In New York, you can file a complaint online in about 10 seconds. Then you have to phone into a hearing scheduled at your convenience. The driver rarely shows up, and they hand out $200 fines like candy.

Not just fines - points too. The TLC will yank your license if you do this too many times. In many ways New York cabbies have their entire livelihoods at the mercy of riders - there's not much in the way of filtering fraudulent claims.

When I've tried to do this in the past, it required appearing in person. Have you actually phoned in?

I filed an online claim and didn't have to do either (the driver pled guilty). I imagine that the requirement cuts both ways (i.e., the driver has to actually appear to contest the claim, in which case they require testimony - if they can't/won't appear they have to pled guilty).

If you follow some of the links, apparently the drivers often don't maintain the same level of insurance as they are compelled to under the taxi medallion laws.

It was smart for Uber to take it federal as they'd have an uphill climb in a local court.

> If they don't like the answer, they drive off.

A simple fix for this issue is lying.

And the taxi can leave you wherever, whenever they figure this out.

So then you report them.

It doesn't help you get home if they pick you up in a high density area and then drop you off in an area where cabs aren't likely to come by.