Sorry for being so NY-centric. Each cab has a number (and a medallion -- a huge rubberized disc riveted to the hood). Without it, you can't drive a cab. And there are a finite number of them; the Taxi and Limo Commission just auctioned some off recently -- for $300,000 apiece! A cabdriver can be expected to pay this off in 20 years if he pays $28,300 annually. So cabdrivers have a strong incentive not to lose their licenses. (For more on this economic insanity, see here: http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/684061)


Yeah. That's road rage all right. Since the ***er missed. Otherwise, it's manslaughter.


EDIT: WTF? This should be the LAST post. How did this hop up here to the first??

Magic Words Stop Cabs Dead
 

Nothing unusual: morning commute, and a cab is drifting into my lane (the far left on a five-lane avenue). Maybe he's thinking about making a left himself if the traffic clogs up ahead. Cabs never signal. So I hammered it, and as I passed him hollered, "Don't turn into me!" Well, I guess he thought that was being uppity, cause he roared and rode right alongside me, edging into my lane. Clearly messing with me. I gave him the standard NYC traffic query: "What the **** are you doin'!?" That didn't work. Then I remembered the magic words. As he pulled right next to me, I shouted, "I mean, What the **** are you doing, Medallion No. FD17?" I wish all the BF'ers could have seen the color drain from his face as he gently braked and faded back.... It only works with cabs, but that was great....

that's what? the number you'd report him by?

Cab company car number would be my guess.

a medallion is a requirement for all cabs in the city. they are worth a fortune...and something no cabbie wants to lose. but, yeah, the individual cab driver can be tracked by the medallion number.

That's sweet! (and had never occurred to me)

...and the cops do nothing.

Last year I went to the sheriff's office to report an attempted assault (would've been assault and battery if the guy had managed to get ahold of me)...the deputy behind the counter first told me I should've "kicked his ass", then told me there was nothing I could do since 1: he didn't touch me and 2: i didn't call it in from where the incident occured.

After one incident I said to the passenger in the cab -
"Please don't give this guy a tip!"

Good stuff! :)

Had a guy zoom up into the back of me a few weeks ago, laid on his horn -- and unfortunately the car on the other side of me moved over a few crucial inches and this ass behind me zoomed in between me and the car -- missing my left handle bar by inches --- but instead of going by -- he paced me a moment then swerved into me on purpose. I always watch car tires when they're that close and I saw him do this so I immediatly went right - and clipped the curb - but stayed up.

He zoomed by me --- then slammed on the brakes long enough to flip me off then took off again.

Instead of my normal Tourettes like response - all I said is I have your plate number, which I did.

And I called the cops - who basically did nothing.

Cop: (running the plate number) - can you give me a description of the driver?

Me: (I concentrated on the plate so much --- but did remember he was either puerto rican or black and looked young, maybe 18-22, I thought I did pretty good given the situation).

Cop: Uh-huh, yup that's his father's car, and he lives nearby so he must be on his way home.

Me: (so? do something) So I asked what's the next step.

Cop: Well I think I'll give his parents a call and tell them what their son has been doing.

And that was it.

I called back, never got a hold of her, have no file number, etc. I went to the police station and talked with them - and they agreed it was road rage.

And they did nothing.

Little do they know that I work with the criminal justice departments at school - where the professors are all retired sherrifs, detectives --- as well as having direct contact with the four cops who have an office on the 1st floor. So I put them on it.