The Iron Yuppie

While on my recent trip, I got in a cab in downtown Atlanta. Interestingly, they have a flat fare rate for everything inside a certain distance of $6. Given how big that downtown is (not very), it doesn't seem like that good a deal to me, but there you go. Outside of that, it's a standard base ($2) plus a set amount per mile. Anyhow, the second I get in, I tell the guy where I'm going and we're off. Because I was traveling downtown to downtown, the guy knows exactly how much it's going to cost ($6). Two-thirds of the way through the ride, the guy turns around to me and says: "I hope you have singles, cause I don't have any." I had a ten and a twenty.

So i tell him that I only have a ten and a twenty and he says nothing. 5-10 minutes later we pull up in front of the place, and I offer to walk over to some other cabs who were nearby and get change. He pulls out a bunch of singles from his pocket and gives me change. What an ass.

The worst isn't even the lying... I wonder what the law says on payment with correct change. Could I have just walked away? I'll tell you one thing of which I'm sure; you know who's responsibility it is to have change? Not fucking mine.

I suppose it's silly of me to get so irritated about this, but it sure seems like he was trying to violate the most basic of business contracts. I don't want to have to think about that when I'm sitting in a cab... if I have enough fare, I've done my part of the bargain. The thought of asking a cab driver if he has enough change every time I get in is beyond annoying to me.