The city government of Hefei needed to destroy 156 illegal taxis, so they let police, city workers, and even legal taxi drivers smash the unlicensed cars to oblivion. They went to town.
While these unlicensed, uninsured gypsy cabs are definitely unsafe, they are also significantly cheaper than legal taxis. Legal cabs are not only authorized, but often owned by the state, which makes it extremely difficult for any privateers to get a license and move in on their monopoly.
Photo Credit: CRI Online via Car News China