Do you have a stupid question about Chicago? Start here! (crime, neighborhood)

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by HonestOne1

Will Chicago have a pro football team someday?

Is that a joke?

I don't get it.

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by vicnice

I have more of a few dumb/antecdotal observations.......

People from Chicago dont do things Quickly (Enough)
I am a DC guy with alot of friends in NYC and in both places its about PUSH PUSH PUSH. If you want to get a hold of someone you are not only going to call the person and leave a VM you also -- leave an email, write him a post card, leave a note with his kid at day care, contact his landlord, exwife, brother in law, cousin, mistress etc so that there is no way he will miss you (then when he does call back, he responds by contacting your wife, mistress, brother, etc....) and asks why you are so lacadasical in calling him.

In Chicago, work associates dont call back, answer texts etc. It takes like 1 whole business day (an ETERNITY in our business). We have offices in DC, NYC, and CHI and guess who consistantly comes in 3rd place.

I read once that people on the east coast want stuff done fast (Amen), and people in the midwest want stuff done right....

All this redundant, stalking, over-communication does not sound efficient, though it often gives the appearance that people are working quickly. But are they working smartly? Maybe those Chicagoans from "the city that works" are actually... working on something.... They are getting "stuff done right" instead of spending their day texting, emailing, twittering, facebooking, faxing, leaving multiple phone messages, over and over and over again. Maybe we just work smarter and more efficiently.

[gramirez2012]

Originally Posted by vicnice

Chicago has the handbrake UP while in gear
The driving in Chicago is much slower than DC, or NYC....I drive up and down 290 or 94, people see you coming in the fast lane then jump in front of you. Me = Pass on Shoulder. People in Chicago drive in a defeated manner....in DC we drive angry, in NYC its a mixture of craft and neccessity, Atlanta is just pure SPEED (granny does 90+ in that wide body cadillac...she doesnt play).

I disagree. Chicago drivers are very aggressive. Just go down 355 or 55 near Joliet and you'll see. You'll routinely see people going 90+ on those highways.

[Milwaukee City]

Here's a question, why in the world are there chicago cabs in Milwaukee? I probably see at least one a week. I have to imagine that taking a cab from O'hare or Midway or downtown to Milwaukee is way more expensive that greyhound, amtrak or even getting a town car. Any thoughts? yeah some cabs could be from the northern suburbs but still I'm sure the flat rate is really high.

Do you ever see Milwaukee cabs in Chicago? my guess is no. What in the hell are these people doing taking a cab from Chicago to Milwaukee.

[jsk1983]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Here's a question, why in the world are there chicago cabs in Milwaukee? I probably see at least one a week. I have to imagine that taking a cab from O'hare or Midway or downtown to Milwaukee is way more expensive that greyhound, amtrak or even getting a town car. Any thoughts? yeah some cabs could be from the northern suburbs but still I'm sure the flat rate is really high.

Do you ever see Milwaukee cabs in Chicago? my guess is no. What in the hell are these people doing taking a cab from Chicago to Milwaukee.

I actually took a cab from Kenosha to the northside of Chicago once and it ran me $167. I had a flat bike tire and no More Metra trains were running so I didn't have much of a choice. No meters in the cabs up there, so not sure if that was a fair price or not.

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by jsk1983

I actually took a cab from Kenosha to the northside of Chicago once and it ran me $167. I had a flat bike tire and no More Metra trains were running so I didn't have much of a choice. No meters in the cabs up there, so not sure if that was a fair price or not.

How do they not have meters in cabs in Kenosha? weird. That's kinda what I figured is that every time I see a cab from Chicago in Milwaukee I assume it's "no other option" for that person. Maybe no rental cars left or people needing to get home asap. I have taken a cab from downtown Milwaukee to the northwest side of Milwaukee and it ran me $75 at 4am. Based on that price I think you got a good deal since I was only going about 20miles. With your situation I would have tried to bargain to the best price, sometimes if I want to go from downtown Chicago out to Niles I will negotiate with the cabbie to turn off his meter and I will pay him a flat rate, take it or leave it I tell him and it works pretty good.

Another tip is when you have a bunch of cabs lined up in a row I will make an offer to a cab driver on a take it or leave it deal and usually the first few will say "It cost whatever the meter says buddy" then I say fine I'll take my business to the cab behind you. After I purposely reject the first cab or two if they accept I will try to bargain to a lower price by telling them, the cabbie in front of you will do it for this much. it send a message to the cabbies watching me going from cab to cab. I have never gotten past the 6th cab. I once took a cab 10 miles for 5 bucks on a take it or leave it proposition. Tip included!

I don't know if anyone else has ever tried to negotiate with cabbies but it works very well!

[JohnRoxy]

How are the traffic cops here? Are they always patrolling? Some states you never see them, never get a speeding ticket. Other states, they are everywhere giving tickets for 5 over.

[jsk1983]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

How do they not have meters in cabs in Kenosha? weird. That's kinda what I figured is that every time I see a cab from Chicago in Milwaukee I assume it's "no other option" for that person. Maybe no rental cars left or people needing to get home asap. I have taken a cab from downtown Milwaukee to the northwest side of Milwaukee and it ran me $75 at 4am. Based on that price I think you got a good deal since I was only going about 20miles. With your situation I would have tried to bargain to the best price, sometimes if I want to go from downtown Chicago out to Niles I will negotiate with the cabbie to turn off his meter and I will pay him a flat rate, take it or leave it I tell him and it works pretty good.

Another tip is when you have a bunch of cabs lined up in a row I will make an offer to a cab driver on a take it or leave it deal and usually the first few will say "It cost whatever the meter says buddy" then I say fine I'll take my business to the cab behind you. After I purposely reject the first cab or two if they accept I will try to bargain to a lower price by telling them, the cabbie in front of you will do it for this much. it send a message to the cabbies watching me going from cab to cab. I have never gotten past the 6th cab. I once took a cab 10 miles for 5 bucks on a take it or leave it proposition. Tip included!

I don't know if anyone else has ever tried to negotiate with cabbies but it works very well!

I really had no idea what a good price was and I also had him take Sheridan the whole way since he had two bikes sticking out of the trunk and I was scared of them flying out of the trunk on the expressway.

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by jsk1983

I really had no idea what a good price was and I also had him take Sheridan the whole way since he had two bikes sticking out of the trunk and I was scared of them flying out of the trunk on the expressway.

You're lucky nobody yanked them out in Waukegan

[jsk1983]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

You're lucky nobody yanked them out in Waukegan

I don't think there was anybody around in Waukegan to try that. Looking at the Chicago cab rates it looks like we were charged substantially more than what a metered cab would have cost.