A Lesson To Be Learned

[NYC Taxi News]

A Lesson To Be Learned
by Abe Mittleman

Kutin Gyimah learned the hard way. Unfortunately for him he is no longer alive to benefit from this lesson. I drove a NYC Taxi for 42 years. I learned in my first year, don't chase people that walk out on the fare payment.

It was day break. I had been working all night until the sun came up. I had a fare from Manhattan to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.  When we reached the destination my passenger exited the taxi and walked into an apartment building. It was 1970, the fare was $10. According to the CPI Inflation Calculator that would be $78. In today's money  https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm   

I was irate. I need this money. That was what I was thinking. But, I wasn't going to get it. No Way! I even called the police as I watched the windows of the building. I kept seeing one window that someone kept looking to see if I was still there. The policeman and myself went to the apartment of that window. A man opened the door. He was wearing a shoulder holster with a gun. He told the police officer that he had a license for this gun and he wasn't the person we were looking for.

I knew then, after this experience, that it doesn't pay to go after people that don't pay. There is likely no way you're getting the money. Of course, it's not a pleasant experience. Still, it doesn't happen to very often. It happened to me less than 20 times in 42 years I drove. Why take the risk?

I'll tell one more story: The year was 2010. It was sometime after midnight when I picked up 4 young women at a wild all night club on 27th street and 12th Ave. Many of you may know this place. I took them to Grand Concourse just south of Yankee Stadium. There was an all night snack stand there and many people hanging out. The girls opened the doors and walked away without paying.

My attitude was simple, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! And I did.

It's now 12 years later. I still eat every day and I have a roof over my head.
No need to say that I'm still alive. As the Late Great Alan Decker , a well known attorney in his day, he passed away in 2011, he said to me once, 'NEVER CHASE PEOPLE FOR MONEY". And let this horrible story of what happened to Kutin Gyimah be a lesson to all taxi drivers and anyone who has this dilemma to make the correct decision and STAY SAFE!





 

[taxiwerker]

Thats the TRUTH..........    

I Had a Couple WELL Dressed Went into a Store in The Village and Said WAIT.......

After 3 Minutes I said to Myself I Bet They ARE Going Out The BACK / Side Entrance I Knew About.....

Low And BEHOLD I Caught Them........An Argument ensued between the 3 of Us....They Ran OFF....

Guess WHAT They EVEN Had The BALLS to Report Me For HARSSMENT to the TLC.....Good Thing They Didnt Show