The Taxi & Limousine Commission has ruled that if a cabby owns his car, he’s allowed to opt out of the ads that sit atop it, striking a blow against gentleman’s clubs citywide. As the rules stood previously, the owner of the taxi medallion, not the car, had the final say about the contents of its roof ad, much to the dismay of religious or conservative drivers. “We are Muslims, and we do not like the ads,” said a man who was forced to ride around with a Flashdancers sign all day. One cabby said he had to walk to mosque rather than be seen with “disgusting things.” Another recalled his 6-year-old granddaughter telling him she wanted to be a “dancer” after taking inspiration from his car. The ads earn medallion owners about $125 a month; even with their visibility diminished, dancers will still earn way more than that.
Devout taxi drivers allowed to veto strip-club roof ads [NYP]
