Brooklyn hotels

[navybankerteacher]

14 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

I would never want to force a driver to drive me anywhere. No thank you. And to call the cops. Please. Better to get the medallion number and report them. 

 A refreshing touch of realism.

[GTJ]

23 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

I would never want to force a driver to drive me anywhere. No thank you. And to call the cops. Please. Better to get the medallion number and report them. 

While many New Yorkers will stand up to harassing taxi drivers--the scene from "Midnight Cowboy," with Dustin Hoffman yelling, "I'm walking here," while banging on the hood of an aggressive taxi, comes to mind--doing so can be intimidating to others, especially those from out of town. It is important to keep taxi drivers in line, so if one does not stand up to a taxi driver acting unlawfully, do be certain to capture all the relevant facts and evidence to submit with a complaint and to be used in prosecuting the taxi driver. Most important, of course, is the medallion (it is the alpha-numeric illuminated on the roof the taxi), with date, time, and place at a minimum, and preferably a description of the driver, the driver's license number, and photographs or video. Understand that while a taxi driver might plead guilty to a complaint, in the absence of such a plea the complainant will almost certainly be needed to appear at trial. Not necessarily to appear in person--the complainant can provide testimony by telephone (which the prosecutor will arrange with the complainant)--but the complainant needs to be able to follow-through with the provision of testimony and other evidence. https://www.nyc.gov/site/tlc/passengers/consumer-complainant-hearing-guide.page

 

So if some people are unwilling to stand up to a taxi driver at the time of a service refusal, then they can follow through with a complaint, providing evidence including testimony. But I don't think that most people do actually follow-up, and in that case taxi drivers get away with their antics. So that's why I think people standing up for themselves at the time of the service refusal--including the summoning of police--is the better path to take.

 

Most NYC taxi drivers are good people. But there is a subset that is bad, and we should all do whatever can be done to these rotten apples off the city streets so that they are unable to victimize innocent persons. Earlier today I was reading of one recent administrative trial where there was a refusal to transport. http://archive.citylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/oath/20_cases/20-1683.pdf The testimony was that the taxi driver, Liang Jiang, had transported two passengers part of the way to their destination. While driving Mr. Jiang had been talking to himself, and when approaching Grand Central Terminal he suddenly swerved to the right, stopped, and shouted to his passengers, "Get the f*** out, get the f*** out!" The female passenger told the driver that the fare was already $10 and asked him to finish the trip; the driver replied, "$10 for your p****," using a vulgar term for part of her anatomy. The two passengers then exited the taxi, whereupon the taxi driver directly towards them, and possibly would have killed them but for stopping his taxi "about 10 inches from [the female passenger's] knee." The Taxi and Limousine Commission accepted the administrative law judge's penalty recommendation against this taxi driver, for this and one other incident, and revoked the taxi driver's license and imposed a fine of $6,950. There are many other stories of bad taxi drivers. Be careful when interacting with taxi drivers, and in particular always protect yourself from their ire. If you choose to leave a taxi as a result of a refusal to transport, or any other reason, be careful that the driver does not attempt to run you over with his or her taxi cab. Keep in mind that the NYPD know the taxi laws. Don't be afraid of calling the police; the NYPD will protect you if called upon.

[Noxequifans]

On 9/10/2022 at 1:51 PM, George C said:

I was born and raised in Brooklyn and love visiting New York but will always stay in Manhattan, much better choice of restaurants and things to do, lower Manhattan is a short taxi ride from Brooklyn pier, I agree I wouldn’t want to drag bags onto a ferry, if staying in Manhattan you can do a short walk to see World Trade Center memorial or trinity church where Alexander Hamilton is buried.

Agree++++

[FritzG]

Since we were arriving in the afternoon and only spending one night last fall we stayed at the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge, and we were very happy with the hotel.  We'll be staying there again in September before a QM2  transatlantic cruise.

[rasta]

Preference between The Fidi and Hotel Indigo for staying right in Wall Street with walking to Pier 11 Ferry?

[Nitemare]

15 hours ago, rasta said:

Preference between The Fidi and Hotel Indigo for staying right in Wall Street with walking to Pier 11 Ferry?

Both are good.  Read the reviews on google or at TripAdvisor to see if one "feels" better for your needs

[Nashna]

Since so many OPs here are familiar with NYC taxis, I have a question. Hopefully, you can answer.  We are staying (points) at the Renaissance Mid-Town Hotel on 218 West 36th Street.  We will be arriving via Amtrak at Penn Station.  I understand that is just down the block.  We will carry large suitcases and would like to take a taxi from Penn Station to the hotel.  This will be around 3:00 pm on a Tuesday.  Will we have difficulties getting a taxi to go such a short distance?  

  

[njhorseman]

31 minutes ago, Nashna said:

Since so many OPs here are familiar with NYC taxis, I have a question. Hopefully, you can answer.  We are staying (points) at the Renaissance Mid-Town Hotel on 218 West 36th Street.  We will be arriving via Amtrak at Penn Station.  I understand that is just down the block.  We will carry large suitcases and would like to take a taxi from Penn Station to the hotel.  This will be around 3:00 pm on a Tuesday.  Will we have difficulties getting a taxi to go such a short distance?  

  

This probably isn't very helpful, but taxis are supposed to take you regardless of where you're going, but it's not unheard of for the drivers to not want to make short trips.

 

BTW, I believe your hotel is on West 35th St., not West 36th.

 

Your train should arrive at the new Moynihan Train Hall, which is across 8th Ave. from Penn Station. Taxis should be available on both 8th Ave. and on 31st St.

[Nashna]

3 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

This probably isn't very helpful, but taxis are supposed to take you regardless of where you're going, but it's not unheard of for the drivers to not want to make short trips.

 

BTW, I believe your hotel is on West 35th St., not West 36th.

 

Your train should arrive at the new Moynihan Train Hall, which is across 8th Ave. from Penn Station. Taxis should be available on both 8th Ave. and on 31st St.

Good to know.  Thank you.  We typically tip well for a trip we know is not very profitable for the driver.  

 

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

This probably isn't very helpful, but taxis are supposed to take you regardless of where you're going, but it's not unheard of for the drivers to not want to make short trips.

Yes, some taxi drivers do attempt to discriminate against certain trips, but here I would not expect there to be objection to a trip like this that will keep the driver in the heart of midtown where cruising tends to be lucrative. If anything, I might anticipate the driver might advocate on your behalf, letting you know that the distance is so short that you might want to save yourself the taxi fare and walk. (No reasonable person would use a taxi this distance absent some compelling reason . . . such as several large suitcases that would be unwalkable.)

[navybankerteacher]

Manhattan taxi drivers are unlikely to object to a short trip as long as it keeps him in a high traffic area -- actually the first fraction of a mile pays him better than any subsequent fractions, and two tips may very well exceed the amount of one.