Skip to comments.
Seattle OKs Elvis Impersonator Cabbies
aolnews ^
| 12 15 03
| GENE JOHNSON
Posted on 12/15/2003 2:21:56 PM PST by freepatriot32
SEATTLE (Dec. 9) - The King could be your cabbie under the city's new taxi driver dress code.
The City Council voted Monday to approve legislation that would allow drivers to sport rhinestone capes, blue suede shoes or whatever other appropriate costume they wish.
"Uh, a-thank you verrah much," cabbie Dave Groh, an Elvis Presley impersonator, said after the vote.
It was Groh's case that prompted the change to the city's 1997 taxi dress code. Adopting an Elvis look after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in hopes of bringing some levity to the city, Groh pleased many passengers, but drew the ire of taxi inspectors. He was fined $60 last spring for not wearing the required black pants and a crisp shirt.
After losing an appeal of the fine, the 37-year-old cabbie filed a lawsuit, which he has now agreed to drop.
Under the new law, any driver choosing to wear a costume must pick a "readily identifiable and generally well-known public figure, personality or fictional character."
On the Web
· Cab-Elvis
Outfits can't include masks, can't depict police officers or firefighters, and can't be skimpy. They also have to be approved by the cab association for which the driver works, and drivers have to post photos of themselves inside their cabs in and out of costume.
The legislation will take effect unless Mayor Greg Nickels vetoes it; his spokeswoman was not immediately able to say what he planned to do.
Groh, who has been driving since 1999, said he doesn't worry about whether the change in the law will result in competition - and that he wouldn't be surprised to see some cab drivers dressed as Santa Claus in the coming weeks.
"That would be wonderful," Groh said. "It's all about having fun."
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: aclulist; atrw; cabbies; constitutionlist; elvis; govwatch; impersonator; libertarians; oks; philosophytime; seattle; washington
To: freepatriot32
Your driver: Elvis Babaganoosh.
2
posted on
12/15/2003 2:23:24 PM PST
by
My2Cents
("Well....there you go again...")
To: freepatriot32
Good for Groh. I saw him on TV and was pleased to see somebody with some novelty marketing.
3
posted on
12/15/2003 2:24:12 PM PST
by
Poser
To: freepatriot32
This is the best idea in the world ever....there may yet be hope for Seattle.
To: freepatriot32
This guy sure does have a name similar to Dave GROHL from Foo Fighters/Nirvana. I wonder. . .
5
posted on
12/15/2003 2:31:42 PM PST
by
jtminton
(2Timothy 4:2)
To: freepatriot32
Seattle may now approve it (as if they should have even gotten a "say") but he still has to contend with Elvis Presley Inc..
6
posted on
12/15/2003 2:32:29 PM PST
by
weegee
To: weegee
Seattle may now approve it (as if they should have even gotten a "say") but he still has to contend with Elvis Presley Inc.. Not to mention the King himself...
To: freepatriot32
"Are you lonesome tonight?"
8
posted on
12/15/2003 2:37:11 PM PST
by
Revolting cat!
(Merry Shopping Season and a Happy Pre-Christmas Storewide Sales Event!)
To: freepatriot32
Viva Las Vegas!
9
posted on
12/15/2003 2:39:12 PM PST
by
Revolting cat!
(Merry Shopping Season and a Happy Pre-Christmas Storewide Sales Event!)
To: Revolting cat!
"Elvis has left the cab."
10
posted on
12/15/2003 2:40:12 PM PST
by
dfwgator
To: freepatriot32
Night Rider!
11
posted on
12/15/2003 2:41:19 PM PST
by
Revolting cat!
(Merry Shopping Season and a Happy Pre-Christmas Storewide Sales Event!)
To: freepatriot32
Not to be outdone,
Berkeley Okays Saddam Impersonator Cabbies.
12
posted on
12/15/2003 2:43:46 PM PST
by
Argus
((Ninety-nine and forty-four one-hundredths percent Pure Reactionary))
To: freepatriot32
OK, so now everyone who's posted their 'Good for Seattle' comments should have no problem if people drive around all day with burkhas on or some other disguise.
To: Argus
That's not news. They've always had those....
14
posted on
12/15/2003 2:44:41 PM PST
by
Elliott Jackalope
(We send our kids to Iraq to fight for them, and they send our jobs to India. Now THAT'S gratitude!)
To: Looking4Truth
everyone who's posted their 'Good for Seattle' comments should have no problem if people drive around all day with burkhas on or some other disguise.Caveat emptor.
15
posted on
12/15/2003 3:05:22 PM PST
by
newgeezer
(Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
To: freepatriot32
16
posted on
12/15/2003 3:13:15 PM PST
by
bourbon
(I brought all this so you can survive when law is lawless.)
To: danneskjold
Awww the King's busy fighting mummies in East Texas with JFK...
17
posted on
12/15/2003 3:19:02 PM PST
by
weegee
To: Revolting cat!
"Mannnnnnn, that's a fast cab. Jes' look out the windows!"
18
posted on
12/15/2003 3:31:57 PM PST
by
weegee
To: freepatriot32
re:The King could be your cabbie under the city's new taxi driver dress code.
WTF?!? there's a frigging city enforced dress code for cabbies? [roll's eyes...]
19
posted on
12/15/2003 4:21:13 PM PST
by
tomakaze
(Todays "useful idiot" is tomorrows "useless eater")
To: **Washington; *ACLU_List; *ATRW; *libertarians; *gov_watch; *Constitution List; *Philosophy Time
ping
20
posted on
12/16/2003 2:41:38 PM PST
by
freepatriot32
(today it was the victory act tomorrow its victory coffee, victory cigarettes...)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson