Cab drivers often turn down fares. There is a reason for that and it has nothing to do with racism or hate or any other reason Al Sharpton would think. Most of the time it involves our safety and concern about being paid. Inconvenience has very little to do with it. Let me explain.

This morning at 4:30 am I got a call to a new condo project off of south Westshore. It is so new, it is not even on the map. I was told by "Bobby" our dispatcher that the first cab that had responded to this call, had a problem with them, and pulled off the call. The fare has now called back and I got the call. "Oh Christ" that is what any cab driver would think. The first guy turned it down because at this hour the people were probably drunk and disorderly and gave him a hard time. That was not exactly what was going on.

When I got there the chick came out and got in the cab, she was drunk and her boyfriend was still inside. He then came out and she was arguing with him thru the window of the backseat. He apparently had her cell phone and thru it about 100 feet across the parking lot and it busted up. She got out of the cab…"You asshole." she is yelling. She finds what is left of her phone and and goes over to him and starts swinging on him. It seems he had found other guys phone numbers in her cell phone…a lot of guys numbers….that is not good…I take off. These type of situations are common on the weekend when everyone is drunk. It has nothing to do with race, only their behavior.

Later, I was getting gas at the Shell at Kennedy and Howard, and this cracked out looking MF comes up to the cab and he is really agitated and wants to know if I am available. I have been doing this a long time and I know he is probably wanting to go to some crack neighborhood and put me at potential risk. This is a law enforcement problem and I wish they would clean it up so I could work these areas and not fear for my life.

Just a little insight to let you know that cab drivers usually have a good reason for not wanting to pick someone up.

http://timfasano.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/04/why_we_turn_dow.html