Licensing Cabs

* Re “A Race You Can’t Win,” Dec. 1: To imply that a city license and registration will prevent the next cabdriver from driving around lowered crossing gates is the height of liberal fantasy. No amount of government regulation will ever prevent this from recurring, and no amount of railroad intervention can stop some moron from being stupid.

Liberals believe that people are inherently stupid and need absolute protection by the state. Conservatives believe people should take responsibility and be accountable for their own actions. A city license is nothing more than a hidden tax by another name. In and of itself, it adds nothing to safety.

TOM JAHNKE

Apple Valley

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The recent fatal collision between a taxi and a Blue Line train sheds light on what I believe to be an overlooked but high-priority issue. That is the failure of municipalities and Los Angeles County to properly enforce taxicab regulation. The mishmash of jurisdictions and agendas is behind this tragedy.

When one hires a taxi one assumes that the taxi is authorized. This is not the first tragedy to occur in a bandit taxi, but it is the most fatal. The L.A. Department of Transportation admits that there are thousands of bandit cabs operating. Authorities must do what needs to be done to curb illegal and unsafe taxicabs.

ATHAN REBELOS

Los Angeles