San Francisco Taxi Medallions

Outside of drug dealers sweeping into town from Richmond or Oakland, taxi drivers are the next rudest class of drivers in San Francisco.

Part of this is the fault of the city, and its medallion policy. From what I understand, possessing a taxi medallion theoretically is proof that one is suitable for operating a cab. However, the way the system works is that medallion holders actually rent their cabs out to other drivers, who may have no qualifications.

Instead of the city making money by charging a larger number of drivers to get qualifications, a limited number of medallions are issued, and the medallion holders make money renting to unqualified drivers. What's wrong with this picture? Well, riders and visitors to the fair city are putting their lives into the hands of questionable characters, and people walking or riding bicycles on the streets are subject to idiot drivers who are either rushing off to find a new fare, assuming their passenger wants to get somewhere in a hurry, swerving around making U-turns in congested areas, or sitting in the bike lane waiting for a fare or dropping one off.

This is an easily fixed problem. Make every driver get qualified and responsible for their actions. Let the city make the money instead of the taxi-lords.