Its coming to light that the taxi firm at the centre of the child grooming scandal in Rochdale are receiving 60+ calls a week from punters requesting white drivers.
Taxi boss says he has to respond to what customers want – thoughts?

widely reported in local news and national news, we all have a right to decide who drives us, preferably with a licence and some geographical local knowledge helps.

The owner has just created an unique selling point.

we all have a right to decide who drives us,

So, racism is OK then? Would it be OK if I were to say that I didn’t want a Belgian* waiter as I don’t like Belgians? Etc.

Put simply, this is racism. Asking for a driver who isn’t a scum sucking piece of shit child abuser would be OK. Asking NOT to have someone because they are Asian/have a beard/are Belgian is not OK, because not all Asians/beard wearers/Belgians in Rochdale, or anywhere else for that matter, are scum sucking piece of shit child abusers. Far from it.

* I have nothing against Belgians, for the record, was just using it in line with an excellent gag on Radio 4 the other night. I also have nothing against Asians. And nothing against most beard wearers. 😉

60+ calls a week

Thats less than 10 calls a day. How busy is this taxi office for that to seem significant.

Understandable I suppose, but Flashy’s nailed it.

What the Captain says, no you don’t have the right.

You may not have the right but they’ve decided you can have the option.

I think the overlooked point is this: “the taxi firm at the centre of the child grooming scandal”. It’s not just any old random taxi company.

I’m surprised the taxi firm is still operating if it was providing a child sex slave courier service, but if for some obscure reason I was forced to use the taxi firm at the centre of a scandal involving asian drivers and child abuse/prostitution then I think I’d probably accept a non-asian driver if it was offered.

It’s uncomfortable to unfortunate but there is nothing wrong with this.

Your hard earned money so spend it as you will.

🙄

And?

My MIL uses a particular company due to the same reason, her money, her choice.

I’m surprised the taxi firm is still operating if it was providing a child sex slave courier service, but if for some obscure reason I was forced to use the taxi firm at the centre of a scandal involving asian drivers and child abuse/prostitution then I think I’d probably accept a non-asian driver if it was offered.

I’d use another company.

Well yes, quite.

Somewhat understandable, given that in its previous guise the company had 2 drivers jailed for using children as sex slaves, if not right.

I am sure it will be brought to a stop rather quickly.

Many a time drivers would refuse my dog in their taxi. Dont like it? Get a different job.

Wtf hora. Even us country folk know taxis dont take dogs.

If they dont like it , you walk.

Its not the same company.

i read that the chap that owns the firm bought it just before the grooming hing kicked off in the news. fella is only trying to keep his business going, cant blame him for that

Yes, Car2000 was bought out by the current owners. Thing is, there are quite a few taxi firms in this town & more than a few drivers work for different firms – I see the same chaps driving for
Tiger/Central etc.
Lots of bad feeling around town at the moment.

My other half used to work for a private passenger company who provided transport for BBC at elstree. There was an Asian actor from eastenders there who only wanted Asian drivers. White driver turned up , he threw a hissy fit and wanted a different car. Apparently that was Ok and not racist at all.

I’ve known of Asian’s asking for taxi drivers who weren’t white..

I’ve also heard them asking an Asian friend to recommend a garage that wasn’t ‘white’, we were in his car on his hands free. Think he was a bit embarrassed at the time..

Not saying 2 wrongs make a right, but don’t kid yourselves that it doesn’t go on & probably a lot more than you realise..

Saw the report on Granada local news last night & an Asian driver who works for said company was asked his opinion on this, & he said that he didn’t have a problem with customers asking for a white driver.

CaptainFlashheart – Member
we all have a right to decide who drives us,
So, racism is OK then? Would it be OK if I were to say that I didn’t want a Belgian* waiter as I don’t like Belgians? Etc.

Put simply, this is racism. Asking for a driver who isn’t a scum sucking piece of shit child abuser would be OK. Asking NOT to have someone because they are Asian/have a beard/are Belgian is not OK, because not all Asians/beard wearers/Belgians in Rochdale, or anywhere else for that matter, are scum sucking piece of shit child abusers. Far from it.

This, times infinity. And no, I don’t think anyone should have the option of requesting and getting a “white driver” either, never mind the right.

What about the various taxi firms that advertise that they only employ female drivers, or will send a female driver if requested?
Where do you draw the line between prejudice and perceived precaution?

Sex and race are not the same thing. A man and a woman can do different things, and it is not unreasonable to feel more comfortable with one sex than another. It WOULD BE unreasonable, however, to say that one is better than another.

Race, one other hand, does NOT enable people to do things differently to one another, so to prefer one race over another is to do so based on completely inappropriate prejudice.

The BBC report I heard also mentioned (with less emphasis) that people also ask for Asian drivers

Rochdale and many other places are nasty with dark secrets that plenty of people are working hard to hide

After the Harold Shipman case did people start to request non white doctors?

“Rochdale and many other places are nasty with dark secrets that plenty of people are working hard to hide”

^This..

A lot of these places are already very divided, by some of the attitudes above you’d have to lable 75% of all the local populations as ‘racist’..

In an ideal society, it would of course be racist. However, Rotherham, on the basis of recent reports, has been let down badly by Society.

In an ideal society, it would of course be racist.

Nope, it’s racist in any society and by any definition. Just to clarify, the people selecting taxi drivers by their ethnicity are racist because the ethnicity of the cab driver has no bearing on their ability to do their job safely and efficiently.

Was raised thinking it was normal to request Caucasian taxi drivers and not use Asians or other ‘foreigners’ – such I heard and saw as a child. Was always confused as to why it was ‘normal’ and what was wrong with ‘them’?

Never heard it offered as a service tho.

Humans are dicks.

There was an Asian actor from eastenders there who only wanted Asian drivers. White driver turned up , he threw a hissy fit and wanted a different car. Apparently that was Ok and not racist at all.

Well no… It was racist, because he was being selective based on race.

Although it may have been tolerated (because the company wanted to keep the contract probably) it wasn’t ok, because it’s racist

I don’t condone it, but I think it is an understandable human reaction in the tragic circumstances.

I ordered a taxi last week and, as the taxi turned up (randomly happened to be a minibus), I remembered that we had our dog with us. I asked the (Asian) driver if he’d mind taking the dog too, seeing as there was room for her on the floor and he was nice enough to let us. Oh, and he knew exactly where he was going. I wonder if I’d have got the same reaction from a white driver?

I wonder if I’d have got the same reaction from a white driver?

Who knows eh.

One of life’s great mysteries that one.

Yeah, of course it’s racism.

muddydwarf – Member
Lots of bad feeling around town at the moment.

It’s a perfect opportunity for the meatheads to stir up some racial tension, conveniently deflecting attention from those responsible.

Rochdale has been left to rot from the inside for years.
It has the largest amount of very damaged people I’ve ever seen.
It needs some self belief, but it’s not going to get that until we get some answers from those accountable.

We’re dealing with humans – logic plays no part in this process.

Oh, and he knew exactly where he was going.

Was that because you told him ?

Or because he was Asian ?

I’d love to think that there’s a load of Asian taxi drivers having the same discussion on a forum somewhere- singlefareworld.com

Probably wouldn’t be too different as whats going on here..

Well Rochdale is one of the biggest holes that I have had the misfortune to be near. I’d have to agree that most of the population is racist to some extent regardless of their race. The ethnicity of your taxi driver is the least of your problems if you live in Rochdale.

I’d have to agree that most of the population is racist to some extent regardless of their race.

Who are you agreeing with?

I think that the majority of the population is sick of the mistrust, the unhelpful scaremongering and the failure of the local authority to intervene earlier, nevermind investigating abuses by it’s own.

Many a time drivers would refuse my dog in their taxi. Dont like it? Get a different job.

They aren’t obliged to take your dog in their vehicle. Your attitude is rather unpleasant. How do you earn a living?