A doctor who questioned an unusually high fare is credited with touching off a widespread investigation into cabbie rip-offs.
Dr. Mitchell Lee was riding home from NYU Medical Center in Manhattan in August when he noticed an extra $2 on his usual $5 fare.
When he complained, the driver offered a discount. Instead, Lee paid the full fare, with a credit card, then complained to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
The TLC said last week that thousands of cabbies had illegally raised rates on about 1.8 million trips over two years, overcharging riders a total of $8.3 million by setting their meters at a rate that was supposed to be used for trips to the suburbs.
Lee told the New York Post that New Yorkers -- and tourists -- are "smarter than cabbies think."
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Information from: New York Post, http://www.nypost.com
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