Closing Bell: No Cabbies to Brooklyn
Last week we covered the four-year long plan to close Manhattan bound lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge during from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays, from midnight to 7 a.m. on Saturdays and from midnight to 9 a.m Sundays. Looks like Brooklynian commenters were pretty peeved with how taxi drivers have been refusing to…
Last week we covered the four-year long plan to close Manhattan bound lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge during from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays, from midnight to 7 a.m. on Saturdays and from midnight to 9 a.m Sundays. Looks like Brooklynian commenters were pretty peeved with how taxi drivers have been refusing to take Brooklyners home from Manhattan due to construction. “After 2 cabs refusing, a driver finally took us but was angry the whole time and explained that all cabs will start refusing. And then Saturday night around 2:30am, my boyfriend and I tried to get a cab home… 4 in a row refused us,” writes a poster. Another points out the Manhattan Bridge has lanes reversed when the Brooklyn Bridge is closed, so hopefully late night traffic problems will not be as bad as anticipated.
Photo by gimmeahug
This has happened to me twice. In each case, the cabbie locks the door, rolls down the front passenger side window and asks where you’re going. As soon as you say Brooklyn, they say no and drive away. I told one cabbie (who was at a red light when I tried to get in) that I was going to report him to the TLC and he said go ahead. I started the process by calling 311, but it would’ve meant going before the TLC and by the time I got the complaint form weeks later I couldn’t be bothered.
“What exactly are the people who were refused doing, opening the door, leaning in and saying “Brooklyn?” and they shake their heads no?”
I’m guessing on Friday/Saturday nights cabbies are pulling the whole off-duty light thing, and asking everyone where they are going before they will unlock the doors.
What exactly are the people who were refused doing, opening the door, leaning in and saying “Brooklyn?” and they shake their heads no?
you can get to most areas of brownstone brooklyn pretty quickly from the williamsburg bridge. just have them get on the BQE or go down Kent. might be a bit more expensive, but beats sitting in traffic.
OK Minard…. Finally, something I totally agree with you about! It’s hilarious.
dibs, I recently discovered taking the Williamsburg bridge is faster to Crown Heights depending on what part of Manhattan I hop a taxi in.
Took a cab home Saturday night at 12.30am, no problem at all. I never tell the cabbie where I’m going until I’m in anyway, whether I’m going to Brooklyn, or within Manhattan. Hopefully this won’t be an issue generally. From what I saw on the Brooklynian thread, it is an issue for taxis on the way back to Manhattan, getting to Bklyn seems to be ok via the Manhattan Bridge.
it is pretty hilarious when you think about it: people are spending millions of dollars to buy houses in neighborhoods where cab drivers refuse to take them. Only in New York.
I always take a taxi if I leave work after 9pm, otherwise it takes way too long to get home. The G-train after 9 is not the commuter’s friend.