# Taxi Cabs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 27, 1999, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211 "1999-07-27T22:31:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 1999, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/1 "1999-07-27T22:31:00Z")

</div>

Taxis usually have their rates posted on their doors using the following formula: \<some exhorbanant rate\> per \<some miniscule distance). Why, then, does the meter run when we’re stopped?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 1999, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/2 "1999-07-28T00:37:00Z")

</div>

Please continue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 1999, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/3 "1999-07-28T01:45:00Z")

</div>

One must be careful when using “less than” and “greater than” symbols in HTML. Lemme dredge out the rest of Norm’s statement:

(some exhorbanant rate) per (some miniscule distance). Why, then, does the meter run when we’re stopped?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 1999, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/4 "1999-07-28T03:05:00Z")

</div>

Time, UDD, they’re billing you for their time…

I think Norm caught a Juarez cab.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 1999, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/5 "1999-07-28T03:09:00Z")

</div>

But, ya see beatle, I didn’t ask a question. 🙂

I just dredged out Norm’s words from HTML limbo.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 1999, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/6 "1999-07-29T16:43:00Z")

</div>

Thanks for the tip on the symbol thing. While it may be true that they are billing on a per time basis, why doesn’t it say that on the side of their cab?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 1999, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/7 "1999-07-29T18:46:00Z")

</div>

Usually it does. If it’s not on the side of the cab it is certainly on the rate card inside. It is usually worded something like “X.XX first mile - .XX per additional 1/Y mile plus $.XX per Z minutes wait time”

* * *

The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 1999, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/8 "1999-07-29T21:49:00Z")

</div>

A quick run to Madison Avenue gave me the following info printed on each yellow cab:

Metered Rate of Fare  
2.00 upon entry .30 for each additional unit  
.20 per minute stopped or slow traffic .50 night surcharge

All this cab talk makes me miss the woman who recorded the message at the end of each cab ride: “Be shooah to take awl of yaw belawngings and please take a receipt from the drivah.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 1999, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxi-cabs/2211/9 "1999-07-30T12:14:00Z")

</div>

I used to drive a cab in Honolulu. I was very intimate with the meter (I considered it part of my job.)

Anyway, time and mileage were mutually exclusive. Under 12 mph, the meter was dependent on time only, and above 12 mph, it was distance. The thing I didn’t know was whether the time under 12 mph was accummilative. Suppose the meter went up every 30 seconds the cab was under 12 mph, if you spent 10 seconds at one stop and 20 seconds at another, would the meter go up? Hmmm… probably insubstantial. Just an observation.

* * *

¾È ³ç, ÁÖ µ¿ ÀÏ