Rochdale Cabs, Customers request White drivers only

[SevenRivers 10]

It makes sense to have compulsory CRB checks for taxi drivers (which UKIP councillor PCC candidate Jack Clarkson is campaigning for). It has been known for licensing committee to grant taxi licenses even to known offenders after pressure from elected councilors because they were mates.

[aliceBB 10]

I'm more concerned about everyone loosing the right to choose, the trend of one group of people trying to impose their views onto everyone is unreasonable.

 

That's rather naive. An individual's (or a group's) 'right to choose' is not some kind of inalienable 'given' in every context. You do not, for example, have the right to 'choose' to keep someone as a slave in your house, or 'choose' to drive your car on whichever side of the road you prefer or at whatever speed you like. Individual 'choice' is necessarily limited by its impact on others. Otherwise you end up with a society like pre 1990s South Africa. Is that what you want? If people start saying that they will only have a taxi driver of a certain colour, or gender, or age, something which is is inherently discriminatory and exclusive - it means the ones you are rejecting (for no good reason) miss out on the work and end up as 'second class' citizens.

 

A choice based on racist reasons is morally iniquitous and often illegal. There is no good reason why a black or Asian taxi driver (who has after all, been passed as a good driver and registered as such) should not be able to do the job (ie drive you somewhere) any less effectively than a white driver. It is therefore unreasonable to stipulate you do not want a black or Asian one. It would be reasonable to request a driver who can either speak or read English competently (for the discussion of destination, etc) or even ask for one who spoke your own first language if it is not English. You cannot though demand that the service be provided by someone with your your 'choice' of 'characteristic (be it race, gender, age, etc) as that is something people cannot change about themselves. You can learn another language, but you can't change your gender or your race. Nobody yet has justifed how being driven by a white taxi driver is in any way more satisfactory than being driven by a black driver, other than for reasons based on sheer subjective prejudice, which is not acceptable. Nobody has yet made an objective case for it at all.

 

I can only think of some medical contexts and wet-nursing where it would be acceptable to specify you want a female to see you/feed your child. Other than that, how can such discriminatory 'choices' be justified?

Edited October 23, 2014 by aliceBB

[SavannahP 10]

There is no reason why a black or Asian taxi driver (who has after all, been passed as a good driver and registered as such) should not be able to do the job (ie drive you somehwere) any less effectively than a white driver. It is therefore unreasonable to stipulate you do not want a black or Asian one.

 

On that basis it would be unreasonable for a women to ask for a women doctor, male doctors are trained and registered and are just as capable of examining a women as a women doctor is, but I respect the right of a women to have some say in who examining her. I also respect the right of a female Muslim to ask for a female taxi driver or driving instructor or doctor. I'm more concerned about amount of people that use abuse and violence against people that make such choices.

[mafya 250]

I'm more concerned about everyone loosing the right to choose, the trend of one group of people trying to impose their views onto everyone is unreasonable.

 

Does the same apply in the case of Isis?

I don't support Isis before you reply asking if I do.....

[Member 10]

Does the same apply in the case of Isis?

I don't support Isis before you reply asking if I do.....

 

Why mention them and bring them into a discussion that has absolutely nothing to do with them at all?

[SavannahP 10]

Does the same apply in the case of Isis?

I don't support Isis before you reply asking if I do.....

 

Wanting an Islamic state isn't an issue, but using violence to impose their views onto others is.

[ronthenekred 10]

Yes they can.

How?

You don't

 

You mean "can't". How can I unless you've expressed it?

No I'm not and no I don't.

 

Yes you are, and yes you do. It's my opinion, how do you stop my opinion? I'll tell you, by not spouting the opinions you have.

 

Same question: How do I stop you from choosing? If someone chooses White over Black, how do I asses why that choice was made?

 

If I avoid a particular by crossing the road how would you know why I made that detour? I'll tell you why..because while making the detour I verbally made it clear why. In this case the action doesn't point to bigotry, the verbalization of the action does.

[Doom 10]

It's because they aren't all rapists and/or dishonest.

 

I'd agree, but after what's happened I can understand why the general public would be concerned using Asian taxi drivers.

 

I guess it's playing the odds. Whilst someone might think that the vast majority of Asian taxi drivers are decent individuals, if you think there's treble the chance of getting abused by an Asian taxi driver compared to a white one, then why take the risk?

 

From my own point of view I've always found them fine and look forward to my weekly cricket conversation with one of them on Saturday night (now there's a bit of stereotyping, because not all Asians are into cricket )

 

Regards

 

Doom

Edited October 24, 2014 by Doom

[roosterboost 10]

But most drivers use satnav anyway, so language shouldn't be a problem.

 

It is if they can't understand the satnav.

Edited October 23, 2014 by roosterboost

[cgksheff 44]

EHRC claim that 25% of Pakistani men in the UK are taxi drivers as their primary employment.

[boyfriday 21]

 

Edit. Success. Thank the lord for the ignore list

 

I'm guessing you're on the ignore list of all decent taxi companies

[SavannahP 10]

How?

By creating laws and locking people up that brake those laws.

 

 

You mean "can't". How can I unless you've expressed it?

 

 

Yes you are, and yes you do. It's my opinion, how do you stop my opinion? I'll tell you, by not spouting the opinions you have.

 

 

Same question: How do I stop you from choosing? If someone chooses White over Black, how do I asses why that choice was made?

 

If I avoid a particular by crossing the road how would you know why I made that detour? I'll tell you why..because while making the detour I verbally made it clear why. In this case the action doesn't point to bigotry, the verbalization of the action does.

 

I can't stop opinions like yours, but I can be more concerned about them than someone wanting a female doctor or a male taxi driver or Asian taxi driver or a white English taxi driver. Personally my only criteria if and when I need a taxi or a doctor is that they can understand me and I can understand them, but I respect the right of others to choose and I have concerns about the number of people like you.