A Leeds taxi driver is considering “quitting the job” after reading abusive and racist comments made by Facebook trolls.
Amber Cars driver Zahid Mahmood, 44, helped organise a 24-hour strike but was sickened by the reaction from people online.
The strike took place in Leeds from Monday (January 17) to Tuesday, and was organised by the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation (LPHDO).
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Cabbies were protesting a Leeds City Council safeguarding policy which aims to add further protection to the public.
Leeds Live visited the striking drivers on the day with a Facebook Live broadcast, as well posting several articles surrounding the strike, including one on the negative backlash to the strike, where residents said they'd simply switch to using Uber.
Zahid, Vice Chairman of LPHDO, said: “I’ve been a taxi driver for 24 years never had a single complaint but after reading comments I'm thinking of quitting the job.
“It makes me think, why do I do this job when there is no appreciation? It makes me feel sick.”
Zahid, a father-of-four and from Bradford, has always been proud of his job, striving to help passengers where possible. But comments from the public have soured his attitude.
“After reading these comments, I’ll stop being a Good Samaritan as they look at us like we’re criminals anyway,” he said. “Honestly, after reading these posts I feel down at the moment, I feel gutted – I want to throw up.
“I’ve not seen one positive comment on the posts. It’s better we just leave the trade then and let the public pick up themselves.”
The Bradford man said it was unfair that all taxi drivers were being judged for the actions of a minority who abused their position, pointing out that cabbies are subject to an enhanced DBS check.
“What these people don’t understand is that we are family people, we are checked to the highest standards with a DBS check every year. Yet when they come out with comments like these, it makes people like me feel so low,” admitted Zahid.
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Zahid has said he will be using racist Facebook comments he sees as evidence for his case that taxi drivers need safeguarding just as much as the public.
He said: “These are the type of comments we go through when people are drunk. So when you hear of all the racist remarks we get, they're on Facebook – we don’t need to say anything.”
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