Footage has emerged of the private hire driver lying down in the road during the Taxi Trade Kids' Outing in Edinburgh.
The man reacted furiously to being sprayed with water, forcing a police motorcycle rider to ask him to move, with the clip since going viral.
READ MORE: In pictures: Children taken on Glasgow Taxi Outing Fund trip to Troon
The footage captures the moment taxis made their way down the Royal Mile on Tuesday as part of the popular charity event with taxi drivers decorating their taxi and taking children with special needs for a day out at the seaside.
When you can’t take a bit of water from a bairn. #edinburghtaxiouting pic.twitter.com/KYmV3BwRCm
— Arthur Young (@Arfyoung) June 11, 2019
Shared on social media by Sheila Purvis, the driver has been widely mocked after reacting so furiously to being sprayed with a water gun, a long-standing tradition of the event.
Two police officers intervened after the man blocked the road, telling officers "I'm not having this - they soaked me in water deliberately."
Angry taxi driver, presenting damp t-shirt as if it were covered in blood: ‘Look what they’ve done to me!’
— Sarah Mackie (@lumi_1984) June 11, 2019
Motorcycle Polis: ‘Get off the road.’
Angry taxi driver: ‘They’ve done it deliberately!’
Motorcycle Polis: ‘Awwwwwww’
I’d like to buy that officer a pint.
Commenting on the clip, one user on social media wrote: "Hunners a balloons... But one stuck oot!!"
Another added: "Oh dear, someone should be embarrssed when they wake up this morning."
Keith Bell, Edinburgh Taxi Outing committee secretary, told the BBC Scotland news website: "This is a tradition that has been going on since 1947 and the children get very excited about it.
"I will look at having no water balloons next year, that might be an option, and I will discuss it with the committee. But I would be very reluctant to impose a ban on water pistols on the kids.
"Children with special needs are often treated very poorly and this is one day off from being judged and having snide comments from ignorant members of the public.
"Children with special needs sometimes suffer discrimination for outbursts or meltdowns in public which they can't stop because they have a medical condition.
"This event brings them great joy and many people come out of schools, fire stations and nursing homes to soak us back along the route.
"It is a balance of negatives and positives but I think it's 95% positive for the children as it gives them a guilt-free day.
"I publicise the event with advertising and on Twitter and I stand on the lorry at the front telling people that they need to close their car windows if they don't want to get wet."
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