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A mini-demonstration by Detroit cabbies seems to have backfired as notably as an aging taxi.
About a half-dozen drivers with protest signs gathered Tuesday outside 36th District Court, the Free Press reports. They feel "Uber and similar companies should be under the same regulations as cabbies," Robert Allen writes.
Cab drivers' business declined 60%-70% in the downtown area since the ride-sharing services became popular, said Kenneth Reynolds, 59, who's been driving a cab in the metro Detroit area on-and-off since 1989.
"Good luck even getting a cab in Detroit unless you're at a casino," comments Eric Scott of Detroit. "Uber all the way."
Members of the Metropolitan Detroit Cab Drivers Association also claim police "unfairly target cab drivers who overload cab stands or improperly display their information," the article adds
"Some drivers are having to pay as much as $700-$800 for questionable misdemeanor violations," said Reynolds, president of the association, in a news release. "We work hard enough as it is under difficult and challenging circumstances. Now, our basic livelihood is being threatened by the ongoing practices of the Detroit Police Department and other enforcement agencies."
Accompanying Allen's report is a photo he snapped of four signs being carried, including one that says: "Hotels Selling White Folks." The provocative image soon was on Reddit with this title: "Hotels Selling White Folks! -- Confusing Protest."
We were puzzled, too, and asked Allen if he know what it meant. We also shared it on Facebook.
"That one is a head-scratcher," the reporter emailed Wednesday morning. "I’ve been asking around, but so far am not certain of what it means."
A plausible explanation comes from a former Detroit hotel doorman, who posts this in two Reddit comments under the screen name "neverProfessional:"
I know everyone of these cab drivers from years working downtown. Here's what the "White folks" sign means:
Doorman at all of the hotels downtown get a kickback from black car services if they give them a run. For example, when I was working the door, if someone came out in a nice suit with luggage and I asked, "Do you need transportation?" and they said yes, I'd load them into a black car parked on the corner. It was the same price as any other black car service, but this guy would toss me $10.
After 3 or sometimes even 7 or 8 runs in a day, coupled with the everyday tips, I'd make hundreds of dollars by "selling" runs to the black cars vs. calling a cab from the cab stand. . . .
The cab drivers are mostly black and the business population are mostly white. . . . The black doormen do the same thing. And in all honesty, none of us care if it's any particular race. All we see is green at the end of the day.
Deadline reader Erik Olson comments from a distinctive perspective as owner of Thomas Magee's, a sports and whiskey bar near Eastern Market. "If I had to rely on Detroit cabs to clear my bar every night, people would never have a ride," he posts while sharing the photo from our Facebook page.
Olson adds:
Detroit cabs are the worst in the country. Try calling one. The nerve of these assholes to protest as if they do a legit job. . . . Props to Uber and Lyft for recognizing that huge void in Detroit -- clean, reliable, TIMELY transport from place to place that doesn't leave you standing under a burned-out streetlight without hope a a ride coming.
Here's a sampling of other reactions at freep.com (71 comments), Reddit (37) and our Facebook page (60):
"There are taxis in Detroit? Never seen one," posts Keith Matheny under the Free Press article.
► Long route: Once one arrived in less than five minutes! With a working meter! And proceeded to drive me from North Corktown to the Fisher Building by way of Grand River. -- Dick Dawes
► "Incredibly awful:" Maybe taxis should work on not being so incredibly awful in this city." -- Michael Evans, Detroit, PishPosh TV founder
► "Why use a taxi?" Why use a taxi when Uber cars have cheaper rates, friendlier drivers and accept credit cards? -- Kyle Grimm
► "Uber all the way:" Good luck even getting a cab in Detroit unless you're at a casino. Uber all the way. -- Eric Scott, Detroit
► Picky, picky: I remember asking a Detroit cab to go a mile away, from downtown to Corktown. He said he didn't feel like going there. From then on out, I've been Uber-only. -- Aaron McCray, Detroit
► "Why the scenic route?" The last time I asked to go to Hamtramck and questioned why the scenic route, he scoffed and refused to speak. Then when asked again why we were going the way we were . . . he turned the music up. People Mover or feet for all inner city. Uber if I have a distance. -- Anne River
► "Monopolized the market:" The cab drivers just do not like the competition -- they have monopolized the market for years and now they are feeling threatened. I say good for Uber, etc. -- Ralph Collins, Rochester
► Convenience: If taxi services had spent this time innovating their business model instead of bitching about Uber they wouldn't be seeing these revenue losses. I know lots of people who feel taxis are safer because they are regulated by the state, and would rather take one instead of an Uber, but there's the convenience factor. -- Erin Marquis, Detroit
► No comparison: The service Uber/Lyft provides is just so much better, even if prices were equal. -- Patrick Niebrzydowski, Sterling Heights
► Business 101: Hey fellas...if you can't beat em, join em. Somebody built a better mouse trap. -- Mike Dorland, Howell
► "Just quit:" Why dont they just quit and become Uber drivers? -- Stu Raleigh
► Good will short-lived: I have absolutely zero happy stories about cab rides in Detroit. I do recall one showing up within 45 minutes of calling, but he canceled any good will by informing us his meter was "broken" yet again. -- "LeftDetroit"
► Unsanitary: Detroit cabs are some of the filthiest around. -- Frank Garza
► Felt safer in Uber: I've used Uber and a regular cab to get from the Rosa Parks station to the Amtrak station a couple times each. The cabs always take the freeway and Uber uses their app to suggest the best route. I've always felt safer in the Uber cars. Maybe because the drivers actually own the car? Like they don't want to damage it. -- "AlwaysTacoBell"
► Mythical cabs: There are taxis in Detroit? Never seen one. -- Keith Matheny
► Taken for a ride: Cabbies . . . literally, figuratively and financially "take people for a ride" and the playing field will level on its own. -- Dennis Pepperack
► "Worst drivers:" Some of the worst drivers I've seen on the road are Detroit cabs. -- Rick Zajac, Detroit
