| Ignore the squawks and walk on by If you would like to feel like a piece of fish thrown to a flock of hungry seagulls, simply walk down the ramp at Colman Dock in Seattle. Senate Bill 5502, which took effect Jan. "This puts a great deal of pressure and guilt on the passenger," Salins said. Not to mention it is downright uncomfortable and a bit scary. Salins and Leisy advise you on that before hiring a limo, customers should ask if the car is properly licensed (a white sticker on the back of the car, often on the bumper and about the size of a business card, indicates the car is licensed) and ask the driver for valid proof of insurance. Seattle has been attempting to fight this problem for years, but its hands have been tied because in Washington, the limo industry is regulated by the state's Department of Licensing. Until now. Leisy had good news though. And if you happen to experience a "seagull incident" with rogue drivers, hold your head up high and don't engage with them. So after recently experiencing this aggression on my last trip to the airport, I called Craig Leisy, manager of the Consumer Affairs Unit for the City of Seattle. "If drivers are already knowingly breaking the law, it makes you wonder what other laws they are breaking," Leisy said. Make sure your out-of-town visitors are familiar with this issue and help them make proper arrangements from the ferry to the airport. The taxis waiting at the curb are legally operating but are not permitted to leave their cars unattended. While taxi drivers can be hailed there and then, limo drivers must have prearranged trips planned before legally picking up passengers. (The one exception to this is at the airport where passengers can approach waiting limos. ) But the driver is not permitted to approach people seeking business. Which means civil infractions can be handed out to improper drivers at the cost of hundreds dollars. In a follow-up email, Leisy wrote, "Inspectors have issued several fines — most are $500 for soliciting passengers — at the Colman Dock ferry terminal and at Amtrak train station in the past few days. Upon arrival at the airport, what happened was shocking: the driver held the passenger's luggage hostage, demanding payment for the trip. The revision allows the state to enter an agreement with the City of Seattle to conduct street enforcement, perform limo vehicle safety inspections and monitor limos' insurance. (And FYI, taxi drivers go through comprehensive testing in order to obtain their taxi license, including a written exam, physical exam, oral language test and a four-day training course. A limo driver saw the guest waiting outside the hotel and pulled over and asked, "Waiting for a limo?" Not knowing this wasn't the limo he summoned, the guest got into the car. Or, call ahead and prearrange a ride with a reputable limo service. "The irony in this is that often these prearranged trips are prepaid," Salins said. As was the case in this story. |
Saturday 10 March 2012
Ignore the squawks and walk on by
