6 ms·

For comparison, a taxi or Uber between Queens and Brooklyn will run $40-$50 each way. Taking the F train through Manhattan takes over an hour.

ubernostrum 13y ago
Though I've never personally experienced it, perhaps due to following the advice, I've been repeatedly advised when trying to get around NYC to always get in the taxi before telling them my destination is in Brooklyn. This could be wrong, but the stated reason is that drivers don't want fares to Brooklyn (typically lower, and harder to get another fare who wants to go Brooklyn to someplace else for the return trip), and so will refuse the fare if told the destination before you get in the taxi (and apparently they're not allowed to refuse you based on destination once you're inside).
- skorgu 13y ago
  That's good advice. If I'm not in a super huge rush I'll ask the first cab if he wants to go to Queens/Brooklyn/wherever before getting in. It has a ~80% failure rate. They're not allowed to refuse a destination in the 5 boroughs full stop but if you're not inside the cost of refusing is trivial (just driving away).
- apaprocki 13y ago
  A taxi refusing a fare at all (inside or outside) is against TLC rules and the driver will be fined / have their license suspended if you report them.
  - techtalsky 13y ago
    That sure doesn't stop them from doing it though. I've threatened to report them before and although you can threaten them it sucks to have to do it. I'd rather just let them roll and wait for another cab in all but the most dire circumstances.
  - zzzeek 13y ago
    they do it regularly and constantly. I doubt many get reported.
  - jrockway 13y ago
    The fine is tiny, though.
    - rohansingh 13y ago
      Not really. If I recall correctly, three such reports within two years results in the taxi medallion being revoked.
      - bradleyjg 13y ago
        Not the medallion which is generally not owned by the driver and worth mid six to low seven figures, but the driver's hack license is endangered by multiple violation of TLC's rules.
        jrockway 13y ago
        The guy who maimed that tourist is back on the road, so if you don't lose your license by running over someone on the sidewalk, you're not going to lose your license by not taking someone to Brooklyn. http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/10/02/with-no-charges-from-cy-vance-or-nypd-curb-jumping-cabbie-driving-again/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/10/02/with-no-charges-from-c...
  - bobbydavid 13y ago
    I live in Brooklyn. They can't officially refuse. But you'd be shocked how many taxis meters stop working about 20 seconds into the journey....
    - acjohnson55 13y ago
      I also live in Brooklyn, but I've never actually had that problem.
- decktech 13y ago
  This is good advice, but it's never worked for me. I've never hailed a cab in which they didn't have the doors locked until you tell them where you want to go. I even had one cab speed off while I was still holding the door handle when I told him I just wanted to go five blocks south (in Chelsea, in the snow), I figured he though I was going to change my mind when I got in. I don't take cabs anymore.
  - pavel_lishin 13y ago
    I've never had a cab keep their doors locked when I waved one down; maybe the neighborhood matters? (I live around 145th and Broadway; sometimes I take a cab after going out drinking, which probably means one of the villages, or thereabouts.
    - Crake 13y ago
      We're almost neighbors! Sort of. I live about 15 streets up.
  - n72 13y ago
    I must be understanding what you're saying. I've taken thousands of cabs in NYC and only a hand full of times have I been required to tell them where I'm going before they've allowed me in the cab. Or perhaps it's a racial minority thing? I'm an upstanding looking white guy.
    - acjohnson55 13y ago
      Black guy here. I don't think I've ever been locked out of a cab that stopped in front of me until I stated my destination or had a cabbie refuse to take me home to Brooklyn or anywhere else. I do always make a point to get in the cab first. However, I've had plenty of cabs mysteriously go "off duty" as they approach me. That's probably a much less risky way to avoid a trip that presumably leads to a less profitable/more dangerous destination statistically, due to my ethnicity.
- steveklabnik 13y ago
  Don't "look too Brooklyn," it's certainly a thing.
- bradleyjg 13y ago
  That's not much of an issue if you are going between Brooklyn and Queens. With a few small exceptions you won't see a yellow cab in those boros anyway and black cars or the new green taxis are a lot more flexible.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
kevination 13y ago
Queens and Brooklyn are both enormous and border each other, so that price depends on where you're traveling to/from. e.g. a car from Bushwick, Brooklyn to Ridgewood, Queens might cost you $10. Also, taking the J train from Crescent St (Brooklyn) to Woodhaven Blvd (Queens) would be 5-10 minutes on the train.
- temuze 13y ago
  Thank you for saying this. I live in Long Island City, Queens and I visit friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn all the time. It's easy to take the G train and get there within 20 some minutes.

ubernostrum 13y ago

Though I've never personally experienced it, perhaps due to following the advice, I've been repeatedly advised when trying to get around NYC to always get in the taxi before telling them my destination is in Brooklyn. This could be wrong, but the stated reason is that drivers don't want fares to Brooklyn (typically lower, and harder to get another fare who wants to go Brooklyn to someplace else for the return trip), and so will refuse the fare if told the destination before you get in the taxi (and apparently they're not allowed to refuse you based on destination once you're inside).

skorgu 13y ago
That's good advice. If I'm not in a super huge rush I'll ask the first cab if he wants to go to Queens/Brooklyn/wherever before getting in. It has a ~80% failure rate. They're not allowed to refuse a destination in the 5 boroughs full stop but if you're not inside the cost of refusing is trivial (just driving away).
apaprocki 13y ago
A taxi refusing a fare at all (inside or outside) is against TLC rules and the driver will be fined / have their license suspended if you report them.
- techtalsky 13y ago
  That sure doesn't stop them from doing it though. I've threatened to report them before and although you can threaten them it sucks to have to do it. I'd rather just let them roll and wait for another cab in all but the most dire circumstances.
- zzzeek 13y ago
  they do it regularly and constantly. I doubt many get reported.
- jrockway 13y ago
  The fine is tiny, though.
  - rohansingh 13y ago
    Not really. If I recall correctly, three such reports within two years results in the taxi medallion being revoked.
    - bradleyjg 13y ago
      Not the medallion which is generally not owned by the driver and worth mid six to low seven figures, but the driver's hack license is endangered by multiple violation of TLC's rules.
      - jrockway 13y ago
        The guy who maimed that tourist is back on the road, so if you don't lose your license by running over someone on the sidewalk, you're not going to lose your license by not taking someone to Brooklyn. http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/10/02/with-no-charges-from-cy-vance-or-nypd-curb-jumping-cabbie-driving-again/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/10/02/with-no-charges-from-c...
- bobbydavid 13y ago
  I live in Brooklyn. They can't officially refuse. But you'd be shocked how many taxis meters stop working about 20 seconds into the journey....
  - acjohnson55 13y ago
    I also live in Brooklyn, but I've never actually had that problem.
decktech 13y ago
This is good advice, but it's never worked for me. I've never hailed a cab in which they didn't have the doors locked until you tell them where you want to go. I even had one cab speed off while I was still holding the door handle when I told him I just wanted to go five blocks south (in Chelsea, in the snow), I figured he though I was going to change my mind when I got in. I don't take cabs anymore.
- pavel_lishin 13y ago
  I've never had a cab keep their doors locked when I waved one down; maybe the neighborhood matters? (I live around 145th and Broadway; sometimes I take a cab after going out drinking, which probably means one of the villages, or thereabouts.
  - Crake 13y ago
    We're almost neighbors! Sort of. I live about 15 streets up.
- n72 13y ago
  I must be understanding what you're saying. I've taken thousands of cabs in NYC and only a hand full of times have I been required to tell them where I'm going before they've allowed me in the cab. Or perhaps it's a racial minority thing? I'm an upstanding looking white guy.
  - acjohnson55 13y ago
    Black guy here. I don't think I've ever been locked out of a cab that stopped in front of me until I stated my destination or had a cabbie refuse to take me home to Brooklyn or anywhere else. I do always make a point to get in the cab first. However, I've had plenty of cabs mysteriously go "off duty" as they approach me. That's probably a much less risky way to avoid a trip that presumably leads to a less profitable/more dangerous destination statistically, due to my ethnicity.
steveklabnik 13y ago
Don't "look too Brooklyn," it's certainly a thing.
bradleyjg 13y ago
That's not much of an issue if you are going between Brooklyn and Queens. With a few small exceptions you won't see a yellow cab in those boros anyway and black cars or the new green taxis are a lot more flexible.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

kevination 13y ago

Queens and Brooklyn are both enormous and border each other, so that price depends on where you're traveling to/from. e.g. a car from Bushwick, Brooklyn to Ridgewood, Queens might cost you $10. Also, taking the J train from Crescent St (Brooklyn) to Woodhaven Blvd (Queens) would be 5-10 minutes on the train.

temuze 13y ago
Thank you for saying this. I live in Long Island City, Queens and I visit friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn all the time. It's easy to take the G train and get there within 20 some minutes.