DCist: Morning Roundup: Say Khat? Edition

Vaughan

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:43:18 -0500

so...basically chewing tobacco? i feel much more secure in my city now that this bust has gone down and my chances of grabbing a spit cup are that much more reduced.

dcguy20001

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:30:04 -0500

Yeah valuable police resources busting a renegade coffee (ie khat) ring, meanwhile 9 shot and killed and I am sure probably another 3 cop cars sitting in front of Avenue as they are there every Friday and Saturday night for whatever random, shooting, knifing, mugging, or whatever happens to be occurring that night. Seriously how does this club stay open, if you check the number of incidents there it is ridiculous. Jack Evans you are no Jim Graham

Jim

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:57:31 -0500

From the khat bust article: A Justice Department publication said that after losing its freshness khat leaves contain a substance that has a relatively low abuse potential but can lead to limited dependence. Sounds like coffee to me. As someone who's chewed it, it is almost exactly like coffee - if coffee required you to cram a wad of acerbic leaves in the side of your mouth and chew for 2 hours to get your buzz on.

guest33

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:37:07 -0500

yeah and actually that light on the top thing was written into the new DC code when they enacted the meters. It says something about having it on when you don't have a passenger and off when you do have one.

rex9802

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:30:29 -0500

Does anyone know why cabs insist on riding around with passengers AND their top lights on? In New York, the light on means that you are avail. is this just not common sense?

16th Street Line

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:17:37 -0500

@Bethesdaist-- It's not as if the MPD can only focus on one set of crimes at a time. It's a big department. @ontario-- This is pretty common practice in Southeast Asia. Only difference is, the cost of living and the exchange rate make it so cheap that you'd have to be a real jerk to argue with the poor cabbie that you ought to be paying him half of that $6 fare for a thirty-minute ride.

HCE

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:13:36 -0500

I saw an episode of South Park that parodied this Khat stuff. They called it something different, but it's the same thing. The Post article has it wrong; perhaps they have it confused with marijuana. It's actually cat piss, and it can lead to dependency.

monkeyrotica

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:10:12 -0500

Kids and their cheap highs nowdays. Last time I checked, hyperventilation, homoerotic asphyxiation, and tantric sex magick were still free and easy. Get it while you can, boys and girls, before Jim Graham passes emergency legislation outlawing your American birthright with the Protection of Differently Enabled Sickos from Themselves Act of 2008. And get off my lawn!

Bethesdaist

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:59:13 -0500

EndlessMike

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:45:17 -0500

Unmetered cab from Capital Hill to north Arlington: $30 with no basis for that other than the driver's word Metered cab from Dupont to north Arlington: $10.75 based on a meter I can watch I'll take the meter any day.

Disco Stu

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:30:18 -0500

Cops caught yer khat? Don't forget your jenkem! Poo, it's fun!

dino

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:22:07 -0500

Khat is illegal? I doubt we'll see bootleg hhat labs blowing up. If it grows in the ground and does not need several processing steps to make into a consumable product--it should be legal to consume.

Bethesdaist

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:13:23 -0500

Nine people dead over the weekend, and we're worried about people chewing funky sticks?

ontarioroader

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:05:52 -0500

It's just a matter of time before cabbies figure out a way to rig the meters. I'm pretty sure they'll only be tested for correct calibration annually if at all.

guest number 10

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:00:57 -0500

The cops were actively looking for unmetered cabs Saturday night (or Sunday morning). Good enforcement the night after 8 people are killed. (And sadly, $2.50 is the correct add on for you + 1 because it's $1 fuel and $1.50 passenger, effectively creating a $5.50 drop. AWESOME!)

OldPosterKnownAsCranky

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:59:17 -0500

What all cabs need is a list prominently displayed in the backseats of the cab that details the initial charge, the additional fee per distance, the surcharges, and the emergency gas surcharge. And a phone number with the DC Taxicab Commission's number to call with any questions or complaints. I'm sure such a requirement is already in place. But it's time to make it enforced with strict fines for those cabbies that don't comply. Same thing for requiring cabbies to show their hacker's license info on their sun visors.

MikeB

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:58:43 -0500

I'm totally printing the Swain quote on a bunch of cards to hand out when riding taxis w/o meters.

Stone

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:39:48 -0500

I got into an unmetered cab in Georgetown on Friday night but was too drunk enough to notice...

Vaughan

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:39:40 -0500

from the post piece about the guy who was shot by police after a domestic dispute: "The man was hit in the body." wow. that is some fine forensic reporting.

McGillicuddy

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:29:07 -0500

my brain clearly isn't communicating with my fingers very well this morning. more coffee please.

monkeyrotica

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:28:06 -0500

It's about time khat started catching on among the cool kids. Pretty dangerous "gateway chew" it is. Soon the cachet will wear off and they'll move on to harder stuff like betel nuts, coca leaves, Skoal, Wrigley's Spearmint, and wax lips.

McGillicuddy

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:27:11 -0500

i took a cab yesterday (Sunday) at around 4pm. as I jumped in with one a friend, the driver started pushing buttons on his meter, increasing the fare surcharge up to $2.50. i thought about asking him how he came up with that figure (and for all i know it was correct), but i my immediate impression is that these guys now have the ability to crank up the fare whenever they please. extra passenger? fuel surcharge? rush hour? phase of the moon? color of your underwear? that'll be another $4. tourists beware.