Sunday, April 26, 2015

The Great Taxi Strikes And Riots of 1934 - The Birth of The Taxi Medallion System

Fleet taxi drivers struck and rioted in Times Square attacking owner drivers , their passengers and taxis.  Mayor LaGuardia had taken the  Billy clubs away from the cops as part of his effort against the perennial problem of police brutality.  The desperate drivers,  many of them supporters of families,   saw their opportunity to make their case in a most effective and emphatic manner. You can imagine how much the media and '' public opinion'' were against the drivers, but they were not deterred.  Uber 's plans to increase the number of  Uber cars indefinitely may sound good to people who want instant gratification but drivers and owners must understand that life is not a  popularity contest.  The  numbers of  taxis 
was reduced and limited under the  Haas Act in order to allow the drivers to earn enough to live on.  Yes they won. 

http://untappedcities.com/2015/02/05/today-in-nyc-history-the-taxi-riots-of-1934-start-february-5-1934/

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