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Comment by ricw | Hacker News Reader

This is unbelievable. Never have I used a more corrupt and unfriendly taxi service as the one in Boston / Cambridge. And they are supposed to be subsidised?!

I have 1) been driven round crazy detours to up my cost 2) been forced to drive a detour because the card machine was broken and they only accepted cash 3) been turned down because my destination wasn't far enough 4) been shouted at because I was watching the free tv in the cab

In short, they suck. Badly. Thinking about it, I can't remember a positive experience. In contrast I've hardly had a negative experience with lyft/uber and mostly had very positive or positive experiences.

What's the best way of contacting this senator?!

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The card machine probably wasn't broken. A lot of taxis have told me the card machine was broken until I said I would only pay via a card. Then it magically worked again. I assume this is because they pocket some of the cash.

I lived in Cambridge for about 6 years from ~2004–2011. Nothing but positive experiences with Boston-area cabs. The drivers were uniformly friendly and competent, and had no trouble with the ridiculously convoluted MA street layouts. When I was carrying suitcases or moving boxes of books around, they were patient and helpful with loading/unloading. When I left my wallet one time, the driver called me as soon as he found it and promptly returned it.

Maybe you just got unlucky? Or maybe things have deteriorated since other transportation started undercutting them?

Yay for anecdotal evidence, right?

I'm not disputing your experiences for one second, but mine closely match OP's in Boston, and just about every other large city in the US.*

*With the exception of London. Maybe having to study The Knowledge has something to do with it..

The "card machine is broken" line is consistently used by most London cabbies. They're being forced into accepting card kicking and screaming by regulations towards the end of the year https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2016/februa...

I've ridden cabs in both Boston and Cambridge probably about 30 times over many years and every single experience was totally fucking horrible in lots of different, equally hilarious ways.

It sounds like the difference between you and the others is that you were a resident while the others weren't, which may have showed in some way and made them think they could rip off the others but not you.

I used subways as bucycle as poor MIT student.

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