# Why do Taxi cabs in DC have "Call 911" on top of them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 2, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610 "2008-04-02T01:03:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/1 "2008-04-02T01:03:23Z")
In DC most, if not all Taxis have “Call 911” on the little white “On Duty” bulbs on top of their cars. Why is this? Can you really call 911 for a taxi in DC or do they mean Call 911 for emergencies? Why advertise this if this is the case? Here are some pics I took in DC the other day: [Link 1](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2380889913_9a9a694383_b.jpg) [Link 2](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2381723490_c6fcdd2a90_b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/2 "2008-04-02T01:11:13Z")
WAG: When the driver’s in danger (carjacking, maybe robbery), they can hit a switch that turns that light on to alert others to call 911. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/3 "2008-04-02T01:13:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer] WAG: When the driver’s in danger (carjacking, maybe robbery), they can hit a switch that turns that light on to alert others to call 911. [/QUOTE] Montreal city buses have something similar. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/4 "2008-04-02T01:19:11Z")
Some people on the web seem to think that’s the cab company’s phone number, but I found this sign manufacturer who says: > [@](#): > > Available with Emergency “CALL 911” and Taxi Identification front and rear. [http://www.marvintaxiadv.com/pages/2side.html](http://www.marvintaxiadv.com/pages/2side.html) This fits with **Bambi Hassenpfeffer** ’s theory. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/5 "2008-04-02T02:10:17Z")
You know that “TAXI” sign on top of the cab? The way those are used is that if the light is “ON”, the cab is available for hire, and if it’s “OFF”, then the cab is occupied (carrying a fare) and thus unavailable. According to the cab drivers I’ve spoken with, the traditional method of alerting police that a cab driver was in trouble was to leave the light “ON” while carrying the troublesome passenger. The idea was that a passing police officer would see that the light was on _and_ there was a passenger, and that was the officer’s cue to pull the cab over and assess the situation. These same drivers told me they could be ticketed by the officer for leaving the light on when they had a fare but there was no trouble, which suggests this is codified in taxi regulations. I suppose adding the “Call 911” both simplifies the system and gets the general public involved by alerting them to call 911 instead of the cabby having to hope a cop spots the light. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/6 "2008-04-02T02:11:06Z")
It’s the mobile version of a silent panic alarm. Hopefully with available technology, a coupled GPS would indicate the cab location to assist law enforcement. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/7 "2008-04-02T02:16:16Z")
I’ve ridden in DC cabs. I figured that the sign was there because an accident was pretty much inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/8 "2008-04-02T02:32:05Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] It’s the mobile version of a silent panic alarm. Hopefully with available technology, a coupled GPS would indicate the cab location to assist law enforcement. [/QUOTE] In DC cabs, forget GPS. You’re lucky if steering wheel technology has been installed. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/9 "2008-04-02T02:56:09Z")
I asked the same thing six years ago: [‘Call 911’ On top of taxi cabs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=130103&highlight=call). ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/10 "2008-04-02T03:02:01Z")
The only ones I recall seeing were a light on the back of the car, with a sign saying to call 911 if you see the light on or flashing (I don’t remember specifically). It seems like the ones in the OP wouldn’t be all that useful, since people just _always_ see them, so nothing registers if there happens to be some sort of light signal along with it, that most people couldn’t be expected to know. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/11 "2008-04-02T03:33:52Z")
I see now, duh ! I didn’t even think about that, an alert system. Pretty good idea ! Damn, I guess you learn something new everyday. Thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/12 "2008-04-02T13:43:39Z")
That’s the quickest way to catch a cab! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/13 "2008-04-02T14:26:09Z")
**Why do Taxi cabs in DC have “Call 911” on top of them?** Because if it was on the bottom you wouldn’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/14 "2008-04-02T14:41:13Z")
> [@](#): > > **Why do Taxi cabs in DC have “Call 911” on top of them?** Because calling 119 makes no sense at all? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/15 "2008-04-02T16:00:09Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Because calling 119 makes no sense at all? [/QUOTE] They come out and cause an emergency? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/16 "2008-04-02T20:31:23Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Because calling 119 makes no sense at all? [/QUOTE] Unless you live in China, where 119 is the 911 #. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-taxi-cabs-in-dc-have-call-911-on-top-of-them/443610/17 "2008-04-02T20:51:40Z")
In Russia, 911 calls YOU!