Beware of cabbies is what I say! Some will try and rip you off and butt into your privacy for their own agenda...I'd rather take the bus! Though I cannot slap a bad rap on all cabbies, I personally find most cab divers to be rude and inconsiderate. Generally, I've gotten a male driver who resents me telling him what street to drive on to get to a particular destination. I then had to deal with the driver *telling me off* until the end of the ride, as I couldn't jump out of the cab - being I was late as it was. Or the cab driver wants to converse and I don't. Then he starts to insult me telling me how I'm going to become "old" quickly unless I act congenial and smile. One cab driver (from out of the blue) told me the size of his penis, another told me he could not break a $5.00 bill for a $3.00 cab ride, another cab driver didn't stop where I told him to stop and began driving down a dark street. So I flung open the door and jumped out. Another cab driver cut off the cab that I got into because he wanted the fare. He cut us off and then he blocked us from moving forward, by trapping us between parked cars a double parked truck and his cab. Another cabbie overcharged me by not putting on his meter and later telling me how much I owed him (and how it was less than usual), when I knew it was more than usual. I think if I were with a man, or with someone else, cabbies would not dish out all the trash. I think some cabbies' meters are rigged. I was watching one's meter as it was supposed to go up every 1/4 mile, which is every 5 blocks. His was hiking up every 2-3 blocks. I'm not talking about avenues...just the streets. I was expecting to pay no more than $6.00 - $7.00 for my fare, including the tip, and it came to $12.00. Cab drivers also drive like maniacs, speed, weave in and out of traffic, cut people off, practically run over pedestrians by making sharp turns and riding up on the curb. Many of them don't understand English. I said, "102nd St and West End Ave. and he starts driving to the East Village. I say, "drive up 1st Ave.", and the driver turns to go on FDR Drive without asking me. I say, "43rd and Lexington", and the driver goes to 43rd and Vanderbilt, so we drag behind many other cabs by Grand Central, making me late for my train. : - ( I've found the token women cab drivers very nice. If you have a problem with a driver and happen to have a pen/pencil handy, it is good to be able to write down the cab driver's name, identification number and taxi company he/she works for. That way, you can report the problem. I generally have not done this for lack of writing implement or scrap paper. I would imagine you can be anonymous about reporting the driver. I'd be anonymous as if they act like a kook while you're in their cab, you wouldn't want them looking me up and waiting on my doorstep. I'm not saying this would happen, but a kook is a kook and generally one you cannot reason with. I understand that because cabbies are in a public service job, and they are probably abused by many of their passengers. I'm sure they get yelled at now and then by impatient people, but still, it gives them no right to abuse me when I get into their cab and instruct them to take me to a destination via the route I want to be driven. The upside of cab drivers is on the rare occasion I was followed by a stranger, when I told the cab driver I just wanted to be driven around the block so this stranger wouldn't know where I live--and the cab driver do so gladly and didn't charge me any fare. Yes, so as a generally rule, you can see I'm not a Taxi advocate. -Wendy

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