Over recent months, the Monsey community has been rattled by a series of harrowing incidents involving women being assaulted by taxi drivers from various local companies. The most recent case has intensified concerns, where a woman endured hours of assault leading to her hospitalization for nearly two weeks due to physical injuries.
Monsey Scoop is advocating for a community-wide abstention from using taxi services at least until the newly formed Ramapo taxi police become operational. Individuals who have experienced assault are urged to promptly report the incidents to the police, and to also notify Chaverim of Rockland at 845-371-6333.
In response to these alarming events, Askonim and local community leaders are actively collaborating with the Town of Ramapo to establish a dedicated taxi police, set to commence operations in mid-October. Alongside this, a series of taxi safety regulations are being enacted to ensure better safety and transparency within the local taxi industry. These measures include:
1. Mandatory background checks for all taxi drivers.
2. Installation of dividers between the driver and passenger seats.
3. Prohibition of tinted windows to allow clear visibility into the vehicle.
4. Displaying taxi registration on the vehicles for easy identification.
The community is awaiting these changes in hope that such disturbing incidents can be prevented in the future. Meanwhile, the apprehension surrounding taxi services continues to loom, reflecting a pressing need for stringent safety measures to restore public confidence in local taxi services.
Time for the woman to drive. Never understood that “tznius concept” when clear proof is here. It is way more unsavory to sit in a car alone wirh a stranger male driver.
Letting women drive is not the solution, first, monsey can’t handle the already congested roads and parking situation, second so many boys and girls that are not at the age to be eligible to drive. And finally, this can happen in a taxi it can happen on a dark street alley, grocery store etc. rather safety courses should be taken place, self defense, carrying maze or pepper spray.
Ok Yoely, how about we make rules that men cannot walk on certain blocks because there are too many people walking there? Or maybe men should stop driving and only women should drive since the roads are so congested? Are you banning the non-Jewish women from driving? Why is it acceptable to control an entire gender of a huge community of people? This statement is beyond ridiculous. Also, will you say that, lets say, homes should not be outfitted with locks because a person can be robbed on the street as well?? Are you even thinking about what you are saying??? I’m not getting it.
I love your reasoning and logical arguments. Are you University educated? Just curious cuz most of my neighbors wouldn’t be this articulate .
For every woman who drives, take one taxi off the streets. Are they still congested?
How about this radical idea of LETTING WOMEN DRIVE so they won’t have to use taxi services?
What else should happen before it sinks in that a woman driving herself is the most halachicly safe that could be?
Controlling women and not allowing them to drive, thereby causing them to be abused and assaulted, is not only anti-Torah, but it is eerily reminiscent of some of the worst atrocities in our nation’s history. As in the horrific story of the pilegesh bigivah, women are being put in a situation where they are easy prey to those looking to assault them. Those controlling the women and not allowing them to drive will have to give a don v’cheshbon one day.
Do the men in our community really care about the safety of our women?! Women need to go to work and shop, why are they forced to go with taxis whose driver’s are strange men? Why is this tznius? Why is driving a vehicle less tznius than walking in the street or going with a strange man in a car? When I was young the excuse for preventing women from driving was that “they will go to the movies and other places that is not allowed”…lol. And it was ok for men to have the opportunity to go to bad places?! What is the excuse today when unfortunately a men and women who want to watch secular movies can do so with technology at their fingertips?
As a Chassidishe woman who drives I could never wrap my brain around the fact that adults in our community are so naive not to think the worst will happen when women and children use taxis. And indeed, due to my common sense which appears not to be too common, what I assumed will happen IS happening! So shame on all who prevent women from driving. Going in a taxi IS ABSOLUTELY NOT tznius!!
I am in total agreement. Can someone give me ONE valid reason why this rule even exists? I dont drive but cannot understand why. I’ve sat in several cars with men who were inappropriately friendly (men who should know better). I’ve sat in a non-Jewish car and had the driver telling me how he likes my looks, how young I look, and how its unfair that Jewish women can only marry Jewish men. I came home shaking like a leaf. Why, oh why, is this more tzniyus than me driving in my own car? Please please someone explain this to me.
To be clear, I think boycotting non-Jewish taxis will greatly reduce instances of assault (in ADULTS – about kids im not so sure. Parents wake up and smell the coffee and dont bury your head in the sand. DO NOT send your child under the age of 13-14 with a strange driver by themselves UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.) However, the tzniyus concept? Not so much. Why is it tzniyus for my friend’s husband (or anyone’s husband) to drive me around town?
It’s about time to allow women to drive. ABSOLUTELY.
You know what the problem is whoever came up that it’s not Tzinus for women to drive, first of all I want to understand what’s not Tzinus, it’s all about control people. It has nothing to do with reality. The same with so many subjects. When people say women can’t drive well I’m a guy and I see a lot of bad men drivers. I do think women should drive more and there is gonna be less taxi problems. It’s time for people to wake up
I don’t get this whole controlling story. NOBODY can control you. You allow others to control you by obeying them. You want to drive? Drive!!!! The only rules you have to follow is the Torah. After you learn what’s permissible to you according to Halacha and stop listening to individuals who want to place their ideals onto you, you’ll find how much more meaningful it is to be a frum yid. You’ll find the path that connects you better to Hashem.
This story is incredibly sad, and what’s even more sad is that I’m experiencing some kind of relief that this story needed medical attention, and therefore went public. I’m a chassidish girl who relies heavily on taxis, and have experienced far too many uncomfortable taxi rides. Around 4 years ago, my friend shared a terrifying story she had with a taxi driver…It is self understood that I will not publicize details (she made me swear that I won’t repeat), I begged my friend to please share her experience with someone of authority, but understandably so, she didn’t feel comfortable doing that. Most people who experience these stuff choose to stay quiet, and I think it’s for this reason that a lot of people, and rabbanim, don’t realize the severity of this issue. The world has progressed, unfortunately in not such a pretty way, but we have to learn how to have the system progress along with it. Things that worked 20 years ago DO NOT WORK ANYMORE. Systems that thrived 20 years ago, if they aren’t tweaked to adapt to our (sadly) progressive society, it WILL NOT WORK ANY LONGER. Im sick and tired of yelling and screaming about this …. No, I don’t look like the ”type” to drive. No, no one thinks I will drive when I get married, Yes, I, along with my whole bunch of common sense, will get my drivers license IY”H, No, not because I’m rebellios, and no, not because I’m cool, but yes, because I have a brain in my head that actually tells me what’s right and whats wrong, and I hope to find other people with likeminded brains for company one day, AMEN 🙂
I am a regular litvish women who happens to have her license but for various reasons, I rely a lot on taxis – so I know what I’m talking about. Yes, taxis can be scary, but there are plenty of them that are perfectly fine. DO YOUR RESEARCH AND DON’T BE NAIVE. If someone’s house burns down because they are too lazy to get up and turn off the flame, I don’t feel bad for them. If you don’t do you research and just get into any taxi, you only have yourself to blame. Call Chaveirim to find out which companies are ok, use your sechel and say a quick tefilla before getting into a taxi (Yes, I’ve made a driver let me out mid-route becuase I didn’t feel safe).
Another point – I can’t understand what is going on here. If chassidish rebbes feel it is better for women not to drive, than who are you to complain? That is da’as torah and that is what is right for you. Obviously, if there is a specific case where a woman has to drive, ask your rebbe/da’as torah privatly. Letting out all greivences here is NOT the right way to handle it and is 100% not ok.