Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-09
DECLINING TERROR OF THE TAXI
by Frederic ,. skin

by Frederic
New York, Nov. 9.--Anybody who
has ever had occasion 10 use a Nam
haitian taxioab will be glad TO know
that o reform movement is now in
progress among taxi drivers here.
They have decided 10 abandon their
bold. bad ways in favor Of life u
virtue. Sir Galahad IL their working
model this year. instead Of Captain
Kidd Honesty accuracy, courtesy
and quick service are the new slogans
of the new League Of Independent
Taxi Chauffeurs which recently an-
nounced that IL would exclude from
It's membership and sock 20 have pun-
ihhed any driver found guilty of the
piracy methods so much in vogue
last year.
While Il might be pleasant to as
sume, Gentle Reader, that this sudden
change Of heart on the part Of taxi
drivers Is a sign Of Improvement IN
the human race, we cannot ignore the
fact that II is doubtless dictated by
expediency Hard times have hit the
taxi business particularly heavy
whang. Many people. Judging from
painful experience that all taxi chauf-
feurs are robbers win walk miles
rather than use cab, while the rapid
lly decreasing number who do use them
are most careful to see that they are
not cheated.
Last year, when the publie's pocket
book was considerably fatter. it could
afford TO be bit careless in the mat
ter Of taxi fares. but now at the FIRST
suspicion Of overcharge, it calls po-
liceman or reports the matter 70 the
lefty license bureau
The complaints Of citizens against
taxi drivers are heard every Friday
afternoon I'm the little courtroom at
ltached to the Department Of Licenses
lat 81 Center street. They are nearly
ALWAYS proved to be justified, in which
lease the driver Is ordered TO refund
to the passenger the amount Of over
charge and is lucky # ne does not
1als0 have his license suspended.
A Typical Case.
On the Friday we attended this tri-
hunal. for example, a young woman
complained that she had been com
PEELED TO pay a taxi driver S. for q
"trip which should have cost but $3.50
She had hailed a cab on West Eighty.
sixth street and asked the driver how
much it would cost her to drive to Z
, lThirty-third street motel. About S2
, ne replied, Whereuron the younl
woman got into the cab. At the en-
, trance Of the hotel however. th,
driver insisted that owing to severa
jelays in traffic the meter registerel
IS. The passenger protested. Dut Fl
lrally paid the bill to avoid a discus
sion that was attracting attention
As she was entering the hotel. tn
!, hotel starter thrust a small piece @
A cardboard into her hand
While you were talking with tn
driver, ! looked at the meter and
registered $780," he said Here
. the number OF the cab. II you viii re
port this % the license bureau it wi
II see that you ret a refund
II die. And inasmuch az this wa
r the second complaint segisterc
I against the same driver, he was Dc
! lprived Of his license.
The moral Of this story is quit
g plain. If you have reason 10 believ
that you are being overcharged by
|. New York taxi chauffeur, don't wasi
time in argument and recriminatioi
+ If a policeman hapepns TO be witni
a hailing distance. tell your troubles
. him. If not, simply take the numbs
n of the cab and If possible. the numb'
: Of the driver. exhibited on his shiel
s and seek the little courtroom in Gel
= ter street. Here you are apt to me
4. your taxi robber face to face. In q
- likelihood he viii protest his inn
= 4cence, swear that he has never ses
r. you before and claim that ne was
in bed at home on the day you s;
he overcharged you. But if you a
able positively 10 identify him, q
I Cdds are all in your favor. For Ior
experience has taught the Depar
ment Of Licenses that people do n
make the laborious trip to Cent
- street unless they have substanti
grievances
In accordance with rules laid doV
- by The department, the driver OF
- public mack must produce, upon
mand of its officials. a record Of
trips made by his venicle during
period Of so days prior to the demar
- Such a record may often be call
- upon TO prove an alibi for the driv
himself or his passenger not only
-ases of this kind, but in importa
A. criminal cases. The driver who IA
20 produce such a record or WHO ii
no sents one Of questionable authen
city lSanOt at ali TO be enyied
or The department also has a list
other rules with which the wise driy
~, viii employ. It is specified
Instance. that he must be at least
years old, of sound physique, vi
he good eyesiCht. and not subject
epilepsy, vertigo heart trouble.
he other ilfirmity of body or mind VIII
might render him unit for the 5;
itb operation Of public hack in crowd
traffic.
l'd Qualifications OF Taxi Driver.
HE must be able to read and vi
English, the rules continue, III
i@' progressed as far as first papers tow
naturalization. if alien born. must
an clean in dress and person and
addicted to the use IF intoxicat
'O' liquors. He must present satisfact
testimonials as to character and 2
vious record. signed by reputable c
. Yens, and supply a detailed descript
OF his personal appearance, toget