5 ms·

In New York, cabbies are not allowed to refuse you ride a particular neighborhood either. I never announce where I want to go before I get in (I have some frie

by joubert 14y ago

In New York, cabbies are not allowed to refuse you ride a particular neighborhood either. I never announce where I want to go before I get in (I have some friends in BKLN). One time I did get a driver who bitched about having to take me somewhere. So I made an overt stretch to look at his details posted inside the car, and then pretended to be taking a note of it. He VERY quickly complied. I didn't have to say a word.

glesica 14y ago
This is an example of a law that, I think, truly benefits the public. There is no reason that Uber should not be barred from discriminating based on pickup location or destination. At the same time, I think the taxi laws are generally in need of reform anyway, so maybe this whole situation will lead to better regulations overall.
apaprocki 14y ago
Except when they lock the doors and won't let you in. Want to report them? Go ahead.. the TLC requires you to take a day off work and appear in person in court. If you don't, complaint is thrown out. Taxi drivers know that it is too much work for most people.
- joubert 14y ago
  Do they lock you out after you've said where you're going? Key: unlike tourists who I often see will peep in through the window meekly and respond to the request of "where are you going", when the car stops, just get in. You talk to the driver once inside. Not while you're on the curb.
  - apaprocki 14y ago
    Lots of times the cab will be locked and if you don't tell them where you're going through the window they will just take off.
andrewjshults 14y ago
The NYC TLC does actually follow through on complaints about drivers not following the rules (CC broken, won't take you out of Manhattan, etc.) and they have an online reporting form http://www.nyc.gov/apps/311/allServices.htm?requestType=topService&serviceName=Yellow+Taxi+Complaint http://www.nyc.gov/apps/311/allServices.htm?requestType=topS...
- ShabbyDoo 14y ago
  I was told by a taxi driver in Chicago that bureaucrats love complaints from taxi patrons because they can extract bribes from the drivers to resolve them.
dantheman 14y ago
It wouldn't be a problem if taxi's weren't limited by the government. Personally I think a taxi should be able to go wherever/whenever they want, even if that includes turning down fares or charging a surcharge to go somewhere they don't want to go. If it's profitable to go from manhattan to brooklyn that need will be served, if it's not profitable then they need to raise the price - why should manhattan riders subsidize brooklyn?
- tgrass 14y ago
  Upvote for the question. For the sake of argument, a community might want to subsidize another class of people in order to ensure equal opportunity.
eridius 14y ago
The complaint about Uber refusing rides to certain neighborhoods confuses me. When has that ever happened? Uber specifically doesn't ask you where you're going when you hail the cab, and if you enter it anyway (because there's a button that gives you that option), I believe it doesn't show that to the driver until they've already picked you up and started the trip. Basically, Uber made a conscious decision to not inform the driver where you're going until you're already inside the car, specifically to prevent drivers from ignoring requests to go to certain neighborhoods.
rada 14y ago
This kind of sentiment comes up a lot, and I am sorry, I find it kind of revolting. There is this notion that cabbies are discriminating against the downtrodden, but in reality, they are the downtrodden. They are low-income, immigrant people who, unlike you, actually live in those outer boroughs. People who need money so badly that they will drive a cab for a living. You, on the other hand, are a wealthy dude. A dude with so much disposable income that you can throw $20-$40 at a cab instead of taking the subway for free. (Free as in, you already have an unlimited metro card, yes? And $20-$40 is just one way, yes? And you do this every weekend, yes?). So you, the wealthy dude, have the law on your side. Apparently, your need for low-cost on-demand, luxury transportation trumps the basic human right to free will. Apparently, mostly white, wealthy people need to be protected from being discriminated against by mostly brown, poor people. Apparently, when a laborer refuses to take on dangerous work or insufficiently compensated work ^, we must bring in the government guns and show him who's boss. (^) It's always money or personal safety. Discrimination has nothing to do with it and I find it rather humorous that cab takers project their own racist attitudes onto cab drivers, seeing as I don't recall a while cabbie once during my 15 years in NYC.
- rdouble 14y ago
  Cabbies used to routinely discriminate against whomever they felt like, mostly black and brown people who needed to get uptown. That is why the laws prohibiting refusal to take you were you want to go were instated in the first place.
  - rada 14y ago
    Your point that there is a historic basis for the law is well taken. However, history is not an excuse, especially when it comes to forced labor (cough, slavery, cough). Also, when you say "used to routinely", you are projecting. The press made it into a banner issue, but really, think about it. "Uptown" used to be very, very poor, and poor people don't take cabs.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]

by joubert 14y ago

glesica 14y ago

This is an example of a law that, I think, truly benefits the public. There is no reason that Uber should not be barred from discriminating based on pickup location or destination. At the same time, I think the taxi laws are generally in need of reform anyway, so maybe this whole situation will lead to better regulations overall.

apaprocki 14y ago

Except when they lock the doors and won't let you in. Want to report them? Go ahead.. the TLC requires you to take a day off work and appear in person in court. If you don't, complaint is thrown out. Taxi drivers know that it is too much work for most people.

joubert 14y ago
Do they lock you out after you've said where you're going? Key: unlike tourists who I often see will peep in through the window meekly and respond to the request of "where are you going", when the car stops, just get in. You talk to the driver once inside. Not while you're on the curb.
- apaprocki 14y ago
  Lots of times the cab will be locked and if you don't tell them where you're going through the window they will just take off.

andrewjshults 14y ago

The NYC TLC does actually follow through on complaints about drivers not following the rules (CC broken, won't take you out of Manhattan, etc.) and they have an online reporting form http://www.nyc.gov/apps/311/allServices.htm?requestType=topService&serviceName=Yellow+Taxi+Complaint http://www.nyc.gov/apps/311/allServices.htm?requestType=topS...

ShabbyDoo 14y ago
I was told by a taxi driver in Chicago that bureaucrats love complaints from taxi patrons because they can extract bribes from the drivers to resolve them.

dantheman 14y ago

It wouldn't be a problem if taxi's weren't limited by the government. Personally I think a taxi should be able to go wherever/whenever they want, even if that includes turning down fares or charging a surcharge to go somewhere they don't want to go. If it's profitable to go from manhattan to brooklyn that need will be served, if it's not profitable then they need to raise the price - why should manhattan riders subsidize brooklyn?

tgrass 14y ago
Upvote for the question. For the sake of argument, a community might want to subsidize another class of people in order to ensure equal opportunity.

eridius 14y ago

The complaint about Uber refusing rides to certain neighborhoods confuses me. When has that ever happened? Uber specifically doesn't ask you where you're going when you hail the cab, and if you enter it anyway (because there's a button that gives you that option), I believe it doesn't show that to the driver until they've already picked you up and started the trip. Basically, Uber made a conscious decision to not inform the driver where you're going until you're already inside the car, specifically to prevent drivers from ignoring requests to go to certain neighborhoods.

rada 14y ago

This kind of sentiment comes up a lot, and I am sorry, I find it kind of revolting. There is this notion that cabbies are discriminating against the downtrodden, but in reality, they are the downtrodden. They are low-income, immigrant people who, unlike you, actually live in those outer boroughs. People who need money so badly that they will drive a cab for a living. You, on the other hand, are a wealthy dude. A dude with so much disposable income that you can throw $20-$40 at a cab instead of taking the subway for free. (Free as in, you already have an unlimited metro card, yes? And $20-$40 is just one way, yes? And you do this every weekend, yes?). So you, the wealthy dude, have the law on your side. Apparently, your need for low-cost on-demand, luxury transportation trumps the basic human right to free will. Apparently, mostly white, wealthy people need to be protected from being discriminated against by mostly brown, poor people. Apparently, when a laborer refuses to take on dangerous work or insufficiently compensated work ^, we must bring in the government guns and show him who's boss. (^) It's always money or personal safety. Discrimination has nothing to do with it and I find it rather humorous that cab takers project their own racist attitudes onto cab drivers, seeing as I don't recall a while cabbie once during my 15 years in NYC.

rdouble 14y ago
Cabbies used to routinely discriminate against whomever they felt like, mostly black and brown people who needed to get uptown. That is why the laws prohibiting refusal to take you were you want to go were instated in the first place.
- rada 14y ago
  Your point that there is a historic basis for the law is well taken. However, history is not an excuse, especially when it comes to forced labor (cough, slavery, cough). Also, when you say "used to routinely", you are projecting. The press made it into a banner issue, but really, think about it. "Uptown" used to be very, very poor, and poor people don't take cabs.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]