Of Topless Bars and Taxicabs
07:31 AM PT, Dec 9 2005
The war between taxi drivers and topless bars has escalated. Apparently, according to Jeff German's column, at a meeting on Monday, management of all the major strip clubs agreed to form a united front to end the practice of paying kickbacks to taxi drivers. When I arrived here in 1999 the bounty paid by clubs was around $20 a head for each customer in a taxi. Since then that number has been hitting $70 thanks to the competition between the many high end new clubs that have opened like Treasures, Scores and Sapphire. I hate to side with rich club owners over the taxi drivers. But the arrogance of the taxi drivers is amazing. Greg Bambic, a Vegas taxi driver, is quoted in German's column saying:
I just don't see how the clubs can be successful without the cabdrivers and the limousine drivers. We bring them 85% of their business. They can't get along without us.
This is outrageous since the taxi drivers are already being paid by their customers and there is no reason the drivers should be collecting extra money from the club. This practice is technically not allowed by County regulations. But the County regulations are simply not enforced and, even if they were, don't apply to limousine drivers, only taxis. Tourists are the ones getting shafted in the end with higher covers and more expensive drinks. I have suggested before that the best way you can fight back is to demand that a driver let you out across the street from your strip club of choice. Or, if you allow the driver to take you to the club, make sure the driver agrees to forgive the meter as your ride is being paid for already by the strip club.
(photo by Wendell Donahoo/HBO)
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Obviously you never drove a taxi for a living. This pales in comparison to the many things that are done by taxi drivers, doormen, bartenders, etc. in order to put food on the table for their family. We don't brag about it or apologize for anything, either.
Dan the Cab Man
Posted by: Dan McCool | December 09, 2005 at 02:24 PM
Sounds like the traffic is bearing the price just fine. The clubs started the practice, they deserve the system they designed. Sounds like the old clubs are hurting under new competition; capitalism is so difficult!
Taxi drivers are not getting rich in any city I know of (nor strippers, nor limousine drivers). Different story for the taxi companies and the strip clubs.
Posted by: alan | December 09, 2005 at 04:12 PM
I don't mean to bust Dan and Alan's bubbles here, but just because someone isn't getting rich doesn't give them the right to break the law. Diverting a passenger from the club they intended to go to is illegal.
Nonetheless, strip club customers have to pay the end product of this racket in the form of $30 covers and $10 drinks. Dancers have to pay them in the form of higher house fees to work at the clubs. Its no wonder the "hustle" inside the strip clubs is off the charts. The men are sick of being hounded for dances every thirty seconds, and the girls are sick of not making any money.
I'm hoping that this agreement will put an end to this practice, but I'm not holding my breath.
Posted by: Scotty | December 13, 2005 at 01:49 PM
Maybe a naive question, but why not have the the strip clubs just run thier own limos/vans from the hotels? at $20 bucks a person, a couple of drivers would seem cheaper than that....
Posted by: gb3 | December 21, 2005 at 08:36 AM
i think the author is simply jealous or showing his jewish nature.
Posted by: Yury | December 15, 2007 at 01:50 AM