On occasions, my husband takes overnight business trips. To prevent loneliness, he often invites me to go along with him. Whenever I discover what city we will be visiting, I immediately start researching it. For instance, I map out landmarks we’ve never seen, restaurants with good reviews, entertainment options, and hotels that look appealing. By the time we get in the car, board the plane, or get on the train, every minute of our trip is already planned out. If your spouse travels frequently for work, consider mixing business with pleasure from time to time. On this blog, you will discover how to make the most of an upcoming business trip.
Business and Pleasure
3 Tips To Always Get The First Taxi In A Big City
Delores Tucker
If you live in a big city, or you frequently travel to busy cities for business or vacations, then you may have wondered why some people just seem to have a knack for grabbing taxis when they need them while you stand by and watch taxi after taxi just pass you up for the next rider. You may wonder if they are just locals who are known super-huge tippers, but although they may tip their drivers well, that is only a small part of the equation to getting a cab quickly when you need one. There are a few little-known ways to make sure you always get a taxi quickly when you need one.
1. Don't Be Shy
Does your current taxi grabbing tactic involve standing patiently and quietly with the hope that the next driver will choose you over other riders because of your politeness? While you should always be polite once inside a taxi, the drivers won't be able to appreciate your quiet politeness when hailing a cab, because they simply won't even see you.
While you shouldn't push and shove other potential passenger and do anything that breaks any laws when hailing a cab, you do have to be very assertive when hailing. Don't be afraid to stick your arm high in the air and take advantage of any ways you can maneuver your way to the front of a crowd of taxi-seekers. However, don't maneuver any further than to the edge of the sidewalk closest to the street, as standing in the street is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous.
2. Pay in Cash
Paying in cash is one of the best ways to get repeat rides from the same driver, as taxi drivers typically lose a small percentage of any taxi fee that is paid by debit or credit through their card-scanning machine.
How can this tip help you get a cab in the first place? You need to make it known while you are hailing a cab that you plan to pay with cash, but waving a handful of it is not advised. Waving cash in the air comes with the chance of a passerby snatching it out of your hand and running. Instead, be creative. Make a bright, foldable sign that says "cash payer" or something similar to keep in your purse or pocket.
When it is time to hail a cab, hold this sign proudly in the air and not only will the words get the attention of a taxi-driver quickly, but the bright sign itself will also draw more attention to you.
3. Make It Known when Taking a Long Ride
It is easy to see why a cab driver would prefer a passenger taking a long ride somewhere over a rider who only needs to travel a few blocks. The driver not only receives more money for this ride, but he or she can also only deal with one passenger and one payment during this time, which is a lot less hassle than giving several short rides to several different passengers during this same period of time.
This is another great time to make a sign, but this time you want to write your destination on it instead. Paying in cash? Add the word "cash" next to your destination, and you may then have to worry about taxi drivers fighting over who gets to give you a ride instead of the opposite. If you don't have the time or supplies to make a sign, then simply yell your destination out when hailing to let drivers know you will be an optimal customer.
Hailing a taxi cab is an art that you can master quickly with these tips. You must leave your small-city thinking behind when in a big city where the most assertive and creative win when it comes to catching a taxi service cab quickly.
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