Alleged Taxi Race Row

I Was VB

Taxi Association’s denial of racism is unbelievable, say African drivers
Galway Advertiser, December 30, 2010.

Dear Editor,

This is to respond to the article written by Gerry Corbett of Galway Taxi Association (GTA), published by Galway Advertiser Thursday December 9.

Galway taxi association spokes person Gerry Corbett, is making an unbelievable surprising denial of the obvious racial grief and tension within the taxi industry, especially directed against migrant operators and drivers. This follows the launch of a successful research on taxi reported by Dr Vinodh Jaichand, the assistance director of Irish Centre for Human Rights, titled ‘Riding Along With Racism’ on Friday December 10.

Progressive Friends (Taxi) Association (PFA), representing the interest of migrant taxi drivers/operators in Galway is highly elated to bring to the knowledge of the general public, the facts and figures of incidents in the city within taxi sector.

We rebuke the context of the representation of Galway Taxi Association (GTA); rather we perceive segregation and discrimination. The Galway Taxi Association does not take into consideration, contributions and suggestions from the wider spectrum of operators in the same industry, which it claims it represents.

A careful reader will observe from the December 9 publication of Galway Advertiser, on Page 2, in which there was desperate and deliberate consensus by the two biggest taxi providers to deny the facts and situations contained in the research document reported by the Irish Centre for Human Rights. There have been and there are still several adverts placed in local newspapers, looking for day/night drivers. Even as cooperatives, several offers for ‘sale of share’ can be found on classified pages of the local newspapers, but none of these have been inclusive of migrant applicants. ‘Deprivation is an instrument of racism’.

There was a case, in which about 12 African taxi drivers were booted out of a taxi company about two years ago, in an act of discrimination, and because the white taxi drivers in that company refused to work with drivers with black skin; Some of these African drivers had worked in this taxi company for some years, those involved have resort to legal redress.

As part of some detailed on-going situation in the industry between white and black drivers: some white taxi driver have formed the habit of advising our honest users, the general Irish public, not to engage the services of black taxi drivers. However, their satisfactory experiences with the services we rendered had almost compelled them to testify otherwise, and also convinced them to reveal the derogatory labelling of migrant drivers by white drivers.

Having highlighted all the aforementioned circumstances, we hope to utilise this medium to bring a stop to the prevailing practice of skipping migrant taxis on the queue at taxi ranks because the taxi rank system in France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and many more showed the relevant regulating authorities in these countries made a uniform and universal rule of first come first served for their taxi ranking system. Hence, why should Ireland be different? In the past, before the Africans got into taxi industry in Galway, there was orderliness in the taxi rank system, there was first come first served then, the queue system worked very efficiently, but now the reverse is the case

The argument that white taxi drivers are preferred to black drivers, because of the fact customers might be related to the white taxi drivers is mischievous and morally wrong for public and civil behaviour and orderliness. If the taxi regulator has passed all taxi drivers efficient and adequate to operate, then that’s enough. Let’s give fair opportunity to everyone irrespective of their colour, black or white. We don’t see any Irish person jumping the queue to tills in the banks or the shopping centres because the cashiers in these places are their relatives. So if it is morally unacceptable to jump the queue in the banks, shops and public offices on whatever guises then it is morally unacceptable to jump the queue on the taxi rank. The customer's freedom of choice is a subjective to the maintenance of public peace and order.

Frank Okonkwo, Chris Okeke and Terry Loko, of Progressive Friends Taxi Association Galway, suggest that the legislation of the cab rank rule has to be reviewed. The choice to choose a taxi at random in taxi ranks seriously breaches the common practice of first come, first served, and such undermines freedom of equal opportunities in a democratic, civilised and advanced country such as Ireland, which has welcomed cultural diversity.

Furthermore, those who indulge in selection of taxis at ranks are merely promoting discrimination, by depriving African SPSV providers’ access to work, to provide for their families and to deliver a service expected to keep to higher standards recommended by the Commission of the Taxi Regulation.

May we also point out that we are thoroughly vetted and duly licensed accordingly, we are tax compliant, spend our earnings in the Irish economy, are law abiding and believe in due processes. Therefore we appeal to all concerned to give us a fair chance to prove ourselves and continue contributing meaningfully to the community.

Thank you.

Frank Okonkwo

Asst-Chairperson

Chris Okeke

Secretary

Terry Loco

Asst-Secretary

Progressive Friends (Taxi) Association (PFA)

Following on from this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056108833

The PFA has come out with the above responce, in my view its a mixture of things that are coming to ahead in the taxi business.

Few things that should be made clear, the customer has the right to choose any taxi at a rank; http://www.taxireg.ie/consumer/consumer-FAQs/consumer-FAQs.html#choosecab for whatever reason the customer doesnt want to travel in a certain car and goes to the next its clearly after being picked up as racism.

As for radio companys, a driver has to pay them between €65-€155pw to get work off them, i dont know if many non-nationals are with radio companys in Galway but there is non-nationals working with radio companys in Dublin.
I dont subscribe to the story tellers of taxi drivers ''me mates, brother cousin.....''

Oranage2

I'm not racist but when i see an irish taxi driver I don't get in cause normally they stink of BO and give some sort of sob story of how there's no business and that there are too many taxis, I'd rather jump into a foreign taxi, they might/might not be able to drive in the snow and the may or may not try rape me but atleast i can chat about Chelsea/Arsenal with them!

starbelgrade

White Men Can't Jump.

Black Men Can't Drive.

(It's the sequel)

OutlawPete

Oranage2 wrote: »

I'm not racist but when i see a foreign taxi, I don't get in and I tell him I already do my part for charity, same as the guys in the toilet!

You'll be eaten for that.

How's the wine Star?

RichieC

I live in Ireland, I don't need a research paper to tell me how much racism there is knocking around, it's a fking disgrace.

RichieC

Oranage2 wrote: »

I'm not racist but when i see a foreign taxi, I don't get in and I tell him I already do my part for charity, same as the guys in the toilet!

jesus christ..

Hogzy

Local taxi drivers know the roads better than foreigners... That is a fact.


F*ck the racism arguement.

RichieC

Hogzy wrote: »

The reason i get a local taxi driver to drive me anywhere is because he knows the roads better than the foreign taxi driver whether they be black or white.

Iv had foreign taxi drivers charge me 33% more because they went a different way home or got stuck in traffic that an Irish driver would have avoided.

And that has f-ck all to do with racism.

I had an African taxi driver last week that was here 11 years and he had sat nav.

OPENROAD

Hogzy wrote: »

Iv had foreign taxi drivers charge me 33% more because they went a different way home or got stuck in traffic that an Irish driver would have avoided.

.

I've had an Irish driver take a different route and get stuck in traffic

starbelgrade

OutlawPete wrote: »

How's the wine Star?

Dry Riesling.

Exceptionally nice.

battries not included

''May we also point out that we are thoroughly vetted and duly licensed accordingly, we are tax compliant,''


lol

J. Marston

Terry Loco is a great name .

starbelgrade

Taxi drivers in general are very nice people.

They don't tend to be very clever, but then again they don't pretend to be either.

At least, not convincingly.

Homer

I've heard a couple of Irish drivers refer to them as "Blaxis"

bonerm

J. Marston wrote: »

Terry Loco is a great name .

Or is it spelt "Loko"? The letter can't seem to even agree on that much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL_o3o2yiUc

OutlawPete

starbelgrade wrote: »

Dry Riesling.

Exceptionally nice.

Nice indeed and ninja skills still intact too

Mine is a Cahor Malbec 2009 (:cool:).

It is recommended to accompany red meat dishes such as Venison.

Tonight though, it's accompanying a tin of corned beef from Lidl

digme

Oranage2 wrote: »

I'm not racist but when i see an irish taxi driver I don't get in cause normally they stink of BO and give some sort of sob story of how there's no business and that there are too many taxis, I'd rather jump into a foreign taxi, they might/might not be able to drive in the snow and the may or may not try rape me but atleast i can chat about Chelsea/Arsenal with them!

You are on the defensive already, hence you lost.
please ,come again

Mr Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

........ .

Username! Great minds and all .


I was going to go with abuse originally until I checked the join dates...

starbelgrade

OutlawPete wrote: »

It is recommended to accompany red meat dishes such as Venison.

Tonight though, it's accompanying a tin of corned beef from Lidl

That's not deer or even dear.

Still tasty though!

Mmm. Corned beef

battries not included

thread has lost it's sense of direction.................














<insert witty comment here>

Mahatma coat

This sort of Sh!t annoys me, We have a lot of the same Problems over here in Australia with Indian taxidrivers who havent a Fuppin clue where they're going. but you are a racist if you dont want to get ripped off

WELL

I AM a Racist, I dont have a rational explanation for it other than I am Racist, if I see a Black/Indian Taxidriver I will just wait for the next one, if A Black person asked me something in a Bar ore somewhere I would Ignore them, because I have no particular interest in talking to that person, that snap judgement is made basicly on the colour of their skin, the Darker they are the less likely I am to acknowledge them, thats just me, thats the way I am, and I Say FVck off to all the bleeding hearts who want me to live my life in tolerance peace and Harmony, I DONT WANT TO, we Live in a Free society, I am Free to Hate whoever I like.

Einhard

battries not included wrote: »

thread has lost it's sense of direction.................














<insert witty comment here>

<like a foreign taxi driver without a sat-nav>

Oranage2

digme wrote: »

You are on the defensive already, hence you lost.
please ,come again

Didn't really catch what you mean there- you obviously don't get irony

Einhard

Mahatma coat wrote: »

This sort of Sh!t annoys me, We have a lot of the same Problems over here in Australia with Indian taxidrivers who havent a Fuppin clue where they're going. but you are a racist if you dont want to get ripped off

WELL

I AM a Racist, I dont have a rational explanation for it other than I am Racist, if I see a Black/Indian Taxidriver I will just wait for the next one, if A Black person asked me something in a Bar ore somewhere I would Ignore them, because I have no particular interest in talking to that person, that snap judgement is made basicly on the colour of their skin, the Darker they are the less likely I am to acknowledge them, thats just me, thats the way I am, and I Say FVck off to all the bleeding hearts who want me to live my life in tolerance peace and Harmony, I DONT WANT TO, we Live in a Free society, I am Free to Hate whoever I like.

And we're free to call you an ignorant, crass, hateful, spiteful, dyspeptic, ill-educated, moronic, small-minded, red-necked little man!!

Huzzah for freedom!

battries not included

Mahatma coat wrote: »

This sort of Sh!t annoys me, We have a lot of the same Problems over here in Australia with Indian taxidrivers who havent a Fuppin clue where they're going. but you are a racist if you dont want to get ripped off

WELL

I AM a Racist, I dont have a rational explanation for it other than I am Racist, if I see a Black/Indian Taxidriver I will just wait for the next one, if A Black person asked me something in a Bar ore somewhere I would Ignore them, because I have no particular interest in talking to that person, that snap judgement is made basicly on the colour of their skin, the Darker they are the less likely I am to acknowledge them, thats just me, thats the way I am, and I Say FVck off to all the bleeding hearts who want me to live my life in tolerance peace and Harmony, I DONT WANT TO, we Live in a Free society, I am Free to Hate whoever I like.

Would you feel the same if a black/indian surgeon was saving your life in hospital?

or

if your wife/girlfriend/sister* was pregnant and needed to get to hospital to give birth you would choose not to go in the ambulance if it was a black paramedic driver?

* I am not saying you were sleeping with all 3

RoundyMooney

Very typical Nigerian language in that press release;

"we are elated"; no lads, I doubt ye're hopping with happiness while composing a defensive missive to a local paper,

"progressive friends"; if you say so.

They do make one excellent point though; and I'd give them 100% support, first come first served (from the driver's perpective).

Just, in Columbo speak, one (or two) more things:

1. How would one enforce it?

2. Would it apply to passengers too? In which case see (1.)

battries not included

Einhard wrote: »

<like a foreign taxi driver without a sat-nav>

if you get post of the day I want half the thanks!

Mahatma coat

Einhard wrote: »

And we're free to call you an ignorant, crass, hateful, spiteful, dyspeptic, ill-educated, moronic, small-minded, red-necked little man!!

Huzzah for freedom!

well, no, technically you are free to Call me SOME of those things, but not all of them.

What I'd like to know tho is whats the difference between Our posts, you have made some snap decisions about me based on nothing mopre than what I have typed above and come to a conclusion that you dont want to talk to me and would rather hurl abuse, Me at Least I dont scream profanaties at random darkies. but hey whatever floats your boat

Lauder

One thing that should be noted in the OP's comment w/attached letter is that a customer can legally choose any taxi in the rank and under no circumstances has to take the first car. Their decision should obviously not be determined on race, but they are free to choose any car they like.

I regularly walk down a rank and choose a taxi, a nice comfy modern Merc of equivalent. Until the make of cars are standardised, the customer has every right to do this. If a customer feels more comfortable with an Irish driver that is there choice. But I'd weight my decision more on the type of car, rather than the colour of the driver.

And on a side note, on Christmas Eve, I hailed a taxi in Clontarf (driver of African origin) and asked to go to Kiely's in Donnybrook. Driver asked me where was that, and promptly typed in Donnybrook into his SatNav! My only concern with foreign drivers would be their lack of the 'knowledge' and (perhaps) experience in driving on ice/snow (although most Irish are no better).



And another point,,, I'd be less likely to get into an 'Irish' taxi with some ignorant Republican/Nationalist Driver with the car decked out in tri-colours and SF/IRA or NO to Lisbon stickers adorned!

OutlawPete

Einhard wrote: »

And we're free to call you an ignorant, crass, hateful, spiteful, dyspeptic, ill-educated, moronic, small-minded, red-necked little man!!

Huzzah for freedom!

Actually, you're not.

You should have a better argument against such bitter hateful comments, than to resort to personal abuse.

Otherwise, you just become as bad as that which you are complaining about.

smokedeels

You need a car, a work permit and a sat nav. race is irrelevant.

I've seen people actively refuse to get into a cars driven by somebody who is visibly not "Irish", it's a disgrace, not a nice thing to witness at all.

In this instance it's not an issue of the drivers competence or about the amount of taxi's on the road, it's an issue of race/nationality and some people's narrow-minded opinions toward foreign nationals.

Lauder

smokedeels wrote: »

You need a car, a work permit and a sat nav. race is irrelevant.

I've seen people actively refuse to get into a cars driven by somebody who is visibly not "Irish", it's a disgrace, not a nice thing to witness at all.

In this instance it's not an issue of the drivers competence or about the amount of taxi's on the road, it's an issue of race/nationality and some people's narrow-minded opinions toward foreign nationals.

A SatNav should not be required. Someone who drives in this city for a living, should know their way around (by-ways and highways) No excuse!

Sea Sharp

<troll>
If they don't like it they should feck off back where they came from and let Irish people do their jobs for them.
</troll>

RichieC

OutlawPete wrote: »

Actually, you're not.

You should have a better argument against such bitter hateful comments, than to resort to personal abuse.

To do so, is just becoming as bad as what you are complaining about.

You can't argue with that kind of bigotry.. you meet some people who are racist without realising it, they just kinda are, but that guy is fully embracing his hatred.

Mockery and social exile is the only way to deal with it.

smokedeels

Lauder wrote: »

A SatNav should not be required. Someone who drives in this city for a living, should know their way around (by-ways and highways) No excuse!

What does it matter if they get you there, if somebody serving you in Londis used a calculator to add up your change would you take issue?

I use Google to do my job sometimes, what's the difference?

Lauder

smokedeels wrote: »

What does it matter if they get you there, if somebody serving you in Londis used a calculator to add up your change would you take issue?

I use Google to do my job sometimes, what's the difference.

It shows incompetence and is a failing in their training for their occupation.

RichieC

Lauder wrote: »

It shows incompetence and is a failing in their training for their occupation.

They're driving people around in a car, it's not quantum electrodynamics.

Mahatma coat

battries not included wrote: »

Would you feel the same if a black/indian surgeon was saving your life in hospital?

Yep, I would just keep thinking
Jayant Patel, Jayent Patel, ALARM, if I was actually aware at the time I would request a different Doctor

or

if your wife/girlfriend/sister* was pregnant and needed to get to hospital to give birth you would choose not to go in the ambulance if it was a black paramedic driver?

* I am not saying you were sleeping with all 3

Well this thread is about their percieved inability to Drive so Yes I would Drive them myself if possible, but anyway in that situation it would be the decision of the Wife/Girlfriend/Sister, and if they didnt want a Black Driver then I would support them 100% if they were OK with it then I'd leave her off in the Ambulance and Follow closley in my car

Einhard

Mahatma coat wrote: »

What I'd like to know tho is whats the difference between Our posts, you have made some snap decisions about me based on nothing mopre than what I have typed above and come to a conclusion that you dont want to talk to me and would rather hurl abuse, Me at Least I dont scream profanaties at random darkies. but hey whatever floats your boat

My reaction is based on your character which you exposed through your ignorant, small-minded drivel. I judge people on their character. You judge people on the colour of their skin. That's what makes you and me different. And what makes me better.

battries not included

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Yep, I would just keep thinking
Jayant Patel, Jayent Patel, ALARM, if I was actually aware at the time I would request a different Doctor


Well this thread is about their percieved inability to Drive so Yes I would Drive them myself if possible, but anyway in that situation it would be the decision of the Wife/Girlfriend/Sister, and if they didnt want a Black Driver then I would support them 100% if they were OK with it then I'd leave her off in the Ambulance and Follow closley in my car

:rolleyes:

Einhard

OutlawPete wrote: »

Actually, you're not.

You should have a better argument against such bitter hateful comments, than to resort to personal abuse.

Otherwise, you just become as bad as that which you are complaining about.

But it's not personal abuse. It's a description of his character as witnessed through his post. A negative comment on someone's character need not always be characterised as personal abuse.

Oranage2

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Yep, I would just keep thinking
Jayant Patel, Jayent Patel, ALARM, if I was actually aware at the time I would request a different Doctor


Well this thread is about their percieved inability to Drive so Yes I would Drive them myself if possible, but anyway in that situation it would be the decision of the Wife/Girlfriend/Sister, and if they didnt want a Black Driver then I would support them 100% if they were OK with it then I'd leave her off in the Ambulance and Follow closley in my car

What if you needed a heart transplant and the only heart available was a black guys one?

RoundyMooney

Outside of the local folk, my most recent experience taxi wise was a gentleman called Rashid (radio firm, shared vehicle fully licensed), who got me to my destination 20k away, and took a very small fare for it-in fact 'cos the roads were bad, he came in for a tea before he headed back.

Needless to say, he was tipped handsomely, but told me something of himself-an Indian guy, met a Cork woman, god help him, and settled here with years, and tipping away keeping his family going.

His experience of racism? Non existent, which was very gratifying, but he did agree that the taxi trade was a disaster; he put it down to poor regulation, a major sense of entitlement and disenfranchisement among drivers (rampant deregulation and previous overpricing of licenses) and most recently and vocally-lads driving and sharing cars, both of which had no entitlement to be on the road.

That wasn't so gratifying, but it wasn't exactly a surprise.

smokedeels

Lauder wrote: »

It shows incompetence and is a failing in their training for their occupation.

I just want to get from point A to point B and I'll pay the man for it, I think your expectations are a little high and if you have a complaint it's with the folks handing out the licences.

Einhard

smokedeels wrote: »

I use Google to do my job sometimes, what's the difference?

Aren't you a surgeon?!:eek:

old_aussie

Einhard wrote: »

And we're free to call you an ignorant, crass, hateful, spiteful, dyspeptic, ill-educated, moronic, small-minded, red-necked little man!!

Huzzah for freedom!

Is that the same version of freedom (or your own special version), that also gives Mahatma coat the right to his opinion.

Everyone in Australia has the right to his own opinion, whether you like it or not!

smokedeels

Einhard wrote: »

Aren't you a surgeon?!:eek:

"Well if it isn't my old friend Mr. McGregg—with a leg for an arm and an arm for a leg"

Einhard

old_aussie wrote: »

Is that the same version of freedom (or your own special version), that also gives Mahatma coat the right to his opinion.

Everyone in Australia has the right to his own opinion, whether you like it or not!

Nobody's denying him his opinion. I'm just exercising my right to comment on it.

digme

Einhard wrote: »

And we're free to call you an ignorant, crass, hateful, spiteful, dyspeptic, ill-educated, moronic, small-minded, red-necked little man!!

Huzzah for freedom!

Do you have to be white to be racist?lol the Japanese are the most racist nation on earth. you need to get out more

charlemont

RichieC wrote: »

I live in Ireland, I don't need a research paper to tell me how much racism there is knocking around, it's a fking disgrace.

When so much intelligence has been lost to emigration, you get a higher proportion of thicko's left in Ireland, that in itself explains some of the racism, the rest can be explained by sheer ignorance and bitterness...

battries not included

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Outside of the local folk, my most recent experience taxi wise was a gentleman called Rashid (radio firm, shared vehicle fully licensed), who got me to my destination 20k away, and took a very small fare for it-in fact 'cos the roads were bad, he came in for a tea before he headed back.

Needless to say, he was tipped handsomely, but told me something of himself-an Indian gay, met a Cork woman, god help him, and settled here with years, and tipping away keeping his family going.

His experience of racism? Non existent, which was very gratifying, but he did agree that the taxi trade was a disaster; he put it down to poor regulation, a major sense of entitlement and disenfranchisement among drivers (rampant deregulation and previous overpricing of licenses) and most recently and vocally-lads driving and sharing cars, both of which had no entitlement to be on the road.

That wasn't so gratifying, but it wasn't exactly a surprise.

:eek:






















ok i'm trolling, off to sleep under my bridge