CAB is a dying breed of dog's, page-13

This won't help the taxi industry http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-07/uber-driver-says-taxi-drivers-praised-attackers/6835054


Uber attacks: Assault victim says taxi drivers 'praised' angry mob

7.30
By David Lewis
Updated 32 minutes ago
PHOTO: Alex Ihaia's damaged car with broken door and mirror. (ABC: Nick Castellaro)
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MAP: Brisbane 4000
One of three Uber drivers assaulted by an angry mob of men in Brisbane on the long weekend claims his attackers "were praised" by taxi drivers at a cab rank near where the violence unfolded.
The driver, who wants to remain anonymous, was ambushed in Fortitude Valley in the early hours of Monday morning while waiting to collect a passenger.
He told 7.30 at least half a dozen men, speaking Punjabi, surrounded his car, punched him in the face, ripped off a side mirror and stole his phone.
"I heard them saying, 'you are ruining our industry and we are suffering because of Uber'," he said.
Not long after the attack, the driver spotted the men at a nearby taxi rank and took photographs, which he has provided to police.
There was a lot of blood. I was trying to get the blood out of my eyes so I could try to get my thoughts together and focus on where all these guys were.
Alex Ihaia
"All the taxi drivers seemed to be happy and were praising this heinous act," he said.
"I couldn't believe this could happen."
The men have not been found but police have a list of suspects and 7.30 understands at least one of them has links to the taxi industry.
Investigators believe the same group is responsible for two other assaults on Uber drivers that occurred that same morning.
Speaking for the first time about his assault, Pramil Patel said he became nervous when he spotted the men and lied about working for Uber.
"And then one of them stole my mobile," he said.
PHOTO: Pramil Patel says a group of men broke a side mirror off his car and stole his phone. (ABC: David Lewis)
"He checked the mobile and said, 'you're an Uber driver', and punched me in the face."
Like the first attack, Mr Patel said the group broke off a side mirror and stole his phone while shouting, "You are f***ing Uber. You are f***ing illegal."
The third and final attack was by far the most violent.
Alex Ihaia, 49, was ambushed by two groups of men in Kangaroo Point about 3:00am.
When he tried to escape, he was struck over the head with a blunt object.
"There was a lot of blood. I was trying to get the blood out of my eyes so I could try to get my thoughts together and focus on where all these guys were," he said.
His car was so badly damaged it had to be towed away and examined by police forensics.
"They totally smashed my car up, ripped my driver's side door around onto the bonnet, smashed my windows, and booted my car in," he said.
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PHOTO: Alex Ihaia's smashed car window after the attack. (ABC: Nick Castellaro)
Licensed taxi drivers across Australia are furious at the expansion of Uber's unregulated discount service Uber X.
They have responded with strikes and protests, but this string of assaults appear to be the first time opponents of ride-sharing have resorted to violence.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Benjamin Wash from Taxi Council Queensland condemned the attacks.
"Taxi drivers have been in the past victims of physical assault. It's unpleasant. We don't condone it," he said.