As the taxi-sharing program gets ready for its grand debut in the fall, frantic questions are running through the heads of every potential rider. Do I chat with the stranger sitting next to me? Should we exchange names? Numbers? Fluids? The etiquette might seem fuzzy and undetermined, but no fear! Worried Manhattanites can look toward the one officially-sanctioned taxi stand in Yorkville for Miss Manners-like guidance.
Upper East Siders, who have been using shared taxis for a quickie ride to Wall Street for more than 20 years, follow one strict rule: no talking. To each other, on their cell phones—presumably there is some discussion between the driver and the passengers, but I’m sure even that is limited. This way, pesky social interaction gets completely cut out of the equation. Complete silence accompanies a new seating hierarchy right out of high school. Shotgun is preferred, and some passengers will even wait for a different taxi rather than sit in the back like a plebeian.
Hopefully, this etiquette will extend beyond those uptight
financial types, as Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Matthew Daus promises to post
a code of conduct in the new shared cabs this fall. This way, all that will be
heard is the comforting hum of never-ending commercials on the taxi
televisions.
