STAY AWAY FROM PENN STATION AND SIMILAR LOCATIONS IF POSSIBLE.

TOO MANY COPS GIVING US TOO MANY TICKETS IN THESE AREAS.

MIND THE SPEED LIMIT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, EVEN IF IT SEEMS ABSURD.

GETTING THE SPEEDING TICKET IS MORE ABSURD.

FOR EXAMPLE: BROADWAY AT 120TH STREET.

DOWNHILL AT NORTHEAST CORNER

HEADING UPTOWN PAST COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY OVER 30MPH

IS, IN THE WORDS OF THE WISE TAXI SAGE GEJZA, "A BIG NO NO".

THE NEW NO TURN RULE ON GRAND STREET IN CHINATOWN AT BOWERY

IS BEING CONTINUOUSLY ENFORCED LATELY. DON'T DO IT.

A STRATEGY IS REQUIRED FOR UPTOWN BOWERY,

SINCE LEFTS ARE ILLEGAL AT CANAL, GRAND, AND KENMARE.

I GUESS HOUSTON IS THE ONLY OPTION LEFT,

AFTER YOU MAKE A PREMATURE LEFT AT ELIZABETH OR BEFORE THAT.

FOR DOWNTOWN BOWERY MAKE PREMATURE RIGHT AT MOTT

AND A LEFT AT CANAL. OR CONTINUE STRAIGHT ON GRAND TO CHRYSTIE AND BACKTRACK VIA HESTER. WOW! ALL THIS SEEMS A BIT OVER THE TOP FOR US CABBIES WHO DON'T HAVE TIME FOR SUCH CIVILIAN TOMFOOLERY.

Turn Signal

I was dropping off a passenger on 125th Street between Lenox and Seventh Avenue in Harlem at around 5:30 am this morning. I was headed westbound and the passenger wasn't clear about where to stop. The plan was to turn right on Seventh and stop at 127th Street, but he suddenly said, "you can drop me off right here." I carefully pulled into the empty parking lane, aware that a cop was a couple dozen feet behind me. The cop stopped in the moving lane and waited for me to complete the transaction. When I signaled and pulled back into the moving lane, the cop's lights came on. I was stopped for failure to use my turn signal. I use my turn signal religiously 95% of the time. I failed to do so when I pulled into the parking lane because it was an abrupt decision on the part of the passenger, but I could have sworn I threw on my hazard lights upon slowing to a stop. I do that 100% of the time. Anyhow, be careful out there. Many tickets being issued to taxicabs. I almost quit my job today, but I'm not going to let irreconcilable cops, hours of vacant cruising, and poor tippers keep me from a job I feel proud doing well in the city I love to serve.