Mention of the Oldham "Riots" reminded me of an incident that happened to me. The morning after the "Riots" had started, it was all over the newspapers and television. Oldham, and Glodwick in particular was in turmoil due to the Asian youths running amok. Imagine how I felt later that morning as a white man when an Asian man approached my taxi in Manchester and asked to be taken to Glodwick. I didn't hesitate to take him, reasoning that I had encountered far worse trouble on a Saturday night in Manchester. Glodwick is in a kind of a valley, comprising mainly of streets of old terraced houses, and probably 90% plus Asians live there. As I drove into Glodwick I passed a large patch of land with about 200 hunded asians having some kind of a meeting there.
I dropped my passenger off further into Glodwick, but when I came to leave, I got lost and coudn't find my way back out, due to most streets having bollards blocking the way. I approached a group of about 20 Asian lads aged from about 15 to 25. I got out of my cab, walked over to them and asked, " How do I get out of here"? They started laughing and said that the bollards were there to deter boy racers and car thieves. They attempted to direct me out but when I looked puzzled, a couple of them offered to jump in the cab and guide me out, which they did, back to the main road.
I had been paid for my journey, treated with kindness and helped by the Asian lads. Yet to listen to that mornings news I was risking life and limb going there, which could not have been further from the truth.