Taxi to the Dark Side

Monday, February 16, 2009

I house sat this weekend in the suburbs for a nice Jewish fam with a miniature poodle & a long-haired cat. Today, I planned to cab it back to the Cleve so that I could visit Bravo's Chef Spike Mendohlson's Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill, which I've been waiting forever to go to.

Short on cash, I phoned Regency Cab 20 minutes before I actually wanted to put in a call, just to check that they took credit cards; I was assured they did. I called 20 minutes later to get a cab, no problem, & a friendly operator told me it'd be 10-15 minutes.

That's where the friendly ended.

A mere 25 minutes later (please note my immediate sarcasm), my cabbie shows up, & when I got in, he lazily says, "So where we goin'?" as if I hadn't, you know, called in with my origin & destination. And then he says, "And how do I get there?" Right, because I know how to navigate the 'burbs of Bethesda. YOU'RE A CABBIE; Connecticut Avenue isn't exactly an unknown back road. Annoyed at my ack of directional information, he puts my location into his GPS & we set off for home. A couple blocks before my apartment, just for good measure, I ask, "I can pay with a credit card, right?" & he says no. Ina bored tone, he "explains" that his credit card machine worked earlier but now "it don't have it," whatever that means. When I tell him I only chose Regency because I was assured I could pay with a credit card, he says, "I can drop you at an ATM."

Clearly pissed, I get out of his car at the ATM two blocks from my place, where I take out a $20. When I get back to the car, I discover my driver has run the effing meter while I was getting money out! At my wits' (& patience's) end, I tell him, "I'm not giving you $19.50. It was $18 when I got out. I'm not paying you for having a broken machine."

Oh, & did I mention that he dropped me off two blocks from my destination? Didn't even take me all the way? Just left me at the ATM, luggage & all? What a gem of a driver.

Me being me, I called to complain, of course, & in all fairness, the dispatcher was VERY nice & apologetic & took all of his/my information. But me being me, I'm still a little bitter about it, & I hope this guy gets fired or at least reprimanded, if not for his crap credit card machine that goes against company policy then at least for being a huge jerk about it.

10 comments:

  1. wow you would at least think that he could have written down your credit card info and charged it later- i hope you only paid the $18

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  2. Ridiculous. I'm sort of thankful I don't live in a city that basically mandates either taxi use, walking, or subbing. I like being able to drive where I need to go.

    It's so funny because I rarely ever carry cash anymore. I haven't run into many places that don't take credit card. Craaaaazy.

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  3. Wow... yea I'm not a big fan of DC drivers. That happened to me before about them not knowing where to go. It's ridiculous! I'm glad you called to complain.

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  4. WOW that really sucks. I definitely would not have tipped the guy. In fact I would have refused to stop at an ATM because you specifically mentioned using a CC. If they send the wrong cab let them get your information later. Why you should be put out?

    I am sure after a weekend away you just wanted to get home and relax, sorry it was so stressful

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  5. If you remember the cab number, you could put in a complaint with DC's Taxi and Limousine Commission, or whatever they call it in DC.

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  6. I'm beginning to think there are no requirements for being a cab driver in this city. Certainly no sense of direction/location needed.

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  7. That is so #(&$#(*&$ rude! I am totally irritated for you! lol

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  8. What is it with DC cab drivers?!?

    I had a similarly horrific experience btw: http://plightofthepumpernickel.blogspot.com/2008/11/fearing-for-my-life-worst-cab-driver-in.html

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  9. that's pretty messed up. the meters are easier than the zones were, at least. but you have to be careful to see which "extras" they punch in.

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  10. oh hell no. i'm of the party that firmly believes dc cabbies are out to cheat us. I would have taken his number down and reported his ass. That kind of behavior is just rude!

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