You Ride, You Learn

Date: 18 November 2010
Day of Chronicles: 15
Hours: 4:15-7:15pm
Rides Given: 2

Last night was a rough one (as you can see from the low number of rides). I got an easy ride up 6th Avenue, fairly early on, and then, while rolling down 7th Avenue in the 50s, I encountered 3 taxi seekers in a row who declined my offer of a ride because they had no cash. It's true, people do sometimes use that as an excuse - they do in fact have cash, but they figure saying they can't pay you is a foolproof way to move you on. In these three cases, however, I don't think anyone was lying - and I'm certain the last woman wasn't. She made a move toward me, luggage and all, then said, "Oh, the only thing is - you don't take credit cards, do you?"

I, to my excessive chagrin, had to agree with her, and ride away. Very much bugged, of course, by these opportunities lost.

The second shitty thing that happened last night was sort of comical (in retrospect, that is - I took it very seriously at the time). I solicited a young man with two large pieces of luggage at just northeast of 34th & 6th. He said he was going to 161 Lexington Avenue. I was like, "Sure, I'll take you!" I didn't know the cross street, but I figured I'd Google map it on my iPhone on the way. As I was pulling out into traffic, I realized I really needed to know right then, because I wasn't even sure whether to head south or north. Then he asked how long it would take. I asked, "What's the cross street?" He said, "It's between 14th & 15th." I, in my flustered state, did not realize that Lexington Avenue does not ever intersect with those streets. So I did a little calculating and said, "Fifteen minutes." He said, "That long? Do you mind if I get out?" I said, "You can do whatever you like." He got out. I felt like a total idiot. Later on, at home, I discovered that he was most likely heading to the Ramada Eastside, at 30th & Lex. 0.8 miles from 34th & 6th. I probably could have made it in 8-10 minutes.

Anyway!

What saved my night was the business traveler, just into Penn Station from Baltimore, who flagged me down on 31st between 8th & 9th, needing a ride to the Desmond Tutu Center. Having walked past it many times, I had a pretty good idea of where it was (down a hill! fuck yeah!). I drove him there without mishap, he was gracious and grateful, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Oh, and I almost forgot! The other event that saved my night was running into my brother and nephew at the corner of 42nd & 7th (my brother works in the Conde Nast building) and giving them a very short ride to their Harry Potter screening at the AMC Times Square. That was fun!