Others have mentioned how strange! it has been the past few days. As I have said, and will always say, taxi drivers are immersed in whatever is in the local air. We inhale and exhale the madness. The trick then is not to allow yourself to be colored by the prevalent atmosphere. There may be a fog but you have to slow down, allowing a safe stopping distance. Any other course is a cement wall, as I will briefly explain.
Those limousine drivers!---Tomorrow at the Seattle City Council the Limo (Town car) Regulation Bill, the one passed and signed by governor, will be reviewed by the full council. The major feature of this legislation is the transfer of authority from the Washington State Highway Patrol to the City of Seattle. This has been a long and protracted and rancorous issue that has taken years to resolve. From the limo driver's point of view, there has been no resolution. Worse from their prespective is their shared perception that everything is poised to put them out of business. And it is difficult to disagree that their continued portrayal as taxis will be terminated. That they have been acting as "gypsy cabs" for years is without question. Approach one today and they will without hesitation identify themselves as taxis. Indeed the vast majority of them have driven taxi cabs. Clearly they view and see themselves as a logical extension from whence they came. Unfortunately for them, and especially for the customer base, there is little legal legitimacy to justify that view. Yesterday two fellows jumped in my taxi on the north side of Pike Place Market for a five dollar fare to lower Queen Anne, having just rejected a limo drivers quote of twenty-five dollars!
Last night on the Greyhound, I was speaking to a fellow I know from his years at Yellow, now driving a town car. He is the nicest guy, I believe hailing from West Africa. I was encouraging him to attend the city council session, and in my enthusiasm told him that "don't you understand, even though you are a citizen, a misdemeanor violation can get you deported!" Becoming offended, he pointed to the Federal Court House and shouted, "There they are, tell them to come and get me!" and other things to that effect. I stepped into the station, and upon coming out a another limo driver, someone who last year had shoved me, called me a terrorist and said he was a witness. At that I just gave up and I do, I surrender to their obstinacy. They know what they want to do and reality be damned, they are going to do it. Sounds like the majority of taxi drivers that I have encountered over my twenty-four plus years. And as the tea shop is closing, so will I till tomorrow.
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