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
Besides, I take the Williamsburg Bridge.
I agree with Tybur6. Get in the cab first, then tell them where you are going. They cannot refuse. If they try to do so, tell them that you will report them to the TLC.
I always like to watch the reaction of the cabby when I tell him “I’m going to 3rd Street……..in Brooklyn”. Usually their shoulders visibly slump.
only yuppies and tourists take taxis.
agreed, denton. coming home over the bk bridge on wed night, both my cab driver and i audibly held our breath and then sort of giggled as we drove onto the off ramp. he was a nice guy, btw, and didn’t give me a hard time about going to bk at all. that said, it took much longer than normal to get over the bridge. annoying. also mildly claustrophobic to have high metallic walls on either side of you while stuck in traffic on a bridge…
DH – if you get confused at Queensboro plaza get out the cab there, and head to one of the numerous strip joints there to consider your next move.
Just get in and tell them where to go. If they argue don’t give them a tip.
I ran into Manhattan around 7AM Sunday morning, as I wanted to do my Every Storefront on the Mosque Block photo project. I went thru the tunnel but came back over the bridge. Really weird driving on the off ramp and on the ‘wrong’ side of the bridge!
I agree w/ tybur6… Just get in and then tell them where they are going. I have never been refused.
It’s quite simple, really. You don’t tell them where you are going until you get in. Then you refuse to get out, as they are not allowed to say they won’t take you somewhere within the City.