Limousine Chauffeur Safety
The limousine hire industry is a relatively new industry in Australia, but that does not make it immune from incidents which one would more readily associate with seedy parts of the America.
News that a Queensland limousine driver, from the Gold Coast has become a recent statistic of violent behaviour is a sad indictment of our modern, supposedly civilised, society. The man, who was allegedly kicked, bitten and punched in the head by six people, believes more must be done to tackle the increase in violence against transport operators.
The driver, in his late-30s, came forward with his story after The Gold Coast Bulletin published the account of a taxi driver allegedly assaulted at Burleigh on Saturday. He said he had responded to a booking about 11 pm on a Saturday night, from a Surfers Paradise establishment, which the group of four men and two women had been ejected from for fighting.
When he arrived, a young man from the group came toward the limo, forcing him to stop to avoid him; the man then punched the windscreen. The limousine operator of five years said he got out of the car, apparently the man swore at him and demanded he give the group a ride but the limo driver refused, saying he was only licensed to carry four people and that he was already booked. According to the 193cm-tall driver, the family group from Banora Point then attacked him, punching him in the head and upper body and kicking him in the shins; he also alleges that on two occasions he was bitten on his arms.
Chauffeurs are trained to respect the privacy of their passengers; they are entrusted to look after them and their safety. Sadly, this is not always reciprocated. Violent attacks on taxi drivers have been come so common that the cab firms are now installing surveillance cameras to monitor passenger behaviour.
The recent attacks on limo hire drivers may also result in similar options being adopted by the limo industry. While some limo passenger may not like the idea of a camera intruding into their privacy, they should note that if they are not doing anything illegal, then they don’t have anything to worry about.
