“Horrible cab incident from DCA, but props to the cops!”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jennifer

“Dear PoPville,

I just got home [Sunday night] from a business trip and after my boyfriend met me at the airport, we decided to cab home to NoMa instead of risk WMATA on a Sunday. We get to the cab line and are handed the normal piece of paper about fares and hop in the black cab marked INDEPENDENT that the guy pointed to. The immediately very rude driver suddenly adds $5.25 to the meter so I asked why and he gets angry and says “If you want to complain you can get another cab” as he pulls onto the parkway. Just before 395, I told him that he’s only supposed to charge an extra dollar for one additional passenger, not both of us, and he pulls off to the side of the road – where there is no shoulder – and says we can get out right there if we don’t like it and that “this isn’t a DC cab.” I guess he thinks he’s immune to the rules somehow.

I shut up so we can safely get home. When we pulled up to our building, we both realize we have no cash and ask him if he can take card – as all cabs are now mandated to be able to here – and of course he can’t. I told him at that point that he can call his dispatch and they can take my card information since he’s supposed to be able to take a card. He starts yelling at me calling me stupid and pulls out a square, so I hand him my card to pay, and as he’s still yelling at me, notice there’s a cop right in front of us, so I tell him if he doesn’t stop, I’ll get the officer.

He then throws his door open, and gets out of the car, comes right by my open door, yells at me that I’m a “stupid b*tch” at which point my boyfriend flips, and I yell to the cop asking him to come help. Officer Crittendon (1st District) jumped right in and calmed the driver down enough so we could pay and leave. As the driver was protesting demanding my information, the officer somehow managed to calm him down again and send him on his way, but made sure we got a picture of his plate and the taxi ID number on the back first. Officer Crittendon then came up and asked if we were ok again and told us to file a complaint with the Maryland Taxi Commission (that’ll be a fun one to figure out) and handed us his card saying we could get in touch if we had any trouble.

It was such a shitty experience, but I was so relieved that an officer was nearby AND helpful! Had to give props and warn others about shady taxis at DCA.”