know and how did you come to the conclusions that they are rude ,un-educated and have no decency.It would seem from your post that you have exactly same qualities.

irish_bob

Unregistered wrote: »

ok, I’ll keep it short and to the point. going un-regged for obvious reasons.
I work mostly day shifts for a small taxi firm here in Dublin. I’ve been doing this job for about 13 years and I always feel I have done a fair job.

lately though I have wondered if some rules I have for my taxi are racist. these aren’t official rules just my own for how I give a lift to or not.

since I have started I have never given lifts to anyone who looked rough. I’m not the biggest man so I avoid any trouble. lately I’ve also included this rules to black people. now I know that sounds racist but the last few I gave a lift to were very abusive and about a month ago one of them pulled a knife on me over a fare. I told him to just leave but he was still very aggressive. so I’ve decided to avoid any black people in my car in the future. would this be racist since its only blacks that have given me a hard time and they are more likely to start trouble?

you dont sound like a card carrying member of the KKK to me , making ones personal safety a higher priority than political correctness is not unresonable , i myself have never had negative experiences with black people , i have however had an appaling experience at the hands of a scottish person , this was over a decade ago but it has resulted in my having a dislike of certain types of scottish people

wylo

This is nothing to do with colour or racism, just association

you've had a few very bad experiences that have you set in stone, but maybe you have to keep ploughing on, and you'll realise things will balance out, and that most black people are just normal customers.

You would do the same if it was, lets say, french people, you'd eventually just say **** that Im not allowing french people in the car any more, but the truth is you know that the majority of french are not like that.

studiorat

Unregistered wrote: »

Black people are inherently more aggressive and their Caucasian counterparts.

The fact that the above poster has posted Un-Reg speaks volumes IMO.

Surely it's more of an issue of what parts of the city you pick up fares in rather than whether they are white or black?

LeixlipRed

Yes you are a racist.

TheInquisitor

I'm not racist i hate everyone equally!

greendom

You are judging someone by the colour of their skin so you are being racist, however justified you feel

Wagon

You won't pick up a black person based on your previous experience with them. In the same way you probably wouldn't pick up a yellow toothed crusty junkie because you know that they're bad news. You're used to living in Ireland so you can pick out the bad steriotyps. It's different with other races because you can't pick out the steriotypes cos you didn't live in the country. Personally I think it isn't racist. Its just protecting yourself from potential harm. You have good reason too. If someone held a knife to my neck because they didn't want to pay a fare id probably be thinking along your lines.