More crap done to cab drivers

While trolling through the results from a Google News search for "cab drivers" 3 story's jumped out at me, 2 from the Bay area and a 3ed from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Ill start by saying I know nothing about Saskatoon, Saskatchewan except it has to be a small town and I now know they have a problem with at least 1 person who likes to beat up on cab drivers, below is from CKOM a local radio station

Driving a taxi in Saskatoon is becoming a dangerous job, there have been 2 separate attacks in the last week alone, the most recent involved the driver being severely beaten robbed of his car Saturday afternoon.

The manager of one Saskatoon Taxi company says thwarting much attacks is easier said than done. Ken Yuzik, manager of Saskatoon Radio Cabs says prevention is difficult.

"Shy of completely enclosing the driver or locking the passenger in a cage, there's really nothing that can be done," Yuzik says.

Yuzik tells his drivers to trust their instincts."Follow your gut. If it doesn't look right, just drive away."

Yuzik adds incidents like this happen every year.

Mark, a Saskatoon cab driver says, he's constantly gauging passengers to assess if they are a threat.

Saskatoon cab driver Azhar Ahmad is recovering at home after being attacked on Saturday.

The other incident involved a taxi driver being stabbed in the early hours of January 22nd.

If you have never done a search described above and drive a cab or know someone who does I would its an eye opener.

If its not safe to drive a cab in places like Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, then where is it safe, its safe to say nowhere is safe, and all I can say is watch your back out there.

The next story is from Springhill, Hernando County, thanks to Hernando Today page of TBO.com, just another drunk using a cab driver as a punching bag.


SPRING HILL - A taxi driver was beaten early Saturday morning by the intoxicated man who had called for a ride home from a bar.

The cab driver went to the Mermaid Lounge on Commercial Way around 2 a.m. to pick up his fare. After collecting his rider, Kevin Benstead, the two walked outside and the driver asked Benstead where he was headed, according to a sheriff's report.

Benstead responded with a profanity, then began to slide off the bench where he was sitting.

When the cab driver moved in to keep the suspect from falling to the ground, Benstead became "extremely violent" and began pummeling the cab driver with his fists, according to a report.

The bartender stepped outside to break it up and Benstead, 49, was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge.

The last one happened in Tampa and its more funny then sad but then I have a twisted mind, and is also from TBO.com.

TAMPA - A scientist from the federal Environmental Protection Agency working here for the Super Bowl was arrested this morning, accused of stealing a taxicab, police said.

Louis Andrew Mattioli, 30, of Sayreville, N.J., is charged with felony grand theft auto and misdemeanor petit theft, jail records show. He was held on $2,500 bail at the Orient Road Jail today.

According to an affidavit, Mattioli was intoxicated when he took about $140 out of a cab driver's hands and stole the taxi about 3:20 a.m. in the 1900 block of North Dale Mabry Highway.

Police arrested Mattioli about 20 minutes later at Rent-A-Wheel, 2301 N. Dale Mabry Highway, the affidavit states.

In the affidavit, Mattioli told police he took the car "because he was scared."

Jail records say Mattioli is an EPA scientist at a facility in Edison, N.J.

Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said that Mattioli was working for the Super Bowl. She did not know what his duties were.

An EPA spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., referred questions to Mattioli's regional office. An official there could not be immediately reached.

This story is so good I am including some reader comments, enjoy.

1900 block of Dale Mabry? Sounds like he gave all his money to an "entertainer" and didn't have any cash left to pay for the cab ride back to his hotel. He should have just stayed at his hotel, bought a bottle of jergens and rented a movie. It is quite a bit cheaper.

Posted by ( 2bizzy ) on 01/28/2009 at 01:50 pm.

Just one of the first drunk idiots, in town for the Super Bowl, doing dumb crap. Get ready I am sure there will more to come.

The best by far and I could not say it any better myself.

Posted by ( MAILHILL ) on 01/28/2009 at 03:23 pm.

YOUR GOVERNMENT DOLLARS AT WORK SENDING AN EPA GUY TO THE SUPER BOWL.