Cabbie clings to rival driver's bonnet for 3 km

Rome, March 16 (IANS/AKI) The driver of a licenced white taxi in Rome was hospitalised after he clung to the bonnet of a private cab for three kilometres in a dispute over a passenger.

The taxi driver and the private NCC cab driver were both reported to police over the Wednesday incident.

The taxi driver had tried to stop the private NCC chauffeur from giving a ride to a tourist at the Largo Argentina taxi rank in central Rome.

Regular cab drivers caused chaos in Italian cities last month when they held a six-day wildcat strike over proposed Italian legislation they claim will favour ride-hailing service Uber, NCC cabs and other private services.

Cabbies have announced another strike on March 23 in their ongoing battle against app-based Uber and NCC drivers' "irregular" inroads into Italy's rigidly regulated taxi industry.

Unlike regular taxis, Uber and NCC drivers can buy licences in smaller towns, where they cost less, but use them to work in cities.

Taxi drivers are also angry they have to charge fixed tariffs for rides while Uber and NCCs can charge what they like.

--IANS/AKI

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