A livery driver who joined a protest at City Hall on Friday over high fines thought he had a surefire way of detecting undercover taxi agents.
“Let me ask you a question,” the wary cabby asked a passenger about to hop into his car at JFK.
“Are you undercover TLC?” he asked, referring to the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which regulates the industry.
“No, I’m not TLC,” the passenger responded.
And away they went — but only to another JFK terminal.
The passenger proceeded to pull out his inspector’s badge and issue a $1,500 summons.
His rule book, the cabby found, doesn’t require undercover inspectors to ID themselves.
Unlike yellow cabbies, livery drivers can’t pick up passengers who haven’t made prior arrangements.
State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx), who was part of the protest, argued that part of the law should be tossed.
“Why should it be illegal?” he asked. “They’re paying their insurance. They’re paying their fees. We don’t mind.”