FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND
June 12th, 2009 by Angela
Always know the cross street of where you're going if you get in a cab. Rolling in and saying 1350 Avenue of the Americas will get you nowhere. You want Sixth Avenue and 55th Street - get a map from your hotel, it will save you so much hassle. Almost all cabbies know where the big attractions are though so don't panic too much.
Hailing a cab is super easy as long as you know what to look for. It's not like London, where cabs are either lit or not - if the centre light is on, the taxi is free and you can hail him down. If there are lights on either side of the main light, then the cab is off-duty, he won't stop for you and you'll look a wee bit silly standing in the road with your arm out in the air. If there are no lights on top of the cab at all, then there’s already someone inside. Bah.
Helpful hint, the avenues run up and down town, the streets east to west. If you're headed uptown, don't hail a cab going downtown, you'll just piss off the taxi driver (who has to take you once you're in the cab). Instead, walk the short block across and get a cab going in the same direction as you. Unless you're wearing really high heels or it's raining, in which case, claim tourist ignorance.
Taxis are really cheap and always really easy to get hold of (unless it's shift change, inconveniently around knockoff time between 4.30–5.30) but the subway's pretty easy too and so incredibly cheap. If you can read the map, give it a go, it's the quickest way to get around by far.
Always know the cross street of where you're going if you get in a cab. Rolling in and saying 1350 Avenue of the Americas will get you nowhere. You want Sixth Avenue and 55th Street - get a map from your hotel, it will save you so much hassle. Almost all cabbies know where the big attractions are though so don't panic too much.
Hailing a cab is super easy as long as you know what to look for. It's not like London, where cabs are either lit or not - if the centre light is on, the taxi is free and you can hail him down. If there are lights on either side of the main light, then the cab is off-duty, he won't stop for you and you'll look a wee bit silly standing in the road with your arm out in the air. If there are no lights on top of the cab at all, then there’s already someone inside. Bah.
Helpful hint, the avenues run up and down town, the streets east to west. If you're headed uptown, don't hail a cab going downtown, you'll just piss off the taxi driver (who has to take you once you're in the cab). Instead, walk the short block across and get a cab going in the same direction as you. Unless you're wearing really high heels or it's raining, in which case, claim tourist ignorance.
Taxis are really cheap and always really easy to get hold of (unless it's shift change, inconveniently around knockoff time between 4.30–5.30) but the subway's pretty easy too and so incredibly cheap. If you can read the map, give it a go, it's the quickest way to get around by far.
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