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Here in Brooklyn car services seem to have lost the ability to navigate the city in just a few years. You used to be able to call a car service, have a car show

Here in Brooklyn car services seem to have lost the ability to navigate the city in just a few years. You used to be able to call a car service, have a car show up in 5 minutes, and they'd get there with just the cross streets. Now most often the first question is "what's the address so I can put it into my GPS", even with metered cabs. I've been yelled at for asking to take routes that the GPS doesn't suggest, even though I know at 3pm on a Tuesday we shouldn't be on the BQE. Or there's construction on Flatbush and we should go around it. I don't think we need a test quite like London's, but basic knowledge of neighborhoods and major intersections should be required. At least until we get those self driving cars that can optimize routes in real time.

danielweber 12y ago
My (limited) experience in Brooklyn is that taxis don't know addresses, they know cross-streets.
- mtalantikite 12y ago
  Yes, that's generally true with all of NYC, we always give cross streets as reference. I'd never expect anyone to know just based on address number.
shittyanalogy 12y ago
There are more people than ever in Brooklyn and they are more affluent demanding cabs around an otherwise poorly navigable borough. Some days, weekends and inclement weather, they can't keep up with demand and it takes forever to get a goddamn cab. Also New Yorkers have a "just want" attitude and would rather have rude, un-knowledgeable cabbies than less cabbies. And who cares if the cabbie doesn't like you. It's your right to demand an exact route as long as you're staying in the city. Tell him you're calling 311 and don't tip.