The man who uploaded the dashcam footage showing a taxi driver being assaulted by a passenger, has said that all taxi drivers should invest in dashcams to protect themselves and their livelihood.
Derek Devoy of Taxi Watch, an organisation that trains taxi drivers to assist passengers who appear suicidal or depressed, was sent the video which he then uploaded to social media with the aim of identifying the perpetrator.
He told RTÉ radio’s Today with Miriam O’Callaghan that he was contacted by a member of the family of the alleged perpetrator offering his telephone number and asked him to call.
Mr Devoy contacted the man and offered to drive him to his nearest Garda station which he did. “I just wanted to make sure he got to the garda station.
He was a different person from the footage. He wasn’t aggressive. He was very remorseful, he has to deal with his action now.
Mr Devoy added that he had not been shocked that such an incident could happen as taxi drivers are assaulted every day, but he was shocked by how aggressive was the abuse.
“Everyday taxi drivers are robbed, windows broken and phones taken. It’s not an easy business. This incident was not a once off.”
He has not spoken directly to the taxi driver but hopes to do so later today. “I’ve been told that he’s in a bad way, that he’s broken up.
“I had a guy who kicked my car a few years ago causing €3,000 worth of damage. It affected me. I did not feel I could work for a few days.”
Mr Devoy pointed out that all of the comments on social media following the uploading of the video footage had been supportive of the non-national driver with no racist comments.
He urged all taxi drivers to invest in good quality dashcams. “It’s worth investing in a good one. It’s your livelihood, it’s your life.
Look after yourself, report any incidents. Have faith in the police. Don’t let it go, if you don’t report something, it could happen to someone else.
