BikePGH Message Board Archive

Driver behind the cab thinks I'm a jerk? rich that.

"wHATEver" as we used to spell it in college. It's my lane, the cab can have it when I'm done in about 5 seconds.

(Picture this, I'm heading south halfway along a 2 way block of William Penn Pl toward the intersection with 7th where we lose the opposing lane and become 1 way. The light is red. I have a lane. It is mine. Cab wants to pass me anyway because OMG must pass all cyclists. If it was green I'd give him room, I'm a nice guy, but it's red, give me a break, he can pass me on the next darn block if we're even going the same way. So I took even more of the (my) lane but he is pretty determined. So he stops at the light not exactly in his lane, opposing cars squeeze past him, then he pulls around in front of me because OMG etc. After all that what do you think? He turns left (I go straight) and so does the car behind him. So what was the hurry? This was after we exchanged some polite words, so perhaps they planned to go straight initially but they didn't seem the type to let me sway them

sprite

2011-05-27 23:33:27

There are a group of cab drivers in Pittsburgh (or anywhere?) that think they need to drive like a stereotypical cab driver. There is one that lives in Greenfield, and I routinely meet him as he is leaving his house in the morning (cabs are exempt from stop signs, watchout!) or as he is heading home (4' of clearance? naw, I'll give him 4"). I don't really understand it. The guy is perfectly friendly when you walk past his house and say hi, but the minute you meet him at work, watch out.

dwillen

2011-05-27 23:50:18

There is a cabbie in slib/garfield who can not get it through his head that honking to "let me know he's there" is dangerous and illegal. I get into an argument with him a few times a year.

cburch

2011-05-28 19:37:07

heh - someone should let them know they're about a 4 hour drive from the nearest city that takes them seriously. This is Pittsburgh. Every once in a while I talk to people who are coming to town and they ask if they have to rent a car or if they can just "hail cabs" to get around. I laugh (and gripe about transit, but that's another story). In this city they're just smaller, yellow limo services without the style, ambiance, or associated opulance. Most realize it and drive like sane people (after making you wait 4 hours for them to pick you up).

Think about it guys - if they were capable of learning not to honk when unnecessary, or judging when it is and is not worth it to them to drive like idiots, wouldn't they be either in a city where taxis have decent business or in a different line of work? Poor saps are like coal miners trying to find work in Flordia.

Besides, we got jittny's 'n'at.

ejwme

2011-05-29 19:05:37