Monday, March 5

Thug

It seems that one of our drivers has been viciously assaulted by a thug he had driven to Ulverston on Friday night. The thug, aged around 20, asked the driver to stop at a Bank in Ulverston on the pretext of getting some money from the cash machine to pay his fare. But he ran away, obviously having had no intention of paying the fare in the first place.
Our driver managed to catch up with him nearby but the thug then attacked him, leaving our driver badly beaten.
He suffered head and internal injuries and was detained overnight for observation at Furness General Hospital.
Police describe the attacker as male, white, approximately 20 years old, heavily built, with short dark hair and clean shaven, but of course we can add to that our opinion that he is both a thief and a coward. Let's just hope that he is caught quickly and that he gets the punishment he deserves, there really is no excuse for attacking a man like like this who after all was doing him a service.
Unfortunately I can see the day coming when drivers will ask for the fare up front before agreeing to carry passengers at night, this I know happens in some of our bigger cities, but we really shouldn't have to go down that road in what was once our safe friendly area.

11 comments:

Peggy said...

I hope that rotten toad is caught and I hope that your fellow driver is back on the road again soon!

Paradise Driver said...

After getting burnt a couple of times, I now require, for the past four years, the fare up front before I leave town at night.

Bill said...

Wasnt there a local council taxi law brought in recently that allows you to ask for the fare or an agreed price up front and the difference being payable or deducted at the end of the journey. Sure I heard somnething a while back with Barrow Council.

bigbikerbob said...

Hi Bob, this is an all to familiar story lately,lots of taxi's even in the suburbs are turning to London style Taxis for safety reasons,sad aint it.Bob.

Anonymous said...

Ok the lad was wrong in running away without paying,BUT you failed to mention that when the driver caught up to him he hit him over the head with a bat and left a deep cut to the head and thats why the driver ended up getting a pasteing for it.I no for a fact that the police have taken photos of this head injury so in a way it will be classed as self defence

bob mullen said...

I know this driver personally and a nicer fella you couldn't hope to meet, very easy going and good natured. He is driving a taxi to pay his way whilst studying to be a teacher, not the type to carry a bat round. And if what you say was true his taxi licence would be suspended like a shot, and as I know it hasn't and that he is now driving days because he is too nervous to work nights now, so please don't try to defend the actions of this thug.

Anonymous said...

The young lad involed walked into the police station himself,the police had no idea who they were looking for.So the police have only just started there investigation so there's still time to take action against the taxi driver

bob mullen said...

Anon: At least he could walk the driver needed an ambulance, I will ask around and find out what the driver has to say though.

Anonymous said...

I guess you never found out then that the driver clubbed the lad

Anonymous said...

whats sup bob found out the truth and you don't want to comment on it anymore??

bob mullen said...

anon: NO contrary to what most people think, we don't spend a lot of time gossiping to other drivers, the one operator and two drivers I have spoken to are both of the same opinion as me about it. The best person to ask is the driver concerned which, I intend to do as soon as I come across him.