When Rickshaw Drivers Complain

Rickshaw drivers have been complaining about being regular victims of physical and verbal abuse from the city’s taxi trade. One of the rickshaw drivers have been seen complaining about a group of taxi drivers after he was pulled out of his rickshaw and was assaulted by these drivers. Another rickshaw driver complained about the attack he experienced from a Taser stun gun by a disgruntled cabbie. There are also rickshaw drivers who are also students complaining that most of the time, they experience being thrown cigarette butts.

The attack was done by a core minority of cabbies because according to them, these rickshaw drivers were seen muscling on their livelihood. More taxi drivers received different complaints about it which adds up to the growing tension between rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers.

A 28-year-old rickshaw driver from Marchmont named Neil Hartop claimed he was attacked last November 25 on George Street by three guys who told him they were black taxi drivers.

Hartop said: "They got in and started kicking my back, saying they were fed up with the pedicabs. I stopped and said I wasn't taking them any further and one of them headbutted me.

“I fell to the ground and they kicked me before they got in the back of a taxi. I was really shook up but thought I would just get more hassle if I reported it." Just like wholesale auto parts, the news is also available online. You can check it out yourself for further details.

According to the police chiefs, they did not receive any complaints about attack but they are encouraging the victims to complain about it. Phil Varley, the owner of Edinburgh Pedicabs, said: "It is obviously concerning for our drivers, but it only seems to involve a hardcore minority of taxi drivers."

In 2000, there were only two operating pedicabs. But this time, the fleet will be around 60 pedicabs already.

Murray Fleming, the secretary of Central Radio Cabs, said: "It is very easy to cast aspersions. More generally, there is concern among the taxi trade about the safety aspects of pedicabs and the big increase in their number."