Taxi

Hey All

This may sound a stupid question but do taxi drivers in new york bump the price up on new years eve, i just wondered because at this time of year the taxi drivers in the UK go crazy and bump the price up double.

Taxi

I%26#39;ve never seen or heard about that. I%26#39;ve often found that the prices go to nothing that night since it%26#39;s impossible to get a cab that night so you are forced to walk and spend no money.

Taxi

No they do not because NYC taxis charge by the meter.

That being said, I have been offered (very high!) flat-rates off-the-meter on New Years Eve because cabbies were not thrilled I was going to Brooklyn. One year I did it becasue the cabs were so scarce and it was very cold, but otherwise, I got out and took my chances hailing another cab.

Tip: Only tell the cabbie where you are going AFTER you get in the cab and shut the door.

If a cabbie rolls down the window while you%26#39;re standing on the sidewalk, and asks you where you are going, ignore him and simply get in.

It is illegal to ask the passenger%26#39;s destination beforehand so that they can create an excuse to refuse you. But, they do it all the time.

QB..that happened to me a few years ago. I%26#39;d taken ill in the ESB and needed to get back to the Pennsylvania(hardly a trek I know, but I%26#39;d fainted and really didn%26#39;t want to walk).At the time we didn%26#39;t know that the taxi law required them to take you and couldn%26#39;t get a ride. It took ages to walk that short distance!

5 days to go!!!

I know it is 45 dollars plus toll plus tip from jfk to manhattan, but can someone please tell me is it the same from manhattan back to jfk, or is it metered this way? And also, is it easy to get a taxi to take us back to the airport, or is it better to ask the hotel to arrange transport for you?

thanks

sm3

Same price from the city to the airport. Concierge/doorman may be able to get you a cab easier than you can, and if they do, they appreciate tips.

Don%26#39;t worry, people in NYC aren%26#39;t all out to rip tourists off.

Poppa

Our taxis back to JFK have always been metered but have worked out at roughly, if not a little more than the inbound journey. We had a car company pick us up last time and it was a bit more expensive, but a much better ride.

Fare back to JFK is not fixed. Regarding New Years Eve, plan on walking or taking subway/bus.

It is NOT the same flat fare back to JFK; fares to JFK are on the meter.

A taxi with his ';off-duty'; lights on is not allowed to pick up passengers -- if one tries to ask you where you are going, ask him if he is on duty or not, because what he is doing is illegal. If a taxi has his on-duty lights on (in other words, if the number on top of the cab is lit up) then he must take you as a passenger, and may not ask you where you are going before you get in the cab. Just get in, tell him your destination, and refuse to get out of the cab if he says he does not want to go there. If he still insists, just settle back and say that he can take you to the nearest police precinct where the dispute will be settled by the desk office -- and is he still expecting a tip? Also take his name and his hack license number, and at the end of the ride, demand a receipt, and report him to the Taxi and Limousine Commission. If you act as if you know what your rights are under the law, cabdrivers who want to fudge the requirements of the law will usually back right down.

But you should still report them anyway...

sorry, small typo above -- that is ';desk officer';, not ';office';, at the precinct.

Daisiegee,

can you tell me the name of the car company you used on your last trip?

I think if the journey is good and they are reliable it is really worth a few more dollars..

I really hope no one thought in my earlier post that I meant would taxi drivers rip off tourists....I really wasn%26#39;t meaning that at all...just trying to gather as much %26#39;%26#39;before we go information%26#39;%26#39; as I can.

thanks

sm