Chicago - A message from the station manager

Cab #1555

Date: 12/29/15
From: Wrigleyville
To: Union Station
The Cab: Normally I don’t like the sound blasting loud out of those little cab TVs, but in this case, the driver was BORing. I kept pushing on that sound icon on the TV screen and nothing. An astute driver might have noticed my attempts at trying to get said TV to work, but alas, not Mister “Yep, you’re my last customer of the day” (and in my mind, I’m home already).


The Driving: Started out okay. I now consider a driver that offers to help put my luggage in the trunk a “good driver.” (This should not be the case! The world has gone to hell in a handbasket. Chivalry is dead. But I digress). Cab wasn’t engulfed in incense or air freshener; this is good. No bald tires or squeaky, shifty, aged, seats.
We started out with the usual about weather and where we were from. He’s just here six months from Texas. (But not originally from Texas. Some other country.) 30s-ish. But then nothing. Conversation flatlined.
Then I had time to observe the constant looking down at the smartphone in his lap while driving. Oh hell no. (At this point I seemed to recall a previous cab review by Steve Rhodes who brought our attention to the small print on the back of one cab seat that he decided to read. The fine print mentioned a customer’s legal rights to a safe ride.) Yet there I was, exhausted by my trip and too tired to balk. I said a little prayer.
Since I was oddly ahead of schedule, there was no rush (and no adrenaline rush that would then accompany, for added interest and distraction.). Driver #1555’s English was broken, in the way that after three times of not understanding a comment you just say, “Uh-huh.” Dangit, it turns out I said “Uh-huh” to the crowded Kennedy on-ramp at 5:30 p.m. on a weeknight. Seriously? You said that you were just downtown and suddenly you thought this a good idea? Well, at least this time I had extra time. Extra time with no sound on the TV . . .
Finally in River North and off the expressway; driver stops on a dime (not even) and continues to make a right turn as a horn screeches from an SUV that nearly sideswipes us. I think this is the climax of this review. We are (fortunately) safe. It’s not long now til I get dropped off. Oh, good.
Overall Rating: 2 Extended Arms
– Helene Smith
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There are more than 6,000 cabs in the city of Chicago. We intend to review every one of them.

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Posted on January 6, 2016