I was extremely uplifted to read about Student Government and Ben Meyer’s recent role in investigating taxi price gouging.
I, too, have been a victim of overpriced taxis while attempting to get home safely at night.
Like with other victims, my taxi driver did not run his meter, nor was the flat rate I was later charged displayed on the cab.
My ride cost a whopping $35, far more than I had spent while out that night.
This is a confusing situation for students to be in, particularly when trying to get home late at night.
I had never taken a cab ride until arriving in Gainesville and thus knew nothing about the way they charge.
Without prior knowledge, I was unable to stand up to the taxi driver.
I believe this is the same situation most students find themselves in. They are simply glad to arrive home safely, so they do not argue with the overcharging.
It appears that most cab drivers understand the situation that students are in and have unfairly taken advantage of it.
Thankfully, we are blessed to have such an active student government and student leaders, like Ben Meyers, who take matters into their own hands. He took it upon himself to spend a night riding in taxis in order to investigate.
That is the kind of leader students at UF need — one who willingly will do whatever possible to ensure the safety and fair treatment of students.
Editor's note: This letter refers to this story.
