Taxi

[noelm]

OK, hard hat on, flak jacket zipped up, here goes another "no idea" question. On TV shows, there is an endless stream of Yellow taxis in every city, seeing as there is so many, are they cheap to use? Every movie, people are getting in a cab to go anywhere! Let's say you wanted to go a few miles, maybe 10 minutes, how much would that cost? Why is there so many? Doesn't anybody have a car in (say) New York?

[blaster]

In DC they have a zone fare system. The drivers get paid based on how many zones they pass thru. Given that most passengers are tourists they map their route to pass thru as many zones as possible.

The caveat to the taxi drivers is the Uber/Lyft driver. These guys have really put a hurting on the taxi crooks with their lower prices and regular drivers.

The issue with Lyft/Uber is that I have had people open my door and get into my car thinking I was their ride. This is somewhat dangerous as there could be a potential conflict that leads to injury or death.

At least with a taxi you know its a taxi. Not everyone is as understanding as myself if some stranger gets into their car without invitation.

[noelm]

That would be a funny one, someone hopping in your car thinking it's an Uber! never heard of that before.

[blaster]

Funny depending upon what part of town. If In Baltimore and some black dude jumps in the car it may give you pause and call for extreme measures.

[Sans Peur]

In NYC it is VERY expensive to own a car. Paying for parking everywhere you go and paying to park it somewhere close to your apartment an bankrupt you. Most people in the city do not own one. Cabs are everywhere and relatively inexpensive. Busses are running and the subway (if you got big cojonas) are fast and cheaper.
The amount of taxis , at least in Orlando, has diminished. Uber and lyft have about run them out of business. They were raping people and Uber/Lyft are cheaper, nicer drivers and don't s am you with long out of the way routes.

[Tiretyme]

OK, hard hat on, flak jacket zipped up, here goes another "no idea" question. On TV shows, there is an endless stream of Yellow taxis in every city, seeing as there is so many, are they cheap to use? Every movie, people are getting in a cab to go anywhere! Let's say you wanted to go a few miles, maybe 10 minutes, how much would that cost? Why is there so many? Doesn't anybody have a car in (say) New York?

In NYC it’d take you longer, much longer to try and drive 10 minutes. Plus the cost, plus the place you may have to park would still be 10 minutes from your destination.

That big city, concrete & steel, $40 for a ham sandwich ain’t nowhere close to the way you and I live!
Let me also tell you about NOISE 24/7……..it ain’t fun

[Tiretyme]

Noelm, my boss and I were at a meeting in Nashville many moons ago at Grand Ole Opry. Snuck out early, like 9:30P and were trying to figure out how to get back to hotel, which is part of this giant campus. No transports in sight that weren’t running until 10P.

Kid you not——Spotted a tow truck across the way and paid the dude $20 to let two suits ride on steps and hang on to mirrors—one of us on each side. Drove us up to the front door of this ritzy hotel and I can only imagine the wtf’s being said when he dropped us. Nice quick trip though

[LFBB]

Should have called the hotel and had them send their van for you. They don't have a van you say, tell them to send a bell hop in his car.

[noelm]

Interesting stuff, all the traffic you see in movies, are they just people going "through" or would they have (say) a reserved parking spot or similar! Let's look at it this way, let's say I lived in the outer suburbs of New York (or anywhere else) and worked in the city, how would I get to work? What about construction workers and vehicles building new "stuff"

[Tiretyme]

Park in distant lot and take the tube, aka subway, get robbed way, be prepared to defend yourself way.
Nickname is straphangers because that’s what you hold on to (a ceiling mounted looped strap) when all the seats are taken.
The “well-to-do folks” have a car service, that often picks them up at heliport where they fly in from Hamptons.

You and I would take the tube with our Kevlar lined briefcase and hope nobody messes with us!
Actually they’re not all bad, just some lines(routes) are notoriously problematic.

They also run this in Atlanta (MARTA) as many other large cities do also.
There’s a funny name made up for the acronym MARTA—Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, but I’ll get in trouble if I post it here.

[noelm]

Sounds like public transport to work would be a "mission". Our commuter train service is quite safe, maybe very late at night in an outer suburb line might have a couple of dicks, but, in the main, no drama. Taxis are very expensive, Uber is hit or miss, pot luck with price and availability. Love this learning about how things are.

[Sans Peur]

M.A.R.T.A.
Moving Africans Rapidly Through Atlanta.

I ain't scared!

[Jughed]

For city dwellers - taxi's are typically for the better off people. Regular Joe's walk or take public transportation.

Parking and driving in places like NYC are expensive nightmares. You need a parking garage near the office - $500+ per month, a parking garage near the house - $500+ per month.

I don't know about NYC, I don't go there. But other places - Uber is flat awesome. We travel often to New Orleans for work, dial up an Uber from our hotel room and by the time we reach the lobby its sitting there waiting for us. We stay just outside of the city, and for $10-$12 we get a ride.

[V_Thirteen]

I avoid taxis like the plague. Sitting at a red light, or crawling along, while the time based payment meter just keeps on racking up the fee, all the while aware that the driver is doing his best to hit the red lights and take the longest route possible, drives me nuts.

I like Uber, always a good experience.

The NYC subway, MARTA, and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, San Franshitsco's pride) are all basically mobile bad neighborhoods. Best avoided. If you don't defend yourself, they'll kill you. If you do defend yourself, they'll jail you.

Come to think of it, NYC, Atlanta, and San Fran are all best avoided, as well as any big blue city.

[Parker Yacht]

I'm Ol' skool.
I still take a cab from my apt to the airport, But, I must say, the cab drivers during Boat Show have it figured out, machine is broken, cash only, and the Price can vary, ALOT.
Still is cheaper than paying for daily parking at the beach, and, I don't want ANOTHER App on my damn phone.

[Coastboater]

A friend in college went to work in his uncles jewelry business in Chicago after graduating. Never owned a car. Took cabs to and from work and if needed to drive out of town would rent a car. Worked for him.

[Billinfla]

In 75 years I'm proud to say I've only been in 3 American shithole cities that had a lot taxis, and then only once (first time, last time).

[SeaCat22]

In NYC it is VERY expensive to own a car. Paying for parking everywhere you go and paying to park it somewhere close to your apartment an bankrupt you. Most people in the city do not own one. Cabs are everywhere and relatively inexpensive. Busses are running and the subway (if you got big cojonas) are fast and cheaper.
The amount of taxis , at least in Orlando, has diminished. Uber and lyft have about run them out of business. They were raping people and Uber/Lyft are cheaper, nicer drivers and don't s am you with long out of the way routes.

Yes, parking in NYC is very expensive.
Did you hear about the farmer who drove his pickup truck to NYC to fly out of JFK for a trip?
He went to a bank and got a $5,000 loan and left his truck as collateral. Returned from his trip 3 weeks later and went to the bank to pay off the loan and get his truck. The loan officer was curious and asked the farmer why he would get a $5,000 loan and pay it back 3 weeks later. The farmer replied, “ Where else can I get secure parking for a truck in NYC for $68”?

[Parker Yacht]

That's funny!

[Tiretyme]

Excellent

[SIM]

Had an attorney customer we sold a boat too that lived in downtown Chicago. Had not owned a car is 20 something years. For all the obvious reasons.....parking, cost, PIA. He knew the transportation system very well on how to get around in the city. When he traveled, he flew, and Chicago has several ways to get to O'hare airport from downtown. I guess it makes sense. That was almost 20 years ago, so not sure if I would feel as safe using public transportation now compared to back then. But also, Uber was not around then, so I would think that service is huge in large cities. I remember driving downtown years ago and all you would see are different shapes of yellow cars.

[duckfish]

I've never been in a taxi in the US. But then I've never been in the downtown of any of the big cities either.

The kids have arranged Uber for me a number of times tho and that mostly worked out OK.

Around here taxis come in a different form. They are mostly all unmarked big passenger vans and they haul the Amish all over the place.
Plus Milton Hershey School has a zillion of those big vans. Almost as common on the road as the annoying Amazon vans.