I happen to ride in a lot of taxis. Too many if you ask my financial advisor Wealth Manager aka Liza. But the thing is this: I <3 taxis.
As I've mentioned in the past, the city is a very hectic place and can be crazy to navigate using public transportation. Of course it all depends. Do you live near a subway? Do you work near that same subway line? Ok well, that's easy. And I hate you. But otherwise... you end up schlepping all about, waiting for multiple trains, transferring, taking the bus, etc etc etc. And if you have to cross-town -- well that is too painful to talk about. [excuse me while I wipe a tear from my eye after re-living some painful cross-town memories]
So here's the dealio yo. I am an Uptown Girl. Why do I have to take public transportation?
Why do I have to stand on the street waiting for a bus so I can cram myself between 83 other commuters and their children, purses, backpacks, rolly-things, and various bags, boxes, skateboards, bicycles, and canes?? And then after arriving at said bus-stop, I still have multiple blocks to trek along with zillions of other commuters before I get to my destination... [wiping sweat from brow]
Another option is the train. I won't go into it in detail, but take my bus description, multiply by the square root of pi and divide by 17. Then add 2-3 flights of stairs, 3 buckets of sweat (my own sweat co-mingled with the sweat of 15 strangers), the nauseating scent of urine/body odor/"only God knows what rank smell that is", and at least 1 stolen grope that is quite surprising although it should be expected. On either bus or subway you have the sounds of other ppl's iPods that are turned up way too high, so you find yourself concerned for said ppl's impending loss of hearing, while on the other hand fuming with frustration bc they aren't so considerate.
Anyways... I won't give you the exciting-slash-uber-disturbing stories I've collected from my time spent on public transportation (which compared to many ppl isn't so much time bc I avoid it so avidly).
The alternative to mass transportation is individual transportation: the infamous yellow taxi. Fleets of taxis whiz by on the busy streets. They call to me. Sparkling in the sunlight. Glittering in the streetlights. The light is on! The taxi is available! It invites me to lift my arm to signal my desire. What choice do I have?! It is love at first sight. The taxi stops. I hop in. I politely tell the driver where I need to go, how I want to go, and that I'm in a rush. And then I feel a rush. I notice my surroundings. Leather seats and a taxi-tv with Sam Champion commercials. No people sweating up on me, no icky smells, no stairs, no stares, nothing to disturb my inner-peace. And I smile. I feel happy. All is right in the world. Bliss... pure unadulterated bliss. I fall in love. I fall hard.
**This is the way I envision my taxi-ride. I may or may not be giving you a realistic picture of the experience as taxi passenger.**
5 comments:
yeah yeah, taxi ride. Blah blah blah.
Where is the monday swoon? I came just for the swoon!!!!
:)
oh yes - taxi cabs r the best. Even though some smell RANK - and some drivers give me motion sickness... over all - getting from point A to B is a breeze. And a PRICE.
If it costs say $10 to get to work in a cab (lowball estimation) that is $20 per day - - $100 per week... $400 per month - BEFORE weekends.
as opposed to an unlimited Monthly pass for the subway/Bus system which is $89
Not all of us are as RICH and SPOILED as you UPTOWN Girl!!! :P
I'm with June, WHERE is the swoon? And incidentally I noticed that JUNE CLEAVER is asking you, Uptown Girl, for the swoon! Whether she's passing it on to you, or just acting as your virtual mentor- I think it is your bloggizle responsibility to uphold the swoon. Whether clean shaven, handsome faces in nice tuxes or cutie pies in ripped jeans and a tee with a little facial hair- no matter!
Your public has spoken.
The best taxi ride I ever had was in Rome three summers ago. We picked the night that our subway line was closed (there are THREE lines, dammit) with signs that directed us to "the bus". No one knew where "the bus" was, or at least they didn't want to tell us. We asked some policemen for help--"I'm police. I am not a travel agent." SLAM door in face. Finally off in the distance we saw a line of--busses! With no clue as to which one we should take! So we asked a taxi driver how much to take us to our apartment. I think it was something like $15. Best money we spent in Rome. (Except for those shoes.) It was like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland (you're too young to remember that), zipping around corners, blasting through stop lights, ignoring the screams of pedestrians. I didn't even put on my seat belt, that's how pissed off I was (take THAT, Rome subway system), but it was the best ride ever.
You ladies have given me a lot to think about....
June- I check YOUR blog on Mondays! There is something wrong with this system... I'm thinking it is your turn to post a swoon. ahem.
Liza- Please add more $$ to my allowance. Thank you.
Lovey- Patience patience little one.
Rita- OMG I love your story! It is nights like that that make me love taxis even more... and that help me forget the negative factors!!
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