Taxi

I've always particularly admired the taxi-driver who turned to Bertrand Russell in the back of his cab and asked the perfectly legitimate question, »Well Guv, what's it all abaht then...?« And answer came there none. Never ask a philosopher, especially one who hasn't paid his fare yet.....

since it is now april 16 and i live in the US. i have filed my taxes with the IRS. i do not have to think about taxes anymore for awhile, and instead can think of more interesting things, such as travel. travel to most cities in the world involves at least occasional taxi rides. in some places this is a pleasure; the taxi driver speaks at least a little of some language that you also speak at least a little of, and she or (usually) he is happy to talk to you and point out interesting sites/sights. if you are even a little lucky this person will take you to your destination safely, and by a more or less direct route.

then there are the others.

Riding a taxi cab is far too expensive. Riding the bus is cheaper, but you are not allowed to talk to the driver.

on Apr 18th 2000, 02:08:55, Jackson wrote the following about »Taxi«

»I heard recently that the driving a taxi is one of the most dangerous jobs. «

You would be right. I drove a taxi one summer during college and got held up twice. It's an interesting feeling having a gun held to the back of your head.
Bladder control suddenly becomes relatively unimportant.

The book say taxi is short for taxi cab which is short for taximeter cab, and the taximeter is an automatic contrivance fitted to the cab to indicate to the passenger the distance travelled and the amount of fare due.
Just now it came to me that I too am fitted with a contrivance that indicates the distance I have travelled and the fare I have paid (with this contrivance, the fare is collected as I go) and it is me, my own body, myself. I am the driver, the passenger, the taxi and the contrivance all in one.

In Morocco, Taxis are either Grand or Petit, depending on whether you need to travel a great or small distance. In Grands Taxis, you share the backseat of a battered Diesel Mercedes with four or five people who are going in the same general direction.