Where were the cabbies on September 11?

[Rome2000]

As an ex NYC cab driver, believe me, these guys are so exhausted after driving their 12 hour shifts 6 days a week that most of them don't have time to join any terrorist cells.

Most of the trips downtown at that time of the morning are via the FDR and West Side Highway and then back out the same way, there aren't a lot of fares going uptown, too much traffic(people take the train or walk).

I think this is an unfounded rumor.

[finnman69]

this is nonsense...I headed uptown after the attack and there were tons of cabs...all full...a very busy day for picking up fares when there was no subway service.

[breakem]

Why is it so hard to get a cab on Wall Street 8-9 am. Don't the cabs drop off more than they deliver to that area. Isn't the flow of workers into the area in the morning and out in the evening. Please explain to a non-NYer.

[LisaFab]

Many guys who work in the field at our Exchange Place office confirmed what we heard often during the day over WABC radio - that the cabbies disappeared off the streets right after the attack.

Maybe they were just afraid.

[jrewingjr]

I wonder if it was a relax and party-type spa (my bet), or a fat farm spa? He should have chosen the latter.

[Rome2000]

I used to pick up 4 people at once (like a car pool) out of the upper east side aoartment buildings and take them down the FDR to the last exit before the tip of the island. They would get out and walk to their buildings from there.

I would get back on the FDR empty and go north to 14th St, where there's room to move and there are plenty of fares.

Believe it or not, there just aren't enough fares going north from the WTC or Wall St. that time of day to make getting stuck in the traffic around there worthwhile.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Why is it so hard to get a cab on Wall Street 8-9 am. Don't the cabs drop off more than they deliver to that area. Isn't the flow of workers into the area in the morning and out in the evening. Please explain to a non-NY

As hard as this is to believe, there are more people during those hours looking for cabs than available cabs. This is due to traffic congestion, and the diversity of routing. Many people who have regular destinations make arrangements with car services which are not allowed to pick up at curbside (read that the midlle of 5th Ave.)

You didn't have to qualify yourself as a non-Ny'er, BTW, it was evident that you have never experienced Manhattan grid lock. NY in the morning can be a madhouse.

[breakem]

I believe it just didn't understand the reason. thanx

[breakem]

On my trip to NYC we took the bus in daily from Bogata and did the subway thing. Saw a lot of yellow in mid-town, but certainly not familiar with the cab flow in lower man. Thanx for the info.

[Focault's Pendulum]

On my trip to NYC we took the bus in daily from Bogata and did the subway thing.

Bogata, New Jersey, or Bogata, Columbia....if it was the latter that was a long bus ride....if the former....it was a long bus ride.

[NativeNewYorker]

Emphatically NOT true.

The Mohammeds and Abduls have been utterly miserable, driving empty cabs and trying not to get spit on.

Getting a cab downtown during the rush hour is like fishing for winning, but discarded, betting slips at the track. Only the lucky get 'em.