Uber And Lyft Used As Gettaway Cars In NYC & Union Of Concerned Scientists, Uber And The City Of Seattle & George Floyd, Taxi And American Currency

This week New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a weeklong curfew for Uber and Lyft between the hours of 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM, with special permission required from the New York Police Department to take Uber or Lyft from 12:30 AM to 5:00 AM.  Why has the Big Apple decided these draconian measures are necessary?  Because looters and other assorted criminals, taking advantage of the chaos created by the George Floyd demonstrations, have been using Uber and Lyft drivers as their "gettaway" cars.  What puzzles me is how anyone wouldn't question passengers carting new televisions and sewing machines into the car at midnight, knowing fully they were stolen from the store just around the corner.  What's pleasing is that NYC's Yellow cabs have permission to operate normally, meaning if anyone truly requires legitimate transportation, they can jump in a cab.  Any veteran cabbie will tell you that, if allowed, criminals will use you for all manner of illegal  activities.  The simple response must be no, you can't do this in my taxi.

Years ago I had a couple in my cab intent on burglarizing houses on the Eastside while using my station-wagon cab as their moving van.  I waited until I was mid-span on the Evergreen Point Bridge before hinting I understood what they were doing.  Freaking out, they had me take the first available exit, paid the full fare and got the hell away from me.  And that's how you handle these kinds of situations, stopping them in their thieving tracks.  All I can say is that many Uber and Lyft drivers do not know what they are doing, and may they all soon disappear beneath the setting sun, leaving the business in the hands of those who have at least half a clue concerning the transport of passengers from point A to B.  Amen.

Catalyst Magazine Volume 20, Spring 2020---Ride Hailing's Climate Risks, A Major Source of Carbon Emissions

 In their most recent issue, the Union of Concerned Scientists feature how Uber and Lyft are big fossil fuel polluters, contributing up to 69%  more carbon emissions than the transit they replace. Why?  Because there are so many of them, 28,000 in greater Seattle and over 80,000 Uber operators in New York City.  They clog the roads, and due to their low cost, take away from other more efficient forms of public transport.  The good scientists think it would be better if they all went away though conceding that probably won't happen.

And how are the good liberals in Seattle City government responding to the 83% drop in Uber & Lyft fares?  Well, instead of understanding a natural attrition is necessary to cull the TNC (ride-share) herd, proposals are coming forth to give them taxpayer money, the City Council crying tears over their economic plight.

And what was the City response when the local cab industry lost nearly 50% of its earning due to the Uber onslaught?  Why nothing whatsoever.  When medallion values sank from $250,000 to $3,000, did the City attempt to assist the floundering cabbies?  You know the answer to that too!

Bogus 20 dollar bills

By now, nearly everyone on our shared planet knows that George Floyd attempted to pay with a counterfeit bill, resulting in the Minneapolis police descending upon Floyd with guns drawn.  Note that I say he attempted to pay as to attempting to "pass" the rubber $20.00 bill.  My friend Rick was recently paid with a bogus $50.00 bill, translating into the reality that counterfeit currency is everywhere, and I am guessing that the majority of Americans, me included, have at one time unknowingly made a purchase with a bogus bill.  That doesn't make us criminals and it certainly doesn't mean we should be killed because of counterfeit currency.

I like to think I can easily detect false five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred dollars bills but I could be wrong, and if I make a mistake, should I be thrown to the street and with a knee pressed against my back or neck?  I don't think so but, early on in my cabbie history, I was manhandled by a Seattle Police officer, physically grabbed and tossed back into my cab. Was I resisting arrest? No.  Was I attacking the officer? No.  All I was doing was standing next to my cab.  That was my crime.  That was my grave error.

Closing Down I-5

Peaceful protests or not, Wednesday and Thursday WDOT closed I-5 through DT Seattle in both the Northbound and Southbound directions as an extreme precaution.  Wednesday their idiotic decision forced me to dangerously back up upon an onramp because I was taking a patient back to Woodinville and I couldn't sit for hours waiting for the freeway to reopen. Nuts! is all I can and will say!

Yellow Dispatch Fee Increase

For the past few weeks, we have been paying $90.00 per week instead of the usual $180.00.  It was just announced that we will now be paying $150.00 for the present time. Why, when we don't have enough cabs working to serve all the bells, is PSD making it harder on the handful of us working our butts off to serve the customers?  Does PSD think this rate increase is going to encourage more drivers drop their unemployment benefits and come back before July 31st?  If they believe that, then as the saying goes, they believe in "pigs flying."  And ya know, that might be true.

Dennis Roberts Fund Raising Push

I am starting my big, monthlong effort this weekend.  Please join me.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/burial-and-obituary-for-dennis-roberts

At least one thousand dollars more is required.

I know we can do it!