I lived in Chicago for most of my life until somewhat recently.
Things I observed during that time:
- A driver stating, seemingly out of nowhere to my friend and I, "we should just take all of the gays out back and shoot them"
- Multiple times scheduling a morning pickup for a flight, not having it arrive, and being told by the uncaring operator the alternative was to wait so long I'd miss my flight, or gamble with trying to find a free cab during rush hour on Belmont (a losing proposition)
- Too many counts to list of the CC machine "being broken" to try to force me to pay cash, including being intimidated at one point to stop at an ATM to get cash to pay
- Having a driver show me the gun he kept under his seat for "driving through the South Side"
- The joy of not being able to ever get a cab during busy events in extreme weather of all types because there was no way to reserve the ride
- Various smells, ripped seats, miscellaneous fluids in the floor mats, leftover food/alcohol/condom, etc.
- A cab driver who picked me up at my home to go to the airport who then kicked me out part way there because I was on the phone with my mother and he refused to turn down his radio when I requested (which is in the friggin 'Passenger's Bill of Rights' posted in the back of the cab). He then loudly threatened me with physical violence once I exited the vehicle. I ended up asking the cab company to not fire him once I complained because I was so scared that he was unhinged, and the last thing I wanted was an unemployed, unhinged angry guy knowing where my wife and I lived
Good riddance. Uber has its own issues, but they have proven what the market wants. And it sure as hell isn't the current cab system Chicago has.
Never have I ever trusted a cab company to schedule a pickup.
I have used airport shuttle companies, and limousine/livery companies (this was before Lyft and Uber). Both were overwhelmingly cheaper than a cab, and they actually show up on time. When I lived in Chicago, I'd always use the blue line to ORD or orange line to MDW.
Whenever I actually wanted a cab in Chicago, I could never get one. I suspect that was mainly down to my looks. Not so much sketchy as unattractive, and possibly willing to counter the broken card swipe machine gambit by paying with nickels and then forgetting to leave a tip.
And of course there's just something about a vehicle that smells like it was recently dusted with finely-ground cumin that makes me want to walk.
So, no sympathy here. They can choke on those medallions.
> - A cab driver who picked me up at my home to go to the airport who then kicked me out part way there because I was on the phone with my mother and he refused to turn down his radio when I requested (which is in the friggin 'Passenger's Bill of Rights' posted in the back of the cab). He then loudly threatened me with physical violence once I exited the vehicle. I ended up asking the cab company to not fire him once I complained because I was so scared that he was unhinged, and the last thing I wanted was an unemployed, unhinged angry guy knowing where my wife and I lived
I wonder how that would go since CCW permits are legal now.
Things I observed during that time: - A driver stating, seemingly out of nowhere to my friend and I, "we should just take all of the gays out back and shoot them"
- Multiple times scheduling a morning pickup for a flight, not having it arrive, and being told by the uncaring operator the alternative was to wait so long I'd miss my flight, or gamble with trying to find a free cab during rush hour on Belmont (a losing proposition)
- Too many counts to list of the CC machine "being broken" to try to force me to pay cash, including being intimidated at one point to stop at an ATM to get cash to pay
- Having a driver show me the gun he kept under his seat for "driving through the South Side"
- The joy of not being able to ever get a cab during busy events in extreme weather of all types because there was no way to reserve the ride
- Various smells, ripped seats, miscellaneous fluids in the floor mats, leftover food/alcohol/condom, etc.
- A cab driver who picked me up at my home to go to the airport who then kicked me out part way there because I was on the phone with my mother and he refused to turn down his radio when I requested (which is in the friggin 'Passenger's Bill of Rights' posted in the back of the cab). He then loudly threatened me with physical violence once I exited the vehicle. I ended up asking the cab company to not fire him once I complained because I was so scared that he was unhinged, and the last thing I wanted was an unemployed, unhinged angry guy knowing where my wife and I lived
Good riddance. Uber has its own issues, but they have proven what the market wants. And it sure as hell isn't the current cab system Chicago has.