Put your money where your mouth is and go for Uber or Lyft the next time you need your drunk ass carted home then.

You only waited 10 minutes past the arrival time and still the cab showed up? And you're complaining?

You're a whining little bitch. Walk your ass home.

Ohh, cry me a fucking river! You had to wait ten extra minutes! Ten extra minutes that you could have used to drink some more or to whine about how terrible it is to wait ten extra minutes! Oh, the humanity!

Also, when you call for a cab, isn't it standard practice for the dispatcher to ask how you're paying? That's the way it is here in in Atlanta. You probably forgot to ask or you just assumed that everyone was as hip and with it as you are. If this is the worst thing to ever happen to your stupid, entitled ass, count yourself lucky. What a self-obsessed douche-bag. I bet you didn't even tip the cab driver.

Ever notice how when assholes drink it amplifies their assholery? OP probably stiffed the driver on a tip as well.

@5,

The only thing Seattle-area dispatch asks is the address where you want to be picked up. If you need a cab at a specific time (like if you're going to the airport), you basically have to yell the request repeatedly into the phone to get the dispatcher to acknowledge it.

I don't think I've ever gotten shit from a cab driver for using a credit card. Although it would be nice if more of them would adopt the smartphone credit card apps. Are they forced to use the shitty system by the large taxi companies?

@5 jesus. Fuck this "Oh you had to wait... waaahhh..." horse shit.

You're paying them to come when you call them. That is the entire point of the taxi. Fuck them if they're late.

And why the fuck would you tip somebody that's late and bitches about the method of payment?

Look. I've used taxis' all over the god damned world. Even is developing countries like Cambodia and Vietnam. All over the god damned world.

Other than the Ukrainian Gypsy cab scam artists in Rome, those cities largely have cabs that are on time and take your money how you want to pay and have the sense to keep their sexists racist drivel to themselves. But not here.

Taxis here in the US (except maybe New York) — and particularly in Seattle — are routinely late, routinely rude, and routinely bitch and whine and say crazy shit to you.

Uber is an infinitely better experience. While I'm no fan of the deregulated "sharing economy", I hope Uber crushes the asshole cab companies in Seattle.

smells like Astroturf....

http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-is-spam…

I agree, having used a lot of cabs in this city.

There are some great cab drivers! Some real favorites I am always happy to see, but there are also some assholes, and I think whining about the assholes is entirely justified.

You pay, you expect decent service out of any other situation, restaurant, hairdresser, etc, why not a cab too?

And I have had cab drivers try to tell me I should be in an arranged marriage, and all kinds of other sexist and religious crap, I do not pay for that, or for a cab that stinks of unwashed driver, and f*cked if they get a good tip for it.

Good drivers get a good tip, always. Not the late rude ones.

Have yet to try Uber, but this makes me think about it.

Isn't it about time the Stranger retitled this column "Passive-Aggressive Editorial"?

Big fucking deal. I switched phones and Uber thought I was some sort of hacker and turned off my account without notifying me. The morning of a meeting I tried to log in and it just kept logging me out. Nobody to call. Nobody to talk to. Just fucked.

I finally got hold of them and they wanted me to email them a photo of my credit card. Do you understand how fucked that is?

Uber is NOT a replacement for cabs which ARE ALREADY REGULATED TO SHIT YOU IGNORANT ASSHOLE. Cabs just want UberX to be regulated too. And if UberX threatens the viability of cabs UberX does need to be regulated. Uber is not an accessible, for-everyone kind of service.

Three days ago my friend, who uses a wheelchair, tried to call a wheelchair taxi to get to the venue of her wedding. You can't book them ahead. You can only call and get in line. Yellow Cab sent a regular taxi. She called again, and an hour went by, and she finally took a Metro bus. TO HER OWN WEDDING. Seattle Yellow Cab you suck. Someone PLEASE start a competing wheelchair cab service.

To the entitled shit who wrote this,

Perspective. Priorities.

Someday, I hope you have some concept of what these are.

I simply don't carry cash because I've had my wallet taken a couple times, and prefer something where I can just call and cancel without a financial loss.

I've had drivers try to bully me into stopping at an ATM and getting cash at my expense. I've had drivers who have no clue where anything is try to drive the wrong way on a freeway with me telling them that they are heading the wrong direction...AND THEY IGNORE ME FOR MILES...because they are talking to someone on their phone. That same driver tried to charge me for the additional 10 miles. Even though it was his fault for not listening to my directions, not following the GPS which I finally made him start using when he wouldn't listen to me, and his lack of respect by talking on the phone constantly which meant he missed the directions for which way to turn onto the freeway.

I've had this issue many times over the years with many cab drivers. I've also had their dispatchers tell me a cab was coming, then when I call back tell me that they were joking before and that there's no cabs in our area and they won't send one for hours...and then laugh at me again when I get pissed.

So yes, seriously, f*** most of you cab companies and drivers. I don't mean this to all as I have had a few great experiences with nice people driving the cabs...but very rarely.

www.blackcrowncar.com

Cab services in Seattle are finally getting what they deserve: real competition.

I, too, have had unacceptable experiences with cab drivers in this town. Too many to count.

The drivers have been smelly and arrogant at best, creepy perverts at worst. And that's if they even show up! (Late, of course, on top of it all.)

I just love watching karma in action.

Oh the horrors of city life. You must have the patience of a saint.

@ #9, Yes everything you said. Uber and Black Crown Car are the only companies worth a damn. Yellow cab is the absolute worst. They wouldn't accept 2700 Union as an address. They said it didn't exist, laughed at me, and told me to walk home. http://blackcrowncar.com/ !

Sure, Uber and similar unregulated taxi services do offed better service and nicer cars. So what does regulation get the consumer? The most important this it gets us is a guarantee of antiquity liability insurance. Oh, you say, Uber provides that... Well, in fact Uber drivers are only covered for $50,000 injury, $100,000 injury total, and $25,000 in property damage. And think their personal insurance will cover the rest? Dream on, most if not all of these Uber drivers are not covered for commercial activities like those of an unregulated taxi service. So you had better hope that your injuries do not exceed a small portion of that tiny chunk that Uber says they will pay. And as the person that hired the unregulated taxi service, get ready to be the target of lawyers representing other folks injured when some Uber driver fucks up.

Why the Insurance Industry is Taking Aim…

Uber, Lyft Riders Might Not Be Covered b…

I agree that yellow cabs in Seattle are awful (I've absolutely had drivers be crazy/racists/perverts/creeps), but in my experience Lyft sucks too. My first Lyft ride was great, I told everyone I knew that they had to try it. So clean and comfy and nice and easy, no cash changing hands, THE CAB OF THE FUTURE!
Then the next four times I tried to take a Lyft somewhere, the app froze, the cars never came, and every time the drivers eventually cancelled the rides. Once the guy canceled from one block away from where I was, after I'd waited for 20 minutes for him.

So, fuck yellow can AND fuck Lyft. As a result I'm disinclined to try Uber. As far as I've experienced, the only reliable car service in Seattle is Crown black car.

Amen. I still recall the ride home from the airport at 3:00 AM where the driver was nearly falling asleep and swerving across lanes. Then he missed my exit, which I couldn't have been clearer about, "on accident" and drove up the fare a good 10 bucks in the process. When I called the dispatcher to complain, she laughed at me an hung up.

They took their monopoly and used it to avoid bothering with decent public service. I feel bad for some of the decent cab drivers out there, but they industry did this to themselves.

Should have been titled, "Why I didn't tip." Typical Seattle bullshit.

Anyone looking to try Uber should use my promo link. You get $30 toward a free ride: https://uber.com/invite/uberPromoCreditC…

Let's see if the link works this time:

https://uber.com/invite/uberPromoCreditC…

Astroturf campaign by libertarian assholes whose deregulation dogma has been proven wrong on all counts throughout history, including the last 30 years.

Perspectives. Priorities.

Yeah. Because a city that likes to think it's world class (not by a long shot, guys) should be stuck with a clearly dysfunctional, rarely available and completely overpriced cab system. Oh, and our pathetic public transit.

But yeah, keep thinking that because you're supporting a fcuked up system you're somehow standing up for the 'little guy.' And not the pigfcuking, corrupt as hell dispatch owners who grind their serfs into the ground while making the libertarian dbags at Uber/Lyft look like Mr. Rogers in comparison.

Bottom line: if you support the current system, you a a dolt.

@33: "However public distribution on sites where you are a contributor but not the primary content owner (e.g., Wikipedia, coupon websites) is not allowed."

If anything good comes from all this it'll be cab companies address some of these issues and regain some business.

In a world with no cabs; however, how much do you think it'll cost to get your drunk ass home?

Cab companies- you need to do the following in order to stay relevent:

-release an app that allows for quick reservations and accurate wait times

-allow riders to pay through the app (or hell, with a credit card, period)

-a feedback feature for drivers on said app, with real repercussions for drivers who don't pick up the right person, refuse to take credit card, don't follow directions, etc.

^^THIS IS WHY UBER & LYFT ARE BEATING YOU. Stop wasting your energy and money trying to beat them into submission with legislation, and instead spend that money on creating a top notch user experience that makes people WANT to choose a cab... If you did that, then the fact that cab drivers are scrutinized more than unregulated drivers and insurance requirements are higher would be selling points! You should be striving to rise to your competitors level, not trying to drag them down to yours.

Okay since no one has said it yet: I think the real problem you have with Seattle taxis is that the driver did not carry any Malt Liquor and Cocaine.

@34, you don't have to be a libertarian to know how ignorant that comment is. I'm not and I do.

Uber and Lyft are already illustrating how badly and unfairly cab services are regulated.

The airlines were deregulated in the late 70's and airfare now is half of what it was (complain all you want about small seats, but I'd rather have a small seat than no seat at all).

Brewery deregulation created a beer renaissance with better beer, more employment.

Both of those things happened under Carter by the way.

Health and safety regulations are important, but are frequently abused by powerful entities to decrease competition, making life harder for consumers and shoe-string entrepreneurs.

It may be that OP is a shill, a fraud, a cynical and highly paid operative. So what? Seattle's taxis *do* suck, and they are the first to use unethical means to advance their business interests.

I can see disliking Uber. I can't see defending the taxi business. They deserve every bit of unfair competition they get.

@40,

Are you seriously claiming that airline deregulation resulted in nothing worse than small seats?

@40 - You may not be a libertarian but you are certainly regurgitating their drivel that has become "common wisdom". Airfare dropped faster before deregulation and kerosene prices were lower after deregulation during the oil glut of the 80-90's. Extreme consolidation after deregulation took us from over 100 airlines serving the entire country to a handful that can't serve many former regional airports thereby deeply affecting the economy of these regions. Not only do all airlines needed to be bailed out several times since deregulation but they reneged on contracts and pensions with their workforce to ditch the responsibility onto the taxpayer and destroy 100,000's of middle class jobs. For what exactly?

Carter continued what Nixon started. Carter also deregulated trucking. Go read about its effects on the working condition and wages of these people before you make an ass of yourself. Deregulation is synonym with race to the bottom, corporate raiding of worker pensions, and unseen upward transfer of wealth for the benefit of the .1%.

The plural of anecdote is not data.

I try to respect local customs, so I get that it's customary for "I, Anonymous" commenters to rip into Anon. especially is s/he dares utter anything resembling the oh-so-dreaded privilege. But Jesus, people, have you never been pissed off by shitty service, or do you all have the patience of Tibetan lamas?

I don't read from the disruptive economy Bible and I'm suspicious of Uber and Lyft. But most cab experiences suck, period. When I was in Mexico and needed to get to the airport—at 4:30 AM the next day no less—I walked to the taxi stand, talked to a driver, and he was there the next morning at *4:27*. You try that with a cab in the states.

And hell yeah to @17, because the way cab companies treat people in wheelchairs is *beyond* shit. Let me tell you how much I enjoyed the call from my sobbing girlfriend whose taxi driver got her to a doctor's appointment 45 minutes late and broke her wheelchair.

Are there bigger problems in the world? Sure. But if you're rallying to attack Anon., you're not a working class hero or staffing the privilege coat check at Club Integrity. You're defending crap service in a crap industry. I don't like Uber and Lyft, but if they win cab companies and cabbies have no one but themselves to blame.

@ 39

Okay since no one has said it yet: I think the real problem you have with Seattle taxis is that the driver did not carry any Malt Liquor and Cocaine.

It is certainly possible to get weed, crack, and black tar from Yellow Cab. But the Uber guys have *MUCH* better weed, and really pure X.

Wait until you're in an accident in an Uber or Lyft unregulated taxi cab and you find yourself shitting into a plastic bag tied to your leg, and yourunregulated taxi cab driver's insurance tells you to "fuck off" because the unregulated taxi cab isn't covered, and Uber is only willing to give you 25 grand, which only covers your first fucking HOUR in the ER room. Too fucking bad you can't feel anything below your waist, but I'm enjoying fucking your girlfriend.

Folks, enjoy your unregulated taxi cabs...