ROME 06 3570 TAXIS ARE THEY SAFE FOR SINGLE FEMALE PASSENGERS?
So I haven't written anything for a while as I've been out of town but today I had to take to my keyboard to tell you about my experience with a taxi driver from the 063570 taxi service in Rome. It was the most terrifying and unpleasant journey I have ever taken and this is from a girl who went backpacking around South America on her own for a year....
This is the Italian Version:
Vorrei informarvi (06 3570) che ho appena denunciato/querelato per furto e violenza un vostro tassista associato. L'autista del taxi S**** 46 mi ha aggredito e derubata a Roma in via Panfilo Castaldi alle ore 16:00 di oggi 17 feb 2011. Per via della mia professione (sono una giornalista) il taxi e' il mezzo di trasporto che uso piu' di frequente. Tuttavia non avrei mai immaginato di vivere un'esperienza cosi' terrificante: furto e aggressione da parte di un vostro autista di taxi! Per il momento, in aggiunta alla denuncia/querela, ho intenzione di scrivere sul mio blog, su facebook e su twitter quanto e' accaduto. In particolare, dalla maniera con cui il vostro customer service mi ha trattata quest'oggi mi sento di fare la seguente considerazione: il vostro presidente, il sig. Loreno Bittarelli, non puo' dire nel sito aziendale: "siamo alla avanguardia...e diamo ai cittadini una elevata qualita". Se si riferisce alla qualita' nel rubare e nell'aggredire allora fa bene a dire quello che dice. In ogni caso, nel dubbio, credo proprio che consultero' il mio avvocato x vedere se posso estendere la denuncia anche contro di voi 3570.
Il mio blog e' http://howdirtyisrome.blogspot.com
This Is The English Version:
This entry may sound like pure fantasy but it is a tale of warning for single women using the authorised taxi service 063570 in Rome.
So, I booked a car to pick me up from the boyfriend's house to go and collect some printing materials, I know it was very extravagant of me but it was just too cold and too far to walk. So, I get in the cab and tell the driver I'm not sure of the address but I will direct him and then I want to head back to where he picked me up. He wasn't too happy about this but hey, I'm a stranger in town so a little bit of understanding would help and considering my size I was certainly no threat to him.
We get to the destination in Trastevere and, let's not forget I stated from the beginning I wanted to go back to the pick up address, and he says he's not taking me back. I point out that this was a return job and I would be 2 minutes so could he kindly wait. He jumps out of the taxi, grabs me roughly by the arm and starts threatening me with bodily harm if I do not pay him the €12.10. I was absolutely petrified, but I remained calm, after all I thought it was broad daylight, he's not really going to start hitting me in the middle of the street is he? How wrong was I? After once again explaining I was not running off, he pulled me from where I was standing, threatened me once again at which point I started screaming for the police. He then ripped my fur hat off my head, shoved me into the wall and jumped in his cab before screeching off. I was so shocked and startled that something like this could happen in broad daylight in the centre of Rome, with a person entrusted and licensed to carry the general public that it literally took me 15 minutes to regain control of my senses as it suddenly hit me that my life had been at risk for €12.10.
I immediately went into an office and called the controller of 063570 to explain what had happened and to ask for help. And, do you want to know what their response was? Well, I'll tell you...it was, "it couldn't have been one of our drivers""!! Like WHAT? I called 06 3570, they sent a driver, their driver threatened, physically abused and then robbed me but he's not one of their drivers? Low and behold they could not find the job in their system and I was told to send them an email...Now, that is what you call service...NOT! In a state of continued shock I realised 063570 intended to protect their own, even though one of their drivers had committed several crimes, and ignore a woman in obvious distress.
I do not think in any other 1st world country would it be possible for a licensed public carriage company to allow this type of behaviour and then condone it but sometimes I forget, we are talking about Italy where treating women as second class citizens is par for the course from politicians down to public carriage offices.
I have just returned from the Carabinieri, in Trastevere and I have to say that the Maresciallo who took my complaint was wonderful. He checked that I was OK, he was very patient with my bad Italian and he was just so professional I do not know why Italians take the piss out of them. These are the type of men and women I want protecting my streets and I only wish we had them in London.
I therefore want to warn all women, not just tourists, that you really must avoid, at all costs, the authorised taxi service 06 3570 as should something serious happen to you they will ignore your complaint and tell you to send an email.
The president of Rome 06 3570 is someone called LORENO BITTARELLI, he's been in the job for 12 years, and he is actually quoted as saying "We are at the cutting edge of public transport and we offer a superior service to our customers". If MR BITTARELLI means they provide the best thugs, and thieves to drive customers..then I agree with him wholeheartedly. If, on the other hand Mr BITTARELLI means customer service and safety of passengers then he is sadly mistaken! Mr BITTARELLI, either you live in cloud cuckoo land or you do not know how to do your job because it is obvious you have not instilled basic customer service to your telephone operators, you employ thugs as drivers and your company culture is one of no interest in protecting the people you "claim" you serve. YOUR TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR is a DISGRACE and if work like this YOUR company is a DISGRACE and YOU should be ASHAMED that you, and YOU must take RESPONSIBILITY for what happens in Rome 06 3570, allow vulnerable, single females to be physically threatened, robbed and abused and then try to cover it up.
One thing I have is patience and I intend to take every step possible to have the perpetrators of this CRIME PUNISHED!
Ladies, if you must use taxis in Rome PLEASE DO NOT USE 06 3570 here are some alternatives which are SAFER.
06 8822
06 6645
06 5551
06 4994
I shall keep you posted but remember ladies PERSONAL SAFETY means NOT USING 06 3570 no matter how tempting as this could happen to you!
