Quote Originally Posted by suzengrace View Post
Why dont the charters have a set rate?? (which of course could be open to negotiation depending on the trip you request) Ie, charters have a set rate for set routes..Mid-beach to mid-cliffs, etc?? maybe that would prevent some of the obvious fleecing and plain confusion that the tourists (who are suppose to use them)
have to deal with and thus keeps them away from using them in the first place( and also getting out and about and spending money in other areas of the local economy)..If their MEANT for the tourists then why not have a set rate that tourists can depend on in regards to certain and most frequently used routes that Tourists use???? Why not make them more "Tourists friendly" ???
Charters don't have set rates because, by their nature, they are private carriages and can set their rates at what the market will bear. If you don't like the rate, use a route taxi, or don't whine about the fare! At least they aren't metered. Wait, you say, meters are good, they keep the cabbie honest. Feh, they charge you 2.50 for the privilege of dropping the flag, then charge you in 1/10th mile increments, and has a timer that adds fare for long stops at lights, etc...Thus, if its is raining in STL and i want a cab to go one mile, it will set me back almost 5 bucks for 8 blocks, FFS! I'd rather negotiate, I am a free market economy type of guy....for five bucks, i can go r/t from the 7mile to HalfMoonBeach, including a generous tip! Metered cabs are only good for the metered cab, not the public. Why do you think there are almost as many gypsy cabs in NYC as licensed cabs? No meters!