Got to wondering about this, as I recently listened to “Taxi” by Harry Chapin: “A lady up ahead waved to flag me down/She got in at the light.” Have you ever flagged down a cab?
I sure have, in New York City, as well as Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago, Calgary, and so many other cities. So, have you ever flagged down a cab?
Yes, but I’m in my 50s. My teenaged kid has never seen a cab hailed in real life. She has taken taxis numerous times in many cities and countries, but either from a taxi rank (e.g. at an airport or train station), via an app, or procured for us by a hotel employee.
I think the last time I hailed a cab off the street was about 15 years ago in China.
Mostly at airports. I was quite confused one day when I flew into Tulsa. After I stepped out of the airport there were NO taxis around.
I asked a fellow citizen where the Taxis were. That’s when I was informed that you actually have to call them to come pick you up at the airport in Tulsa
So bizarre, I’ve never encountered that at an airport before.
I used to go to Tulsa a lot. And there were certainly taxis on a rank at the airport in the 1990s.
Sure, mostly in New York City (Manhattan) where it’s often pretty much essential.
The infamous thing about taxis and Manhattan is how you can’t get one when it rains. One day I was shopping at some fancy schmancy place in Manhattan while visiting my brother, who lives in the midtown/Broadway area, and sure enough when I came out it was raining. I needed a cab to get back to his place. Cabs don’t actually disappear when it rains in Manhattan, it’s just that they’re always occupied. But across the street was a fancy schmancy hotel, the kind that attracts cabs and a doorman who aggressively commandeers them. I crossed the street and, pretending to be a guest of the hotel, got the doorman to grab a cab for me, even as the rain continued pouring down. It would have been impossible to get one any other way. I was quite proud of myself. 
Yep. Hailed cabs fairly often back when I lived in Chicago.
I’ve seen this system at a number of smaller airports in Europe. There’s a taxi stand, but there isn’t enough air traffic to warrant a constant queue of waiting drivers. The sign at the head of the stand will typically display the phone number of a common dispatcher, who relays a call at your request and sends the first available vehicle. One time (can’t remember where), the sign had an intercom that placed the call for you at the push of a button. It generally works pretty well; I’ve never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes that I can recall.
Sure. But probably not in over ten years.
On a slight tangent-I’ve always been envious of people who can do the famous two-finger “Taxi!” whistle. It’s going to be a skill to learn this summer.
I have flagged down a taxi on the street once or twice, but I’ve more often called the taxi company to arrange a ride to the airport. I don’t really consider standing at a taxi rank at the airport (or other busy disembarking point) as flagging down a cab.
Oh, yeah, relative to the original example, I’ve waved down passing taxicabs on three continents.
Back in the early 70s - I worked in my dad’s office and I was occasionally sent to DC (from Baltimore) to get consular documents signed. I’d take Greyhound to DC, then get a cab to the consul, then back to the bus depot to return to the office. (I didn’t own a car and there was no company vehicle, plus driving in DC is insane - even back then!)
I hated hailing cabs - I was soooooo shy and socially awkward in those days, but one does what one must. And I think once I stole a cab that someone else had flagged down, but by the time I figured it out, I was opening the door, so I just kept going. I still feel guilty about that. 
I have, but i may never do it again. If there isn’t a cab stand, I’ll probably use a ride share app.
Yes, sure
I hailed one 5 days ago, in London in front of a Tube stop.
Many times.
I just did it here in Boston a couple of weeks ago, when we were going to the Pops via the T, and the subway car had broken down.
Got there just in time.
Hundreds of times, while working in downtown Chicago for most of the past 33 years, as well as occasional work trips to Manhattan.
Haven’t done so in the past 2-plus years, but that’s entirely due to no longer going in to the office.
Mostly at airports, but it’s not really ‘hailing’, they’ll just be in a line. In cities where there are cabs I’ll hail them, but if I’m staying at a nicer hotel they’ll have guy in hat call them in with a whistle. So mainly it’s been in NYC where there are plenty of cabs cruising around and you can hail one. So in addition to NYC, Chicago, Boston, I think Detroit, but not LA. Otherwise it was easier to call for one instead of hoping a cab will come by.
More times than I can count in DC, although it’s been a couple decades since I used them regularly. Back then cab drivers were like vultures – you’d step off the curb and a half dozen would come charging at you from all directions, violating all traffic laws to get to you first. From a recent trip back, it seems like the taxi scene is much more subdued.
We don’t hail cabs where I live. Too much of a hick town. We call them or the kids ping an uber with their phones somehow.
The first time I remember hailing a cab was in Toronto about 30 years ago. The wife and I had been bar crawling down Queen Street and were tired and drunk. “How will we get a cab home,” Mrs. 74westy asked? “Like this,” I said sticking out my arm. A cab immediately pulled over.
I felt like a super hero.