Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by ALN @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:23:53 +0800

ALN — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:23:53 +0800

singapore not like NYC lah… NYC you can easily own a gun and there are more gangsters… if singapore need the panel, jia lat liao…

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by JJxJJ @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:01:18 +0800

JJxJJ — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:01:18 +0800

seen those NYC cabs where they have some sliding panel? maybe they could use it for cabs in the future

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by thelionsleepstonight @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:00:27 +0800

thelionsleepstonight — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:00:27 +0800

Baddie cabbie also needs protection. We split half, half.....5000volts can?

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Hello Kitty @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:52:34 +0800

Hello Kitty — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:52:34 +0800

Originally posted by thelionsleepstonight:

What about press button, passenger seats get 10000volts of electricity!

if cabbie is a baddie den how.

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by thelionsleepstonight @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:42:48 +0800

thelionsleepstonight — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:42:48 +0800

What about press button, passenger seats get 10000volts of electricity!

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by alwaysdisturbed @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:19:52 +0800

alwaysdisturbed — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:19:52 +0800

Originally posted by ALN:

police reach within 5min? mas selmat escape within 11 mins.. whole army and police activated also cannot catch…

i was thinking about that as well.

i think fencing up is still the best. adding on a central lock system, so that the robber or free ride punks cannot attack nor flee. but the central lock system will come with safety issue.

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by MohamedF @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:25:57 +0800

MohamedF — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:25:57 +0800

Originally posted by Poolman:

i remember once my good old buddy fella cabby was robbed off at Gul Road ...at 2am in the morning .

he activated the security alarm , but it takes the police 45 minutes to locate him .

what the fuck is GPS ?

GPS huh... Can you locate for me where is 01degree 40.534 North, 103degree 09.045 East on the map right now and tell me which street its on?

The problem is, there is a serious time lag when Panic button is pushed, Taxi company receive the alarm, Taxi company call police, ops room received call, ops room interprete location, ops room send dispatch to ground unit, ground unit attend to emergency...

This can be easily be sloved if all alarm is relayed to police itself, but that means more work...

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by BangHong @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:03:03 +0800

BangHong — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:03:03 +0800

actually i also felt filing a report waste time, as if they can locate the robber.

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by QX179R @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:41:27 +0800

QX179R — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:41:27 +0800

Originally posted by ChoCoChips:

how about security cameras inside the taxi?

quoted from the article..

"Some drivers suggested closed-circuit cameras in taxis, so that passengers know they are being watched.

Operators are not in favour of such measures. Group Corporate Communications Officer for ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited, Ms Tammy Tan, said that surveillance cameras may be a deterrent, but there is a need to balance it with the privacy of the passengers."

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by ChoCoChips @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:54:10 +0800

ChoCoChips — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:54:10 +0800

how about security cameras inside the taxi?

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by ALN @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:27:04 +0800

ALN — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:27:04 +0800

i think only very old cabby must watch out for robbers… younger ones safe… if i am a robber, so many old cabbies i can easily rob, why want to target a young one who may be able to fight back?

police reach within 5min? mas selmat escape within 11 mins.. whole army and police activated also cannot catch…

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Poolman @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:01:55 +0800

Poolman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:01:55 +0800

Cabbies did stand out to save their own life .... but too dangerous .

Majority , or at least how we are trained , if the robbers want cash , give it to him , and we must flee from the scene .

The taxi ?

Company will know what to do .

we are told to flee with our mobile phone .... obvious reason why .

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Poolman @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:59:03 +0800

Poolman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:59:03 +0800

But i would like to pass a message to S'poreans , or robber-to-be people ....

ComfortDelgro's fleets , TransCab's fleet , SmartCab's fleet , SMRT's , all has been installed with a high defination security system during the year 2007 exercise .

Just one click , the system will immediately re-route the alarm into the nearest police patrol car , as what i was told , the GPS will located the nearest patrol to assist within 5 minutes .

No way the robbers can flee too far after robbing .

Take note .....

In the case of false alarm , the driver will be severely punished , so we will not joke with the system

No Wolf Come liao stories .

Every tab is a life saving message .

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Poolman @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:54:06 +0800

Poolman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:54:06 +0800

ok la , Singapore still ok .... no need to do into that extend .

When u are sway , damn sway , cannot escape .

i would say .... 98% of cabbies in S'pore had never been robbed off knife point inside a cab .

Not that i heard of , within my circle of friends .

Run away without paying many , not robbed or kidnap , or man-slaughtering .

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by alwaysdisturbed @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:31:03 +0800

alwaysdisturbed — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:31:03 +0800

time to 'fence up' the interior of the cab. install a system like those of a bank in the past, where you drop the money into a 'trench' for payment.

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Poolman @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:04:24 +0800

Poolman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:04:24 +0800

Once the police came , a police report done , but the police said : "I cannot do anything ! "

What the fuck , right ?

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by Poolman @ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:03:42 +0800

Poolman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:03:42 +0800

i remember once my good old buddy fella cabby was robbed off at Gul Road ...at 2am in the morning .

he activated the security alarm , but it takes the police 45 minutes to locate him .

what the fuck is GPS ?

Cabbies take matters into their own hands replied by QX179R @ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:20:50 +0800

QX179R — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:20:50 +0800

Taxi drivers find ways and means to safeguard themselves

Jinny Koh
jinny@mediacorp.com.sg

Some taxi drivers have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to their own personal safety. Some have resorted to not wearing seatbelts for a quick getaway, some keep packets of chilli powder with them, while others refuse to pick up passengers whom they feel are suspect. And many do not file police reports even if they have been attacked.

All these go against the rules and regulations cabbies have to abide by. But taxi drivers Today spoke to say they have no choice but to resort to such measures.

Cabbie Benny Ong, 51, said that when he was attacked in his taxi, his first thought was: "How to retaliate when the attacker is a passenger?" It was only when the attacker disembarked from the taxi challenging him to a fight, that Mr Ong drove away.

However, he did not make a police report, as he felt it was too much trouble. "I could use the time to drive and earn more money instead," he said.

Citing similar reasons, cabbie Zhuo Zhong Lim, 51, did not file a report after he was punched and robbed a few years ago. He added that he knew many taxi drivers who would not make police reports after such encounters.

According to the police, the number of reported taxi robberies has risen from 24 to 49 between 2006 and last year. There were 14 reported cases from January to March this year, while anecdotal evidence points to a larger number as many of these cases go unreported.

However, Today understands from the police that it is a standard procedure for every crime victim, including taxi drivers, to file a police report.

Meanwhile, taxi operators have also set up their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) to assist cabbies in distress.

Mr Tan Soon Chye, general manager for Prime Taxi, said drivers have been told to alert the company immediately when they feel uneasy about a passenger. A broadcast will be made to all taxis around that area, "acting as a psychological deterrent for the robber sitting in the cab knowing he is being monitored".

However, cabbies told Today such measures cannot be relied upon when an attack happens — by then, it would be too late.

A 59-year-old cabbie, who wanted to be known as Mr Tan S L, has not been wearing his seat belt during the night shift for more than 10 years. He feels potential robbers could easily hold it against his neck, preventing him from escaping.

Today understands that this is a practice adopted by many cabbies.

Prime Taxi's Mr Tan reiterated that the use of safety belts cannot be compromised as it is in the interest of drivers to belt up. "The possibility of them getting into an accident, with the long hours they spend on the road, is much higher than them being attacked by a robber," he said.

Another rule being flouted by cabbies seems to be their refusal to pick people they deem dubious or suspicious-looking at secluded and notorious areas. Under the Land Transport Authority (LTA) act, it is an offence for drivers to decline to pick up a passenger without a reasonable excuse, and they can face six demerit points, a $300 fine and a two-week suspension. But cabbies say the penalty is a small price to pay.

"Better to be safe than sorry," said Mr Ong, who admitted he is wary of shabbily-dressed passengers.

So, what can cabbies do as they struggle to strike a balance between their lives and their livelihoods? Some drivers suggested closed-circuit cameras in taxis, so that passengers know they are being watched.

And for those cabbies, where flouting rules is not a risk they want to take, cabbie Johari Saleh, 43, seems to have found the answer. He keeps a packet of chilli powder beside him all the time, which he could throw at a potential attacker.

Besides taxi drivers, bus drivers have recently been in the news for being attacked. Last June, SBS Transit put up posters in all its 2,800 buses and interchanges urging the public to stop attacks on bus drivers after receiving 18 such reports in the first half of the year.

(Source: Weekend TODAY - April 26, 2008)

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