RE: off topic NYC taxis; was RE: I'M CERTIFIED....:) :) :) -- MIDRANGE-L

I've never driven a cab in NYC, but it's in my blood.  My grandfather drove
a cab there for 20 years or so.  He had a job in the depression because he
owned his cab.  Drove it 12 hours and rented it out the other 12 hours.  He
was president of an independent cab drivers' trade organization.  I
inherited the (white) gold watch they gave him when he stepped down.  Some
of the most thrilling experiences of my childhood were rides in the car with
my grandfather.  I don't think most folks' grandfathers drove on the
sidewalk with grandchildren in the car.  Yes, he never had an accident. <G>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carl Friedberg [mailto:friedberg@exs.esb.com]
> Sent: Saturday, December 04, 1999 2:44 PM
> To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
> Subject: off topic NYC taxis; was RE: I'M CERTIFIED....:) :) :)
> 
> 
> Speaking as a near New Yorker (I've only lived here half my 
> life), this is
> an honor you do not want. I ride taxis in NYC a lot, and I 
> never can relax
> for an instant. You are riding in a vehicle that has a very 
> unsafe, kludged
> up barrier about 20 inches from your nose, designed so that 
> in quick stop,
> your face gets an imprint of the barrier. The New York 
> hospitals actually
> see so many of these injuries (if you survive the crash) that 
> they have a
> special name for it. The drivers are underpaid, work 12 to 16 
> hour shifts,
> speak no English (for the most part), and usually have no 
> idea where they
> are going. All they want to do is drive as fast as possible, 
> to maximize
> their income. Even if you know where you are going, you may 
> have difficulty
> communicating that to the driver.
> 
> I'm constantly amazed that anyone wants to drive through NYC; 
> the average
> speed is now somewhere around 5mph, meaning a typical New Yorker walks
> faster than traffic, on average. Anytime you want routing 
> suggestions on how
> to avoid NYC, just drop me a note (if you can't find the 
> information on the
> web, of course). big grin, best wishes,
> 
> Carl Friedberg, carl@comets.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don [mailto:dr2@cssas400.com]
> Sent: Saturday, December 04, 1999 1:38 PM
> To: midrange-l@midrange.com
> Subject: I'M CERTIFIED....:) :) :)
> 
> 
> 
> I want to thank Al Barsa for once again doing the honors of 
> renewing my
> certification as a "Certified Manhatten Taxi Driver" this past Friday
> evening on the way back from the DC Users Group Conference (The JAM).
> 
> Al, thanks again for doing the honors and Thanks to all that 
> helped in the
> JAM!  (www.wash-midrange.org)
> 
> Don in DC
> 
> 
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