French Cabbies Say They'll Block Paris Roads On Monday Over Uber 295
mrspoonsi writes Parisian taxi drivers have vowed to block roads leading into the French capital on Monday to protest a court's refusal to ban urban ridesharing service UberPOP. Like their counterparts in large cities across the globe, Parisian taxi drivers are fed up with what they see as unfair competition from Uber's popular smartphone taxi service. UberPOP, which uses non-professional drivers using their own cars to take on passengers at budget rates, has 160,000 users in France, according to the company. A commercial court in Paris ruled on Friday that a new law making it harder for Uber drivers to solicit business could not be enforced until the government had published full details of the restrictions. "It's the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Ibrahima Sylla, president of France Taxis, whose organisation has joined several others in calling for the early morning protest on Monday. They have urged taxi drivers to gather at the northern Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport and the southern Orly airport at 05:00 am before slowly converging on the city in a bid to block arterial highways. "This is a fight against Uber. We're fed up. Allowing UberPOP means leaving 57,000 French taxis high and dry, and thus 57,000 families. And that is out of the question," said Sylla.
So basically.. (Score:5, Insightful)
The taxi drivers are arguing that if they can't be the ONLY ones to drive people to their destination, then NOBODY can. And then they wonder why fewer people want to patronize them.
Why are taxi drivers all so horrible? (Score:4, Interesting)
I travel all over the world for business. As such, I take a lot of taxi rides each year. But it doesn't matter if I'm in NYC, London, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, LA, Sydney, Rome, Vancouver, Chicago, or even my home base of San Francisco. Regardless of where I am, taxis are an awful experience.
Why is it that, in any major Western city, all of the taxi drivers are from the Middle East, India, or Pakistan? Why is it that they can't keep their vehicles clean? Why is it that they can't speak a fucking word of English? Why is it that they're always chattering on in Arabic, Hindi or Urdu through their mobile phone's earphones/mic, while driving? Why is it that they often don't have any frigging clue where they're going? Why is it that it always costs so goddamn much for such shitty service, especially when this industry is allegedly "regulated" in most areas?
I don't like the idea of Uber, or Lyft, or any of those services. I don't want some untrained, possibly-uninsured hipster driving me around. But then I look at the alternatives, and these amateurs actually look pretty damn good compared to the so-called third-world "professional" taxi drivers!
As a customer, I'm fucked either way. I'm guaranteed either shitty service when I go with a taxi, or I'm guaranteed a higher degree of risk when I go with some online service. I just can't win!
Re:Why are taxi drivers all so horrible? (Score:5, Insightful)
The taxi plates cost money. FUCKTONS of money.
Therefore the people who buy them (invariably not the Middle-eastern/indian/pakistani drivers), are rich guys that can afford the plates.
And in the immortal words of Bill Gates on the Simpsons, you don't get rich writing a lot of cheques. So those rich guys hire the cheapest hardest working people they can find. People that will work 12 hour back to back shifts, on the lowest rates possible, and thank you for it. (Thats the middle-eastern/indian/pakistani mindset, work a shit job but thank god you aren't unemployed, and be nice to the rich man because he is the one that pays you). It is what happens when you live in a country of a billion people, full of the worst poverty you have ever seen.
If you have a job, you are fucking thankful, even if it is the worst job you could possibly imagine. It is better than living in a god damned junk yard looking for scrap metal.
It is all in an effort to try to pay off the huge investment the rich white guys made in the plates. Minimum maintenance, maximum driving, minimum wage to drivers.
You don't need a driver that can speak english, you need a driver that will drive the long way to maximise the "driving on the meter" ratio. You need a driver that will drive in the wrong direction as much as possible because they "don't speak english". And if they don't do these things, you fire them and get the next cheapest guy in the cab to do it for you.
And, it turns out working an 18 hour overnight shift means you don't spend a lot of time with your family, so you have to call them while driving.
Re:Why are taxi drivers all so horrible? (Score:4, Informative)
- Drivers on a payroll (3%) - working for a company who bought the taxi plates. They are paid at a percentage of income.
- Renters (11%) - they rent the car with a taxi plate. They keep all the income, but have to pay the rent of the car each month.
- Independant workers (86%) - who bought a taxi plate (from 100 000 to 200 000 €). They keep all the income.
So in France, most of the taxi drivers are independant workers who took out a loan to buy their plate - and intend to sell their plate at a high price when they retire.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
NYC, , Paris, Berlin, , LA, , Rome, , Chicago, San Francisco.
Why is it that, in any major Western city,..that they can't speak a fucking word of English?
I narrowed your list down but in most of the cities you list, English isn't actually the official language, it's spoken by convenience by majority of people, not because it's government mandated.
Re: (Score:3)
Actually, English is not the official language in ANY of the cities listed.
For the unaware, the USA has no official language.
Re:Why are taxi drivers all so horrible? (Score:4, Informative)
For the unaware, the USA has no official language.
But English is the official language of California by ballot proposition [ballotpedia.org] and constitutional amendment [ca.gov] (Article 3 Section 6).
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, English is not the official language in ANY of the cities listed.
For the unaware, the USA has no official language.
HEH!.. Well, NO, that would be stupid. The USA has a mandate for laws being written in English.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
English is the worldwide official language for commercial airline pilots, not cab drivers.
Nope. Both English and French are official languages for commercial airline pilots and air traffic control in Quebec [tbs-sct.gc.ca]. And ICAO allows the use of both English and the native language of the ground controllers [wikipedia.org].
Re: (Score:2)
Immigrants, often on student visas, are the only ones willing to work for taxi companies on "shitty" pay?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
>I don't see them being able to cut into Singapore's, where I find them cheap.
How's the quality of taxis in Singapore? (I've only been through the airport.)
In China taxis are dirt cheap, too. Sometimes, though, they pick you up at the airport (where one might expect you to have luggage) in a taxi that has its trunk occupied by a CNG tank instead of empty space where one might place luggage. And in general taxis are old, noisy, bumpy, and of poor quality, and most importantly, difficult to hail (although
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Right, fuck those taxi drivers in Rome and Berlin and Paris who can't speak English! If they can't learn the language they should just go home!!!!
Ever been to London? (Score:3)
As such, I take a lot of taxi rides each year. But it doesn't matter if I'm in NYC, London, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, LA....
Have you actually ever taken a cab in London? The problem is the exact opposite [londonist.com] of what you describe with only ~5% from minorities to the extent that they are trying to recruit more. As for "untrained hipster" they are required to pass The Knowledge [wikipedia.org] before they get a license. They may have somewhat colourful characters but I've never had one who is not extremely competent, knowledgeable and driving a clear, well repaired cab.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah right. They will just keep things as shitty as before except charge even higher prices once they get Uber and Lyft banned.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yet on money, only Uber drivers will be doing that....
Re: (Score:2)
No, the taxi drivers are arguing they can be the only ones to drive people to their destination and charge them for the ride.
Which is still wrong.
This right here is a perfect example of what's wrong with government regulation. If you regulate an industry, that industry will, understandably, use that regulation to their advantage. They get the government to institute regulation that prevents anyone from competing and the industry becomes a closed system with no outside competition and new ideas die before they even have a chance. There's arguably benefits to this as well, you know exactly what to expect when you get in a cab... th
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
It allows everyone to be a doctor and you can order an operation with simple click of a button and even pay for the surgery with it!
Who cares if that person is certified doctor, that's just bad government regulation! BOO!
The problem I see with Uber is taxes and fees. As the financial side is completely handled via the app, how can I be sure that the company running Uber actually covers the mandatory employee fees for the driver and pays the taxes required by the local government?
Re: (Score:2)
If you're worried about skills, require a commercial driver's license. Problem solved.
Re: (Score:2)
If a bad surgeon was no more likely to cause injury or death than a bad driver, then yes, it might be OK.
As for the taxes and fees, that's between Uber, the driver, and the local government. Not my problem.
Re: (Score:3)
> Why should a driver need special certification to drive people around for money,
Because of the potential for abuse of unsuspecting clients.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wir... [dailymail.co.uk]
Re: (Score:2)
But in reality, the regulation is there to prevent the unsuspecting of getting ripped off. In the case of Uber and services like it, the people using that service know exactly what they are getting into. Grandma isn't going to fire up uber and get ripped off.
From the horror stories I've seen linked to on Slashdot, she is. Uber has an unknown and undisclosed surcharge for special times (New Years being the most common in the horror stories). So Grandma might sign up for a $5 ride home. Authorize a $5 ride, and get charged $150 for it. Some of the horror stories outline the driver's take. About $2 more for a $150 fee, with Uber being the only one to benefit from these surcharge. I can't confirm any of those reports, but from the number and locations of the
Re: (Score:3)
Re:So basically.. (Score:5, Interesting)
No, the taxi drivers are arguing they can be the only ones to drive people to their destination and charge them for the ride.
Not quite. In Detroit a church started running a free van to help people who couldn't afford a car. The free bus was shut down by the taxi commission. Taxi commissions, in general, are against anyone giving anyone else a ride who isn't a taxi driver.
Re: (Score:2)
No, the taxi drivers are arguing they can be the only ones to drive people to their destination and charge them for the ride.
Not quite. In Detroit a church started running a free van to help people who couldn't afford a car. The free bus was shut down by the taxi commission. Taxi commissions, in general, are against anyone giving anyone else a ride who isn't a taxi driver.
Don't pick up hitchhikers. The Taxi commission will come after you.
Re: (Score:2)
Worse, on the surface it would appear to even be opposed to driving your kids to school on your way to work instead of forcing them to take a taxi or at least public transit.
Think of the children!
Yeah. I went there. :)
Re: (Score:2)
No, the taxi drivers are arguing they can be the only ones to drive people to their destination and charge them for the ride.
Yeah, and it probably has nothing to do with this [nycitycab.com].
If you don't want to follow the link, it is NYC Taxi drivers selling their medallions to operate a taxi for close to a million dollars. It seems to be around 300,000 Euro for one in Paris.
Re: (Score:2)
No.
They are arguing that Uber needs to play by the same rules as the taxi drivers.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, because driving a car should SOOOO require spending 8 years in training.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I know, why should the government force rules and regulations on an industry?
This is not a falsifiable statement. One can apply the same reasoning and analogies to justify ANY regulation.
Statements which cannot be falsified convey no useful information.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, because those licensed cab drivers are sooooooo much better.
Re: (Score:2)
What the page you cite doesn't tell is that the number of licences is limited, like taxi medallions in some US cities; you can g
Re: (Score:2)
Cabs block traffic, cause jams (Score:5, Funny)
How will we know the difference between their protest and normal traffic?
Re: (Score:2)
Blockade Euro Disney (Score:2, Funny)
I believe a blockade of Euro Disney is the standard French response to any turmoil in the country.
Re: (Score:3)
I believe a blockade of Euro Disney is the standard French response to any turmoil in the country.
You could remove 'Euro Disney' (in general or from your sentence) and it would still be true. The blocades are part of the French charm, possibly the part that makes you not want to live there.
Ah, yes... (Score:2, Insightful)
Annoy everybody, including the people who would be using your services, in "protest". What a GREAT idea!
Re:Ah, yes... (Score:4, Informative)
That seems to be the standard type of protest in France. It's a popular pastime among the French farmers to block roads with manure as one example.
Don't get me wrong - some things should be protested - but some thinking about _how_ to protest could lead to better results for everyone...
Win hearts and minds (Score:5, Interesting)
Oh, yes, causing massive traffic snarls is a sure way to with the hearts and minds of the public. Reminds me of the German train drivers who keep striking, not for more money or better working conditions, but because their union bosses are at risk of losing their negotiating power to a larger union. Makes everybody in German just love the train drivers.
Paris taxis charge to just come and pick you up. Get in the car, and find that the meter has already been running from wherever the driver let off his last fare. Given a new competitor, the taxi drivers could always compete by offering better service, or lower rates, or more reliability, or... Nah.
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, yes, causing massive traffic snarls is a sure way to with the hearts and minds of the public.
Whether you're sympathetic or not, this is an act of civil disobedience to protest what they consider to be a mortal threat to their livelihood. Civil disobedience has never been about getting people to like you; it's about getting in the public's collective face to the point where you can't be ignored.
Re: (Score:3)
There are ways to approach this that can open a dialogue and help society come to terms with the issue in a way that's reasonable for all parties involved. This approach is not the way towards achieving those goals.
Re:Win hearts and minds (Score:4, Interesting)
Please stop confusing 'taxi drivers' and 'taxi companies'.
Drivers work their ass off for less than minimum wage, and many have families to support. They put in long hours on dangerous roads and face passengers even more unpleasant than you. It is one of the most unpleasant jobs on the planet, but it's all that these people can get.
Taxi companies own the formerly lucrative and exclusive rights to operate the service in their community. These can be very wealthy investors. They allow drivers to lease cabs from them at exorbitant rates to recoup their investment.
Uber and the like pop up and disrupt this balance. Taxi drivers lose fares, can't make their lease payment, can't feed their family. Taxi owners lose the huge investment that the government assured would give them exclusive rights. Uber has no social responsibility, no community presence, no loyalty to government, citizens or their own drivers & passengers. They are a parasite and they are destroying the only job available to many taxi drivers.
I am wondering (Score:2)
what would happen if the cab drivers would also act as Uber drivers?
If you can't fight them, embrace them.
Haven't seen this anywhere yet.
Re: (Score:2)
In chicago and other large cities in the US they do. When I open my uber app, I have the ability to choose from uberx, taxi, black cars and SUVs. I don't understand why they just don't do the same in other places as well.
Re: (Score:2)
what would happen if the cab drivers would also act as Uber drivers?
If you can't fight them, embrace them.
Haven't seen this anywhere yet.
1. They could not charge as much as they used to. as a regulated taxi.
2. The taxi company would fire them if they found out they also drove for Uber/Lyft.
3. Having been forced to charge less, they'd have to work longer and compete for customers.
4. Being that Uber/Lyft have ways for customers to send feedback to report bad drivers/performance/cleanliness and hold drivers responsible, the former taxi drivers would have to actually put in effort to make the ride safe, comfortable, pleasant, punctual, and conve
Re: (Score:3)
That would be different based on the city and state (US)
A friend drove a cab for years and around here that is not how it works. The cab company rents the cabs to the drivers at a set amount per day. The driver can accept jobs that come in across the computer but there will be a small handling charge that is built into the price per mile printed on the side of the cab and used in the meter. If they pick up some one who flags them down or some one who calls their Cell and requests a pickup then there is no
Re: (Score:3)
That would be different based on the city and state (US)
A friend drove a cab for years and around here that is not how it works. The cab company rents the cabs to the drivers at a set amount per day. The driver can accept jobs that come in across the computer but there will be a small handling charge that is built into the price per mile printed on the side of the cab and used in the meter. If they pick up some one who flags them down or some one who calls their Cell and requests a pickup then there is no handling charge.
The friend of mine that did it treated it like a small business. He had cards made with his cell on them and kept his car immaculately clean. After the first year 90% of his calls were from customers and word of mouth. He would also give discounts to his regulars. Really the discounts were nothing more than him deducting the handling fee from the printed cost.
I don't know enough of the facts & details of the particular situation you describe, but just from your description, that's not too bad. Especially if the driver rents the cabs and pays no maintenance, insurance, tags, etc etc.
Sadly though, that's not typical in many urban/suburban areas with denser populations (where taxis are needed most) in the US. Most often, you see some sort of local taxi commission that's usually corrupt "regulating" a small number of taxi operations, sometimes just one.
NY's syst
Re: (Score:2)
Why couldn't he have saved $5-6000 working other jobs to buy a used car to use as a cab instead of this renting his cab from a company? Then he could've kept 100% of his earnings, and the fares would also be a lot lower for the consumers.
Re: (Score:3)
Why couldn't he have saved $5-6000 working other jobs to buy a used car to use as a cab instead of this renting his cab from a company? Then he could've kept 100% of his earnings, and the fares would also be a lot lower for the consumers.
It's quite possible that even barring any laws or regulations restricting/forbidding such a move, the cost of renting a taxi might well be a net savings over footing all the costs of ownership & operation as an individual due to things like group rates for liability insurance and fleet maintenance contract cost savings over costs for individual trips to the local auto mechanic's garage, etc.
Strat
Re: (Score:2)
They'd lose their taxi license / medallion, which they may have invested over 200,000 euros in, depending on where they operate. The license price is dropping, though, with the arrival of Uber and similar services.
That's the basic problem: the government used to enforce a license scarcity that drove prices so high that taxi drivers now consider it an investment or a retirement package. It's very like a housing price crash, except that t
Glass half full or ... (Score:2)
Allowing UberPOP means leaving 57,000 French taxis high and dry, and thus 57,000 families.
Out with the old... or not? (Score:4, Interesting)
I've never driven a cab for a living but I've spoken w/ cabbies about it, and it's not an easy job. A good cab driver knows the turf. S/he gets you to your destination safely and efficiently... and doesn't rip you off or make you feel creeped out. Over time, failure to meet these criteria has resulted in licensing and regulation. The licensing requirements also provide a barrier to entry. So "official" cab services have evolved an ecosystem of sorts. And a skilled, hard-working driver can make decent, but not great, money. Here's a Huffington Post article that asserts some numbers for both Uber and traditional cabbies:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/... [huffingtonpost.com]
Now along comes Uber. Cool business model. Flexible price structure. Apps that get a ride to where you are when you need it. Disruptive to the old order. If you know what you're doing, you can use Uber to get around conveniently. If I understand it right, the Uber system addresses, using the clout of the company, some of the good cab requirements (e.g. they'll monitor their drivers).
But Uber disrupts an existing ecosystem... a system that lots of licensed, chartered drivers depend on for their livelihoods. While tech types typically revel in so-called "disruptive technologies," I worry that Uber spells the demise of yet another low tech job. I mean, shouldn't there be something between fast food workers and cube dwellers? So I can see both sides of this. There's not a simple answer to the problem.
Re:Out with the old... or not? (Score:5, Insightful)
Uber drivers are desperate for work and silly enough to run their own car into the ground for little more than petrol money, when it's dead they can't afford a new one and walk away in a worse situation than they started. Courier companies do the same thing here in Melbourne, they call you a "sub-contractor" get you to stick a "courier" sign on your own car then you drive it at your own expense until it falls apart. And if you're unlucky enough to fuck up without the right insurance, you will be paying for it the rest of your life.
From my experience with real cabs, sticking with a regulated taxi industry is the best thing any of us can do to stop uber exploiting desperate people in a race to the bottom.
Re: (Score:2)
None of your first arguments are true for most cabbies. I worry about getting robbed by the drivers just looking at some taxis in my town, the only thing that makes a taxi a taxi is a tag and a light on the roof. A rusted 1970s Chevy that looks like it could break down anytime and a murky looking non-English speaking guy trying to convince me to take a ride in his car?
And who do you complain to when your cabbie rips you off? The taxi company doesn't care. Hired a taxi once in Miami, prepaid days in advance
Re: (Score:2)
You seem to be saying that most cab drivers are scary and/or dishonest. Is that really your assertion? Most cabbies? I admit that on a few occasions, I've had negative experiences w/ cab drivers – but only a few. By far, my experiences w/ (let's call them) "conventional" cab services have been just fine.
Uber's crowd source model won't eliminate the possibility of encountering an incompetent, scary, or dishonest driver. And imagine Uber becomes wildly successful. It's only my opinion, but I suspe
This sort of protesting should come with... (Score:2, Insightful)
... a prison sentence. It is one thing to express your opinion. It another to attack other people and physically restrain them from doing what they have every right to do.
What is more, these cabbies should have their licenses threatened. A cab license is not a right.
Re: (Score:2)
What is more, these cabbies should have their licenses threatened. A cab license is not a right.
Yes.... being a taxi gives you no right to obstruct usage of the roadways.
They should dispatch police to detain the offenders, and tow trucks to seize all the vehicles involved and impound them for at least 15 days.
Furthermore, their taxi license and their driver's license should be suspended until they pay costs of towing, storage, and a $1000 fine.
They are all fucked anyway. (Score:5, Insightful)
When Google provides self driving taxis for free, but with a big screen showing commercials in the passenger compartment.
Driving jobs will mostly disappear before you know it.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, but then after a year, the Google free taxis will disappear entirely with nothing from Google to replace them.
is it cheaper? (Score:5, Insightful)
Is it different elsewhere?
Good. Fire all of them. (Score:4, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Or the govt should increase the max limit of cabs allowed in the city. And uber cars should be considered as just taxis with computer-assisted hailing that should be added to the new quota.
More taxis means less food on the table for traditional cabbies... so the quota of total taxis (including uber's) should be strictly enforced.
Re: (Score:3)
What makes you think they won't protest over that as well? Anything that hurts their regulatory capture will cause the same reaction.
Re: (Score:2)
There are only two choices: total ban of taxis that are not regulated by the govt. or, increase the quota to accommodate taxis like uber's. Even uber can't survive in an unregulated market if other internet taxi companies enter the market flood it with even more taxis.
Re: (Score:3)
Even uber can't survive in an unregulated market if other internet taxi companies enter the market flood it with even more taxis.
So you are saying that if anyone can enter a market, the number of vendors will skyrocket until it reaches zero?
Re:Sounds like they should ban the cabbies (Score:5, Insightful)
Even uber can't survive in an unregulated market if other internet taxi companies enter the market flood it with even more taxis.
So you are saying that if anyone can enter a market, the number of vendors will skyrocket until it reaches zero?
Actually that's what often happens. Someone's making money, many others flock to the market, nobody ends up profitable, market retrenchment. Remember all the x86-compatible cpu manufacturers ... most bit the dust. Or the mom-and-pop computer stores? Or all the different donut franchises? Or now, all the new mobile developers who aren't even breaking even and are running on a wing and a prayer?
Re: (Score:2)
Actually that's what often happens.
Nothing on your list is an example of too many participants causing zero participants. Rigged markets may benefit politically favored vendors, but they never favor consumers.
Re: (Score:3)
Regarding your examples:
x86: I'm pretty sure that Intel had a great deal of legal control of that market, and they've certainly not been shy of anti-competitive techniques.
mom-and-pop computer stores: I believe they were displaced largely by websites like NewEgg and TigerDirect, as the model they have allows them to undercut them and in many ways be more convenient.
donut franchise
Re:Sounds like they should ban the cabbies (Score:4, Interesting)
See, this the the weird thing. As someone in Auckland, NZ, this simply makes no sense to me. The local taxi company already *has* computer-assisted hailing (complete with updates on current cab location as it approaches -- on iOS and Android) and, of course, can take payment via credit card. (Real chip-based credit card readers with PIN, so it's more secure than any website or app).
There's no limit to the number of cabs any particular company could run, nor any limit to the number of taxi companies (just certain registration, a level of knowledge requirement and certified taxi fare meters and cameras etc.) Because of our already deregulated nature, people simply are not permitted drive a car for hire-or-reward without the right type of driver's license ("P" endorsement).
Thus, all uber, thus, gives me is a snazzier app. That's it.
Re: (Score:3)
That sounds a lot like a command economy to me.
What I hear is 57,000 cabbies want to take money out of the mouths of families to feed their families, claiming their families are more important than other families. When you supply a service for $500, and the next guy supplies it for $250, the next guy can eat, and the people you were fleecing have $250 and can also eat. If they could eat already, they spend that $250 at the cobbler for shoes, and the cobbler can eat.
The cabbies should get a new job.
To hell with taxis... (Score:3, Interesting)
I had to pay $60 for an eight mile (12 km) taxi ride from the Portland Oregon airport to downtown because the idiot public transit system there stopped running from the airport at 11:25pm. All the flights from the East coast and Midwest USA leave in the late early evening and arrive between 11:30pm and 1:00am. The local public transport system (TriMet) spends millions of dollars each year telling people how wonderful they are, but they can't even get one single bus an hour on this most important route of
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
calling B.S. on you, ten miles from airport $14.50 Uber vs. $40 local taxi
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
I call BS. The last MAX train leaves PDX at 11:49pm. There are about three flights that get in too late to catch that train. And, depending on how much you tip, the taxi ride from the airport to downtown is about $40.
Re: (Score:2)
"Anything that improves the basic transport needs of any 21st-century city is welcome!"
How about raising gas taxes to help build out and maintain rapid and mass transit infrastructure?
Re: (Score:3)
That shouldn't be hard -- obstructing traffic is against the law. They can just arrest the cabbies after they refuse to move when requested and have their cabs towed.
Re:Sounds like they should ban the cabbies (Score:5, Informative)
That shouldn't be hard -- obstructing traffic is against the law. They can just arrest the cabbies after they refuse to move when requested and have their cabs towed.
It is like you don't even know France..
I suspect you don't. Obstructing traffic is against the law, but also a thing that happens routinely as a part of demonstations. Usually it is farmers though.
Re:Sounds like they should ban the cabbies (Score:4, Insightful)
It is like you don't even know France... Obstructing traffic is against the law, but also a thing that happens routinely as a part of demonstations. Usually it is farmers though.
The reason it is common, is that the French government routinely caves in to the demands of whomever throws the biggest tantrum, and the French voters routinely support the appeasement. In America, causing disruption and chaos is the best way to lose public sympathy for your cause. In France it is the best way to get it.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
That's what they would do if they had a functioning police department or legal system in France, but they haven't had that for many years. You might remember that they had a plague of thugs setting cars on fire a year or so ago, and the cops didn't even try to arrest any of them.
-jcr
2888 people arrested over the 20 nights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2... [wikipedia.org]
Re:Finally some HONESTY (Score:5, Insightful)
So reduce the number of regulations and taxes that taxis are subject to and suddenly they'll be able to deliver the same service as Uber but even more reliable. The taxi drivers seem to be complaining about the unfair advantage that the Uber drivers have, so you either subject the Uber drivers, who certainly fall into the definition of "taxi", to regulation or you deregulate taxis.
I assume there's some good reasons behind most, but probably not all, of the regulations affecting taxis, so why would we want to allow some subset of drivers to bypass those but not others?
I'd personally prefer the route of all of them being subject to the taxi regulations, but those regulations being eased in areas where they might have grown absurd.
Re: (Score:2)
No, if you reduce the number of regulations and taxes, they'll still provide the same shitty overpriced service, they'll just make more profit off of it. They're not complaining about an unfair advantage, they're complaining about competition.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
After getting a good taste of what it's like to scrape by, maybe they should ditch their taxis and register with Uber
This is based on a couple of assumptions;
1. That taxi drivers are not already "scraping by". I drove taxis and "scarping by" is normal operating procedure.
2. That a living wage can be made by switching to Uber. Most Uber drivers are doing it to make extra money. They are already making a living wage in their main job. The issue is that you are spreading out the same taxi money over more drivers so very few can actually make a living wage driving taxi any more. There have already been strikes over falling fa