Taxi rides got a price hike approval last week that could increase the average ride by $1 starting in December. The Taxi and Limousine Commission voted in favor of increasing the fare for cabs sitting in traffic from 20 cents to 40 cents per minute. But don’t get angry with the drivers: Blame it on the gas prices. The last taxi fare hike came in May 2004, when gas prices nationwide hit just over $2 per gallon for self-serve regular, according to a AAA survey. The current 2006 nationwide average for self-serve regular gas is over 20 cents more per gallon, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report. For cab-users feeling outraged by the increase, save your complaints and head to the subway, where an unlimited monthly MetroCard will cost you $76—regardless of wait time.