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Comment by yodsanklai | Hacker News Reader

> taxi medallions cost a lot (€200-250K in Paris, up to €300K in some southern cities)

My understanding is that they're actually free. But it can take years before you actually get one, which is why people buy them on the black market.

I don't know how I feel about those taxi drivers. It seems they've just made a very bad investment.

In any case, it would be great if taxis were more affordable and available in France. Maybe the gvt could work with uber and negotiate some sort of compensation for the taxi drivers?

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The "bad investment" is worrisome in a capitalist society. Smart investors are supposed to make wise decisions but regulation from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission determine how much capital and experience is required to become a registered investor. However, someone seeking an occupation is not a sophisticated investor. Nor would a factory worker be expected to be able to predict major changes. Yet, working and middle class folks must invest and take risks on education, certification, and career-paths lest they suffer the consequences.

License are free when delivered by the state ("préfecture"); but taxis effectively lobby against creating new ones, in order to preserve the value of existing ones and to prevent competition, so extremely few are ever distributed. In practice, the only way to get one is to buy one from a retiring driver.

The vacuum that attracted Uber has been created by their resistance against license creation, they dug their own grave. The two big problems in Paris are that you can't find a taxi when you need one, and when you have one, he often doesn't have a credit card reader (those pesky snitches which prevent tax evasion).

I oppose any usage of my taxes to compensate the rackeetering taxi drivers. Never ever have I taken a taxi in France (I'm French) that didn't charge an exorbitant price while imposing me to listen to their racist and self-important rants. Their profession should die and make room for something better.

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