IN THE
NEWS...IN THE NEWS.. HERO PAISLEY DRIVERS RACE TO HELP
BLOODIED PAL BATTERED BY FARE-DODGER
A Paisley cabbie has told how a dozen fellow taxi drivers raced to his aid after he was battered by a fare-dodging thug. Michael Bolland, 50, was left bloodied and bruised after being attacked in Espedair Street, in the south end of town last month. The shaken driver was able to hit a panic button in his car following the attack and col- leagues flooded the street in their cabs until paramedics arrived to treat him. Michael, who drives for Renfrewshire Cab Company, was
treated for facial injuries at the scene. Minutes earlier, he had picked up three passengers in the Gallowhill area of town before getting into a dispute about the fare and being attacked. The dad of two told the Paisley Daily Express: “A guy got out of the car and slammed the door shut. I thought it was going to go right through the other side. “I said that someone would need to pay the fare and step- ed out the car. I turned away and that’s when he hit
me. “I covered up my head, that’s when I felt the blood and he kept laying into me.” Michael, who has been driving a taxi in town for the past three years, thanked other drivers for coming to his aid. He added: “I got back in the car and drove up the street a bit and hit my panic button. “Before I knew it there were loads of drivers in the street. I didn’t really know any of them but that’s the job, if you are in trouble peo- ple come to help.
“This is the first time something like this has happened. But It won’t put me off, that’s for sure.” One furious driver, who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, told of his anger that a fel- low cabbie had been assaulted He said: “It’s abso- lutely shocking this has happened to one of the guys. “A good few drivers headed to the street after he pressed his emergency button. “The guy is just out doing his job and then something like this happens – it really is awful.
“I’m really angry. It was 11.10am on a Monday morning for goodness sake. “He is pretty shaken up at the moment. He was just going about his business. This really shouldn’t happen.” Renfrewshire Cab Company bosses condemned
the
attack and praised fellow drivers for racing to the scene so quickly. A spokeswoman said: “We are horri- fied that again one of our drivers was attacked yesterday. “Fortunately, we have a great net- work of drivers who
responded to the emergency button being pressed arriv- ing on the scene within minutes to offer support until the police arrived. “RCC will not toler- ate any sort of violence towards our drivers or passen- gers and everyone’s safety is paramount.” Police
reviewed
dashcam footage from the cab as they investigated
the
incident. A Police Scotland spokesman said that a 16-year-old man has been reported to the procurator fiscal following an assault charge.
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