What might be the final straw happened last month, when San Francisco International Airport announced it was giving permits to what are called “transportation network companies.” Uber, Lyft and Sidecar can now legally drop off and pick up passengers at the airport. Clearly, cab companies and drivers need to respond and do something smart, effective and sympathetic. A protest organized by the Taxi Workers Alliance encouraged cabbies to block the lanes at the airport last week, creating a two-hour traffic jam. It was a classic, old-school union tactic — create a big fat disturbance to force change. Early this week, Martin got word that another protest could happen during the incredibly busy Thanksgiving week travel window. Eva Cheong, assistant deputy director for airport services, says the taxi groups seemed to have experienced an attack of common sense. “I believe there is a large contingent of the taxi drivers who feel that an action at the airport is not helping their cause,” she said. Drivers fought attempts to increase the number of medallions, or cab permits. Because there’s a reason we call it old-school. Cabbies need to drop the act and start studying for the future.