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Politics : Politics of Energy -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric who wrote (22826)	8/19/2010 2:37:02 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 86356

Your search - "Ripoff fares to the airport" site:seattletimes.nwsource.com - did not match any documents. No results found for "Ripoff fares to the airport". (without specifying any domain) If it has that title, its been pulled or at least not indexed by Google under that title. Trying search.nwsource.com gets me a few hits, one seems relevant even though it isn't the story you where talking about. I've copied and pasted it below. It does at least give me the current limit, and another rate that someone else was charging, but no specific way to determine what the market clearing rate would be absent government intervention in the market (unless the town cars rates are not regulated, in which case I'd assume $35 or perhaps less is the market rate), or what level of rate really would be a rip-off and why. For most people "rip-off rate", simply means "rate that's higher than I want to pay. For me it would imply either fraud of some sort, or a rate inflated by restrictions on competition, or other forms of government intervention, or perhaps by collusion between the sellers. The former definition is entirely subjective. My definition is more objective but not necessarily easily determined, intervention or collusion can be hidden, indirect, or subtle. ----------- A remedy for taxi ripoffs costs $60 a prescription REPORTERS for The Times took 10 taxi rides to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to discover that cabdrivers ignore a law that sets a flat $25 rate. One ticket-writing cop making the same trip can solve the problem. Drivers know better. Indeed, their taxi associations asked for the fare to compete with fancier town cars offering $35 rides and taking away business. The flat rate from downtown Seattle was official two weeks ago, but the drivers developed amnesia. Stickers and cards advertising the price do not have to be in cabs until June, so the unsuspecting patron has to be a mind reader to get the $25 rate. The new fare is a law, not a good intention or a whim dependent on the mood of the cabdriver. Violations draw a $60 fine the first time, and go to $250 and a license suspension for slow learners. Seattle's tourist season is fast approaching, and legions of everyday business passengers would appreciate some help they will not get voluntarily. A sure-fire remedy is a couple of salutary tickets. Word will spread fast. All those amnesia sufferers will suddenly be clairvoyant. community.seattletimes.nwsource.com