The first time I ever rode in a Binghamton cab was an experience I will never forget. It set the tone for the town as a whole, forever convincing me that Binghamton would never be the fantasy college atmosphere that I had become so familiar with through television and movies.

It was my freshman orientation and I had come up from New York City on the Greyhound bus. After exiting the bus junction, I was ambushed by several men barking out cabbie-speak, asking me where I was headed. I told them I was headed to Binghamton University, and they rushed me into a large white van where I sat and waited while they rounded up all the other visiting students.

On the way to campus, I took note of the distinct stench in the cab and the adhesive letters and numbers on the side window. I remember wondering if the cab driver was actually working for a cab agency or if he had just transformed his personal car into a “cab,” and collected money while driving people around.

When the cab pulled into College-in-the-Woods, another incoming freshman looked over to the driver and asked him how much the ride cost, to which he replied, “$8.”

Eight dollars! That is ridiculous, especially when you consider how awful that cab ride had been. Not to mention the fact that I was practically forced into his cab like a kidnapping victim.

So the question is: Why do I keep taking them if they are so horrible?

Many students on campus do not have a car and do just fine. They have friends with cars and can use OCCT (which, sadly, might not be around for much longer) and the city bus. However, there are times when I need to quickly go somewhere, and cabs are the most convenient way.

We have all had our share of sketchy cabbies; we even keep some on speed dial. From my own personal experience, I have been driven by a couple of drivers who were the textbook definition of “shady.” I also know many friends who have been ripped off and essentially robbed by these questionable drivers.

This is why the county-wide debate on cab safety regulations discussed in the March 9 Pipe Dream, which will go into effect on March 18, are so important to our University. Transportation services are very profitable and it is no mystery that students are the main customers. From going Downtown and making trips to the bus junction, and everything in between, students call the cabs.

This is also why the cabs have no excuse to not comply with these changes, given that they will be made into law. Students deserve to ride in a cab that has been inspected and whose driver has had a background check and (maybe even) a drug test. Then I might not feel as ripped off the next time I have to pay $8 to get somewhere.