Bitcoin Forum

https://twitter.com/chicagocabbie

I just went to his twitter account and read that he's asking about Bitcoin. Time for those here with a Twitter account to chime in. I think he's a great guy. Check it out, all.

~Bruno~

EDIT: Looks like Rashid was provided a link to that taxi thread by @thomkaufmann.

i'm not sure how to use twitter  :P

We need a bitcoin HOTLINE!

That guy takes bitcoins?

that guy is learning about bitcoin today...

I'll give you 1 guess as to what happens dose tomorrow  ;)

I'm there, I would probably use him even for a slight premium (I don't like carrying so much cash when out partying, etc) and cards are a ripoff, all cabbies hate cards so I feel like I have to tip them more if I dont have enough cash.

+1
Cash+Party = no pants?  :-*

I mean, this is actually a really good idea. The problem is most cabbies are working paycheck to paycheck and renting the cars. What is the fastest/cheapest way to get money from BTC--> USD right now?

The other thing is that alot of cabbies are pissed because the city has recently (last month) decided to force them to take credit cards.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/12/12/mayor-emanuel-calls-for-new-tighter-regulations-on-taxis/

It is a good idea that will work for both customer and business if it can be convenient and trustworthy enough. Perhaps what is needed is some escrow service where the cabbie can feel comfortable being paid until 6 verifications. Cabs are heavily regulated so, as long as nothing too crazy is going on, the driver could be tracked down if they attempt the double charge.

I'm glad to see the dialog progressing. Unfortunately, I can't provide further assistance, with the exception of possibly meeting him come Thursday. I know Chicago like the back of my hand, for I was raised there prior to growing up in Indiana, then living in Chicago proper for a spell, now outside of Chicago, visiting the city on a regular basis. Let's see what can be put together in a short period of time to get this on the fast track.

First, this guy is great he has a great story to tell. Anyways, you mentioned what is the fastest way from BTC -> USD ? I was thinking this guy could own a reloadable credit card from us and when people want to pay him for there ride they they send us the bitcoins and we fund his card with USD within minutes to go spend. Now our fee of $4.95 might be a little to pricey but can figure out some wiggle room if there is dedicated amount of transactions. Just throwing this thought out there cool story.

I noticed hes also got video from Northcoast (Music festival of electronic music plus Gogol bordello, jam bands, etc) on his vimeo page. So he likes partying. Phinnaeous should ask him if hes heard of Porn and Chicken: http://evil-olive.com/events/mon-porn-chicken/

I bet I can get them to take bitcoins at the door as well ($5 dollar fee is too high though when cover is only $5). Maybe even hook him up with extra business from people who want to do some "bitcoin tourism". P'n'C is worth it if you're in Chicago and like partying, but it's Monday nights and doesn't get really going til 2AM. The only problem is the extra fees over cash for escrow and I am not computer savvy enough to personally guarantee someone there is no flaw in the protocol, let alone some software running on phones on top of that.

These are virtual cards right ?
A real physical card would be epic, transfer bitcoints, wait a hour, withdraw in any ATM, but probaly a bit hard to sell as a legit service.
So they can be used to pay for things online, but likely not to pay the rental bill, insurance or gas.

You can already do that through Paxum.

Remember, Rashid uses an iPhone oppose to an Android type phone. We need to make sure that any APPs suggested work on this platform. He also has an iPad.

This spring I'm part of a panel about bitcoins in Chicago. Tech-something?? I'll have to invite him.

If he is just receiving payments an Instawallet account is fast and easy. It will display QR code on iOS devices. Bit-Pay may be better, but not free, solution for businesses though.

Mora, yes they are virtual cards sent via email.  I think you are right that a physical card would work better  specially a debit card for withdraws.  My next service I'm offering is the ability to pay monthly fee's with bitcoins  -> USD -> Service.

Which Bitcoin service offers reloading a Visa credit card via the depositing of bitcoins?

Ummmmmm... Me? ^^

More specifically http://www.btcinstant.com

I was just on your site looking for it. How did I miss it? I saw that you do it for online purchases, but I was looking for Visa. Please point it out to me. Thank you, btcinstant.

~Bruno~

Boy, I'm really screwed  up. First you had this: (Google Cache)


Now it reads this:


But I found this: http://www.thebitcoinreview.com/site.php?site_id=763


By a Reviewer:


Please clarify, btcinstant, for it would be great if bitcoins could be converted to a re-loadable Visa.

~Bruno~

Not a problem Phinnaeus. So you are seeking specifically Visa ? My original provider just did Visa but the current one does Mastercard. Technically I have access to both. Then I thought about it isn't credit cards universal? Meaning most merchants accept both nowdays so to prevent confusion I just caused you  ;)  I decided to make it broad. But now seems you need Visa only?

Let me know what other further questions I can answer for you.
Thanks.

Master Card would work just as well. That being the case, the problem is solved. Rashid accepts bitcons via Instawallet, then sends coins to BTCinstant to load/reload his MC which, in turn, he uses to buy gas for his taxi.

Now, tell me how this wouldn't work so that I can come up with another plan.

~Bruno~

Nope, you nailed it perfectly. Now here are some caveats that could be a hindrance to our grand plan. Here they are:

• Now the maximum per card $50 ( but this is going to be raised to $100 shortly). If you could find out from Rashid just how much he plans to fill it up his taxi with I could figure out some more wiggle room to get this raised.
• The fee is $4.95 first time loading Mastercard and $3.95 per re-load therafter. This might cut into his profit a little much to make it worthwhile but once again I'll get the jack hammer out and hammer out a way to reduce the fee. I just think a cabby accepting bitcoins is so cool.

These are the only (2) I can think of at the moment. Let me know what you think.

Rashid should look at our Mobile Checkout!

https://bit-pay.com/aboutMobile.html (https://bit-pay.com/aboutMobile.html)

He can use his phone to type in an exact amount in USD, and hit the button.  We'll pull a real time exchange rate and give him a unique QR to show to the customer.  After the customer pays, Rashid's phone will alert him.

He doesn't have to know anything about bitcoins to use this.  We will send US Dollars to his bank account the next business day. 

He also does not have to assume any volatility risk to use this.  We will send him the gross amount of his orders minus our fee.  It doesn't matter how many bitcoins we collect, how long it takes for us to sell them, or what we can sell them for.    His net deposit is always a guaranteed amount. 

Both (above) options are great. Rashid can use either one or even both, the way I see it.

If I were to use BTCinstant, I would transfer no less less than $200 USD of coins from my Instawallet account to have converted to a MC, therefore only recognizing a 2% (or better) effective rate for the service. (Shoot!!! I just reread your caveats. It's $50 max, not min.) ---- I still see this as a viable option, provided some wiggling is done.

Thank you, btcinstant and Bit-pay Merchant for your kind responses to help solve this issue and getting it on the fast track.

~Bruno~

Quick plug towards the Bit-pay crew - BTCinstant uses Bit-pay for exactly what they are mentioning and it works beautifully. They are really helpful and couldn't do what we do without them thanks guys!

As for Rashid I hope he finds a solution to it. $200 is doable and I can find a way. I'll keep you posted on what I find out and keep me in the loop if decide to go another way as curious to what is out there.

So what happened?

Copy and paste from another thread. The bottom half is what is relative.

Nothing, yet. My schedule couldn't make it, and last night he had another engagement. I'm going to try to get into a dialog with Rashid on Twitter in a few minutes.

~Bruno~

Let me know what you find out or what questions he has. I'm still working it out on my side for a solution here.

Will do, btcinstant. Thank you kindly for putting in the extra effort.

~Bruno~

This is for you, Rashid Temuri. I do have several Twitter profiles, but none that I wanted to use for Bitcoin, because I wanted to keep my other projects separate, therefore I created TheBitcoinGuy (https://twitter.com/BitcoinGuy) specifically for Bitcoin, a Twitter user account that I can easily scale, hence the new account. My first tweet on that account was directed toward you, Rashid, and it included a link to this post of which I hope you're now reading.

We here at BitcoinTalk are well aware of your recent 15 minutes of fame. About an hour ago I came up with an idea that could possibly extent your exposure another 15 minutes--if your game.

I'll forego the particulars and cut to the chase. You can easily be the first Chicago Cabbie to accept Bitcoin as payment for fares. Possibly the first cabbie in the world. That, alone, may make some people excited if they were in your position. Now the fun part. How would you like to be seen in Las Vegas next week at 2012 International CES (http://www.cesweb.org)? All you would have to do between now and then is start excepting Bitcoin, put together a quick video of you doing such, and I'm sure it would be included in a video loop (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=56706.msg679644#msg679644) at the Bitcoin booth at the Convention.

Here's a link to Bit-pay Merchant Solutions' thread along with a quote of the first paragraph: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=56706.msg675586#msg675586


What makes this opportunity that much more exciting is the following quote located on that same thread:


I live in Sandwich, Illinois, 50 miles due west of Chicago. I am visiting Chicago come Monday, therefore I would love to meet up with you. I would buy you lunch or dinner anywhere you want to eat. The reason for the meetup is to hopefully address any questions or concerns you may have in regards to Bitcoin. This will not be a sales pitch. I'll have nothing to sell you. After dinner, you can easily say 'thanks, but no thanks' and there'll be no hard feelings. I will smile, shake your hand, and be on my way, with a full belly, of course. The pleasure will be all mine just to enjoy your company--a consolation prize, so to speak, if that so happens to be the case.

If you follow me, I can DM you my phone number.

One more thing. We here are hoping that you join BitcoinTalk. I'm sure that it can be arranged for you to be whitelisted, thereby foregoing the customary 4-5 posts minimum plus 4-5 hour reading time. We would love to have you as part of this community. Perhaps you would consider having your own thread to maintain. A place that will bring awareness to your services and also afford you the opportunity to get your questions answered in a timely manner. I can easily PM my phone number to you there, as well.

As an added bonus, I will even let you know my real full name (Bruno is my real first name), something only a couple people on this board truly knows. On a side note, I grew up in Chicago and have lived in the North and South side of town--Humboldt Park and 51st & Western, respectively.

There you have it, Rashid. I hope my proposal reads as I intended it. We here at BitcoinTalk await your kind reply.

~Bruno~

EDIT: I also have another gift for you. It's better than the giving you my last name which, by the way, was tongue-in-cheek humor but truly mean to let you see my Illinois driver's license. This gift will go hand-in-hand with your video skills. I think you will like it.

EDIT: For readers of BitcoinTalk, listen to this interview: http://www.comedyaccident.com/podcasts/30-comedy-accident-podcast-032711

There's one thing I could almost promise you, Rashid Temuri: Just about any avid Bitcoin user coming to Chicago on business, let's say, would seek out your taxi services.

This just in from Bit-pay Merchant Solutions: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=56706.msg680433#msg680433


~Bruno~

Not a single user on BitcoinTalk has the word Chicago in their user name. Neither is there a cabbie. Therefore, ChicagoCabbie should reserved for Rashid Temuri. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=mlist;sa=search Using that link, I found only 2 that used the word Taxi in their user name.

I offered Rashid a free hand tooled leather Bitcoin wallet, a $150 USD value, if he registers with BitcoinTalk. Ideally, he should use ChicagoCabbie or Chicago Cabbie to further his brand.

His last tweet has me believing that he's looking into all this. I hope he comes on board. He truly is a great guy.

I would love to give him a personal wallet with his name, Rashid Temui, on it like the one below:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6046054449_ac748bfc63.jpg

~Bruno~

+1  once again Bruno is way ahead of us all in getting Bitcoins in front of as many people. A+ job sir!

brb registering ChicagoCabbie to sell to him

Joking, of course ;D

Five days ago, if you would have searched "Chicago Cabbie" Bitcoin, you would have found no results. Today, there's 83. The goal for the end of the month is 1,000 search results on Google.

Could this be the new face of Bitcoin?

http://newstech24.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/old-services-meet-new-media-a-tweeting-cabbies-growing-business.jpg
Rashid checking the balance in his Bitcoin wallet?

Bruno, I will make Rashid a Mobile Checkout app for free just like we did for the restaurant in the video.  Let's do this!

https://bit-pay.com/aboutMobile.html (https://bit-pay.com/aboutMobile.html)

But I really want to see him record a rant on video, that would be something i can show in our booth at CES.

Bruno I just emailed Rashid directly as well.  We are happy to help him.

Great to see that we're working both ends against the middle, BPMS.

Rashid, if you're reading this, please understanding that in no way we are trying to pressure you into doing something that you're not comfortable with. If at all possible, I would like to take you to dinner tomorrow afternoon/early evening at some fancy spancy food joint of your choosing in Chicago. Dinner's on me. Hell, even bring a friend or family member. Just make sure the joint has free Wi-Fi.

~Bruno~

This is awesome.

Even if this happens to go no where, The Bitcoin Guy (https://twitter.com/BitcoinGuy) will be on the lookout for the next person of interest. (are there any cape makers in this community?)

~Bruno~

Latest update: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=57301.0

This sounds like a great idea.  Volunteers donate to a fund, then we can create a skype account for bitcoin hotline... round the clock representatives (more volunteers) answering questions about bitcoins.

If you think mining for coins is tough, try doing this for a living: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/January-2012/Some-Advice-to-Mayor-Emanuel-From-a-Cab-Driver/

~Bruno~

ChicagoCabbie is now a member of this forum: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=49482

He has yet to post or put in a single minute of viewing this board since becoming a member earlier today. That said, I respectively request that he be whitelisted ASAP, due to the unique circumstances surrounding the having him come on board. I'm not sure who to specifically ask or PM, therefore opt to post my request here, with the hope that someone on staff or another member helps accelerate this process. If the latter is the case, please PM the proper authorities.

Sincerely, Bruno

I hit 'report to moderator'. That should get someones attention.  :P

It does, but... he was whitelisted for over an hour by the time you sent the report. :P In fact, I didn't even know about this thread until now. I had just processed the request that was put in the main queue...

Oh yea! Well answer me this, smart guy. Who's driving the short bus that we're all riding in?  ;D That is great Maged. I will let him know. I'm sure he's still sleeping now, fighting the flu, and probably still getting up in the morning to hit the road. That's one hell of a life, but I saw in his eyes that he loves what he does and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Here's hoping that Bitcoin will better his job of choice.

BTW, Martin, my brother-in-law, will be tooling a leather wallet for him. A gift I promised him just for joining BitcoinTalk. It'll be a custom job with the Bitcoin logo on one side, and the Flash Cab logo on the other. Inside will have his name. I just thought of something while typing that last sentence. Instead of his real name, I'm going to have Chicago Cabbie on that leather name plate. All with custom weaving around the outside of the wallet. A deluxe model valued at $150 USD. I already paid Martin ahead of time. I'll make sure the images are posted here before I send it to him. I'm still not sure if I creating commerce with Bitcoin or slowly going broke. Either way, I'm having the time of my life. Now who the hell is working on my cape?

~Bruno~

Thats why you get paid the big bux $$$$

I have an unused ikea shower curtain you may have! :)

I'll take it! I have a friend in Texas that can put it together for me.

Bruno!

Have Rashid scan this with his iPhone (open in Safari), and add it to his Home Screen.  It is a free iPhone app I made for him to accept bitcoins using Bit-Pay Mobile Checkout

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chl=https://bit-pay.com/m/779807/checkout.html&chs=200x200

The Mobile App will allow him to:

1.  Request an exact amount in 30+ currencies
2.  Receive instant on-screen alerts of payments received
3.  Send the bitcoins to his wallet of choice, or receive direct deposit to his US bank account

When he is ready to use it, just have him contact me and we can finish setting up his account preferences.

It's super easy for him to accept bitcoins, even if he's not ready to hold onto them yet with a wallet, etc.

I will also mail him a Deposit Card for free if he is interested.

https://bit-pay.com/img/limocard-sample.jpg

I guarantee all of the bitcoiners will seek him out whenever we go to Chicago!

No way is this endeavor dead in the water. Martin just got time to tackle that hand tooled leather wallet (a true $150 USD value) I promised him for simply signing up to BitcoinTalk. Once completed, and I get back to Chicago, I will meet up with Rashid once again over a free dinner (once again) and will do exactly as you've outlined when I present to him his free gift. I'll make sure to post photos of the custom Flash Cab/Chicago Cabbie wallet once it's completed.

~Bruno~

Bruno, what would we do with you  :P

Bruno! What would we do without you?  :-*

Fixed!

Rassah was kind enough to hash out a vanity address for Chicago Cabbie: 1ChiCab1Btgo74myUtDuA35RmzXWfgSfRM

What do you think?

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=12&d=1ChiCab1Btgo74myUtDuA35RmzXWfgSfRM

Those are EPIC sideburns!!!  :o

EPIC

Just moved to Chicago and I will definitely be hitting up Rashid when I need to go anywhere.

I have included you on the list here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=58513.0 and mentioned your intention here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=58513.msg743594#msg743594

Thank you, anon5050, for your support.

~Bruno~

Once again, here's Chicago Cabbie's Bitcoin address: 1ChiCab1Btgo74myUtDuA35RmzXWfgSfRM

I've colored it up a tad to resemble Flash Cab's logo:

http://www.flashcab.com/images/Flashcab_logo.png

Please note: I have yet to give this to Rashid, buy have sent a small amount to that address to make sure it works: http://blockchain.info/address/805c69f01b0e3e3c63d982bcf7f339ab938f42d2