Geelong cab driver Syed Naqvi recalls moment he was brutally punched by customer

From a woman who punched a cabbie over a fare she believed was too high, to a man who stole a taxi after he stole a taxi when its driver wouldn’t take him home to get more gambling money, Geelong has had its fair share of cab related crimes. SEE THE FULL LIST.

Syed Naqvi was attacked while working in his cab in Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

It began as just another day on the job for local cabbie Syed Naqvi, who has worked as a driver in Geelong since 2018.

About three weeks ago, he got a call from a man on Church St in North Geelong asking to be dropped off at a service station near Kardinia Park.

Mr Naqvi picked up the man and his friend and started driving on what seemed a standard trip.

But Mr Naqvi said things turned south when one of the men started to verbally abuse him.

Mr Naqvi remained calm – Geelong’s cabbies face these situations frequently and are trained for them.

Syed Naqvi was assaulted while working in his cab. Picture: Alison Wynd

It wasn’t until they’d reached their destination, one of the men punched Mr Naqvi in the mouth.

“He punched me from the back seat,” Mr Naqvi told the Geelong Advertiser.

“He held my neck as well.

“I told him ‘don’t do this, don’t do this’ but he was out of control.”

Syed Naqvi was punched by a passenger. Picture: Alison Wynd

After the attack he had trouble eating for weeks. He still has no idea why the man punched him,

As Mr Naqvi recalls the details of the violent assault, his tone is unsettlingly even – as though violent assaults are just a part of the job description.

In 2023, the Geelong Taxi Network had seven incidents reported of driver assaults where police were forced to attend, up from six the previous year.

On average, it receives between one and three reports of either verbal assaults or physical assaults – including spitting, grabbing or hitting – every week.

“In an ideal world we would want assaults to be zero,” a network spokesman said.

“I think our low yearly assaults that are attended by police are due to the training the drivers go through.

“They are taught how to de-escalate situations and not to retaliate (against) aggressive behaviour with aggressive behaviour.”

Victorian Taxi Network CEO Peter Ballantyne said not enough was being done to protect drivers.

“If this happened in a normal workplace, it would be unacceptable, why is it acceptable in a taxicab?

“It’s up to our local members to push the premier to increase the enforcement in the state for the safety of the constituents.”

While police can currently access video cameras in all cars, Mr Ballantyne suggested they should also be able to access audio.

“That way there’s a lot more preventive measures,” he said.

“It also holds the driver accountable as to how they talk to passengers.”

Cab drivers in Geelong are trained for situations such as the one Mr Naqvi encountered and Mr Ballantyne said it was important the training continued.

“(It’s important) they learn the best way to diffuse a situation,” he said.

“Sometimes that means just ignore it and don’t say anything.”

A Victoria Police spokesman said that “everyone has the right to feel safe at work without fear of being threatened or injured in the workplace.”

“Police won’t tolerate any acts of violence targeting taxi drivers, and those found responsible for such actions will be held to account.”

“We strongly encourage anyone who has been a victim or has witnessed such assaults to promptly report them to police.”

Mr Naqvi’s incident is a long way from the first instance of local cabbies being mistreated, below are some of the worst instances from our courts in recent years.

Jason Steinert

Jason Steinert.

In August of this year a magistrate warned 44-year-old Jason Steinert he was “going to end up very close to jail” after he smashed a taxi driver’s windshield over a declined cab charge card.

Mr Steinert pleaded guilty to property damage after an incident in Bell Park on October 5 last year.

The court was told a driver for the Geelong Taxi Network responded to a pick-up notice from Mr Steinert at the address about 10.10pm. Mr Steinert became “aggravated” when his card was declined due to insufficient funds.

First Constable Alex Turner told the court he then walked to the back of the car and swung his suitcase towards the rear windscreen “out of frustration.”

Read the full story.

Julie Hickleton

Julie Hickleton. Picture: Facebook

Angry passenger Julie Hickleton punched a taxi driver in the head because she thought the price of the fare was too high, a court heard.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates Court in July of this year to unlawful assault, bike theft and criminal damage

Police prosecutor Senior Constable David Vanderpol said Hickleton was picked up in a taxi about 9.47am on September 10 last year, and dropped off at the Bell Post shopping centre in Norlane.

Hickleton told the taxi driver to halt the meter while she went in to do her shopping, but the taxi driver refused to do so.

Hickleton returned five minutes later, claimed the fare was too high and started arguing with the driver.

Constable Vanderpol said Hickleton became agitated and punched the taxi driver to the head a number of times.

The driver was injured and suffered cut and swelling to his right eye.

Read the full story.

Christopher Burr

Christopher Burr. Picture: Facebook

Christopher Buur was jailed after he stole a taxi when its driver wouldn’t take him home to get more gambling money.

The 34-year-old told a court in December last year that he placed a reserve on a poker machine, but had just 10 minutes to get home and back to Corio’s Gateway Hotel before he would lose it.

When he told the taxi driver he did not have money for the ride, the driver got out of his seat and started to walk around the car.

As he did, Burr climbed into the driver’s seat and sped off.

Read the full story.

Travis Stahl

Travis Stahl. Picture: Facebook.

A Newcomb man who left his bag in a taxi and walked away without paying the $20 fare ended up facing firearm charges when the driver found shotgun shells and a homemade gun inside.

Travis Stahl’s costly decision to leave the taxi after it dropped him in front of his Andrews St home in June 2018 led to police discovering the homemade firearm and several loose shotgun shells inside the duffel bag he abandoned in the back seat of the cab.

The driver tried to return the bag a week later but when no one was home, he and his girlfriend searched inside and found the shells.

Stahl, 36, pleaded guilty to the firearm charges, obtaining financial advantage by deception, and driving while under the influence of methylamphetamine in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday.

Read the full story.

Originally published as Geelong cab driver Syed Naqvi recalls moment he was brutally punched by customer