Joe Harkins found out one night earlier this month how riding in a taxi can be a harrowing experience.
Harkins, 77, was a passenger in a cab on Sept. 8 around 11 p.m. that drove from Jersey City’s Journal Square to his residence at a senior citizen building on Kennedy Boulevard, about a mile away.
After about 10 minutes, the taxi stopped at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Fairmount Avenue and the meter on the taxi showed a $4.50 fare. Harkins then handed the driver half that amount since Harkins only had to pay a 50 percent senior citizen discount fare at that time of night as stipulated by city law.
Apparently that was not sufficient as Harkins recalled at the previous City Council meeting on Sept. 15.
“The driver [allegedly] locked me in the cab after I paid the correct fare because he wanted more,” said Harkins to the council. “While I was detained [allegedly] against my will, he berated and verbally abused me … he threatened me physically.”
“I wonder how many seniors are treated this way and do not fight back.” – Joe Harkins
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The driver eventually called the police and allegedly detained Harkins until they arrived.
According to a police report of the incident, police officers from the West District station arrived at the scene and heard from both men.
The report states that the dispute was “settled at the scene with [the driver] accepting the discounted fare.” However, according to the report, Harkins wanted to file a complaint against the driver at the scene and was advised to go to Jersey City Municipal Court to do so.
Harkins filed a complaint in the Municipal Court last week against the driver, Abzaldeen Abdalziz, who is named in the complaint. A hearing on the incident is scheduled for Oct. 7.
But that has not stopped Harkins from still fuming last week over what he calls “false imprisonment” by the driver and criticizing the police for not arresting Abdalziz. And Harkins is also concerned about a much larger issue regarding this incident.
“I wonder how many seniors are treated this way and do not fight back,” said Harkins, who recalled a similar dispute with a taxi driver a few years back. “I chose not to take this.”
Abdalziz could not be reached by phone at his residence.
A dispute in dispute
Jersey City Police Chief Thomas Comey said in an interview that he was “well aware” of the incident, which he described as a “customer-merchant dispute.”
Comey said the driver was not arrested because the police officer made an “on-scene determination” of how the situation should be resolved after talking with both Harkins and Abdalziz.
“They took the appropriate steps and even brought in a supervisor, who was appraised of what occurred,” Comey said.
As for the nature of the incident, Paul Barna, the director of the city’s Commerce Division (which oversees taxi operation in the city) said there have been very few incidents, like Harkins experienced, in the past seven years Barna has been in the Commerce division.
“The majority of the drivers are good drivers and follow the rules,” Barna said. “But you will always have a few either trying to get an extra buck or don’t follow the rules.”
Barna did say that what the driver did in allegedly detaining Harkins in the cab was “illegal” in his opinion. But Barna admitted that he wanted to further research what a driver should do in a dispute with a passenger.
Also, Barna said he could not discipline Abdalziz or any driver involved in such a dispute unless he is found guilty during the Municipal Court hearing.
Barna commended Harkins for reporting the incident and taking the proper steps in this matter. Barna recommends the public do the following if ever involved in a dispute with a driver: make sure to make a note of the taxi number, the taxi driver license, and the color of the taxi.
The question over the senior fare can be answered by viewing the Taxi Rider’s Bill of Rights, which is supposed to be posted in every taxi. It lists seniors ages 62 and over are entitled to a discounted fare on weekdays except the peak hours of 7 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m. What isn’t listed is that seniors have to show a Taxi Rider’s Bill of Rights card in order to receive the discount.
More information on that card can be sought by calling the Commerce Division at (201) 547-5139.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.