Worst thing that can happen to a taxi driver on his job (criminal activity is not considered here) is someone vomit in the car, it simply means end of your work shift and cleaning up your car. It mostly happens during night shifts and to make things more worst car washes do not clean inside of your car during night, and driver ends up cleaning that mess up himself. Only once one guy threw up and cleaned up the car for me, it was so nice of him.

But what happened on past weekend has no match, it is undoubtedly a winner. Someone just decided to use back seat of car as their toilet and had a piss in my car, I suspect it was my last job during that night and hence can tell it was a girl picked up from meat packing district and went to columbia university on upper westside. When I go to filling station, I check my backseat to make sure no one has left any thing behind. and What I saw was so gross, backseat was wet and there was pool of piss onto the floor.

Girl why couldn't you just ask me to stop for you, many many times people have asked for the same reason and believe me most cab drivers wont have any problem stopping instead having their backseat turned into toilet.

Labels: Assholes, meat packing district, NYC, Taxi Tales

Today is Taxi Driver Appreciation Day, free breakfast will be served to Taxi drivers at Sheraton Brooklyn between 8 A.M to 10 A.M.

Let see how many drivers actually make it to Brooklyn during morning rush hours. Riders don't forget to appreciate your driver today.

Labels: NYC, Taxi Business

In taxi business knowing hot spots for potential fares can raise income of driver dramatically, especially night shift driver need to know at slow times where he has more chances for getting fares, such places includes bars, clubs and after economic fall down few financial institutes, who instead of taking designated black cars take yellow cabs instead. But finding a spot which is not popular among other drivers is the real deal, because if lots of drivers know about certain spot you will end up lining up for passengers, which is again is not that bad at 3:00 A.M in the morning, but if you have discovered some spot, best thing is to keep it to yourself.

I start working from The Bronx, which is a borough north of Manhattan, everyday I have to pass through Bronx Zoo while going towards Manhattan, once I got hailed and took passengers to Brooklyn from there. Everyday when crossing Zoo I spot 5P18 sitting in front of Zoo's entrance with his offduty lights on, hassling for the passengers which may go to Manhattan or Queens, he is also from Pakistan.

This Sunday when I was going to Manhattan, I spotted 5P18 and decided to have some words with him, and he asked me why don't I pick up passengers from here and suggested to wait here 10-15 minutes, "you will get fare going to Manhattan" he told me.

Now there are two kinds of drivers, one of them are the ones who you will find sitting in front of hotels, bus terminals waiting for passengers for longer trips, even in busiest time you will see them sitting on those spots, which always make me wonder because if they drive they will get fares in same or maximum next block during rush hours, I call them airport hunters. Then there are drivers who keep driving during there whole shift, stop means, break either to use lavatories or to eat, except these they won't stop and wait anywhere, they are the ones if someone hailed them and tell them hey wait here for 2 minutes I gotta get my belongings/wife/kids etc but they drive off for next Passenger instead of waiting, because they can not wait.

I'm among the latter category, 5 minutes of standing feels like half an hour to me, but anyway I decided to wait in front of Zoo in hope to get some fare, 5P18 got his share to Manhattan and left with in two minutes, I spotted about 20 or so people standing next to my cab waiting for bus BxM11, which eventually will take them to Manhattan. This bus doesn't work like all other MTA buses instead bus comes there, wait for about half an hour for the passengers and then leave. I was unfortunate enough bus came very shortly, and started picking up EVERYONE, leaving none for me. I waited about 30 minutes there and got fed up.

Next day same story, 5P18 got the fare and I have wasted 30 or so minutes, bus doesn't seems to leave until last person comes out of Zoo. Now I decided not to stop there, that spot is not for me.

Labels: Taxi Business, The Bronx

I believe this is on West 51st street between 9th and 10th Avenues.

Labels: Iphone Photos, Manhattan

I have spotted this truck upon entering in Manhattan from Bronx at 128th street and 2nd Avenue intersection, So please love your president.

Labels: Iphone Photos, Manhattan

Yesterday I picked up four ladies from Time Square and they were heading to SOB's on Varick Street. Times Square is becoming more and more hassle for cab drivers as one lane is closed for construction and one lane is almost always blocked with NYPD's vehicles, while we were stuck there, girl sitting on front passenger's seat started interviewing me.

They were visiting from Nashville and it was their first day in New York, she questioned me where am I from? I told her I'm from Pakistan, then she asked "Do they have cabs in Pakistan?" and I replied jokingly " No, we use camels there", but she took is seriously and proceeded to ask "What do they feed camels with?" I started laughing.

But the winning question came afterwards when she again asked me what do people pet in Pakistan and I said Pets, she asked "do you have Buffalos In Pakistan?" with following question "Do they eat buffalos?" and the best question was "do they make ham burger with buffalo's meat?

But they had the best and sexiest accent for sure.

Labels: Taxi Tales

229 W 36th street

Empire Hotel , W 63rd street/Broadway

Labels: Iphone Photos, Manhattan

BBC News - 'Family row' may have sparked Cumbria killing spree

I don't know why people take matters too far, my condolence to the victims's families, may they all rest in peace.

Labels: Assholes, Views on News