The beagle has landed ([info]blarglefiend) wrote in [info]melbournemaniac,
@ 2008-04-29 19:57:00
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Cabbie demo
Did anyone get a clear idea what the cabbie demonstration at Flinders & Swanston tonight is about? Is it "just" the poor guy who was stabbed last night, or more than that? It was a bit difficult to understand what they were shouting, too many people shouting at once.

Disrupted my trip home rather a bit -- all trams on Swanston St were pretty much knocked out -- but I've a lot of sympathy for them. Taxi drivers have been getting a raw deal for a fair while.

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[info]jamethiel_bane
2008-04-29 10:47 am UTC (link)
Yeah, when they deliberately leave their cars parked to block the trams, I lose all sympathy. I understand that they're angry, but how does deliberately fucking the ability to get home for hundreds of people who are NOT using a cab prove their point.

But then, I'm stuck in the city until these fuckers move, so.

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[info]blarglefiend
2008-04-29 10:57 am UTC (link)
If you don't inconvenience people, then nobody notices you. I get the impression they've tried being polite about the state of things for a while now and it's gotten them nowhere.

Don't know about trams along Flinders, but the Swanston services are being re-routed via William St and Latrobe St. Didn't find that out until I was almost home, though, having walked most of the way.

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[info]malky
2008-04-29 11:19 am UTC (link)
Fuck the lot of them, and I hope they all die painfully in a house fire.

No one gives a shit about slimy taxi drivers. The same cunts who ignore road rules whenever they deem it necessary, have no respect for other road users and generally fag up my country.

Fuck them all.

For the record, it's 9.20pm, and it's still going.

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[info]dissembly
2008-04-30 12:46 am UTC (link)
You really think every single cab driver ignores the road rules? (and that means they shouldnt get any sympathy for the abuse they cop from crap like you?)

"Fag up my country"? Do you also hope they stop niggering up your country? I'm pissed at you kiking up my country, for one thing.

Yeesh. Everything bad is "gay" to you twelve-year olds, isn't it? Why don't you stop gooking up livejournal and run away like the little bitch you are?

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(Anonymous)
2008-05-05 06:01 am UTC (link)
Fuck you cunt.
If you dont give a shit about taxi drivers then why do you use a taxi in the first place. Asshole right now you say that the taxi drivers ignore rules, but i bet you will like it when you are in a taxi and that drivers saves you a dollar by ignoring road rules, at that time you will surely praise the taxi driver.
This country is fagged up by basterds like you and not by the hardworking people who come to this country. Don't forget this country was established by immigrants.
Go fuck yourself asshole.

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[info]york_st
2008-04-29 11:30 am UTC (link)
One had a sign that said "stopping killing taxi drivers"

Thankgod for that. I was about to start.

What is the point of a protest? To get your point across.

What was their point...

It was a shit waste of time. I had to walk home. ( i was in the first tram in the block heading northbound)

House fire sounds good.

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[info]malky
2008-04-29 11:48 am UTC (link)
I'm pleased someone agrees with me for once.

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[info]emptypockets
2008-04-29 12:33 pm UTC (link)
x2

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[info]kitten_wrangler
2008-04-29 11:55 am UTC (link)
Bless the cabbies. Tonight was my first time ever cycling in the CBD, and their protest made it easy for me to get down Swanston.

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[info]jedi_amara
2008-04-29 01:21 pm UTC (link)
I was wondering why there were empty taxis parked all down both sides of Swanston St! I left the city around 9 and took the train after realising trams didn't seem to be coming (didn't know about the demonstration, though); it's a good thing I could get a lift home from the station. >_>

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[info]tokicat
2008-04-29 01:43 pm UTC (link)
i'll stop stabbing taxi drivers when they start reading the melways

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[info]malky
2008-04-29 01:58 pm UTC (link)
Interesting that police have advised that this could continue into tomorrow morning.

Fuck em all.

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[info]aske
2008-04-29 03:13 pm UTC (link)
Hah, oh the angst. Fight the fight, keyboard warrior.

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[info]malky
2008-04-29 08:45 pm UTC (link)
Go shove a brick up your cunt.

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[info]3771
2008-04-29 10:00 pm UTC (link)
still going.

One of the organisers, Indian-born taxi driver Jazz Randyboy, said the protest had been peaceful.

"Everyone is calm and still, we are not being angry," he told AAP.

"We will stay here until the matter is sorted, we will be here all day and even overnight again if we need to."

jazz randyboy is their most reputable source on this one.

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[info]hollygol8ly
2008-04-29 10:57 pm UTC (link)
still there this morning! wow how can they be bothered!?

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[info]blarglefiend
2008-04-29 11:08 pm UTC (link)
When it's you and your mates copping constant abuse and assaults, with nobody seeming to take the problem seriously, you may well feel that motivated too.

I use taxis a fair bit and see the best and the worst of them, but nothing excuses the way some passengers behave, and if I were a driver I'd be pissed off too.

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[info]dissembly
2008-04-30 12:57 am UTC (link)
I've a lot of sympathy for them.

Completely agreed.

Remember that taxi driver a year or so ago who ran over and killed one of his fares after taking streams of abuse from the poor little white boy and his dumbarse mates?

Yes, it's unforgiveable to kill someone, we all agree there, but it's kind of shit that the family was allowed to crap on about what a sweet little racist arsewipe their son was. Like every third guy in Australia.

It was an interesting window on what cabbies put up with every single time they come in to work.

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[info]knoifey_spoony
2008-04-30 01:32 am UTC (link)
Oh, yes, my sister, a friend, and I stopped to check it out on our way home (sister and I weren't inconvenienced by the tram blockage, but friend was, so I didn't mind. Lol).

I think they represented themselves very well (though I can understand the frustration from people who needed to use trams along those lines). They were peaceful while we were there, which is saying something considering the cops had to tackle and arrest some dude behind us. They could've got completely out of control at that point, and there were a few seconds there when I worried they might, but everyone was keeping everyone else in line. The dude speaking on the megaphone had previously been saying that they shouldn't get aggressive, because aggression wouldn't help.

They done good.

So we got some pictures (mine are small and a bit crap, but still) and left after a short time.

I hope they get what they're looking for.

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[info]lapzod
2008-04-30 02:05 am UTC (link)
I'm in between. Sure it's bad that they get into fights, but if I want to catch a cab, it takes about 4 driving past (no passengers and on shift) until one stops. Then it takes 3 or 4 to stop before finally taking me out to Broady.

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[info]hollygol8ly
2008-04-30 03:43 am UTC (link)
Sorry when I said how can they be bothered I was just thinking how cold it was last night and they dont seem to be clear enough about what they actually want done. They need to send someone to negotiate with the Minister of Transport to actually define what their protest is. I know there was a violent crime.. but what do they want? No more crime?

I dont not have sympathy for taxi drivers... i will try to refrain from generalizing because I take ALOT of taxis and each driver is different. The key issue isn't about rude taxi drivers, or ones that sexually harassas you, or polite taxi drivers who pull over to pick you up in front of a group of drunk guys cause they are worried for your safety.

I assume the issue taxi drivers are experiencing increased rates of violence against them. But who can control violent crimes?? We have had increased fights and brawls across the city... its not just aimed at taxi drivers. They service drunk people late at night... Are they asking for an increased police presence on the streets? I just want to know what they actually want changed because changing a drunk person's manners or tendency towards violence is a hard one. Basically there are alot of drunk dangerous people out there.

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[info]blarglefiend
2008-04-30 03:54 am UTC (link)
They put forward a list of demands this morning. It was published in the Age, though it's not in the current story online any more. The key bit seemed to be that they want protective barriers made part of the taxi roadworthiness requirements so that owners have to install them. Most drivers are just poorly-paid workers, they don't own the cabs.

There were some other demands too, but my impression is that that's the really important one as it's what they were talking about to the media last night too. A driver was killed almost two years ago and the government promised to make this a requirement and it still hasn't happened.

Kosky had been insisting that they had to stop the protest before she'd talk to them, but that may have changed (it's not absolutely clear from media coverage). In their shoes there's no way I'd stop the protest before talking to the Minister, this Government is masterful at fobbing people off.

At this point I won't be surprised if they're still there tomorrow morning.

(Incidentally, I take a lot of cabs too and have the usual mix of good, bad and indifferent drivers.)

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(Anonymous)
2008-04-30 04:03 am UTC (link)
I must have missed that list makes alot more sense now! I think they totally should have protective barriers actually. It all makes much more sense now! They should go for it, no point in stepping down now.

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