A taxi driver who crashed his car into a house while being robbed by a passenger told last night how fewer cabs were on the roads at night as people feared being attacked.

Lloyd Smart told The Royal Gazette that many drivers in Bermuda not only refused to pick up certain passengers, but were also boycotting the streets at night, following a spate of robberies this year.

A number of drivers have been injured in late night attacks across the Island, however, on Saturday he was caught off guard.

The 61-year-old grandfather had to fend off a passenger who was trying to grab his wallet from his pocket in broad daylight.

Mr. Smart immediately retaliated by repeatedly punching the robber around his face and torso.

And in the confusion, the driver accidentally put his foot on the accelerator, sending his car through the patio doors of an apartment in Bulkhead Drive, Warwick, where young children were playing just feet away at neighbouring properties.

The robber was finally able to flea from Mr. Smart's grip after he bit the victim's hand.

Last night, with his hand still in a bandage, Mr. Smart said he refused to be put off driving a taxi, but said many of his colleagues had.

He said for a while they were just refusing to pick up young black men at night, but now many are deciding to stay at home altogether.

The Devonshire family man said: "My attitude is when a black person gets in your car, especially a male, you go on alert.

"In the evenings, you go on full alert, and at night, it's red alert.

"We have a lot of taxi drivers who just would not pick black males up at all, and a lot who will not drive at night. There are fewer taxis on the roads at night.

"But I'm not going to allow anybody to stop me from earning an honest living.

I was caught off guard this time because it was 3 p.m. and broad daylight, but next time I won't be.'' Mr. Smart said as soon as he picked up the fare from outside the laundromat in Somerset he realised that not all was well.

He said the passenger would not make eye contact with the driver, did not know exactly where he wanted to go and appeared restless and fidgety.

Taxi drivers on full alert after attack Mr. Smart felt so concerned, when he stopped for petrol near Port Royal, he got out of the cab and went inside the office to pay, rather than handing over the cash through his window.

While walking back to his vehicle, he transferred his $35 float from his top shirt pocket to his right trouser pocket.

He added: "I was prepared because he made me feel uneasy. When I was transferring the money from one pocket to the other he was just gazing at it.

"But I think he had taken some kind of substance, because he was not going to stop until he got the money. He was desperate.

"I kept punching and punching him, but he would not give up. He was desperate for the money, but there was no way I was going to let him have my hard earned cash.

"It was only when he bit me that I let go and he ran off.'' Fortunately, nobody was injured when the car crashed through the wall and the patio doors of the apartment.

However, the robber is believed to have cut his forehead in the collision.

But the scenario could easily have been different. Mr. Smart is also well aware that the robber could have been armed and he, himself, could have been killed.

"That is why I decided to defend myself straight away by punching out at him,'' he added.

"My overseas military training was seek and destroy, and that is what I did.

I knew if I hit him first he would have to defend himself, rather than reach for a knife.

"I think this robber will now think twice or even three times before attacking somebody again. I did not make it easy for him.'' Earlier this year, Transport Minister Ewart Brown and Bermuda Industrial Union leader Derrick Burgess announced they planned to introduce greater security measures following the spate of attacks on taxi drivers.

They said they were discussing ideas with cab drivers, but, as of yesterday, it was still very much in the early stages.

And Mr. Burgess admitted that it would be near impossible to prevent all kinds of attacks on cab drivers.

But Mr. Burgess said the latest attack on Saturday had left drivers fearing for their safety even more than before, as this time the robbery was in broad daylight.

"I think the drivers are feeling very uneasy,'' said Mr. Burgess.

"The attacks before happened at night time, but when you get it during the day time it is a shock because people normally think they are pretty safe.

"I think some drivers are not working nights and some drivers only pick up certain types of fares. Let's say they are choices in who they pick up.

"It's unfortunate -- very sad.'' The attacker on Saturday is described as having medium dark skin and short cropped black hair, being of average build and about five feet ten inches tall. He was wearing blue cut off jeans at the knee and a very plain, navy blue T-shirt.

Anyone with information should call Police on 295-0011.