Cab #2428

Date: March 16, 2006
From: Lakeview
To: Wicker Park

The Cab: Clean enough to belie the age of the vehicle. One hundred percent of the stitching on the seats was intact and slightly shiny, giving it the look of your grandmother's classic Oldsmobile that never leaves the insulated bubble of her Florida garage. Backseat seams appeared to have been vacuumed recently, so complete was the lack of dust. The radio was kept at an acceptable level for the seminal ZZ Top classic "Sharp-Dressed Man" (that is to say, extremely quiet), although it did creep into intrusive noisiness once jangly, over-produced hip hop came on.

The Driver: Spent the entire ride talking on his cell phone, although to his credit using a hands-free device and admirably hushed tones. Seemed way too young to put that much effort into the care and maintenance of his vehicle; maybe this actually is his grandmother's classic ride.

The Driving: Driver showed creativity in using side street to avoid traffic lights and congestion. Clearly knew the route and didn't need any reminding. My companion felt the speed was a tad excessive, particularly on the smaller roads. I did not share this concern as the driver clearly appreciated the nuances of the steering wheel.

Overall rating: 3.5 extended arms

- Natasha Julius