By Christine de Kock
A48-YEAR-OLD man became the latest victim last Wednesday in attacks on taxi drivers.
A passenger grabbed the driver in a headlock, held a knife to his throat and demanded money, as the cab pulled up in Clive St, Footscray.
The attacker ran off after the driver pushed the knife away and escaped from his cab.
The driver did not need medical treatment, although his hand was cut in the attack.
Neil Sach, CEO of the Victorian Taxi Association, said he was concerned by recent attacks on drivers.
The Footscray incident follows attacks on taxi drivers in Camberwell, earlier this month, and Frankston, in May.
But Mr Sach said the reported incidents did not necessarily mean there had been an increase in the number of attacks.
“Attacks tend to be at random, and in this instance they have happened all together,” he said.
“Given the fact that in Victoria we do 35 million passenger trips a year, and we carry about 50 million passengers a year, the incidence of that kind of assault is very low.
“Having said that, any attack on a taxi driver is appalling.
“We believe it is a pretty sad state of affairs when the people – and it is only a small number – believe they should go about attacking a person who is doing a job for the community.”
Drivers depend on cameras in their cabs to prevent attacks. Alarms are also fitted in some cabs and the drivers may trigger them if they come under attack.
Mr Sach said taxi drivers in Melbourne do not like the idea of installing screens between passengers and drivers.
“It is a communication barrier between passenger and driver, and most potential incidents can be talked through,” he said.
Anyone with information about the Footscray incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
