Is there some regulation that mandates you have to take the first cab off the rank in the ACT?
I went to catch one from by the Casino last week, and the first in the rank was a manky van. Since I was going to pick up a couple of colleagues for the journey, rattling around in a van wasn’t terribly appealing. So I went to the next cab in the line and he refused my fare due to the fact I “had” to take the first in the rank.
Having looked at the monopolistic Canberra Cabs website, the only reasons drivers can refuse fares is due to objectionable behaviour of some description. Other than manky vans – I ended up taking it because I was in a rush, and it was rough as guts on the inside – I think I have the right to refuse to take any particular taxi when I choose. There have been plenty of other places in the world where I’ve gone down the rank to another taxi where either the car or driver didn’t look so dodgy.
So, was this guy making rules up on the fly, or what? Sure, it’s “courteous” to take the first car on the rank, but refusing service to me on those grounds seemed pretty screwed up.