Bluemerle

Just heard from a friend that a girl friend in London hailed a taxi last week, the driver started taking her the wrong way, so she told him he wasn't going in the right direction, he argued that he was, and wouldn't take any notice of what she said. She told him to stop the cab so she could get out. Eventually he stopped. She rang the Police and told them what had happened.

"Did he hurt you", asked the police. "No" she said. "Well in that case there is nothing we can do".

She arrived home, and about an hour later there was a knock on the door - the police. "Oh so you came afterall". "We haven't come about your complaint, the taxi driver has accused you of making racist remarks".

Anyway, after a great deal of protesting her innocence. The police left and eventually the cab driver admitted that she hadn't made any racist remarks.

Moral.

The police will only act in the case of racist, sexist, or any other 'ist remarks, but not if you fear for your life or someone tries to kidnap you. They will only act after a crime has been committed. :twisted: :twisted:

NickIrons

Doesn't surprise me, though you said "Hail" a taxi,
Just to clarify, was it a Black Hackney Carraige cab,
or private hire?
As Black cabs are still under control of the Met as far
as I'm aware.....
And are subject to strict control...

Zak64

A colleagues wife had a similar experience recently. She drove to Tescburys for the weekly shop with two toddlers in tow. She drove to the 'Mothers with small children' section conveniently close to the supermarket door, but it was fully occupied. She parked in a more distant spot, and got the kids into their pram for the shop. As she pushed them past the 'Mothers with small children' parking places she saw a black woman, with no children in tow, getting into a car parked in the reserved spaces. My colleagues wife remonstrated with her about her selfishness. "None of your business, you don't know anything about me" came the reply.

That evening the doorbell went and TWO police officers were at the door demanding to know why she had been making racist remarks !! :shock: She gave her account of the event, and ultimately it was her word against the womans. No action was taken.

My colleague questioned the police over why they were there and they said "We have to prioritise anything racial. It goes straight to the top of the list. It's policy."

I would have thought investigating, detecting and detering real crimes, mugging, burglary, assaults etc, would have been the polices top priority. Not wasting their time with silly trivial alleged racist insults.

But what would I know ?

Another incident occured about two years ago to a friend of mine, let's just call him Paul. He is a delivery driver for a well known company. He was driving through Bournemouth and stopped at a pedestrian light to allow some pedestrians to cross. Now I should add that he had recently been to his doctor over a skin infection in his armpit. A sort of athletes foot of the armpit if you like. This irritated him, and made him scratch at it, his doctor gave him some cream for it. As he was stopped he took the opportunity to raise his arm and have a quick scratch at his itchy armpit. He was also singing along to whatever was on the radio at the time. He noticed a black man stood staring at him in a hostile fashion from the roadside 'What was that morons problem ?' thought Paul, who drove off promptly forgetting about the incident.

About half an hour later his mobile went, it was his boss. "Paul, stop what you are doing and return to the depot immediately will you. Come directly to my office."

Two policemen were waiting for him. Initially they wanted to take him down to the police station and question him under caution for making racist gestures at a black person, IE impersonating a monkey. As soon as they mentioned which road the 'offence' had taken place on he twigged it !

He rapidly took of his shirt and showed the PCs his armpit with its area of reddened infection. He further explained that it was irritating, and that only a few days ago his doctor had given him some cream for it. Did they want to check with his doctor ? He also explained that he had been singing along to the radio at the time.

Paul's boss also thought quickly, he had a digital camera to hand, and took a picture of Paul's armpit with Paul holding up a copy of that days newspaper. He printed off a copy for the PCs and one for Paul. They relented in their demands to take him to the station and question him under caution. Paul's boss was very good here, he stood up for his character, assured the police that he did not believe Paul to be a racist, the incident was entirely innocent. And although no one would like to see a police officer ignore their duty would they kindly stop bothering his staff and let him get on with his job.

A few weeks later Paul got a letter stating that the police were satisfied no offence had occured and no action would be taken.

Now I'm all for combatting racism, but I think that incidents like these make things worse, not better. It means that some coloured people can behave badly, and as soon as someone of a different skin colour to them remonstrates with them the R word comes out. As happened in the first instance. Discussing the second incident with Paul, we came to the conclusion that either the guy was genuinely (but innocently) offended, or he saw a chance to make a bit of a score, because the van was liveried in easily identifiable company livery, and he could sue for racist abuse, and probably get a settlement of thousands. But I don't suppose we will ever know.

Bluemerle

I don't know if it was a black cab. I would have thought that anyone in London would know to only get into a black cab, as they are properly controlled.