space shuttle, space: 2004_10_01_spewingforth

PERMALINK Posted 12:06 AM by Jordan

Taxi Drivers: Arm Yourselves

I've written a number of times about the dangers faced by taxi cab

drivers who are often assaulted or murdered(here and here), and OSHA's

fact sheet which calls for

* automatic vehicle location or global positioning systems (GPS) to

locate drivers in distress;

* caller ID to help trace location of fares;

* first-aid kits in every car for use in emergencies;

* in-car surveillance cameras;

* partitions or shields;

* protocol with police -- owners and police to track high-crime

locations;

* radios to communicate in emergencies (e.g., with an "open mike

switch");

* safety training for drivers;

* silent alarms;

* use of credit/debit cards ("cashless" fare systems) to discourage

robberies.

But Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, is

giving OSHA a hard time for neglecting the most obvious and effective

solution: recommending that taxi cab drivers carry guns to protect

themselves.

Now, this is a truly amazing and shockingly close-minded admission.

You have an OSHA official who says that her agency wanted to "do

something" to help make taxi drivers safer. But, the one thing that

really would make cabbies safer - allowing them to keep and bear

arms - she opposes! In fact, she is so anti-gun that her position

is, literally, don't confuse me with the facts. Her position is

that even if it could be demonstrated that an armed cab driver is a

safer cab driver, she still wouldn't recommend that cabbies be

armed.

So taxi cab drivers should shoot anyone who threatens their lives on

the job? Hmm, do you think Mr. Pratt would advocate this type of

action for any worker whose life is threatened on the job?

"What, you want me to climb down into that 15 foot deep unprotected

trench? No way suckah! You put a trench box in there or I blow you

away. Come on, make my day."

Labels: taxi drivers

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