Chicago taxis

We took a working vacation, with 6 days per week in classes. It was a busy, busy trip. We were always running, and we took taxis almost everywhere.

I have lived and/or worked in several major cities: Honolulu, Baton Rouge, San Francisco, etc. I have visited many cities. I have never enjoyed taxi service like this. We stepped out the front door of the hotel, put a hand in the air, and the tax was at the curb before we got there 98% of the time. We came out of a grocery store into a downpour, and retreated to the covered entrance. I saw a taxi in the street, waved once, and the taxi pulled right up, alongside the covered entrance. Day and night, when we wanted a taxi, it was never more than a few minutes' wait to find one.

Sure, taxis are pricey, but so are cars. It was faster to take a taxi than to pull our car out of the parking garage, pay the parking fee, drive to our destination, and find parking there. And taxi fares were generally comparable to parking fees. The ride was... interesting. I have seen racecar drivers drive less aggressively. The cab drivers whipped from lane to lane, accelerated hard, braked hard, and actually managed to keep aware of what was going on around them. We heard an interesting assortment of music from around the world.

We have considered moving to Chicago. The convenience of taxis is certainly a draw. Nowhere else have I had such an easy time finding an available taxi, on any street in any neighborhood.