Taxi driving is a risky profession | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

THE streets of the Coffs Coast after dark are becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be.

Morning police media briefings are littered with reports of overnight drink-drivers, acts of vandalism and violence, domestic disputes and high-speed hoons.

Attacks on cabs and their drivers is the latest unfortunate regular listing to appear.

Working at night can be risky for anyone, but taxi drivers really are on the front line.

It takes a brave and ultimately generous soul to deal with the obligatory drunks who need a ride home and packs of young men all needing a lift to their next destination.

Picking up intoxicated passengers in the dead of night is by definition, a risky undertaking.

But the latest attacks come from outside the cabs - louts throwing missiles at taxis for what appears to be little more than cheap thrills.

Understandably, veteran cabbie Lawrie Matthews, on our front page today, is traumatised by what happened to him.

He thought he'd seen it all before this low act.

Cabbies deserve our utmost respect for fronting up to the region's dark side night after night.

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Local taxis under attack by hoons