Cab driver scared to work after attack

A taxi driver was terrified as his vehicle was attacked by a passenger in the early hours.

The driver, British with Asian origin, told his bosses at Freephone Taxis of Balderton that he was subjected to verbal abuse and they believe the incident was racially motivated.

Police are investigating the incident that happened at about 3.45am on Saturday.

The driver, who did not want to be named, said he was now so nervous he was thinking of quitting.

He said three men hailed his taxi on London Road, Newark. One passenger was dropped off near The Grove pub, London Road, Balderton.

Near Bowbridge Lane, Balderton, the driver said he heard the remaining two passengers talking about not having enough money for the fare so he told them he would not take them any further.

The pair assured him they would pay.

“One of them said they would pay me if I went wherever they wanted,” the driver said.

“Then I started the car and one of them pulled the handbrake.

“My car spun. For a moment I did not know where I was. That was really scary.”

He said the two men got out of the car, one of whom ran away.

The other left the passenger door open, started to kick the doors and tried unsuccessfully to break the driver’s side window.

“Then he became really angry. He started to make a victory sign. That’s when he ran away,” the driver said.

He could not lock the doors because the passenger door was still open.

He said he was subjected to racist verbal abuse.

“I am still scared now. I am very nervous. I am just waiting for the police investigation and then I will decide what to do about my job,” he said.

“I have been living here ten years. This has never happened to me before.

“Usually if they do not have the money, they just run away.”

He now works only when the firm’s other taxis are on the road at the same time.

The owner of Freephone Taxis, Mr Gary Moores, said it would cost about £2,000 to repair the car.

“I think it’s disgusting that people could be racist. We can’t tolerate this kind of behaviour,” he said.

Mrs Chris Whittington, the office manager, said: “We need to bring this to people’s attention. It’s just not acceptable. We can stand the verbal abuse but what we can’t tolerate is racism.”