Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

Well, I've taken several score cab rides there during my employed years. My two observations are that it was a great opportunity to practice my not so well learned Hindi or Urdu and that after the first "near miss" it was best not to talk to the guy driving anyway.
 

A D.C. cabbie probably saved my life in '86. I was afoot, and totally lost, and very white and naive, in an extremely druggy, gangy, ho-ey part of D.C., laaate at night.

Dudes were lookin' at me like I was crazy, which kept them mouthin' from afar but not messin' with me. All I could do was march on, trompin' along in my cowboy boots and my bluejean jacket, head held high. I really didn't know what to do. Cab pulled up, and the cabbie, an old black dude, American, said, "Son, d'you need a ride?" I said, "Yessir." I got in the front seat and he said, "Hon, what're you in this part of town? You ain' got no bidness in this part of town this time ' night." I said, "I got separated from my herd! Thank you, thank you, thank you for comin' along!" He hooted and I damn near peed my britches I was so glad to be gettin' out of there.

And that is how I noticed that Washington, D.C. is laid out in quadrants. I lived in a condo at Eighth and G, SW, and was trying to walk home, following the letters and number streets -- and walked into the wrong quadrant without noticing.

Hoo boy.
 

Each city's cab drivers have their personalities. DC's all think they're political pundits but get lost anyplace more than 2 miles away from Dupont Circle. Boston's don't know how to get anywhere and will drive 50 mph in reverse. SF's are all on crack. The few time's I've tried to take a cab from point A to point B in OKC, they've kicked me out since they think the only purpose of a cab is to take you to the airport.
 

Dude, there ain't no Cabs in OKC.
 

I've had cause to take a cab here. Dr. ER has -- to get to the airport!
 

But you don't live in OKC. Those aren't cabs they're just old Yellow Cabs from real cities, people buy and drive around pretending they are real cabs to make a buck.
 

I've only taken a few cabs in my life, mostly in other countries. Then the just seem to want to ask you questions about English grammer.

in the US, most of the cabbies have been from other countries and just want to lecture me on how I probably don't appreciate being American enough.

There was this one Somali guy who just went on and on about how happy he was to be here, and how I should appreciate having been born here. :-)
 

Hey, T, I've had few cabbies like that, myself, in D.C."

"There was this one Somali guy who just went on and on about how happy he was to be here, and how I should appreciate having been born here. :-)"