Anecdotal evidence suggests that most taxi drivers must commit at least a 100 traffic violations per day. It is their egregious behaviour of failing to adhere to any traffic ordinances that incenses the other road users. After a Facebook video went viral showed a motorist taking on a taxi driver in Durban, the general consensus was that the ordinary motorist should confront the errant taxi drivers more often. But is that the correct method of preventing them disobeying of the traffic regulations?
Main picture: In these scenes from a Facebook video, a motorist can be seen refusing to give way to a taxi driving on the wrong side of the road in Glenwood. In frame 1 the taxi pulls into oncoming traffic, in 2 he tries to push in but in 3 he is stopped, in 4 and 5 he reverses and in 6 he makes his escape.
Technically it is never the duty of the motorist to enforce the rules of the road but with the Traffic Police seemingly unwilling to do so, ordinary motorists feel obliged to do so.
Many of the offences are witnessed so often on a daily basis that most motorists – myself included – have become inured to it. Suffice to say that I have reconciled myself to the fact that if I wish to preserve my health, I should rather lower my standards and expectations of the taxi drivers and ignore their transgressions. By doing am I not condoning their actions?
Taxis colliding head-on in Durban
Rescuers had to use the Jaws of Life to free two survivors of a head-on collision in Harry Gwala (Booth) Road, near the N2 Bridge, in Durban. The accident claimed two lives and the two survivors suffered extensive injuries when a taxi and a car collided. Picture: Garrith Jamieson / Rescue Care.
Nonetheless there are a few actions which make my blood boil either because they disrupt the traffic flow or they are highly dangerous.
The worst case of disrupting the traffic that I have seen is in Bedfordview behind Eastgate. At a traffic light, there were four lanes – two turning right and two going straight. What did the thoughtful taxi driver do? He drove on the extreme right hand lane and then at the traffic light, he indicated that he wanted to turn left across all four lanes. Needless to say, the traffic was disrupted for the while traffic light cycle.
The other practice which is becoming more prevalent is driving on the wrong side of the road especially where there is a long queue on the left hand side of the road. When I spot this occurring, I go into a rage. I imagine myself driving a huge 56 ton Olifant Tank. The taxi driver dare not do anything but reverse as I push the errant driver right off the road. As usual, those emotions do nothing to reduce my already high blood pressure.
About 15 years ago, this practice almost resulted in my death together with my whole family. In those days I still owned a VW Caravelle 2.6L. At dusk I was travelling at 80 kph from Umhlanga to Durban on the coastal road to visit friends on the Bluff. Approaching me on the wrong side of the road was a taxi hurtling towards us. Even though there was a vehicle in the slow lane, the only way in which we would survive was if I hit the adjacent vehicle side-on into the shoulder. Fortunately that driver was alert and immediately swerved into the shoulder just as I veered left. Within seconds the Taxi shot past me hitting the side mirror. My vehicle being a Caravelle, both of the front passengers – Janine and I – would almost certainly have been crushed to death otherwise.
My imaginary duel with an oncoming Taxi is exactly what happened in this YouTube video but instead of driving a tank, the incensed driver was driving a normal civilian vehicle fitting with a potent weapon, a dashcam.
This is what was reported on IOL:
Driver takes on queue-jumping taxi
17 December 2015 at 13:23pm
By: ZAINUL DAWOOD
Durban – A brave Durban motorist won a small battle in the ongoing war with law-breaking minibus taxi drivers when he refused to capitulate in an incident in Glenwood captured on his dash cam recently.
It started when the taxi swerved into on-coming traffic to overtake a line of gridlocked cars.
But the taxi driver didn’t think the driver in the oncoming car would stand his ground, and instead of moving out of his way, the driver forced the taxi into a retreat – small retribution for every motorist ever bullied by a taxi.
Taxi forced to reverse all the way back
Some comments relating to the video:
The one-minute video was recorded by an anonymous person in Che Guevara (Moore) Road and shows the taxi reversing past 28 vehicles. None of the motorists would give him a gap to get back in line. The taxi pulled off eventually into a side road out of camera range.
Facebook comments streamed in offering the driver of the car “a Bells”.
Nigel posted: “That’s why I’m installing a huge anti taxi bar on the front of my car.”
Prashek said: “Good on you for teaching him a lesson.”
Maureen: “If only more people called their bluff and didn’t let them push in, maybe more taxi drivers would obey road rules. That was brave but risky!”
If you want to experience some schadenfreude watch the video below.
About a year ago, I decided to confront a taxi driver by preventing him from entering my lane for a similar offence when he attempted to create a third lane on the onramp to Hendrik Potgieter from 14th Avenue. What I received for my trouble was two dents from a knobkerrie when the driver was finally able to pass me.
So is it worth confronting a taxi driver with one’s expensive vehicle?
I daresay not!
Sources:
Facebook video: http://www.news24.com/Live/SouthAfrica/News/watch-this-guy-puts-a-law-breaking-taxi-in-his-place-literally-20151217