THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WISH to relate an incident that I believe would have ended in tragedy if the Lord did not intervene. I do not take robot taxis and if I hire a cab, I usually call a cab company and ask for the name of the driver who is being sent on the call. I would also give the licence number, car number, colour and any other visible information to a friend or relative just in case I do not arrive at my destination. I may sound paranoid, but it is better to be extra cautious.
On the evening of July 30, I was in Spanish Town and wanted to get transportation into Kingston. My intention was to take the #22 bus - however, it was getting late and there were no buses on the stand. I was at the gas station where I saw several men (taxi drivers?) calling out "Half-way Tree!" I decided (against my better judgement) to travel with one. He led me to his car that was parked across the road in the car park. I was walking some distance behind him and I noticed that three other men who were also in the gas station calling out, were also walking towards his car. Also, I noticed that that car was unmarked and did not display "red plates".
The driver got in and another man got in the front passenger seat. One got in the back and the other held the car door open for me to enter.
The good Lord immediately clicked this thought into my head, "How come the so-called drivers (who were also hollering in the gas station) are now suddenly passengers themselves?" I immediately turned around and headed in the opposite direction. Their response was to try to convince me to travel with them and failing this they began howling expletives.
I believed that if I had gone into that car I would have been raped, murdered and disposed of in some mangrove somewhere. This incident served to reinforce my belief in not taking robot cars under any circumstances whatsoever.
I am etc.,
ALERT FEMALE
Kingston
