BuffettNews.com

Sorry I just need to vent!

I live in Baltimore county, 10 minutes north of Baltimore City. This year for New Year's Eve, three friends and I went to the "Big Night Baltimore" at Raven's M&T stadium in the city. Wanting to drink and still be responsible, we took a cab from my house to the stadium.

Throughout the night, the stadium advertised on all of their TV's that cabs would be available at Gate A. We left at 1:20 am to find no cabs anywhere outside of the stadium. We were then wished "good luck" by a stadium official standing outside. After waiting 20 minutes and only seeing two cabs, I started calling cab companies. When I asked for a cab at the stadium, I was told "Yeah, you and everybody else." We then walked to a hotel about a mile away (in heels and formal wear, mind you). We caught two cabs. Both REFUSED to take us out of the city. I explained that I lived only 10 minutes north. Did not matter. They both refused. I honestly considered calling my sleeping 60-yr old mom for a ride.

The way drinking and driving is, I am shocked and apalled that a cab can refuse passengers, especially on New Year's Eve!! In New York City, cabs are required to take you to any of the boroughs. Obviously this is not the case in Baltimore.

AAGGHH. Still p***.[/b]

It's a private business that you hire for service. They can completely refuse to take you anywhere if they choose. It's unfortunate, but it's their right. Chicago taxi drivers won't take people to certain neighborhoods if they are dangerous or out of the way. They lose too much fair in the time it takes in return travel to customers in the city.

Sorry that happened to you though!

iuparrothead wrote:It's a private business that you hire for service. They can completely refuse to take you anywhere if they choose. It's unfortunate, but it's their right.

Ann's exactly right (wow, I bet I'm the first person to ever say that). Local governement can't step in and force a private business to offer any particular service. Nor should they be able to.

rednekkPH wrote:

iuparrothead wrote:It's a private business that you hire for service. They can completely refuse to take you anywhere if they choose. It's unfortunate, but it's their right.

Ann's exactly right (wow, I bet I'm the first person to ever say that). Local governement can't step in and force a private business to offer any particular service. Nor should they be able to.

I agree with A..... I agree with A..... Damn... I just can't say it... I agree with the blonde bimbo in post #2....

It does stink that that happened to you though...

Shut up f&%$ers.

iuparrothead wrote:Shut up f&%$ers.

I love it when you talk dirty!

nycparrothead wrote:

iuparrothead wrote:Shut up f&%$ers.

I love it when you talk dirty!

I love when you shut up.

rednekkPH wrote:

iuparrothead wrote:It's a private business that you hire for service. They can completely refuse to take you anywhere if they choose. It's unfortunate, but it's their right.

Ann's exactly right (wow, I bet I'm the first person to ever say that). Local governement can't step in and force a private business to offer any particular service. Nor should they be able to.

Actually, given that most cab companies are granted a license to operate within a given city or county those governments can dictate what sort of services a "licensed" company will provide. In most metro areas cabs are a regulated business where the government dictates rates, services, etc. So if the licensing authority wanted to impose it's will, it could do so easily.

If you recall, several years ago NYC told the cabbies to literally clean up their act in terms of cleanliness. Or when they were told to improve their manners. The threat that the city had was the option of revoking or not renewing the license of those cabbies that didn't go along.

Having said that I understand that cabbies don't want to do a one way fare out into an area where they won't get a return fare. And I certainly understand them not wanting to drive into areas that aren't safe.

The Lost Manatee wrote:Actually, given that most cab companies are granted a license to operate within a given city or county those governments can dictate what sort of services a "licensed" company will provide.

All restraunts are licensed to operate within a given municipality - they cannot be forced to serve hot dogs. Doctors are licensed, they cannot be forced to treat a common cold.

As long as they are not denying service on the basis of any of the aspects of the Equal Opportunity Act (race, religion, gender, etc.), they're are free to run thir business as they choose.

City, County, State and Federal governments can and do set what is necessary to get a license in a regulated business and can and do dictate what services will be offered and how much can be charged. Look at all the regulations covering the practice of law, medicine, engineering, public utilities, public broadcasting, etc. The government can and does dictate to those industries based on the notion that they serve the public and the government is the entity that decides what is in the best interest of the public.

While the government doesn't tell a doctor that she or he has to treat a common cold, it does tell the doctor what drugs/treatments he or she may use and what ones are prohibited.

If businesses were only restricted by the EOA things would be much different then they are. No Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act, no Living Wage laws, no government regulated monopolies, etc.

The sad truth is that businesses are buried under piles of regulations from all levels of government and cabbies are no exception.

The Lost Manatee wrote:If you recall, several years ago NYC told the cabbies to literally clean up their act in terms of cleanliness. Or when they were told to improve their manners. The threat that the city had was the option of revoking or not renewing the license of those cabbies that didn't go along.

Hmmm... that is true and Chicago has kind of done the same. I wish the city of Chicago would insist cab drivers actually know their way around Chicago before they are given a license. (like they do in London, where the taxi drivers must take an exam) I reserve the right to not pay a taxi driver if I ask them if they know how to get somewhere, they say yes, yet fail to deliver on what I hired them for. I pay the base fare for sitting in the taxi, but I've stiffed taxi drivers many times because they don't know where they are going and conveniently take the long way to no where.

I wish there were a few cab drivers in NYC who:
1. knew how to drive
2. spoke English
3. took a shower at least once a year, whether they need it or not

The Lost Manatee wrote:City, County, State and Federal governments can and do set what is necessary to get a license in a regulated business and can and do dictate what services will be offered and how much can be charged. Look at all the regulations covering the practice of law, medicine, engineering, public utilities, public broadcasting, etc. The government can and does dictate to those industries based on the notion that they serve the public and the government is the entity that decides what is in the best interest of the public.

While the government doesn't tell a doctor that she or he has to treat a common cold, it does tell the doctor what drugs/treatments he or she may use and what ones are prohibited.

If businesses were only restricted by the EOA things would be much different then they are. No Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act, no Living Wage laws, no government regulated monopolies, etc.

The sad truth is that businesses are buried under piles of regulations from all levels of government and cabbies are no exception.

Of course there are regulations, but what I've been saying is that the government cannot step in and and require a private business to offer a specific service. Telling a cabbie that he is required to take a passenger to any particular place is the same as telling an airline that they must have flights to all major cities. It can't be done.

and where do they find those Middle Eastern radio stations? Without fail if you get in any Boston cab they always have on some weirdo Islamic station

I dont think there are any cabs in Tampa..... Cept at the airports!

ToplessRideFL wrote:I dont think there are any cabs in Tampa..... Cept at the airports!

As long as they're at the airport - I don't feel like walking to a hotel.

Speaking of which, you have any suggestions for a decent place to stay for one night after we land? Cheap is good, but I don't wanna have to deal with any dead bodies. Also, a nearby liquor store would be nice.

rednekkPH wrote:

ToplessRideFL wrote:I dont think there are any cabs in Tampa..... Cept at the airports!

As long as they're at the airport - I don't feel like walking to a hotel.

Speaking of which, you have any suggestions for a decent place to stay for one night after we land? Cheap is good, but I don't wanna have to deal with any dead bodies. Also, a nearby liquor store would be nice.

Depending on where you stay they have shuttles that are free from airport to hotel as well.

As far as accomidations..... I could give you a slew of places... are we talking specific date or just vacations?

around here they charge twice as much for areas they won't get a return fare from to make up for the loss. You probably should have offered a lucrtative tip. What you were asking them to do was take you somewhere further while in the same amount of time they might have been able to get 4 fares in plus each of their drunken nye tips.

I am only familiar with the cabs in the D/FW area. I don't know about other areas but the driver dosn't necessarily work FOR the cab company the company owns the cabs and rents them to the drivers. It's the driver's responsibility to be sure their licenses and permits are all up to date. So basically they have to work to cover their cab rental (last I heard it was $ 50.00 a day for a car and $ 75.00 for a van and that was a few years ago) and then their living expenses. While it's unfortunate that many won't service certain areas but considering that they don't receive hourly pay like a lot of us do and their only income is what they earn by fares it's understandable that a cabbie would probably perfer to pick up a few shorter rides and smaller fares in an area where the demand for taxi service is higher vs taking someone out to the suburbs for maybe a hour trip with only a $35.00 to $45.00 fare.

It helps, if you use taxis on a regular basis, to find a driver that you are comfortable with and ask for their cell phone number. Use that cabbie exclusively (tip well for their service too). I have had huge success doing this and have a friend in another city that does the same. My cabbie also had my cell number and the few times that he was stuck at the airport or in traffic when it was time for him to pick me up - he made sure that even if he wasn't there one of his friends were and he would call me to let me know who whould be picking me up and their cab number. I rarely had to wait more than 10 minutes anywhere in the DFW area.

RAGTOP wrote:and where do they find those Middle Eastern radio stations? Without fail if you get in any Boston cab they always have on some weirdo Islamic station

After the Fenway show last year, we got a cab driver who was Haitian and who was in a fight with his wife in French all the way to our hotel. The look on his face was PRICELESS when I spoke to him in French as we got out and told him that I bet he was feeling lucky to be driving night shift so she could cool off!