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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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New rules see the light over available taxis
Question: I am a Hawaii resident but work in Japan, so I come back and forth several times a year. I have had several Japanese tourist-friends voice frustration lately over the fact that, especially at night, when a taxi has a fare, it still has its roof light on. Several of us were out in the rain late one night and were frustrated at the number of taxis that seemed to pass us by. Taxi drivers have told me that someone in the mayor's or governor's office decided it was a good idea to allow taxis to keep their lights on as a way of identifying taxis and to differentiate them from other cars. Why? My friends said this was ridiculous since there is no way to know if a taxi was free. I had to agree. In Japan when there is a passenger, not only does the light on top go off, there also is a change of designation, in red neon, in the window.
Answer: There was no recent change in the law allowing cabbies to keep their dome lights on all the time.
However, there WILL be a change in the city's taxicab rules to make sure it no longer will be an option for drivers to keep their dome lights on when they do have a passenger.
The rules now state, "The roof or dome light shall be illuminated at all times when lights are required and the cab is being operated. However, when a fare is occupying the cab or the cab is not available for hire, the roof or dome light may be turned off."
Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division, said he did not notice the word "may" was used in the Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 9, Section 9-1-10, relating to taxicabs.
That word has been part of the rules "for a long time and was not changed by the mayor's office" or any other office, he said.
Kamimura said he would correct it to read "shall" the next time the rules are amended, but could not give a target date at this time.
Administrative rules are adopted in accordance with Chapter 91 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, Kamimura said. The procedure requires public notice, public hearing, approval by the mayor, then filings with the city clerk and lieutenant governor.
Auwe
I want to warn your readers not to buy the book "Billion Sources Free Cash Uncensored," from Communications Publishing, P.O. Box 996, Wall Street, NY 10268-0996. For $19.95 all you basically get are the addresses of other states. I've been trying for six months to get my money back, after returning the book. -- No Name
The Better Business Bureau of New York gives the business an unsatisfactory rating -- www.newyork.bbb.org/reports/businessreports.aspx?pid=44
&page=1&id=15938 -- "because there is a pattern of complaints, and the business has not corrected the underlying reason for the complaints."
Next time, to save money and aggravation, research an unknown company first. The Better Business Bureau of Hawaii is a good place to start (call 536-6956 or go to www.hawaii.bbb.org).
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers