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Sometimes they don't. I'm white but have been with black and mixed race friends and co-workers get stranded and the drivers will say the won't go to their neighborhood Wash Heights. You have to stay in the cab to make sure they get home safe. The drivers are rude and will say " Oh is that your friend?!"
I've seen empty cabs pass elderly Afro-American couple once on the way to Rite Aid 15 minutes later still no cab would stop until I hailed the cab and they got inside.
Just curious if its only a myth or is it true, do NY yellow Taxi's stop for black people? Or have a hard time getting one?
Yes it can be difficult especially for young black males. Unfortunately this group is responsible for the lion share of armed and fatal robberies of cabbies in the city.
Also a lot of cabs don't want to go to the boroughs, outside of the airports and above 110th Street. These are the areas most Blacks in the city live.
It's not a myth and it's not necessarily dependent on how you dress. I'm not a "thuggish" dresser and I've still been passed by. I was passed by with a 32" flat screen tv with me in front of PC Richards on Union Square but finally a cool Pakistani gentelman picked me up.
But honestly, I don't try catching cabs much when I'm out late. Don't wanna deal with the humiliation or I should say saddness I feel about humanity. On the other hand, I don't totally blame the cabbies either because many of their fears aren't exactly baseless. However, I will say it's easier to get a cab if I'm hanging in Chelsea or the Village. I guess gay "ethnics" are a lesser threat or maybe we tip better .
If you are black and a taxi doesn't take you, don't call 311, call Rev Al. He will take your case to the media and bring you justice. Sorry, I don't have Rev Al's number.
Just curious if its only a myth or is it true, do NY yellow Taxi's stop for black people? Or have a hard time getting one?
Yes.
Years ago, I wrote a paper about it in college.
Today its worse, even though racially the city has improved. The reason is that Indians have come to dominate as taxi drivers---which is a bad thing.
We now have a people who originate from a place that is inherently, classist, skin color focused (lighter is better), and with religious and cultural bias. Nothing new for a particular group to have prejudices, but India is a 'caste' society.
Additionally, Indians often work in family and/or near family groups. The problem with this that it leads to group think and action, where upon prejudice is spread faster
Eventually, I think it will come to a head.
I do not believe this group of immigrant drivers will move up and out of driving taxis as other immigrant groups, such as the Russians, Shieks, and Africans, etc. The present influx of Indian immigrants appear majorily to be less educated and less wordly than previously.
Additionally, in my experience, tend to speak non-fluent English, be uncouth, deoderant free, and with non-standard cleanliness. The epitome of "...give me your unwashed masses....". Generally, unfit for most other NYC employment.
Gotten into a cab lately? All to often, the interior of the car is filthy, disgusting and the driver SMELLS! There seems to be a lack of pride and professionalism.
It is a problem when people choose not to assimilate, but import backwards mentality and lower standards. How is this influencing our city and nation?
Its a problem when people do not assimilate, are allowed to bring their cultural prejudices and mix them with good ole American racism and prejudice.
...and they just keep coming! 200 million Indians could immigrate to the United States and it would amont to signifcantly less than a 1/5 of India's population and would be replenished in under a decade.
Think about it, it as an astouding reality. Is it feasible to continue a virtual open door immigration policy?
JFYI, over the last few weeks, all the drivers that stopped were African. The drivers that didn't were Indian.
I'm a young black/hispanic guy and it was really late one night/early morning, when I was coming from the movies in Manhattan. I needed to get from the 30's ALL the way to East New York (at the time). . . Long story short I flagged down a Yellow cab, told the guy where I needed to go and he just said "Okay friend, just tell me how to get there" He was from the middle east as well.
Moral of my story, it depends. You don't know if the cab drivers are on break/on their way home/ etc. If a cab won't stop from me I move on to the next one.
P.S. I gave him a $20 dollar tip and he was so grateful for it. He deserved it though, it had to be around 2am.
Getting a cab in front of Madison Square Garden/Penn Station is difficult for anyone, period. It’s the worst part of Manhattan to get a cab.
Dress is more important that race. If you’re dressed like a professional you have a better chance of getting a cab.
Also, cabbies don’t stop for all sorts of reasons. For example, some won’t stop if they see that you have luggage. They assume you’re going to the airport and don’t want to go to Queens. If I have a suitcase I usually hide it behind a car and then grab it after the cab stops.
If Penn Station is the worst, imagine its impossible if you're black, literally! I've recently had the experience. Would up lugging two big boxes on the SUBWAY, cause after an hour I couldn't get a cab. Tried 34th street, 6th, and 7th, nada!
Additionally, it doesn't matter how a black person is dressed, nor one's age. As a rider, with all the new Transplants, competition for cabs is greater than ever, particularly during rush hour in busy parts of town; and rush hour has gotten longer and longer.
Example, black person on the near corner, white on the far corner. The black person will be passed up EVERY single time.
Last Summer, late weekend, I watched a mixed group of Transplants do an ad hoc experiment. The black in the group must have lived in the city, while the rest, whiites, appeared to be walking home. The black must have mentioned how tough it'll be to get a cab, because he's black. The whites didn't believe him; must have thought he was exaggerating.
So, he tried to hail a cab as they watched. He was unsuccessful. Several yellow cabs passed him by. So one of the white girls stepped out and bing cab stopped in less than a minute. The black got in (probably to the chagrin of the driver) and the whites walked away shocked at such a blatant display of racism, that was seemingly normal and regular. I just shook my head at their naivete. 30th Ave and 33 St., Astoria, Queens.
BTW, as a former taxi driver, I can inform you that its not going to Queens that drivers hate. A good many drivers despise going to the airport!! Hate leaving Manhattan. I would refuse the airport, unless/the rider would compensate accordingly. A 5 dollar tip wouldn't do it. Double the meter or a flat fee, fifty maybe. Its just not economical for some drivers. Better to call a service.
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