Here's a loopy question? If a cabbie picks up a passenger, drives them to same given destination and when they arrive, the passenger says "Oh, I don't have any money" --- what would/could the cabbie do about it?

Here's a loopy answer- Try it and tell us about it.

But seriously, it's an interesting question. I'm guessing if the person rode and dashed out the door saying "got no money!" the cabbie would be out of luck. Perhaps they could call a cop and wait at the address and press charges for theft? But time is very much money in the cab biz so maybe it would be simpler to go on and hope to pick up a generous fare to make up for the loss?

I hope a cabbie sees this and answers.

It depends where they are inside or out . In most cabs in Britain there is central locking operable by the driver and the cabbie can ask for the fare to be passed through a tiny window inside. They have radios too, naturally .This all tends to encourage the finding of cash

Outside the cab the person here is committing the offence of 'making off without payment' the moment he walks away, always assuming he is being dishonest. In practice the cabbie is likely to report details over the radio ,so that other cabbies at least know to watch out for the man, and then go on; time is money. He'll not normally be keen to wait around for the police at the scene, though he may report it later,just for records .

Very few such people actually stop outside and go into their own homes when 'bilking' (Surprise ! Though one I encountered came back out with a gun and tried to rob the cabbie as an encore, which has a certain something ) Usually they stop somewhere like a big housing estate where they can disappear; trying to find them in a maze of blocks and entrances is futile.

If the police are called in the best answer for the man is to stay there and brazen it out; unless the officer has good grounds he is going to say that it is a civil matter and not a criminal one

That seems like a criminal case to me. It appears to be theft by deception. He/she stole a free ride.

Most, if not all, states have a law regarding this. It is often called Theft by Deception, Theft of Goods or Services, and sometimes, Theft by Trickery. The last one is usually used when charging "quick change" artists.

And Honi, some sharp lawyer ( at least here in the UK, so why not there? )will say you can only steal anything if you are being dishonest.A man taking a cab journey in the innocent belief that he has the fare is not made into a thief if he only discovers that he hasn't when he's just got out of the cab .He has been honestly mistaken throughout. (Don't you just love these Smart Alecks ? ) So it could be theft by obtaining a service by deception but only if we can show he knew beforehand and let the cab driver think otherwise.

Our Parliament was so keen to stop this common but rather disagreeable defence ( every petty crook soon knew it and juries gave them the benefit) that the law was made to cover not only dishonestly making off when payment was due on the spot but also lying to put the cabbie off ( I'll fetch the money; I'll pay you later etc ) to evade the payment. In neither case does it matter at what point the man discovers he has no money.

I'm with you, Rakuchild. Are there any cabbies
here or have you ever been a cabbie?