One recent evening, after I had driven my passengers to the Rendezvous Hotel, I parked my taxi on one side of the hotel's driveway and asked the bellboy if I could use the toilet.

I was told to use the one on the second floor. However, as I needed to go urgently, I went to the one beside the lobby.

When I came out to the lobby, I was rebuked by the bellboy, who said I should not have used that toilet.

As I did not want to create a scene, I drove off.

Are cabbies second-class citizens?

Cabbies are on the road for many hours and there is a limited number of toilets available in the city areas that we can use.

Many hotels and shopping centres do not allow cabbies to stop to use their toilets.

Cabbies take guests and customers to these establishments, yet are discriminated against.

Tay Seng Huat