Dear Editor,
I would like to tell you and your readers about an incident that happened to my son and a few of his friends in the summer.
He and his friends have been for nights out in Albufeira before, both this year and previous years. Picking up a cab from the Albufeira late night queue they headed home at about 3-4am.
Once they were dropped off they were asked for twice the normal fare, despite the dial in the cab showing the normal fare.
The lads queried this and stated that they would pay the normal fare, after a small amount of stalemate the driver said he would ring the police.
However, what turned up was the cavalry of eight taxis, extremely quickly, almost pre-arranged, who brought small truncheons and proceeded to attack the lads.
This action was both frightening and unnecessary, and they gave the drivers the money they demanded. I have since tried to make the lads report the incident to the police, but as they left the area soon after, they decided not to go.
I feel it is important that your readers should know about this “gangland” approach this group of taxi drivers carried out in a supposed civilised country.
Before they left the area, they did make one more visit to Albufeira and sure enough this time they were charged the normal fare.
Trevor Phillips, By email
Editor’s note: Dear Trevor, I’m sorry to hear about this incident. I urge your son and friends to report the incident to the police.
