TAXI! How to Hail a Cab in NY!

There is a rooftop dashboard on top of every yellow cab containing the taxi number or medallion in the center and the words "off duty" to the left and right of the number. A taxi cab is available for passengers if, and only if, the middle numbers on the rooftop light are lit. If none of the lights above the cab are on then the cab is full. If everything is lit or the side words 'off duty' are lit then the cab is off duty - sometimes you can get a lift from these guys if your destination is on their way home but don't count on it because not many will even stop to ask.

Cabs are legally only allowed to take four passengers. Gone are the day of piling you and six of your "small" friends in the back seat. Asking nice and begging won't help much here either. You can wait around for a mini-van cab which accomodate more passengers, but it will seriously delay your departure as they are few and far between.

Additional charges you should know about include a $1.00 surcharge added between the rush hours of 5-8pm. Then it's a $.50 surcharge at night. Noone said getting around Manhattan was cheap.

The probability of statistics says your cab driver will likely:

- be talking on his cell phone
- have one hand on the wheel
- be in more of a rush than you. (see Cab Safety 411)

Unspoken etiquette rules apply when more than one person is hailing a cab on the same corner. Pretty much first come, first serve, but playing dirty is a common day occurance. Best to walk a block away in either direction and steer clear of cluster corners altogether or you'll be waiting all day.