Cabbing It to the Outer Boroughs

Taxis drivers are now required to take people to Bronx, Queens, Harlem, or even parts of Brooklyn in spite of their misgivings or lack of borough knowledge, in a new ruling by the state appeals court. And if cabbies do refuse to drive to those places, their licenses can be revoked. The Taxi & Limousine Commission said the ruling was "clear victory for [the] riding public. ... The handful of drivers who illegally refuse service simply do not belong behind the wheel of a taxicab." The ruling, though, does not address different security concerns some drivers might have about driving to deserted areas, but its spirit certainly makes sense. Gothamist remembers the days when cabbies were reluctant to take us back to Park Slope, when Fifth Avenue was scary.

Instances when cabbies should be forced to drive passengers:
– When you're in a group of five people. Safety, schmafety, who cares if one of you has to lie across everyone's laps?
– When you or your friend looks clearly drunk; if we walk, we'd come home with skinned knees. Just don't drive too fast, because that makes us throw up.

Intstance when cabbies should not drive you:
– When it's clear that you and the person you're with have just met, are way too drunk, and that the ensuing hookup would be bad news.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 14, 2004 11:56 AM

Comments [rss]

cbrayton

A memorable incident: the Nigerian cabbie feigns engine failure to avoid having to take me crosstown and over the Brooklyn Bridge, and when I jump into another cab, the second cabbie gets in the face of the first. Fisticuffs ensue.

Marth

Coming from London, I am constantly surprised at the ignorance of some cabbies, especially with a block system that a lobotomized monkey could negotiate. But then, NYC cabs are about half the price of London black cabs. Who cares if you end up in the wrong place?!

d

I think we should allow all people, including taxi drivers, to decide with whom they want to do business. It's outrageous that one must take someone to a destination. What's next?...forcing house maids to clean up any type or amount of filth? Will you still be on the side of the consumer?

The law is supposed to protect people (including taxi drivers), not fuck with them.

990000

tangent:

did anyone else catch Taxi Dreams on Thirteen?

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/taxidreams

Muhammed Ahsan segments were hilarious

Justin

"When it's clear that you and the person you're with have just met, are way too drunk, and that the ensuing hookup would be bad news."

Yeah, this bit of business would've saved my bacon on two, possibly three, separate occasions.

Jnalpak

forget the burg, how about trying to get your Dog in the cab to go to central park?

have you heard this one..."Oh sorry I'm allergic!"

Jnalpak

forget the burg, how about trying to get your Dog in the cab to go to central park?

have you heard this one..."Oh sorry I'm allergic!" My dog is cleaner then them...stinky!

Neil Epstein

how about requring the cabbies to know all the street names as they do in london, that will be an improvement. having lived in the burg for sometime I have run into the occasional bad seed taxi driver who wont cross a bridge, Just flip him the bird like a normal new yorker and hail the next cab, he will probably be better. We once took a cab with a driver who was pissed that he had to go accross the bridge and was curisng at us constantly for going to the burg. We told him pulled over and got out after just a minute in his cab, and he still expected to be paid and tipped.