Evening star., 1928-12-23


front of my wife too-who is perfect
lady"
NOmads of Streets.
Taxi drivers are the nomads of the
streets. They work almost when they
please and come and go at will. On
the whole, they are a strange class,
composed, in all large cities, of about
the same type of men. Indeed some of
them drift continually from city to city,
in manner somewhat akin to the har-
vest hands out West who wander from
harvest to harvest. This class works
long enough to accumulate a stake or
until certain locality begins to pail
on them, and then they are off-to new
places, new people, something different,
yet after little while they find it
eternally the same: Then they needs
must move on again.
A great many "cab" drivers are men
who make of 1t a settled vocation, They
sometimes own their own cabs, and in
frequently several other cabs as well,
which they have other drivers operate
Tor them much after the fashion and
rules Gin miniature) of large compa-
nies.
Unfortunately, there is vet another
type Of "cab" dr.~ar who are not as
they might be. This type, fortunately
small, is composed of ne'er-do-wellS,
come-ons, bootleggers, runners for gam
bling establishments, disorderly houses.
etc., and men whom a weakness for
strong drink keeps from holding respon-
S1ble positions. There is, in addition,
usually sprinkling of the out-and-out
criminal class, who are using this means
TO support themselves between Jobs or
while they are hiding out, etc. OF course,
there is no business or industry entirely
free from men who come under the
aforementioned descriptions Only a
small percentage of this kind infest the
National Capital
But, unfortunately, the taxi business
offers more than the usual amount of
inducements to this type. The ease
with which these drivers secure such
employment despite the ceaSeleSs vigil
lance of the hack" inspectors Office
which is part of the Traffic Bureau)
the free-and-eaSy hours, the freedom
from discipline, ETC., all serve to at
tract this class. There is absolutely
no doubt, of course, but what the vast
majority of the taxi drivers are honest
and decent men and as trustworthy as
you could find anywhere. That is a
fact that the general public should
never lose sight Of.
considerable Complaint.
There has been in the past, and still
Is, great deal of complaint directed
against the manner In which some taxi
drivers operate their vehicles. There
is also no doubt but what large por-
ton of this complaint is founded upon
just and reasonable cause.
There is certain class of taxi driv-
ers who, in their efforts to secure busi-
Il 10 49, I.
seemingly have no regard for the rights
of whatever pleasure vehicles they
chance to encounter on the street. 1t
Is this class that provokeS the most
criticism. Probably the most annoying
feature that distinguishes the driving
OF this class is the extremely low speeds
they effect in narrow, congeSted areas.
OF course, they are looking for fares,
which fairly fast pace might deprive
them from observing, but that doesn't
help the homeward-bound motorist to
regard the practice in kindlier spirit
On certain narrow streets, of which
F street is striking example it is
almost impossible to pass around the
car IN front OF one. There is very
old proverb to the effect that "A chain
Is no stronger than its weakest link u
Well, We might say, to give that old
adage a modern twist "a stream ct
traffic on narrow street progresses nc
faster than its slowest member"
Then there are certain other tax!
drivers who try to drive in such a man.
ner that no vehicle. regardless of the
width of the street, can pass them, theil
idea being, Of course, to keep any othel
cab from passing them and so pick W
any chance fare who might be waiting
just ahead. This practice not only
helps to hold back competitors, but il
also deprives possible pleasure cars Of
their right to pass This practice or
the part Of taxi drivers is familiarly
known to the police, etc, as grabbing.
It is against the law, however, and they
are arrested and punished whenevel
found doing it.
Like Death at Stake.
But when once the "fare" has beer
picked up and is safely CD ensconcet
on the inside of their cab-oh, boy
Then the fun begins. They wheel ant
dart away with a seeming utter disre
gard for life, limb and property in
manner which causes the beholder t
gasp and the motorist to edge appre
hensively toward the curb. Where be
fore they daWdled along in a lacka
daisical manner, they now tear alon
as If life or death was at stake. AM
woe betide the luckless pedestrian VIII
delays them!
There Is copy book maxim whicl
Gays that "Sticks and stones may brea
my bones, but hard words can neve
Na1YYxk ma UyaII IN ayElaa SnN nt least