The Taxi and Limousine Commission is looking to redesign taxi cab partitions for the future. The NY Times notes that the partition was originally created to prevent crimes, like robberies and murder, but now things like legroom and giving riders a view of the city are making the TLC wonder if they need to shake things up. The article also waxes nostalgic about cabbie conversations, but lately, Gothamist would imagine most riders think they are going crazy because they think the driver is speaking to them, but the driver is actually on the phone. And believe us, Gothamist loves talking to cabbies, but there have been times when we've been told we were going to die very soon (we've never had the luck to meet the matchmaking cabbie!). Perhaps taxis need roof windows (not sunroofs, because then there would be ways for the fare to cheap out) to show off the city's vistas. Gothamist's favorite quote was from the former TLC Commissioner, Jack Lusk: "Those partitions create a plastic surgeon's dream." No kidding - we've been people whose faces have crashed into the partitions when cabs stop short and it's not pretty, so buckle your seatbelts, even if it doesn't help with bumpy rides.
Do you want to see the partitions stay or go? The TLC has been looking at other ways to redesign cabs.
