Garth Rattray | Taxi drivers are a bad influence

Here it comes in the rearview, “IXAT” closing fast, but that’s nothing new.

And when it flies past it’s clear to see it is actually “TAXI”, dissing you and dissing me. The taxis overtake everyone no matter what, they don’t care what happens, and that’s a fact. Their revving engines are commonplace, taxis competing … with each other they race.

The rules of the road, they don’t obey, they flout them, both night and day. Stop signs, traffic lights, and road markings they ignore, costly crashes, and injured bodies, are all instore. Their singlemindedness is absolutely amazing, “One stop drivah!” and then they begin braking.

They stop any place that suit their fares, and if they block intersections, not one of them cares. They will cut across lanes and push you out too, once any potential passenger is in view. They ride rough shod over other road users, they intimidate and bully, they are consummate abusers.

They put the pedal to the metal and accelerate off the line, then stop very hard, that’s truly asinine. No vehicle is designed to withstand such torture, but they don’t care, its profits, that’s all they’re after. Most drive taxi cabs that are not theirs, so they push them to the limit to accumulate fares.

Taxis stop anywhere to collect every single passenger, they obstruct the roads without thinking who they might endanger. They glower at drivers who dare to complain, it’s a pity that we can’t avoid them, they can be such a pain.

PILE IN PEOPLE

They pile in people, no matter their size, they cram them inside, that’s not very wise. From their behaviour, it’s plain to see that taxis operate outside the law, how can that be? And when all seats are occupied, something outrageous takes place, a passenger may be put in the trunk, great danger to face.

I have seen taxis stop and block traffic light intersections, they stop on crosswalks, on sidewalks, inviting police intervention. And if the police turn up on the scene, taxis are always complaining, hundreds of tickets, some of them are accumulating. When taxis the cops try to seize, violence ensues, and crowds swarm like bees.

Taxis create lanes where they should never exist, “Get out the way!”, “Small up yuhself!” they always insist. And if you dare to claim your right of way, you’re guaranteed to have a very bad day. They’ll clip you, or scrape you, and damage whatever you drive, then [likely] become irate and to blame you they’ll fervently strive.

It’s obvious that taxis have rewritten the code, incredible things they do on the road. They always enter the compulsory right-turning lane, then go straight or swerve left, the advantage to gain. They go from left to right, then right to left once more, they always scurry and into traffic they bore. They’ll stick out their hand, and you must realise, that the taxi is about to take off and down the road it flies.

But the most egregious taxi behaviour that you may behold, taxis driving on sidewalks on the opposite side of the road. They do that to get ahead of long lines because, they find waiting in traffic an intolerable pause. They see other road users as nuisances, and inconvenient distractions, getting around us justifies all their infractions.

FOR PASSENGERS’ SAKE

And all this, they claim, is for the passengers’ sake, driving fast and crazy, leaving no room for mistake. Zooming along, careening at times, just to overtake those interminable lines. None of them want to wait until it’s their turn, it’s as if the rest of us have a lot of time to burn.

Foolish passengers encourage their despicable behaviour, without realising that they’re in mortal danger. Most taxi drivers are not particularly skilled, with the madness that they do, it’s a miracle that more people are not killed. It’s come to the point where we had to adjust, focussed and defensive driving is now a must.

I’m flummoxed by several undeniable facts; they’re many routes on which they brazenly carry out their illegal acts. They break the law at almost every traffic light, and when confronted they’re ready to fight. Yet the authorities seem unable to cope, could it be that there is really no hope? With so many taxis getting away with bad driving, the example that they set is now thriving.

Now, many road users have become very aggressive, hogging the road, that’s so insensitive. They’re sounding their horns the millisecond that the lights turn green, rushing you, and cussing you, and being generally mean. If you pause at stop signs, as the law demands, they reel out Jamaican fabric, down to their colourful strands. They don’t care if you shudder and shake, an uncomfortable atmosphere, they’re trying to make.

Taxis and other drivers are becoming conflated, with horrendous driving were being inundated. Now we cannot know which vehicle to fear, taxi-like driving is everywhere. And if you drive properly, you’re out of place, they’ll ‘bad drive’ you, intimidate you, and sneer in your face.

With ‘peak hour’ horrors stretched out from morning to night, the very thought of driving is giving many people a fright. The difficulties, danger, and frustration have become endless, the authorities must act soon to stop the madness.

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.