Saturday, January 25, 2014

NPR does that thing that NPR does. Again.

 An NPR reporter makes all the usual mistakes in describing "price gouging" in taxi rides.  It's as if the case is prima facie:  "The price went up, someone is evil."  Not "I was able to get a taxi ride for a price less than infinity in a snowstorm; it's a miracle!"

I particularly like the "When a $65 cab ride costs $192."  Interesting that God decreed that taxi rides are $65.  Not true for corn, or hog bellies, or oil, whose prices change all the time.

In fact, the Feds actually commanded housing prices to rise, or there would be a market failure.  So it must be okay for some prices to rise compared the-price-yesterday-that-came-from-God.

Why would it be true that a service that sometimes costs one price should always cost that price?  And why pick the low price?  Why is it not, "In slack times, cab ride that really costs $192 is discounted to $65!"

1 comment:

JorgXMcKie said...

Could have walked in the snowstorm and saved $192, or at least $65. In fact, why not walk all the time and save $65 every time?

I just love people with what appears to be zero business experience trying to decide what prices should be.

Personally, I think NPR is price-gouging. They could pay their executives and others way less.