DCist: Shocker: Plenty of Cabs Won't Have Meters by June 1

SF2DC

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:00:30 -0500

Oh, I should add for the edification of those here who are keeping track: that cab with the meter, a Diamond Cab, had just received a citation for driving without one.

SF2DC

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:59:06 -0500

I got in my first metered cab Monday when I had to carry stuff from my apartment near Logan Circle to work at 14th and F. The driver was so nice, his cab was actually in great shape, and we had a good discussion about meters and fares. He ran the meter and I told him which way to drive, based on my experiences of the traffic conditions on the various streets going south. From what I understand, if you know the driver is intentionally going through heavy traffic, you have the right to suggest a route. Point is, the metered fare ($3 drop plus $1 gas surcharge) came out to $6.50 before tip -- $1 less than the zone system. I paid him the zone fare and told him the extra was for having the meter and being so cool about it. And I am on board with the boycott of non-metered cab. No sympathies here.

jamie

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:52:34 -0500

"The cabbies are outwardly pissed about it, and seek out the heaviest traffic they can to slow the ride down" My first metered cab ride was awesome. The cabbie was not bitter at all and said what I've often thought. Yeah, the fares are lower for some rides, but he expected people would take more short cab rides under the new system. I certainly fall in that category -- I never took rides that I could walk in half an hour (at a price of $9.00 or more) unless it was absolutely necessary. It should be a win-win for everyone. There are so many people I know who actively avoided taking cabs because they hate the system on principle - I expect I'll be using them a lot more around town. I don't see a benefit to the cab in seeking out traffic to jack a fare. They get $3.00 + $1.00 for the gas surcharge off the bat. What's the point in trying to boost the fare a couple bucks by taking slow route? They're just missing the opportunity to get another fare and another $4. This will all work itself out soon enough. I am sure there are some bitter cranks but after the initial adjustment, I am sure it will be business as usual. And bottom line is, I could never quite figure out the zone system but I sure as hell know when I'm being driven a bad route. I'll just tell him to go a different way.

DCAC

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:42:29 -0500

I took my third metered cab ride last night. My first trips were both cheaper with meters than they would have been on the zone system, but last night's was actually over a dollar more. And you know what? I didn't mind at all! I would rather pay an extra dollar to avoid having that awkward standoff in the cab at the end of the ride. Additionally, I had the cab drop me off right at my destination of 16th and V instead of stopping short at U street to avoid tripping the second zone.

Politburo

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:25:37 -0500

"The cabbies .. seek out the heaviest traffic they can to slow the ride down. Can we start a campaign about this?" Too late for that... this was discussed as a downside to time/distance.

miss bee

Tue, 20 May 2008 22:18:42 -0500

over the weekend, a cabbie tried to tell me and my friend that his meter was calibrated correctly and he started hitting it. there were no lights on it or anything. i dont think it needed to be calibrated. i think it just needed to be turned on.

HCE

Tue, 20 May 2008 21:50:34 -0500

"Of course, they might know where you live, which is always dangerous, but if you were going to a restaurant or bar or something, what would they do...." WTF, unless the cabbie is a complete psycho, they have better things to do, like make a living, than to harass a disgruntled passenger. F 'em if they don't want to play by the rules.

OldNameWontWinUsernameOfTheWeek

Tue, 20 May 2008 21:28:23 -0500

I have a plan. It goes something like this: Me: Hello my good man. What's that you say? You don't have a meter? Driver: Nope. Me: So I guess this ride is free, right? Driver: Fuck yourself, I'll charge you the zone rate. Me: No, I really prefer free. Or, you know, I can sit here and call 311 (or is it 911. Damn you Fenty!) and the ride could be -$985. Driver: Oh, you sly, sly man.

ginandtonic78

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:51:20 -0500

My new policy will be to pass up any cab that tries to pick me up without a meter installed starting June 1st. I encourage others to adopt this approach.

TEOGR

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:11:57 -0500

Goodness, I didn't realise I was going to cause a firestorm. I usually take Metrobus to work in the morning, and walk home, even if the weather is foul. But occasionally, as one poster commented, if it is raining and I need to bring a portfolio with oversized, presentation materials to work, I do not want to risk getting these wet, so I will hail a cab. And the (no more than seven minute) ride during rush hour, including the tip of course, runs me $15 every time right now. I think that's a bit much. We'll see what happens next time I need to do this.

DudeLooksLikeALady

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:06:03 -0500

@Miss Anthrope: I've often wondered, what would a cabbie do if you just got out of their cab and walked away from that kind of situation? Of course, they might know where you live, which is always dangerous, but if you were going to a restaurant or bar or something, what would they do....

Miss Anthrope

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:54:01 -0500

I took a very rare cab ride the other day home from a medical appointment. Prior to the appointment, I talked a big game about how I would refuse to get into a non-metered cab. Coming out of the appointment, feeling rough and waiting for 5 minutes quickly removed my resolve, so I was beyond happy when the first cab that pulled up had a meter. My fare was much, much lower (I live in a place that is within minutes and miles of almost anywhere in the city, but close to zone lines). I was all ready to show my appreciation to the cabby by adding the difference in fare to what I would normally tip and thanking him for having a meter. Then we pulled up to my house and the cab driver acts as if I am unreasonable to have only a $20 bill on me (I went to the atm right before hailing the cab)and refuses to make change unless I will ride to the atm/gas station with him to get change. So yeah, my good cabby feelings lasted about 5 minutes and then I was reminded that while the method of calculating the fare might change, @sshole cab drivers never well. And since I was feeling physically unwell and bitchy, he got no tip.

MikeB

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:38:44 -0500

I also say tough cookies for the cab drives. My experience so far has been split. I took a cab today that didn't have a meter yet. I took one last week that did. But they've had warning

rhmmvi

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:14:02 -0500

Seriously, quit ragging on this guy for the twelve block cab ride. Time is money, and not everyone has the time to walk twelve blocks (perhaps even round trip) during a busy day. While I realize for some of us such a ride may be a thing of laziness, I often do the same thing because I have a certain amount of things to do in a given day and would rather spend less time at work than more. Pick one: eight minutes in a taxi round trip or 25-30 sweating in DC. I'd rather spend some money and get home early. I also noticed lately that the DC taxi drivers seem to be actually looking at the rate card for interstate travel--have taken a few trips into Virginia lately from the District and haven't been uncontrollably lately, which is unusual. I think they're scared. I think riders have huge leverage as of June 1--where can threaten to report them if they try to charge us too much. Before this, we had a nearly-impotent DC taxi commission.....so bravo for this.

DudeLooksLikeALady

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:06:17 -0500

I think cab customers should just stop using non-metered cabs as of June 1. Then again, I've stopped using cabs in all but the most extreme circumstances simply because the drivers are, for the most part, losers who can't drive safely and who don't keep their taxis in decent condition. I wish the penalty for no meter were a $1,000 fine AND immediate impoundment of the cab, releasable only with proof of an appointment to get a meter. That would make the cabbies hurry up on the installation. As things stand, I expect to continue to see lots of meter-less cabs after June 1, with no enforcement by the city.

jamie

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:30:49 -0500

Ooops. I meant (obviously) why the meter system is better.

jamie

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:26:17 -0500

Do we really need to explain why one might take a cab 12 blocks? What if he works late and lives in the hood? I take cabs home from U street to my house in Columbia Heights sometimes. Am I lazy because I don't feel like risking getting jacked at 3 AM on that particular night? There are any number of reasons. The whole point of the zone system sucking, was that you get ripped off on short trips. Walking 12 blocks - more than a mile - takes 25 minutes at a brisk pace. If you're late for a meeting, or it's after dark, or the weather sucks, or you're just tired. This kind of trip is PRECISELY why the zone system is so much better.

drew in adams morgan

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:21:45 -0500

"I got into a cab last night with the DC certified sticker and a meter. The meter, however, was not on. I didn't fuss about it..." That happened to me and a friend of mine going from Gallery Place to Logan Circle in downpouring rain at night. My friend did make a fuss. The cab driver seemed to think that because its use wasn't going to be enforced until June, that he didn't legally have to have it on, which is inaccurate. Needless to say, my friend refused to ride in it, so back into the downpouring rain we went.

Reid

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:19:53 -0500

"but i just think it is bizarre that so many people in DC think it is their right to be chauffered around town in a cab at the price of their choosing." Um, 12 blocks can be over a mile. Some people don't have the time or sweat-gland supression to walk over a mile whenever they choose. Besides, the objection to the high cost has more to do with the fact that someone else gets a 20 bock ride for 3-4 bucks less due to the arbitrary nature of the zone system. Plus maybe those twelve blocks are through some crappy dangerous neighborhoods. I know it's fun to give in to the exhilarating release of righteous indignation every once in a while, but I don't think it's justified in this case.

TLB

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:17:27 -0500

>yeah, i have lived here during the summer and i have had to go work during inclement weather. life sucks, but sometimes you just need to walk 12 blocks. In a suit? I don't believe you've actually walked 12 blocks in business attire in the summer here.

guest121

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:16:16 -0500

Honestly, JPK, you can take your self-righteous crap and shove it. Just because somebody wants to take a cab 12 blocks does not mean that she or he should have to pay a premium. It means that they should have to pay the fair price for going those 12 blocks. If you want affect change and have people to take your arguments seriously, you may want to do your best to not be a holier than thou prick!

iAManugget

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:10:10 -0500

mmmm if i can get in a non-metered cab and pay 7.50 for where i am going instead of 10$? yea im going to be patient.

owgriswo

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:01:09 -0500

I've been taken for a literal and figurative ride by almost every metered cab that I've ridden in. The cabbies are outwardly pissed about it, and seek out the heaviest traffic they can to slow the ride down. I love the clarity, but I am paying more now. Can we start a campaign about this?

OldPosterKnownAsCranky

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:58:53 -0500

Sommer - People kvetched at you b/c the meters deadline was, for all practical purposes, extended to June 1. However, if come June 1 there are taxis on the street operating without meters (and there has been no further deadline extension), then they are in violation of the law and should be fined $1000. No excuses or explanations allowed. They've known for months this was coming. If they didn't prepare, tough noogies. There's no "whoopsies" excuse for cabbies driving without licenses or insurance. And there's no excuse for them to be driving without meters.

echobravo

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:54:16 -0500

I have no problem at all with a boycott of any taxi that fails to comply with the law. It's a pity, too, b/c Yellow Cab drivers have in my experience been the most reliable in town. I hope their "union" and management decide to embrace reality before good drivers start to lose their jobs.

JPK

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:52:01 -0500

to politboro and TLB: yeah, i have lived here during the summer and i have had to go work during inclement weather. life sucks, but sometimes you just need to walk 12 blocks. i still contend that people who don't feel like walking 12 blocks, bad weather or not, should be forced to pay a premium.

registeringsucks

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:48:42 -0500

Can you give an example of a non-independent taxi company? I got into a cab last night with the DC certified sticker and a meter. The meter, however, was not on. I didn't fuss about it because I was going from the Hill to Columbia Heights and the zone fare was cheaper, but still...

TLB

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:44:41 -0500

>you can't walk 12 blocks? Have you lived here through a summer yet?

demonfafa

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:41:56 -0500

I took a cab about 2 weeks ago with a meter. I gave the guy a special tip and said, "Thank you for getting your meter installed early." The cost of my ride was about $3/$4 lower than it was with zones.

LegOfAhab

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:26:16 -0500

I can't help it. There's a little devil in me that says that those cabbies are getting what they deserve. All these years of ambiguous fares; now its payback. I know there's plenty of honest ones out there but those few bad ones really spoil it for everybody. A few times now riding in a non-meter cab, I've noticed that the cabbie wait for YOU to tell then what you think the fare should be.

Bob

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:25:22 -0500

Also, here is a funny joke about cab drivers. A businessman takes a vacation in Vegas. He has a horrible run of luck, and spends his life savings and maxes out his credit cards. All he has left is his airline ticket home. Getting into a taxi, he explains his plight to the cabbie. He offers to leave his drivers license or anything else until he can mail the fare to the taxi driver. "You ain't got ten bucks for the cab fare to the airport? Get out of my cab!" yelled the taxi driver. The man walks to the airport, flies home, and for the next year, he works very hard, and builds back his fortune. He goes back to Vegas, and this time he wins big. Feeling good about himself, he steps out of his hotel to leave for the airport. At the end of a long line of taxis, he sees the cab driver who refused to help him last year in his hour of need. He immediately figures out a way to get even with this guy. He gets into the first taxi and asks what the fare to the airport is. "Ten dollars." says the driver. He then asks how much for a blow job. "What? Get out of my cab." He proceeds down the line of taxis repeating the process and getting the same results. He finally gets into the cab with his old friend, and asks him how much to get to the airport. "Ten bucks," says the driver. "Good." he says to the driver. And as they cruise past all the other drivers in their cabs, he gives them all a smile and a thumbs up.

Bob

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:22:09 -0500

Question: If there is a cab stand with several cabs in a queue, and the first cab in line doesn't have a meter, is it allowed to move down the line to find the cab with one?

pfr37

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:13:38 -0500

I was pleasantly surprised to be picked in in Georgetown by a metered cab on Friday. Only 11 dollars (with tip) from Georgetown to a few blocks from the convention center. I think all cabs should be fined if they dont have meters by June 1st.

Politburo

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:08:12 -0500

JPK a more rational jump to conclusions is that TEOGR takes a cab during times of inclement weather. No where in the comment did it say the $15 cab ride was a daily occurrence.

guest number 10

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:07:21 -0500

Ironic because the little guys are concerned that adding meters will allow the big cab companies to take over and basically cause them to live a pithy existence. But if Yellow Cab owes the city $150,000 come June 1st when they drive the unmetered vehicles around it may just be the opposite. Sort of like when bars were convinced the smoking ban would ruin business, no?

DCzSlimmest

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:05:43 -0500

I'm looking forward to catching a ride in a cab without a meter, only to refuse payment until a metered fare can be presented. After years of inconsistent or questionable fares and shoddy vehicles I have no sympathy for their cause. it's clear the meter system limits their ability to take advantage of the customer, while providing more of a paper trail complicating attempts to evade their fair share of income tax. F 'em!!!

Politburo

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:05:41 -0500

If there is a legitimate supply problem, that is one thing, but it would have to be documented and supported by the manufacturer, etc. before I'd believe it.

JPK

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:04:22 -0500

@TEOGR you can't walk 12 blocks? my apolgies if you are disabled or if there is some other rational reason for you not being able to walk or bike the very short distance from your home to your office, but i just think it is bizarre that so many people in DC think it is their right to be chauffered around town in a cab at the price of their choosing. my favorite thing about the zone system is that it righfully penalizes people who make the bizarre, envrionmentally unsound decision to cab when they could easily walk, bike, or take a bus or train. your 12-block can ride is costing you $15? i say tough cookies, TEOGR.

Pandaist

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:04:20 -0500

Like the parking situation in Logan mentioned yesterday, I fail to understand why it is so hard to comply with District law. Cab drivers and companies knew the change was going to happen. This isn't a hippie liberal arts college where you can ask the professor for an extension on a paper. They had plenty of notice and information about the new law. Anyone caught breaking the law should be punished accordingly. Once again, civilization continues to hang on by a thread here in the Imperial City...

hillrat

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:03:48 -0500

But now we're curious -- if there are still potentially hundreds of cabs on D.C. streets after June 1 trying to operate without a meter, will you still espouse patience? Hell no! Starting fining those scofflaw cabbies every day. At the end of my last cab ride I asked the guy where his meter was and he told me not to worry about it.

TEOGR

Tue, 20 May 2008 15:53:51 -0500

They have been charging me close to $15 (including tip) for the twelve block ride from my house to my office for the past several years. I say tough cookies, non-compliant cabbies.