ever file a complaint against a taxi?

I *think* you can go to the TLC office on Fulton St. in Manhattan to file a complaint. (You do have the medallion number, right?) I had an incident where I got kidnapped by a yellow cab driver (I wanted to go to Queens, but he kept taking me further south instead and just ignored me when I told him I wanted to go to Queens. And before you all get started on me on how everything happens to me, this sort of thing has also happened to my cousin.) and I nearly got hit by a bus getting away (but the bus ended up shearing off the guy's door instead. Golden! ) I found out from a friend of mine that I could go to the TLC office to complain and I was about to do so, but then 9/11 happened.

So I can't verify for you if that is the actual process. Sorry!

I did, but then I couldn't make the court date. I called the cops on him as well.

It was such a crap day - I went out drinking with a friend who ended up needing to be carried home. At 4am I'm trying to catch a cab in the rain in midtown. I just wanted to go home. I finally flag one down, get in the car, shut the door (learned this trick years ago - get in first so they can't drive away if you say "Brooklyn") and tell him we're going to PS.

He says he doesn't want to go to BK. I basically tell him "tough shit", just a teeny bit nicer. He argues. I tell him that he's obligated to take me to my destination.....He starts driving UPTOWN saying he's not going. I lost my shit.....I told him he better turn the car around and take me to BK and that if he keeps driving in the wrong direction I'm calling the cops and saying he's kidnapping me. He tells me to go ahead, so I do.

Next thing there are three cop cars pulling him over. I also notice that his medallion picture is not him........The first thing I do is tell th cops to look at it before he can change/hide it.

Cabbie tries to make up stuff saying I was drunk and abusive....I was just tired and wanting to go home, but PISSED...not drunk.

Cops hailed me another cab and gave me some sort of number to contact TLC and go to court. They were ticketing him when I left....cops hailed me another cab and I finally made it home.

I got a court date, but couldn't make it. I wish I had gone. The cabbie was a total dick. I hope he at least got a bunch of tickets

I don't know that I'd choose that angle....If he didn't say something to you, I think that's a bit of a stretch. If he peeled of there and called you a "dyke" or something else just as nasty, then you'd have a real reason to claim that.

There are enough instances of real discrimation (or perhaps more obvious discrimination), that I think it's important not to make accusations without substance to them.

Flexichick, *YOU* are my hero! Way to go, girl!!

Though, to be fair, at 4 PM and at 4 AM, cabbies start being less cooperative because that's when the shift changes. They probably want to go home. You might have had better luck getting a cab with a driver who lives in Brooklyn. Sometimes it's worth it to flag down an off-duty cab because if they happen to live in the same area that you're going or if it's on the way, they'll take you. I have learned that 4 PM and 4 AM are the worst times to get a cab.

I had flagged my cabbie kidnapper at 11 PM, so that caveat doesn't apply. And he'd have a hard time claiming that it didn't happen because his cab had no door!! I hope he was forced to pay for it.