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You are here: Home / Random / Taxi hailing adventures in New York City

Taxi hailing adventures in New York City

January 18, 2012 by Mona Andrei 1 Comment

OMG mes amis, I have so much to tell you about New York. I’ll start with this: the only thing missing is Greg. And I’m not just saying that to make him feel better about not being here. We – as in “us together” – would have such a blast here. Which is why we’ve decided to come in May. According to popular belief (well, Greg’s popular belief), May is a perfect time to visit New York. And when it comes to sharing an adventure, I don’t ask questions. I just go with it!

Also, a benefit to being my age (which generally doesn’t really have any benefits) is that I have kids old enough to be adults. And since I don’t have to worry about changing diapers anymore, they might come too for a NYC adventure the whole family can enjoy.

Okay, but that’s in May. Let me tell you about what I’m experiencing in New York NOW.

New York is like any other city only any other city on steroids. And if you’re not paying attention you just don’t recognize all the unique-to-NY specifics – like transportation.

Transportation (also known as a point of frustration) is special in New York. This is how it works. You stand on a street and raise your hand every time you see a lovely shade of yellow driving towards you. No, it’s not Big Bird. It’s a taxi. And whether he (assuming it’s a “he”) stops or not depends on how he feels.

Let’s put it this way: 11 times out of 10, he’ll pass you by because apparently taxi drivers in New York just like to drive around looking rushed.

You know that expression “she’s a whole lotta woman”? Well New York is a whole lotta city with a whole lotta people and a whole lotta taxis driving all over the place – only they’re not exactly driving around as taxi drivers – don’t let the yellow taxi car fool you (which kind of defeats the word “taxi”, but what do I know?).

I’ve figured out that taxi drivers in New York City are actually video game geeks in disguise. In their minds, they’re not really driving. They’re playing a game called “let’s see if I can squeeze through this tight spot . . . WHOA-HOA!!! I DID IT. 50 POINTS FOR ME!”.

Warning: People with heart problems should not take taxis in New York.

Then at some point in your taxi hailing endeavours, another transportation seeking pedestrian will boldly stand in front of you with the same arm raising gesture. This is when it becomes necessary to wrap up your polite disposition in a piece of bubble gum wrapper and put it in your pocket for later. You move in front of him (which could just as easily be a “her”) and the who-will-get-the-next-available-cabbie game begins and continues until you realize that you’ve just walked 17 blocks in the opposite direction of where you’re going.

Meanwhile about 32 secret-service-looking-type dark vehicles have stopped traffic by pulling in front of you to say that they’ll take you to your destination for a fixed fee which translates into seven times the price of the yellow cabbies’ fare.

So far in my three days of taxi hailing Olympic training I’ve developed awesome muscle bulges under my right armpit. I’ve also realized that the whole arm raising gesture thing is totally useless. If you want a taxi in New York, you have to jump out in front of it while praying to the taxi gods that it stops before you body slam into it.

For my next trip to New York (which I hope is before May because I actually love it here!) I’m bringing my neighbour’s son’s hockey goalie equipment. I probably won’t stand out – this is NEW YORK CITY after all – but at least I’ll be protected.

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Filed Under: Random, Travelling Adventures

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Comments

  1. james @tjb car service says

    January 5, 2014 at 6:21 pm

    Tottaly understand your frustration with transportion in New York, being a car service /limo rental business we know how hard it can be sometimes driving in the city or even rockland county can be mind wrecking sometimes.

    Reply

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