After writing my analysis of a troublesome issue I thought it would generate an immediate response. That is what I get for thinking because I know the taxi world all too well. Jumping up and down and shouting and yelling is great exercise but when it comes down to serious discussion most are not interested. There unfortunately remains a huge gap between the first emotional response and necessary effective action. Quite often that second phrase never occurs, or in the case of the Sea-Tac drivers, they let someone else do it for them. For me this explains the lack of response from the "for-hire vehicle" industry for essentially the majority of them are all former taxi drivers. They too wait for others to do the hard work for them. They hired a lobbyist who is still in the learning phrase about both industries. And now it seems they are waiting for December and the City Council to make everything better. As I told their lobbyist in an email today, depending upon bureaucrats to solve your issues is like expecting "an arsonist to help you put out the fire." To me it is an extremely naive approach. And a very dependent position to be in. The very folks who refuse to be led are instead led "by the nose." It is this now inherent industry contradiction that makes every issue so distorted and confusing. There is this wonderful word with an Australian origin, corroboree meaning a large and noisy crowd. That certainly describes us as a group. Warlike can also be part of the definition. That I hope is not true. I certainly know that cabbies are not particularly trusting. Many appear to feel that I am not genuine which is unfortunate. Authority figures they understand and embrace but validating one of their own kin is another story. A very sad story.
Following up some thoughts from yesterday, I find the City's treatment of the "for-hire" industry abhorrent, punitive and unfair. Even though I am appalled every time I see a "for-hire" car illegally picking up, sometimes taking the very passenger that is rightfully mine, I have come to the conclusion that the blame lies solely with the very poorly considered decision to release these licenses in the first place. It was ill-conceived and everyone else must both pay the cost and spend the time cleaning up the mess. Yes I want a solution and hope for a quick and lasting one. But being realistic and knowing all of the parties involved all I want to do is leave Seattle permanently and forget all about it. Must be my prime unconscious reason for buying all those lotto tickets. I never win but I pray for release from this bedlam, this asylum,this madhouse. Amazingly I am suddenly religious. Now that indeed is a miracle.
I can not close without mentioning one delightful but slightly irritating fare from this past weekend. An older woman (early 80s) stepped out of Vera's Restaurant in Ballard and wanted to go sixty miles south down the road to our capital city of Olympia. Her response to how was she going to pay the nearly 200 dollars was display invisible money. When I told her there was nothing in her coin purse she snapped that I needed glasses. Yes I do agree that indeed special glasses are required to see what isn't there. I loved her smile, simply given minus guile. As I like to say, rhyme reduces the crime. I can only hope that she safely arrived where ever she might have been heading. Another gentle soul lost upon the streets and earth. I see too many is all I can say. Such again is taxi as I know it.
No comments:
Post a Comment