All right, this is a city wide issue, but, dammit, it matters to us here. The new meters and regulations (specifically the one about not being able to pick up additional passengers) may mean that whether a cab light is on may actually indicate availability.
DCist is also reporting that Fenty has announced a direct link between the meters and the light on the top of the cab that would automatically turn the light on and off.
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Perhaps I didn't read the article carefully enough, but I didn't see anything about the cab light being activated by the meter. At any rate, I hope it is true. Even after living here for a few years, I still find it strange that there's no way to tell if a cab is available other than getting a good look at the backseat to see if there are any passengers. I don't really have strong feelings about zones v. meters, but I'm quite about about the light
That would be "happy about the light."
is your cab light on, or are you just happy to see me?
Sorry about that. I could have sworn the DCist post said something like that, but perhaps I was just hallucinating after last night's extended ANC meeting.
Found it. Here is the DCist link that says Fenty announced the light/meter link.
Is there a reason why all of the cabs seem to spew black smoke out of their exhaust pipes? Are cabs exempt from the annual emissions inspection or something?
There are taxis in our neighborhood?
One can sometimes catch one.
If not, there's a guy named Jonathon usually in the Murray's parking lot that will work as a taxi.
and there are several guys that work outside the greyhound bus station on the north side (which, btw, i heard the stateion was leaving - is that true?), that will drive you anywhere in dc. no zone charge, no meters, you just work a price out before you head off to your destination.
i think one of the guys' names is Thomas.
he's been in dc forever and has tons of stories to tell about our little village...
just make sure you grab him before 9:00 p.m. or else you'll get pulled over for his drunk driving.
I might be wrong about this, but some quick research seems to indicate that DC has some 6,000 cabs. Chicago has 7,000. San Fransico has some 1,300. Los Angeles as 2,300. New York has 13,000 official cabs. I must be missing something here, there must be more reasons beyond simple statistics, but it does seem strange that i often cannot find a cab in key busy areas of this city.
This has nothing to do with the lights on in cabs but it does have to do with cabs in DC
I live on 13th ST NE, very close to H st (between E and F actually) and find that when I am not on the Hill, I have a hard time finding a cab that will delivery back to my address. This has become very frustrating for me esspeacially late @ nite. I mean, I know everyone is concerned about meters vs. zones but I just have trouble getting a cab to where I want to go (especially if it is other than NW).
Does anyone else have this problem and have any suggestions?
Get into the cab before revealing your destination. Drivers have to take you. If the driver refuses you can use that little number on the visor to report them. most drivers at this point will take you (be firm, but not rude).
Here is an interesting thing for folks to note. I once hailed a cab in Dupont to go to Capitol Hill; the cab stopped and invited me in , so I did.. I announced where I was going, and he said "no", he was going home. So he kicked me out, and I went. But not before I got the necessary information. I reported him to the DC Taxicab Commission, which, to my everlasting shock to this day, they scheduled a timely hearing, and all witnesses were present, including the cabdriver, and guess what, I won. The driver was fined several hundred dollars. The irony is that there is no public transportation from the DC Taxicab hearing rooms, so i had to hail a cab. The only cab that was around, and who responded, was the same guy I just took to the commission, and he waived for me to get in. I didn;t.
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