My Comment About Potential Robot SF Cab Service
As I wrote last week, I encourage everyone to send their opinion to the CPUC voicing your view about the pending General Motors Cruise Cab application to allow driverless taxis in San Francisco. As I said, once it gets started, who knows where and when it will all end, with GM targeting other cities for its service. It is a bad idea, as you will soon read. Watch out for mindless bureaucracy. They brought us Uber and Lyft. Beware.
Dear California Public Utilities Commission----Subject: Autonomous Taxis, San Francisco
My primary question is, who among you will take responsibility for the first fatality stemming from driverless taxis plying the City of San Francisco's dangerously congested streets and highways, because it is going to happen, and my prediction is that within the first month of operation, people will die if GM's application is approved. How will the driverless cab react when a speeding dump truck flies through a red light, smashing the car to smithereens? That's all I want and need to know, who amongst your commission will be held accountable? Will you be charged with manslaughter? I think all of you should and will be charged, and rightfully so, well deserving if the commission decides it is good and correct to allow autonomous cars into the public sphere. You would be creating an unnecessary and deadly scenario. My advice: don't do it. Thank you.
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Again, here is how you can comment to the commission: 866-849-8390 &
public.advisor@cpus.ca.gov.
Odd And Insulting Anonymous Allegation Forwarded by the City & County
Last Thursday, after three days off, I had a message saying I had a City compliant to deal with. Once at the PSD office, this is what I read, made by someone who remained nameless, anonymous, saying that on Sunday, April 22, 2022, at 7 PM, they flagged (hailed) me on the street, went approximately 3/4 of a mile----Northgate Mall to 15th NE and Pinehurst Way, and during this three-minute ride I, one, was rude; two, I touched them inappropriately; and three, failed to provide a receipt. As "she-who-can't-be-named" commented, "that was fast work," doing all that in a taxi blink-of-the-eye.
As I quickly wrote in my response, I had no idea what this was about, having not picked up someone flagging off the street nor having done anything stated in the complaint. While I can be grumpy, I am never unkind. As to any physical contact with passengers, I avoid that while discouraging contact initiated by them. Sometimes they want to shake my hand but that's all I allow. And I keep paper receipts on hand, as my blue tooth printer sometimes doesn't work, and I spent $75.00 at Fed EX having some printed up. You want a receipt, I have one for you.
But it is a good question as to why someone would make an erroneous and spurious complaint, something designed to hurt me. Through the course of 34 plus years, I have had perhaps 10 complaints lodged, alleging behaviors that I have beat them up, stole items etc, all of them appearing to have the same source: anger, somehow having made them angry, causing an urge for revenge. Given that I have a lifelong credo of never wanting to harm anyone, backed up by my November 1972 CO/1-0 SS Draft Exemption, I nonetheless appear to piss some people off by insisting I remain in control of what happens in the cab at all times, obviously professionally responsible for what is a regulated and licensed service. Drunks especially resent my stance.
But as to why this complaint was made, ultimately I can't tell you. I can only guess. Given its anonymous nature, it could have been made by another motorist I somehow offended. Almost everyday now I am dealing with some version of road-rage incident, both mild and serious. As I have noticed, the color yellow is often like red to a bull, provoked by the mere waving of the taxi cape. Again, I make every effort to conduct myself professionally with each and every passenger. To do otherwise is both contrary to my nature, and suicidal, the cab driver every much in the public focus and eye.
While understanding that complaints should be examined, this kind of false allegation leaves me feeling vulnerable and unprotected, a reality that all cabbies will relate to. Cab drivers are pretty much on their own, subject to wind, rain and the uncensored opinion of anyone out there who wants to provide it. Taxi can be scary, and the kind of allegations made in this complaint underlines that reality: you are alone and there is rarely anyone there to help you. Yes, vulnerability with every mile we drive, that's what we face and the life we live. If it wasn't for the freedom and money, you'd have to be nuts to do this. And that, my friends, is the god awful and honest truth.
Stacy Anderson Memorial
Everyone is welcomed by Stacy's sister Wendy to the memorial June 5th, Sunday, 1:00 PM at Hamlin Park, 16006 15th NE, Shoreline, WA. See you there!
Com' on, Everybody, Let's work the Victoria Clipper
Yes, everyday this Spring and Summer, at 7:45 PM, at Pier 69, cabs will be and are needed. What a percentage! Eight days I have worked the boat and seven times off to Sea-Tac. Get down there! Do it! We need the Clipper covered.
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