Yes, I'm a bit too small-town! But how do you pay for a cab? Cash only? Per mile? What's an average cost? And what about tipping?
And finally, are cabs everywhere in Chicago? Can you flag them down from the street or do you have to call them?
Thanks

Pay cash
Fare varies by distance and time of day (due to traffic delay)
Tip at least 10%
Hail or call a cab

There's a meter which will determine the fare. Make sure the cabdriver resets it when you get in. There might be extra charges for an extra passenger or luggage. If the light on the top of the cab is lit, it means the cab is available to be flagged down. It helps to learn how to whistle! Tip 15%.

Cash is the best, and I'd recommend you carry around some small bills (singles and fives) for those drivers that don't seem to have any change. That way you can control the tip.

If you are staying in a downtown hotel, there are lots of cabs around. They are also easy to find at the major museums.

We have been able to flag down cabs in Chicago on the street. You just kind of look for an empty one (with the light on) and wave to the driver, usually they'll pull over and pick you up.

Tip 15%. Never use a $50 and avoid a $20.

Be aware that taxi drivers and bus drivers in Chicago believe they have complete and universal right-of-way over pedestrians and that any pedestrian who doubts that deserves to be run over and squashed flat.

Ok,I don't know anyone in Chicago who feels they NEED to tip 15% unless the driver actually KNEW where he or she was going, didn't run lights or slam on the brakes, and was able to get you to the destination in a reasonable amount of time depending on traffic. Here's a tip that most of my friends and I use--in most cases simply round up the dollar amount. For examples, a ride costing $4.40, simply round up to $5.00. Don't get all obsessed in making sure you tip 15%--it usually isn't merited. But let me tell you, when I do get a good cab driver, I tip him quite well!

In Chicago it pays to be able to speak a third world country language to a cabbie. Also you need to have explicit directions to your destination because the driver for sure won't know how to go. It's probably the worst city I know for stupid cabbies. They're not rude, they're just stupid. Tip whatever you want.

Okay, true Chicago cab story. We're on a dead run to get to Union Station one wintry (reeeally wintry) night. Cab flagged at red signal on Michigan. Pile in. Meter flag dropped. Green. Cab lurches, dies in middle of intersection. Thousands of horns announce displeasure. "Please, help me push," the driver says. Out I get, slipping on icy street, suit akimbo, push across to safety of bus zone. Reach for wife and parcels, start off to look for another, functioning, taxi. "That'll be a buck sixty," he announces.

Later, I thought, that's the sort of optimism from which Cubs fans are made.

Here's a true New York taxi story....

Our first time in NY ( We're from UK ).
Get a taxi from JFK to Midtown Manhattan. Driver parks outside rented apartment at East 54th & Second. I'm paying the driver when there's a loud
'KLUNK' on the taxi's roof. Huge black
guy is skating round the taxi on rollerblades, doesn't like the driver's
parking ( he WAS in the middle of the road ) so whacks the taxi with the large
Hockey Stick he's carrying - welcome to
New York ! Then when we'd decamped onto
the street we found ourselves locked out
of the apartment due to the company back in the UK neglecting to supply us with the door code to open the outer door. "No problem" I say to Wife "the office that runs the apartments is right next door, once we've produced proof of who we are they'll let us in".
Knock knock, no answer, funny, it's not the weekend, but it IS Labor Day !
everyone is on holiday. We resort to
trying to attract the attention of people we can see beyond the outer doors
"Please let us in, we won't mug you honest !". Eventually all was sorted out
&, despite the eventful introduction New
York remains our favourite city.