Submitted by Roger Black, Aug 27, 2007 09:08

Yeah! The rule about New York cabs is that you can only find one when you don't need one.

It's about time for competition. We've had the same number of cabs for as long as I can remember, and the clean old Checkers with the friendly old-country driver who knew every block of the city are long since gone. Taxi regulation, like rent control, has distorted the system. Only a few really benefited, and certainly not the sullen drivers who never even acknowledge that they heard your destination.

If we abolished the medallions and allowed real competition, people could find cabs when they needed them (at a market price). The city could collect more revenue, and driver-owners might make a living, if not a fortune. And while we're at it, we could outsource the hack licensing authority to London, where drivers are safe, clean, and know where they are going.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.