Posted on 12/21/2005 12:07:25 PM PST by Dichroic
December 21, 2005 -- A cabby belted an Upper East Side woman in the face last night after she argued that she was overcharged on an eight-block ride, police said ......... Lillian Gauna, 34, said she hailed the cab at 88th Street and Third Avenue at around 8:30 p.m. and asked the driver to take her to 81st Street and Second Avenue.
The driver, Muhammed Lone, 29, insisted she pay an extra $5 on top of the $10 "single zone" flat fare that the new strike rules call for, she said.
When she refused, Lone allegedly leaped out of his yellow cab and punched her in the face.
Cops arrested him for assault. She declined medical treatment.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
No, its not really capitalism at work - the cabbies now have a strike-enforced monopoly, and are charging predatory rates beyond what the market would normally bear. If there was no strike, then there would be competition between MTA and cabbies, and THAT would be capitalism at work.
Shades of Mark Steyn. Another one.
I was simply surprised she didn't elect to walk such a short distance, especially during the strike when there's a shortage of available taxis.
And 8:30 at night in NYC is hardly all alone in the dark.
It has nothing to do with capitalism.
Only people with official TLC medallions awarded by the city government are allowed to operate cabs.
The prices this scumbag was charging are set by the TLC, not the market.
And he was probably breaking those rules.
If any licensed driver with a decent automobile was allowed to provide cab service, these guys would be out of business.
>>>It capitalism at work. Charge what the traffic will bear.
But the fare the cabby charged was not what had been agreed upon when she entered the cab.
Dont have a link to NY1 story, it was on the tv when I was in the city this morning.
What a mess. Sad. :-(
He probably thought he was due a tip too.
They article doesn't mention anything about Christmas gifts.
Since the people do not have to use the taxi services and since they are all independent operators in that they can charge more or less what they want, there is an element of competition at play.
It is indeed capitalism. No law has been broken that I am aware of.
Of course not. Where did I say that?
The maniac drivers (in more ways than one, clearly) are the primary reason why I do not take taxis in NYC.
Sounds like he tried to change the terms of the contract after completing his services, regardless of whether or not they are regulated.
You know, this is BS. Yeah, maybe she could have walked the 8 blocks. But it's her choice to take a cab. People make choices to take a cab all the time, mainly for convenience sake. I swear, some of the people on this board sound like Democrats, dictating what a person should and should not do. And no one should be expected to be punched for any reason. It sounds like some people on this board - you included - are giving permission to this clown to punch this woman. You - and others who echo what you said - should grow up!
Try living down here on the Gulf Coast during hurricane season. We get profiteers from all over the country come down here and "assist" us in getting back on our feet. They come and stay for months making more than they'd make in a year up north. Capitalism at work indeed.
What you described is indeed capitalism.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission is the government monopoly that awards cab licenses.
You claim they are setting the rates so what is the problem?
The problem is that there should be a free market for cabs in NYC.
Can they arbitrarily raise the rates to gouge the public?
Of course they can. They are a monopoly.
They instituted the new zone system overnight without consultation.
Have you evidence the cabbie was breaking the law?
????
he punched a woman in the face!
you don't know what you are talking about.
they cannot charge whatever they want and only people who are in the club of government-appointed cabbies can solicit business.
It's a price-controlled monopoly and the cabbie was trying to use his status as a monopoly provider to use the price-control system to fleece a customer.
And then he hit her.
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