Taxi

[Tiretyme]

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.

Andy, my Dad’s entirely family was raised there so when they all started passing I’d fly in to O’hare or Midway and catch a shuttle close by to where the lived. They must of had hundreds of shuttles running everyday, especially to airports, and back then there was nothing to it. Almost door to door service.

Most shuttles I rode in were about the size of those small, chopped in half looking school buses with really good heaters.

[noelm]

Hmm, interesting, not too sure how to word this without offending someone but......almost every taxi driver here is Indian, and has no idea where they are going, I don't take taxis very often (they are expensive) and driving/parking is no issue where we are, but now and then we might use one and without GPS most would still be lost. Last November we went on a cruise, we have a safe, reliable train service that runs from the airport and the cruise terminal, (all in Sydney, which is pretty busy) and a station about 8-10minuted from my house, usually we just drive, and leave the car at the station, or get dropped off by a family member, but last year, we got dropped off, but everyone was at work when we got back, so thought we would catch a taxi home. After 5 minutes of trying to tell the driver the address, offering to direct him, I ended up entering the address in his GPS for him, he was happy then....cost $35 for the trip!

[Tiretyme]

Yeah, it was a lot like that Rome

[Barefoot]

My niece and her fiance live in NYC (and can't wait to get out) They have a beater car that they park for relatively cheap outside of town. They walk/public transport to do day to day stuff. They take an uber to get to their car when they are driving somewhere out of town.

[noelm]

Seems kind of strange to get an Uber to your car!

[noelm]

All those yellow taxis you see in movies, would they mostly have paying customers, or just driving around looking for a "fare"? As a general rule, are taxi drivers OK drivers, or complete maniacs at the wheel? Are they trustworthy/safe to get a taxi late at night?

[Sans Peur]

All those yellow taxis you see in movies, would they mostly have paying customers, or just driving around looking for a "fare"? As a general rule, are taxi drivers OK drivers, or complete maniacs at the wheel? Are they trustworthy/safe to get a taxi late at night?

When I was in NYC on business with my GF, who used to live in Manhatten, warned me not to talk to everybody especially cab drivers because they are not as friendly as people in the south. (I am southern and talk to everybody with in 10' of me.) While we were there I made a point of talking to everyone I could. Soon as an elevator door would shut I would turn to people in there and, in my best southern draw, say "How yall doing?" Then strike up a conversation. My gf would just look away and pretend she didnt know me. Every cab we got into I would start asking where they were from, how they came to be here and about their family. Some were really nice but most were not friendly at all. It was great fun.

I even kept asking for Sweet Tea at all the restaurants. They thought I was crazy but it was fun.

[LFBB]

As an FYI a NYC taxi medallion was 650K back in 2015, today it's at 137K. Uber and lyft killed some mighty big investments for some.

No way I'm trying to take a NYC taxi 10 miles, they are for short hops to the next train station or bus terminal.

[Lprizman]

Noelm get your ass over here...stay with me...I'll get you indoctrinated

I've only used a taxi in Vegas.....

[noelm]

Haha, sounds like a plan!

[erie skipper]

Have they gotten the monorail system fixed so that it's dependable in Vegas? The last time we were there it was shut down more than it ran.