What not to do when confronting a taxi driver
SANDTON – How you handle a road rage incident will affect the outcome.
Following two separate cases of people confronting taxi drivers for driving into oncoming traffic, both incidents had different outcomes.
The first incident was a man on a motorbike who prevented a taxi from driving on the wrong side of the road. A video of the incident went viral on social media. The motorcyclist forced the taxi driver to back up and drive on the correct side of the road.
The second incident that was caught on video was of a man exchanging blows with a taxi driver after he was confronted for also driving on the wrong side of the road.
In light of these incidents, Andre Snyman, Eblockwatch founder and Bryanston resident discusses what not to do when confronting a taxi driver. This forms part of this week’s edition of How Safe Are You?, an online and print security feature in partnership with Sandton Chronicle and Eblockwatch.
Snyman said attitude was everything. “An aggressive attitude can deteriorate into an argument, fist fight, knife fight, gunfight and even death,” he said.
“Most taxi drivers belong to associations which are allocated routes so their backup is always available.”
He warned that motorists should not push their cell phones into a taxi driver’s face when confronting them and should not shout or swear at them.
“Also, do not use your vehicles as a means of intimidation because the chances are that you will lose that one too.”
Snyman added that a motorist should take a video of the taxi driver’s behaviour and provide the location without getting into an altercation.
He suggested that motorists register on www.eblockwatch.co.za and they could send their videos to the Eblockwatch Facebook page.
“Eblockwatch will email the videos to their connections at [Metro police] and put pressure on them to handle the situation.
“The more drivers we can get arrested who are breaking the law, we can put more pressure on them and the Metro police to act.”
Snyman reiterated that it was better to not get involved in altercations with taxi drivers but to let the police handle it.
What do you think about these incidents? Share your views with us on the Sandton Chronicle Facebook page
Related:
https://sandtonchronicle.co.za/212000/watch-bryanston-biker-teaches-taxi-driver-lesson/
