Cab #4856

Date Taken: 5/23/07
From: Wicker Park
To: Navy Pier

The Cab: Well-kept, clean, nondescript. A weird circular interior roof light above the fare meter. Efficient use of visors for printed materials.

The Driver: Greeted me with a silent nod. Wore stylish rectangular sunglasses. Remained calm and oblivious throughout the trip as if we didn't nearly hit a car, a school bus, and a trolley. It was only when his crappy jazz-samba Muzak ringtone rang a couple times that I realized he had been engaged in low-volume secret conversations the whole ride.

The Driving: Erratic. As noted, chock full of close calls. We almost got into a major conflaguration at the tricky Milwaukee & Wood intersection that would have likely caused at least three other drivers to exchange insurance information. Then we nearly smashed into the back of a school bus as we drew close to Navy Pier. Finally, we almost took out one of those trolleys down there, which would have been satisfying and even anticlimactic. The main issue seemed to be Driver #4856's depth perception. It was only at the end of the ride that Driver #4856 spoke, and it certainly wasn't to apologize. "Is this Graduation Day for students or something?" he said, eyeing all the teenagers at the Pier. I got out before he mowed any of them down.

Overall rating: half an extended arm.

- Steve Rhodes

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