taxis

Let's spend a few minutes on the taxi's here. Now, I'm from New York, and I've been around the block in a few taxi's. I consider myself a seasoned veteran. But NYC taxi drivers ain't got nothing on these guys down here. I think of it as a blood sport for adrenaline junkies (and that's for the passengers). Two examples: We get into a cab heading for school, it's your typical BsAs taxi with a few dents and a spider web crack on the windshield, and the drivers crosses himself before starting to drive. Typically not a good first sign. Off we go - lanes be damned. Think of it as a real life video game, pedestrians scrambling, a moped or two bouncing off a side fender, cutting off a bus. We're a maximum heart rate when we get to school. Next taxi ride, better looking cab, more mature driver, he seems to be completely at ease in the car - got a good zen thing going. Then he disregards a few red lights and our side view mirror kisses the one from the next car (we could have done more than pass the grey poupon, we could have shared the sandwich). He's much more calm and fluid, but the ride is just as terrifiying. For his piece d'la resistance, rather than wait in line behind to the other cars at the red light to make a left turn, he simply drives into the oncoming traffic, zooming ahead of all the other "suckers" waiting for their green light, and turns left at a break in the (let me repeat myself here) cars coming at us. All's well that end's well.

Here's a short list of traffic rules Gen dug up that specifically disregarded by the drivers here:
- Headlights at all times on highways
- Seatbelts at all times
- No talking on cell phones while driving
- No left turn on avenues unless signal permits left turn
- No right turn on red (apparently they also need a No Left Turn on Red also)