Over a nearly 11 day span, Seattle and most of the entire state of Washington was severely impacted by record and near record snowfall. At certain moments, business soared, creating real money-making opportunities for the more fearless cabbie. During the second Monday's snowfall, I got a $110.00 fare from Ballard Swedish Hospital, taking me to the City of Tacoma, a ride of approximately 30 miles due south of Seattle.
In my ever ongoing quest to describe taxi as I experience it, I present a mundane fare made noteworthy by inclement weather, representing taxi reality as it really is. That this kind of early 21st Century history goes unnoticed is reason enough to tell you about it, to record what otherwise will go unseen and unremembered.
If I could be so lucky, I can only hope that hundreds of years from now, someone will both read this and gain understanding of what this particular period of America was like, comparing it to their own current lifestyle and culture. In short, I hope anyone in the future will see this as a fragment of a distant past era now made real for them in the year 2318 or later, taking this as a hello, not as a solitary goodbye from a long, dead representative cabbie.
Ride Into The Snow Monday February 11, 2019
Sunday evening and Monday morning Seattle was hit by 4-6 inches of fresh, very wet snow. Knowing it could be a good day, I set out hoping for the best. After two short fares, I hit taxi pay dirt, a HopeLink account fare taking the passenger from Ballard to an address in Tacoma, giving me nearly $110.00 for the ride. Given the weather, she had been waiting since 10:00 AM and I was belled in at about 11:30 AM. Happy to see the cab, this after a 30-day hospital stay, we packed all her belongings into the trunk and off we went, with me knowing that as we proceeded further south, the more likely I would be driving straight into a raging storm.
Deciding to route myself south through downtown to I-5 southbound, it took me about ten minutes to reach the Jame Street entrance ramp, entering onto a wet but snow-free roadway. Keeping my speed at 60 MPH, I marveled as other drivers sped by, knowing they hadn't learned their lesson concerning snow and ice and how you can be surprised when you least expect it. And sure enough, upon reaching Southcenter, parallel to Sea-Tac, snow greeted us, telling me I should expect the worse, and about Federal Way, I found out just how bad it would be. My passenger, being from Alaska, talked about winter and bears entering the house, her mother's screams telling the momma bear and her three cubs it was time to leave.
By the time I reached the Tacoma Dome, snow was briskly falling, huge flakes inundating the freeway, visibility poor and only growing more limited as I neared my exit. Heading toward an address on South Yakima Street, I was now in "winter wonderland," thick, heavy wet snow coating the streets, making it difficult but not totally impossible to move forward.
Stopping across the street from the required address, and dodging traffic, I assisted in carrying everything to the house. Someone came out onto the porch, saying she would help but she was only wearing slippers. I saw that. Whatever else she said I ignored, having to quickly move and get out of harm's way and back down the roadway. Wishing my passenger the best, I was out of there, mildly slipping and sliding back onto to I-5 northbound.
Greeted with more snow, I made it north minus much of anything until I accepted a fare waiting at the VA Hospital. Now that fare became more complicated because Seattle's sky had broken loose, translating into a rough ride back to Renton.
Later, when a roadway combination of compact ice and snow plus rain plus a further coating of snow made driving potentially lethal, I stopped early, ate some great Chinese dumplings, and got the hell out of there, snow outpacing the road crews, parking 1092 behind the Broadview Library and walking down the hill. Fares were now everywhere but I couldn't care. I understood what awaited if I continued. It was time to stop. A friend later told me an errant driver slammed into his cab. Yes it was time to stop.
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Essay: Three Nights Walking in the Snow
Monday
Snowing had stopped. For once, the city was quiet. No one but myself walking the residential streets, first north on Palatine then down 127th, proceeding south on 8th NW. Everything, houses, trees, lawns, streets glistening white in the dark. Beautiful! Glad to have it all to myself, feeling a solitary peace. It was wonderful. Alone!
Tuesday
Slush! A rise in temperature and rain creating a mucky surface. This time I meet someone dodging deep puddles, then again by myself. Thick ruts greet my steps. No problem. It's fun having to think about it, avoiding this and that moist trap. Once again I am enthralled by a singular and rare isolation from humanity. Thank you!
Wednesday
The Seattle Times said we could expect the high 20's F. And it was true, the evening cold and crisp, icing the streets and providing a clear sky. There is the half moon illuminating the night. Truly wonderful, stars and an unknown to me constellation saying hello. Hello, I thought back, hello! I hear you! I truly hear you!
Does Anyone in State Government Know What They Are Doing?
It is ridiculous, giving me a hard time about what I am still not sure, saying my car/cab registration and insurance policy doesn't state what I am not sure, the woman on the phone from the capital Olympia saying something about "avi's" and how I am not operating legally. I later found out she was talking about the Sea-Tac Airport Fare Counting System and how I had to do what? to be legal. But lady, my cab is single-plated (City of Seattle only), meaning I cannot legally work the airport without, 1) a King County plate, and 2) a Belled-In sticker. But you folks did issue me my business license. What the hell are you talking about? meaning I will have to figure this bullshit out, caused only by your agency because I only know what is required if you folks tell me and how could I possibly be intentionally avoiding something I now nothing about.
And yes I will figure this out, and I promise you I will also be talking to both the Governor's and Attorney General's office about all this, threatening someone while I am being completely cooperative. If I am confused, what about all my immigrant colleagues who barely know up from down? It is plainly embarrassing, having government bludgeon the innocent. Not cool at all is what I can and will say. Amazing!
And what a waste of my valuable time and breath. Pathetic.
How is it possible that Uber is still operational?
A NY Times 02/16/2019 article, reported by Kate Conger and Mike Isaac, says that Uber lost 842 million dollars in the last quarter 2018, a whopping 88 percent loss increase compared to the same 2017 quarter. How does this company survive? As I have posted before, is Uber a Ponzi Scheme? Is anyone paying attention? Are people, specifically investors, stupid? Ha Ha Ha is all I can say.
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