Offering up an empty seat to Manhattan...
 

From now on, I will offer someone a ride to midtown in my cab. Free of charge.
Standing in the taxi line at LGA the other day I noticed how ridiculous it is... all these people going to the same place (pretty much).
So, my new plan is to look for someone young or someone who looks like they could use a free ride.
I'll offer once and if they look like I am crazy, I will look for someone else.
Usually there is someone on the plane.
My company is paying, there are 2 empty seats and it seems like it would redeem me just a little for all the carbon emissions...
I may also offer in other cities where one needs to take a cab from the a/p.

Have you ever done this?

Never done that.

That is very generous of you! I would certainly take you up on it and I bet you'll be surprised at how many people will take you up on your offer. Now I am curious....

What a great idea!!!

What a great idea TxTavelPro! Something I have never thought about. I am sure that some people might think that wouldn't be safe but what is 100% safe.

TxTravelPro

Last October we were coming thru JFK on a Friday when we encountered the longest taxi line I have ever seen. We walked and walked and still hadn't come to the end when a car service dropped some one off. The driver ask if we were going into the city and said he'd take us for $30. It wasn't free and probably not legal but we were grateful for the opportunity.

I think your idea to offer a free ride is marvelous.

Sandy

Nearly every time we've been in the line at LaGuardia, I've heard single travelers turn and ask "anyone else going to midtown West or Upper East Side?" -- or whatever. I've assumed they were looking to share costs, but I've often seen people pair up for a taxi that way.

Why would you offer someone a free ride?? Why not just split the cab fare?? I have shared many rides from JFK into Manhattan and the fare was always split.

If your company is paying then just pocket the money from the other rider.

You Texans would never make it in New York or Philly. :)

Stop being so nice.

Thin

A slightly different take on this is in some cities (I forget now which ones I read about) with HOV or similar commuter lanes have designated pick-up points where one can pick up random people wanting a ride into the city - up to them to negotiate contributions for gas, etc. But then all get to ride in the HOV lane, fewer cars in city - everyone wins. Obvious some possible safety risks, but seems to work.

Have never done that. But did land at LGA once in a snowstorm and the taxi line was very long - since outgoing flights were being canceled fewer cabs were coming into the airport.

So - a bunch of people on line started organizing who was going where - making groups to similar destinations - to get more people into the available cabs. (The dispatcher isn't allowed to do this - but there is no problem for riders to.)

In my cab I was the first stop so I just gave some cash to the person going farthest - and listed it as tips on my expense report. (If I had been the last stop I would have just charged the whole thing to the company.)

"A slightly different take on this...with HOV or similar commuter lanes have designated pick-up points where one can pick up random people wanting a ride into the city"

They do this in VA going into DC. They call it Slug.

I do this in Chicago often, when I and one or two other people are waiting for a bus that's never gonna come.

I did this arriving Puerto Vallarta with a couple (1st timers to PV) that I chatted with on the plane, who were going to the same part of town I was. I don't remember if I picked up the tab or we shared the cost.

I've had the same experience as Patrick -- when the line is long I always see people pairing up and offering to split the fare. It's a great idea.

SandyBrit -- please, please, please don't take a ride with those unlicensed gypsy cabs again. They are woefully underinsured, so if you are in an accident, you're out of luck.

I always look for/offer to share taxis from the airport and train stations. I've done it in large cities (PHL, NY, DC) and small (Buffalo -- where the suggestion that another woman and I share a taxi was actually made by the person who coordinates the cab stand, whose title I am drawing a blank on at the moment).

I've always shared the meter-- never a free ride, regardless of whether I'm paying or my company.

Hi gail, some people that live in Contra Costa County that is east of San Francisco line up at various spots including BART stations and drivers pull up and people get into their vehicles and ride into San Francisco together. At least that use to be true and imagine it still is. There was a spot south of Market St., near an on ramp to the SF Bay Bridge where people congragated after work to get another ride home.

That is a great gesture, but the cynic in me has a couple of caveats.

This being the NYC metro area, someone might think you have an ulterior motive - proselytizing, scam, perversion, sales pitch, whatever, so be ready for an immediate polite refusal.

If I were to do this, I'd ask if anyone was heading my way to share the fare and when it came time for the person to pay or if I got off first, I'd foot the bill.

This is coming from a NYer who has frequently offered many random acts of kindness - you'd be surprised how many people are suspicious.

I think its a lovely idea, especially since you will be offering them a ride in the cab...not your personal car. Who knows...you could get some poor college student started on a lifetime habit of paying it forward!

I did this once at Gatwick during some strike or another . . as soon as I offered to share the cab to Oxford Street, the character who was orgainzing the cabs started ragging on me . . I never quite understood what he was upset about, but he clearly did not like what I did.

After that, I made a effort to do it everytime I got cab there!