DC cabs - the graft is back

Did any of you catch this Friday afternoon news story? Additional-Rider Charge Restored To Fare Proposal

This has the practical effect of making DC cabs just about as expensive as they were and have been (ripoff).

The number to call and complain is 202.645.6018. I have done so. Please do the same if you share my sentiments on the topic. Public comment is allegedly open for comments until tomorrow for the riding public as opposed to the "hardass" cab driver "lobby."

Has anyone ever paid for additional drivers in another city? I have not. Total backwater bullshit.

Has anyone ever had consistently slower cab drivers than the ones here in DC? It's because they don't need to hustle at all - see the queue at Union Station. My mother drives faster.

Another thing: have you noticed that many of the current wave of immigrants driving DC cabs like to roll down the road honking to see if anybody wants a cab? If you're as annoyed by it as I am try this in response: raise up your arm and wave to them… esp. if they have to do a u-turn to get over to you. Then if they bug you you can say, oh, I just thought you were honking hello, I don't need a cab. You might get cursed in Swahili or Urdu or whatever but it's well worth the laugh

yeah. immigrants are the worst. :roll:

Originally posted by edbert:
Another thing: have you noticed that many of the current wave of immigrants driving DC cabs like to roll down the road honking to see if anybody wants a cab? If you're as annoyed by it as I am try this in response: raise up your arm and wave to them… esp. if they have to do a u-turn to get over to you. Then if they bug you you can say, oh, I just thought you were honking hello, I don't need a cab. You might get cursed in Swahili or Urdu or whatever but it's well worth the laugh

it's called "finding business" or "self promotion", and i don't see how it costs you any skin off your nose. for those of us used to hailing cabs, it can be useful… otherwise, just ignore.

i take it you have an issue with immigrants. ever stop to think why so many taxi drivers are immigrants?

i 100% whole-heartedly agree that DC taxis are too expensive… what are we up to these days, $7 before you've even gone anywhere? criminal. hopefully the switch to meters will make short rides viable in this town.

i take it you have an issue with immigrants. ever stop to think why so many taxi drivers are immigrants?

I was explicitly referring recent immigrant cab drivers which is a pretty specific set of immigrants. Sorry but that's who's doing the honking. And it was a valid observation; like maybe the honkers come from some country where the cabs roll around all day honking at people. And I'm not the only one getting annoyed by it

i called and they told me to email my comment to dctc@dc.gov

or mayor@dc.gov.

I've never seen cabs driving down the road honking in an attempt to get passengers. Is this really happening that much?

Honking is not an appropriate technique of self-promotion; it should be reserved for bona fide traffic-related uses.

Originally posted by Hoya Paranoia:
i called and they told me to email my comment to dctc@dc.gov

Originally posted by yinzer:
or mayor@dc.gov.

Thanks for this info.

What I want to know is who impeding the changes in the process? Cab company owners and their lobbyists?? I'm not crazy about Giuliani but DC needs more strong leaders like him and Bloomberg to face up to the entrenched interests and improve these quality of life issues.

Originally posted by Christine Moritz:
I've never seen cabs driving down the road honking in an attempt to get passengers. Is this really happening that much?

As a frequent pedestrian and a daily bike commuter, I can tell you with confidence that cabs do this constantly. They also pull totally sudden and random U-turns, stop instantly in the middle of the street, and throw open their doors without so much as a glance.

Still, they're much, much better drivers than Maryland commuters.

930clubber wrote:
What I want to know is who impeding the changes in the process?  Cab company owners and their lobbyists??  I'm not crazy about Giuliani but DC needs more strong leaders like him and Bloomberg to face up to the entrenched interests and improve these quality of life issues.

Remember when 930clubber proposed that DC needed Giuliani?

Relaxer wrote:
Still, they're much, much better drivers than Maryland commuters.

and sage observations by Relaxer