DCist: No Meter Extension For Cabbies ... Sort Of

guest33

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:43:29 -0500

http://craptasticcabsofdc.blogspot.com/

DirtyGunz

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:24:43 -0500

the fare is not fair, when the meter is not there!

IMGoph

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:08:02 -0500

They could exchange with Amtrak Guest Rewards so I could succeed in having hundreds of thousands of the most worthless points ever. there's my nominee for comment of the week. i'm still laughing...

hillrat

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:43:28 -0500

Much like anything else, it really depends. OK, 'cause above you said that you never tip cabbies.

drew in adams morgan

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:16:43 -0500

"You never tip cab drivers?" Much like anything else, it really depends. I try and tip them. Sometimes I have the money on hand, sometimes I don't. Depends on if they drive wrecklessly as well.

OldNameWontWinUsernameOfTheWeek

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:44:12 -0500

There should be a taxi frequent rider program where you get points for each dollar you spend that can be spent on upgrades. Like, a seat that you don't stick to in the summer: 100 points. The ability to call a cab that comes within 2 hours during non-peak times: 150 points. They could exchange with Amtrak Guest Rewards so I could succeed in having hundreds of thousands of the most worthless points ever. Every ride in a cab that doesn't have a meter is a $1000 fine to the city and a 1000 point fine to the rider. Effective May 1.

monkeyrotica

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:20:51 -0500

[cracking whip at pedestrians and cabs] Get a horse! Get a horse!

mellbell

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:13:49 -0500

@welles: Hey there, good looking.

hillrat

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:21:49 -0500

@drew You never tip cab drivers?

voteprime

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:17:06 -0500

Sorry, that was supposed to read "a tad more like an extension."

voteprime

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:14:09 -0500

The second update to your update makes it seem a tad less like an extension (the part at the end now about turning in a unmetered cab driver). I mean, they are encouraging us to file complaints against unmetered cabs, which implies they are supposed to be metered. But the only result of that complaint will be a warning (until June 1)?

welles

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:10:23 -0500

No meter, no fare. Next step: Medallion system. We must get these roaches off the streets.

techne

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:03:53 -0500

I usually tip 20 cents.

voteprime

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:57:15 -0500

I can't wait for day when I can finally take a metered cab to the Harris Teeter in Adams Morgan. That day is so close, I can almost taste it! It sort of tastes like Tofurky.

RJ

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:52:42 -0500

I have a feeling that you are going to see a lot of cabs with meters that are not "fully installed" until 12am on 6/1 (which is a Saturday night).

drew in adams morgan

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:35:27 -0500

I never do.

demonfafa

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:33:15 -0500

I'd say if you're forced into taking a cab without a meter, don't tip them a dime.

Moose

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:24:37 -0500

Okay, so it's extended. Are we supposed to pay the zone fare until June 1 if they don't have a meter?

monkeyrotica

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:23:31 -0500

Saturday, May 3; 3AM, Adams Morgan: [Outside Jumbo Slice] What's that in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? It looks like a naked guy in a jetpack with a gorilla mask and ass chaps! And that's no jet con trail coming from the exhaust...he's been eating Senate Navy Bean Soup! INCOMING! Donny's been hit! Call the medics, Dude. Rest easy, good buddy, you're doing fine. We got help choppering in.

Sommer Mathis

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:18:22 -0500

Yeah Bethesdaist, now that I finally have the press release from the city in front of me, I agree that this is a 1-month extension in everything but name alone. I guess it's not unusual to have a sort of phase-in period for big new regulations, but still. Basically the cabbies won't be fined until June 1. That should be plenty of time for them to get meters installed.

MS

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:18:12 -0500

Too funny. Cabbies spent all their time striking and not enough trying to follow the law.

ibc

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:16:00 -0500

NPR had a report about meters this morning, and one of the questions they brought up was, "How will the city manage to install all these meters before the deadline?" Am I missing something? WTF would the *city* be installing these meters? Shouldn't the drivers be responsible for installation and upkeep of these things? Maybe it's just another example of NPR's piss-poor strain of journalism...

Bethesdaist

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:05:38 -0500

So, there's no extension, but they will only get a warning (and not pay a fine) until June 1. How is that not an extension?

G Lover Park

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:04:43 -0500

Prediction: Saturday, May 3; 3AM, Adams Morgan: Massive unrest as drunken NOVA-ites and Bethesdans realize they are stranded in DC, many in rather impractical footwear. No cabs to be found. Now that will be funny.

drew in adams morgan

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:43:08 -0500

GOOD! They've had seven months to prepare for the switch, so if they aren't prepared, it is their own fault. I think I may store the Taxicab Commission's phone number in my cell phone, and report any cab that doesn't have a meter.

HCE

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:42:34 -0500

I've gotten my hopes up too many times, I'll believe it when i see it.

IMGoph

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:29:32 -0500

i'm just going to continue not riding in cabs, period. it seems to work better for me. ymmv.

McGillicuddy

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:21:48 -0500

oh, that's good netwerqq. i wish i'd thought of that. you might want to invest in a bulletproof vest though.

alewis

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:20:47 -0500

I say keep the deadline and let citizens help enforce it. Call the Taxicab Commission or the Mayor's office with the cab's license or plate number for each cab sans meter. Until then, let MD and VA cabs pick up fares in the District (especially interstate trips) and allow service depots in MD and VA to install meters in DC cabs. The drivers knew that this was coming and that eventually they would be getting meters, even if it took another act of Congress. Sitting on your hands and whining is not an excuse for not complying with the law.

netwerqq

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:18:41 -0500

I'm going to pretend not to notice until I arrive at my destination...and then refuse to play upon arrival. What are they gonna do? If they go to the cops, they get fined! It's about time the cabbies get screwed as much as the riders!

teddy

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:13:57 -0500

I'll refuse to ride in a cab without a meter after the deadline. I don't take cabs all that often, and unless it's an emergency situation, I'm not going to pay a driver who isn't in compliance with the meters. Maybe that's just me, but I'm so sick of the drivers trying every which way to hold this up.