Taxi Passengers Association denounces three incidents

The Macau Taxi Passengers Association, operators of the Macau Taxi Drive Shame Facebook Group, issued a press release yesterday deploring the outrageous behavior of local taxi drivers exhibited on three separate incidents on Wednesday night at the Venetian Macao.
The association viewed footage of the first two incidents. In the first, a Macau taxi driver claimed to have been “beaten up by six Venetian security guards” at the West Lobby of the Venetian Macao. The association claims that the location is “infamous for the chronic unlawful ‘fishing’ activities that occur there on a nightly basis.”
The association has viewed clear and unambiguous footage of the incident and says the taxi driver’s claim is shocking. “One Venetian security guard, placed in a difficult position by a rogue taxi driver’s illegal ‘fishing’ behavior, attempted to guide the driver back into his taxi which was illegally parked in the middle of the West lobby driveway area. The security guard did not hit or strike the driver. The driver then “took a dive” and immediately called for police and ambulance to be called as he lay, quite comfortably, on the ground. The other five security guards involved were bystanders. Police and ambulance were called, which was a blatant misuse of Macau’s emergency services,” the association describes.
The second incident was also filmed and the footage was analyzed by the association. Upon hearing the news of the first incident, “approximately 30 taxis, blocked the entire main entrance of the Venetian and proceeded to sound their horns for approximately 25 minutes, making it impossible for traffic to get through. This shows the level of communication and organization of the ‘rogue’ element of Macau’s taxi drivers,” the association claims.
In the third incident, the Taxi Passengers Association had been told that a westerner became involved in a physical confrontation with a taxi driver, this time back at the West Lobby entrance of the Venetian. According to the association, “approximately 30 taxis that were at the main entrance of the Venetian relocated to the West Lobby entrance and were then joined by a further 20 taxis, making a total of approximately 50 taxis blocking the West Lobby entrance of the Venetian.”
Andrew Scott, president of the Macau Taxi Passengers Association commented on the three incidents stating: “The MTPA applauds the Venetian Macao’s recent initiatives attempting to stamp out the serious problems that occur every evening at their West Lobby. The MTPA deplores the kind of outrageous stand-over behavior we saw last night by these taxi drivers. These are the kinds of tactics used by loan sharks, extortionists and thugs. These aggressive young men have no place in the honorable and important profession of taxi driving.”