uptowngirl

Would you be happy to share a cab?

Apparently the Taxi and Limousine Commission is rolling out a new plan in the city wherein your cab could be flagged down by a stranger wishing to travel in the same direction. Cabs are going to be fitted with indicators which will display the direction they are headed so strangers can flag them down if they are headed the same way.-http://www.metro.us/us/article/2010/02/22/05/5548-82/index.xml
Would you think ? would you be happy to share a cab? I have actually shared a cab with a stranger not so long ago.. it was on a Saturday evening I was headed to friend's party on 48th and 2nd and was finding it impossible to find a cab. Another woman standing on the opposite street corner also waiting for a cab actually called out to me and asked where I was headed? When she learned we were headed to the same area she suggested we share the cab..it actually worked out very well for me in that instance..how would you react if your cab was flagged down by a stranger?

17 people following
this discussion

59 Comments

ajadedidealist Feb 23, 2010

As long as the cabbie was on hand to make sure nothing bad could happen, and I got to split the fare, I'd be fine with it!

uptowngirl Feb 23, 2010

@ajadedidealist after I uploaded the post a similar thought did cross my mind.. suppose your cab was flagged down by a criminal or some such undesirable.Its a bit dangerous coming to think of it.. let's see how the scheme works out ..

hhusted Feb 23, 2010

I had to share a cab ride with someone a few months ago. I wasn't annoyed by it. The person was going a few blocks further than me. So when I got to my spot, I paid my fare and the cab driver continued on with the other fare. If I feel bad vibes from the person, who wants to share a ride, I may not like it. Of course, it is up to the cab driver to stop or not. I know I will feel uncomfortable until I get out. Of course, if the person getting in was an attractive lady, I wouldn't care one way or another.

Uraniumfish Feb 24, 2010

@uptowngirl Your story is actually quite nice. It makes perfect sense to do what you and that woman did, and you both benefited, yet few people would have thought of doing it.

ajadedidealist Feb 24, 2010

I think as long as the cabbie is on hand and alert to make sure, say, a young girl doesn't get drugged, etc., in the backseat, and has easy access to an emergency call - it could be a good idea

uptowngirl Feb 24, 2010

@Uraniumfish actually I think it is quite a common practice at least in my neighborhood. Black Town car cabs often wait at a street corner on 79th street as they know many of the residents of the area work in the financial district. People in the know then head to that street corner every morning from where 3/4 of them share the cab ride from uptown to downtown. Its economical and sensible but I think this unofficial share a cab scheme works only during the warmer months when its easier to coordinate the sharing .

hhusted Feb 24, 2010

The idea of sharing is great. There have been many nights when I am over the West Side and need a cab ride, but the cabs are all taken. So why not have it set up so I can wave down a cabbie, and have him take me to where I am going, as long as the other passengers are going that way.

JenMac Feb 25, 2010

I see the convenience of it -- especially when it's raining / snowing; but, as a girl, it kinda creeps me out too. God knows what kind of riff raff you'd end up riding with.

BroadwayBK Feb 26, 2010

I don't particularly want to share a cab with just anyone, and I'm not always up for making small talk with strangers. I guess the most important question is, would you be splitting the fare? Because otherwise it is just a huge inconvenience. Also I love being alone in a cab, especially on my way home after a long night - it's sort of like one of my luxuries....

DBlack Feb 26, 2010

Honestly, I'm not sure I would find it appealing to share a cab with someone I don't know, even if it means saving some money on the fare. If you're at a party and headed in the same direction as someone else at the party...okay. But to share with someone off the street? I don't know. Questionable idea. @BroadwayBK And, yea, it feels good to take a solitary cab ride back home after a long night.

uptowngirl Feb 26, 2010

@BroadwayBK I think the scheme does require sharing of the cab fare .. let's see how it works out though.. like many of you I am also wary of just 'anybody 'sharing a cab with me..

hhusted Feb 26, 2010

I'm not too particularly thrilled with sharing my cab with anyone, especially with someone I don't even know. You never know who will get in the cab. But I think that no matter who it is, the cab driver will be alert and keep everyone safe.

Uraniumfish Feb 26, 2010

The more I think about it, the more I'd be reluctant to have it imposed on me as a practice, for purely safety reasons. But if they find a system that can be safe...

hhusted Feb 26, 2010

That's a big if, Uraniumfish. If sharing the cab can be found safe, the practice may be more common.

uptowngirl Feb 27, 2010

Ok everyone this evening I was in a cab and saw an advert for the share a cab scheme. At first it is going to roll out as a group cab scheme where you have designated spots where you go to if you want to share a cab. The first three spots for the group ride scheme are in Midtown, on the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side. http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/home/home.shtml So I guess they will first see how this works before extending the scheme.

NeverSleeps Feb 28, 2010

This city is full of crazies and with my luck that's exactly who I'd be stuck in a cab with... every single time. So I'm going to have to vote a big, fat NO on this one, for the same safety reasons that everyone else is citing. It's nice to see that in order to share a cab you actually have to go to a certain cab stand - that's a relief! For a second there I thought I was just going to innocently get into a cab, only to be joined by who knows who. Think I'll just avoid those spots.

BroadwayBK Feb 28, 2010

I am officially never sharing a cab with anyone, as am extremely unlikely to find myself at an actual cab stand. Where are we, Italy? I cannot not just hail a cab from where ever I happen to be - this is the New York way.

JenMac Feb 28, 2010

Yeah, I'm with BroadwayBK and NeverSleeps on this one. The amount of times I find myself not able to find a cab are pretty minimal. And, I would always end up with a crazy as well, I feel.

msQT Apr 19, 2010

I normally walk everywhere I go or I take the subway. The only time I take a cab is on my way to the airport or back. I would have a problem with sitting with a complete stranger on the way to my destination. I guess I have this feeling after watching the movie I can't remember the title of right now.. The girl gets trapped into trafficking after a man preys on her when sharing the same cab. Then her dad goes across the world to catch the bad guys and kicks ass. I would pay more money to know that the person sitting next to me wasn't a complete psycho stalker! Especially since I only take cabs back to my place. hahaha

msQT Apr 19, 2010

Ah yes, I remember the title now. "Taken"

ajadedidealist Apr 20, 2010

There's this absolutely terrifying ad on the NY subway depicting a corpse-like girl SCREAMING her head off - saying "Know What Cab You're Getting Intol>" Traumatizing, absolutely traumatizing, I tell you.

BroadwayBK Apr 20, 2010

@ajadedidealist Sounds like the London cabwise campaign, sort of. Where a girl gets raped on the commercial? So unpleasant.

bellacaroline May 04, 2010

If my creep radar didn't go off, they weren't headed exactly where I was going, and didn't stiff me on paying half I'd be fine. Sometimes you don't know is this city though...

eva91709 May 12, 2010

I think each person should be asked whether or not they would want to share a cab. The odds of me saying yes would be minuscule, but you never know. Other people might be very comfortable with this idea and like the idea of sharing the fare. Who knows? It might be a great way to socialize, or to meet Prince Charming. :-)

JenMac May 12, 2010

@eva: that always sounds great in theory. I would love to think that I wouldn't mind at all sharing. It's economical, time saving and more fuel conscious. But, then I remember that people walk past dead bodies and don't even call the fuzz, and I'm like, "oh, right, I don't want a stranger sharing a ride with me."

Freyja4 May 13, 2010

My husband drives a taxi and may be owning the company here soon. I had to ride with him once becuase I had groceries and my two girls (before I had my boy). Had to share the cab with various people for about two hours before I got home. It wasn't bad. Felt horrible becuase of the restricted room from all the groceries though.

uptowngirl May 14, 2010

@Freyja4 Perhaps you would be best qualified to give us a cabbie's perspective on how successful the scheme has proved...are New Yorkers very reluctant to share a cab? that seems to the case from the news reports.. I guess personal safety is now a very valid issue...

NeverSleeps May 14, 2010

Well at least, the way it stands now, you don't have to share a cab if you don't want to. And I imagine that cabbies make more money if everyone gets their own cab anyway, right? That way cabs are giving more people separate rides. I can't imagine the city forcing people to share cabs... I don't think New Yorkers would put up with that at all.

BroadwayBK May 16, 2010

Right.. they can't make people share cabs if we don't wanna. Although.. it would probably be the best thing for the environment if people who were going the same way shared stuff. Then again that would be a bit like taking a little bus. Anyway, I stand by my original opinion. I don't want to share!

DBlack May 16, 2010

@NeverSleeps That kind of thinking is bad for the congestion and pollution in the city! Okay, and no, I don't want to be forced to share my cab with anyone either.

uptowngirl May 24, 2010

@Everyone Everybody on this forum pretty much shot down the idea of sharing a cab but here's a guy who has developed an app for the iPhone calle FareShare which helps you pay your share of the fare in the hope that the concept of sharing a cab will eventually catch on. http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/first-mobile-app-to-help-riders-split-taxi-trips-debuts-1.1937634

JenMac May 24, 2010

Damn those iPhones!! I want one so, so badly! Pretty soon, they're gonna have an app for how to get a new life . . . preferably one in Fiji.

uptowngirl May 25, 2010

@JenMac you're really funny and September is not too far away for isnt that when you are going to get your iPhone?I presume your current contract terminates then?

hhusted May 26, 2010

@JenMac: Again, just another gimmick to get you to jump for one.

NeverSleeps May 30, 2010

@DBlack Ha, maybe so, but I doubt that many New Yorkers are going to keel over and do what's best for the environment by sharing cabs with their crazy neighbors... @uptowngirl That app is actually a pretty cool idea. @JenMac Get one already! Or look on the bright side, if you wait a bit longer you can get whatever new generation one is about to come out!

uptowngirl Feb 14, 2011

@everyone the TLC's effort to get New Yorkers to share a cab may have not been so successful but other entrepreneurs and start-ups seem to be convinced it is a good idea and are trying to make a go of it. http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20110213/SMALLBIZ/302139997#

NeverSleeps Feb 14, 2011

@uptowngirl They are foolish to keep trying! What city do they think they live in?

hhusted Feb 15, 2011

I only shared a cab once and don't plan on it again.

uptowngirl Feb 15, 2011

@Everyone the TLC did a survey recently and most respondents complained about the high costs of taxis in NY so maybe this cab sharing will catch on in the future. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/passengers-speak-out-in-taxi-survey/

JenMac Feb 17, 2011

If NYC cabs are expensive, I shudder to think what people think of cabs in other cities.

uptowngirl Feb 17, 2011

@JenMac How expensive are they in places like San Francisco/ L.A?

JenMac Feb 18, 2011

@uptown: they are absolutely insane! I took a cab about 2 miles in LA and it was 25 bucks. Same in SF. Plus, they're pretty hard to come by.

uptowngirl Feb 19, 2011

@JenMac Thank god for NYC cabbies then.. but have to tell you I use cabs a lot more here in HK.. because they are extremely cheap I think its because they operate on LPG( gas) or maybe because its a smaller area of operation ..its not uncommon to pay a cab fare of $3-$5 USD for an entire journey.

uptowngirl Feb 19, 2011

@Everyone Has anybody tried this application? is it accurate? http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=NY

JenMac Feb 20, 2011

@uptown: that's so cheap! But, then again, metro fares are getting so expensive that you can almost take a cab here for the same price.

uptowngirl Feb 20, 2011

@JenMac Especially if its like a family or a group traveling together on the subway makes more sense to ride in a cab then.

NeverSleeps Feb 20, 2011

@JenMac @uptowngirl My thoughts exactly. I can't believe how much they expect us to fork over to take the friggin' train. I've been walking and/or taking many more cabs in recent months. It just doesn't seem worth it to pay $2.something to go two stops, and there's no point in paying that much to get to the city if you're traveling with your fellow bar-hoppers.

JenMac Feb 21, 2011

@neversleeps: I agree. I often will take a cab over the train strictly because it's often not much more expensive and far superior.

BroadwayBK Feb 25, 2011

I am also not impressed by how much a cab costs in LA. I actually knew someone who moved out there from Queens, and thought that since he was a born-and-bred sort of New Yorker he wouldn't have to buy a car. He would just take the bus and take cabs home from the bars at night. Needless to say, that didn't last long. It's less expensive to be a car owner than to take cabs home from frequent nights on the town... at least in LA.

uptowngirl Feb 26, 2011

@BroadwayBK So I have heard. People who live in LA apparently live in their cars.. so is parking cheap? or do most people live in stand alone homes with garages etc.

JenMac Feb 26, 2011

Parking isn't cheap and isn't bountiful either. But, most residential streets either offer parking garages or it's a permit only street so riff raff can't park there. You don't necessarily live in your car, but you definitely log some quality time in it.

BroadwayBK Feb 28, 2011

The first thing I noticed when I moved from NYC to LA was that the landscape in LA was parking lot-heavy. So many parking lots! If only we could fit them in our city...

uptowngirl Feb 28, 2011

@BroadwayBK Well know wonder LA is known to be a 'driving' city while NYC is a 'walkers' city

ajadedidealist Mar 08, 2011

It's gotten to the point where my mother and I would prefer to split a cab than to take the metro - for short distances (10 blocks) it's actually cheaper to take a cab than use two Metrocard swipes!

HegelFischer5 Mar 11, 2011

I'm happy to share a cab if someone is requesting me to please share it. There's no problem about it.

JVS May 05, 2011

I hear ubercab is coming to NYC soon. This will be very interesting.

theish11 Sep 17, 2011

As long as they took a shower I guess. http://www.cabrates.com/cabs/delancey-cab-services-york-city/

tlily Mar 03, 2012

except when you find out the strangers who are sharing a cab with you don't have any money to pay their share of the cab fare after they get in.

pizzahater Apr 20, 2012

i've been india recently and went in a rickshaw,the drivers are pretty bad at driving and you get 7 kids in in one rickshaw.i sat in a rickshaw sitting next to a perv who kept staring at me...........being a tourist at all.i live in london,england,and we don't share cabs.i think us londoners wud find dat wierd,especially if a guy wants to go in a cab wiv a girl,she'll probably tell him to get his own cab anyway.just saying,i'd find it wierd if sum1 wanred to go in a cab with me