Travelogue: Taxis, taxis everywhere—stunningly, shockingly nice taxis

Vegas, New York, Chicago—step aside, because <em>this</em> is how you do transportation.

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[LKGC]

As someone who regularly takes cabs in Phoenix, AZ (the 8th biggest city in the country) - your description of US taxis surprises me. The cabs here are generally new, clean and very pleasant. I've never seen garbage in a cab, other than the driver's McDonalds bag or something.

 

[Deleted member 192806]

Mercedes? Wow!

 

[ads2]

Isn't this a very old saying?

In the US, Mercedes are luxury cars. In Germany, they are just Taxis

(often used as a way to criticize the old Detroit auto makers.)

 

[Wickwick]

I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

 

[심돌산]

U.S. taxis suck and Gernan taxis are awesome, if an ugly shade of yellow for E-class Mercedes... Nah, not really news.

Still I can't count the number of interesting taxi rides I had after midnight from Prezlauer Berg / Mitte back to Moabit. Always a fun ride, not too expensive, and good conversation

 

[심돌산]

Wickwick[/url]":2lqs3jav]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

I'm not German but you mean the far left lane. And you can stay in the far left lane all day as long as you are driving fast.

The last time I was in Germany I was stuck driving a van because of the number of people I was carrying. As I entered Germany on the way from Salzburg I was doing 130 kmh and keeping up quite well. At the border there was a lighted "no speed limit" sign overhead. I accelerated to 150, but within seconds I was passed by several cars on their way to 200+

 

[심돌산]

Ostracus[/url]":2ho2vdpe]Mercedes? Wow!

Just a working vehicle over there.

 

[whisk3rs]

The Quick & The Read[/url]":3nvwpfub]Beautiful travelogue. Thank you.

All were sparking clean BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class sedans. All were kitted out inside with leather and dashboard displays.

Why? I'm sure there are less expensive automotive options, why did they standardize on the (undoubtedly) more expensive one? I feel a joke about Apple coming on...

Maybe, just maybe, the Europeans are not bent gung-ho on the cheapest option and are OK with spending a little bit more money to enjoy things? Think processed food vs. freshly cooked cuisine, American Cheese vs. French cheese, etc.

Wickwick[/url]":3nvwpfub]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

Also, absolutely no passing on the right plus you will get ticketed for gesturing or aggravating another driver (think flipping the bird, honking, tailgaiting...)

 

[TheEphemeralElectron]

When I rode in a taxi in Nagoya, Japan, I felt like I was riding in a vehicle that would shortly be used as a surgical theater. It was immaculate, the technology felt like it was built in, and the driver was highly polite and wore white gloves that were spotless.

I can't recall if there was a partition or not, but it was a good experience overall.

If US cab companies want to compete with the newcomers (Uber, Lyft, et al), then they are going to offer similar experiences rather than making their users feel like overpaying, underserviced cattle.

 

[andybarker]

When I used a cab in LA in 2010, I was amazed at how cramped the back was due to the partition. I'm 6ft 3, and had to sit sideways to get my feet in. The vehicle seemed fairly big overall, but the passenger space was terrible!

 

[Montaire]

I think the reason that you see this, especially in areas like NYC, has to do with the medallion system.

I think less than 3% of NYC taxi drivers own their license, they rent the license/medallion as well as the car from a large company. Each medallion generates about 95k in annual revenue, and the driver sees about half of that.

There is no incentive for a taxi driver to drive a nice car, or to invest in the 'experience' in any way. Legally, you cannot be a taxi without them. A medallion costs somewhere between 800,000 and 1,000,000

Medallions are owned by investment companies now, as stable and reliable income generation devices. These companies have invested tremendous amounts of money in ensuring their rent-seeking behavior is legally protected.

 

[daxis]

심돌산[/url]":1a6xftty]

Wickwick[/url]":1a6xftty]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

I'm not German but you mean the far left lane. And you can stay in the far left lane all day as long as you are driving fast.

Nope. You don't just hang out in the left lane on the Autobahn. You only go there to pass, and then you get out of it when the passing is done.

 

[MartinHatch]

Yup.. Welcome to the civilised part of the world

Surprised you haven't mentioned the food, beer, architecture and evening culture in Munich.
All were awesome last time I visited

My experiences in the US & Canada have been relatively narrow (Boston, Orlando, Miami, LA, Vegas, Toronto, Vancouver) .. But the one thing I ALWAYS miss when I head West from Europe is the food.

 

[Henrik Mikael Kristensen]

Ostracus[/url]":3sxwgs81]Mercedes? Wow!

Complete standard Taxi over here... rode one a number of times as a kid to school, because the school bus driver also owned a taxi company. They're nice.

 

[The Quick &amp; The Read]

whisk3rs[/url]":11mk31td]

The Quick & The Read[/url]":11mk31td]Beautiful travelogue. Thank you.

All were sparking clean BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class sedans. All were kitted out inside with leather and dashboard displays.

Why? I'm sure there are less expensive automotive options, why did they standardize on the (undoubtedly) more expensive one? I feel a joke about Apple coming on...

Maybe, just maybe, the Europeans are not bent gung-ho on the cheapest option and are OK with spending a little bit more money to enjoy things? Think processed food vs. freshly cooked cuisine, American Cheese vs. French cheese, etc.

As I suspected.

 

[Zak]

LKGC[/url]":552exi3h]As someone who regularly takes cabs in Phoenix, AZ (the 8th biggest city in the country) - your description of US taxis surprises me. The cabs here are generally new, clean and very pleasant. I've never seen garbage in a cab, other than the driver's McDonalds bag or something.

Don't know about Phoenix. A typical NYC taxi is dirty, stinky and is driven by a reckless asshole who can't speak English, doesn't know the traffic rules, can barely operate the vehicle and constantly yaps on a cell phone.

 

[daxis]

Wickwick[/url]":rt2sh0cb]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.
.

Yes. The fact that there were dynamically allocated speed signs means you were close to a city, in a place where there is a lot of traffic. Most of the Autobahns are governed by fixed signage. And one of the those signs is "end of restrictions," which means the speed limit (among other things) is removed after you pass it.

 

[makimaki]

I'm surprised you used a taxi. The public transport network is excellent in Munich, regular, reliable, extensive, and not expensive. A day ticket for the entire network (including going to the airport) is only €11, and there are discounts for groups of people.

 

[effgee]

심돌산[/url]":266up84d]

Wickwick[/url]":266up84d]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

I'm not German but you mean the far left lane. And you can stay in the far left lane all day as long as you are driving fast.

The last time I was in Germany I was stuck driving a van because of the number of people I was carrying. As I entered Germany on the way from Salzburg I was doing 130 kmh and keeping up quite well. At the border there was a lighted "no speed limit" sign overhead. I accelerated to 150, but within seconds I was passed by several cars on their way to 200+

I happen to be German and I can tell you for sure that while you can drive in the left lane all day, it is by no means legal. There's this rule called the "Rechtsfahrgebot" (~ "Right-lane-driving-obligation", compound nouns FTW!!!) which states that unless posted otherwise you have to be driving in the rightmost lane whenever possible. Staying in the left lane for no good reason and obstructing the way for other traffic gets you a €80 ticket and a point against yer license (*).

(* – Not to mention a Porsche/BMW/Audi up yer hindquarters with their left turn signal on and flashing high-beams )

 

[MartinHatch]

daxis[/url]":3l0urbh0]

심돌산[/url]":3l0urbh0]

Wickwick[/url]":3l0urbh0]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

I'm not German but you mean the far left lane. And you can stay in the far left lane all day as long as you are driving fast.

Nope. You don't just hang out in the left lane on the Autobahn. You only go there to pass, and then you get out of it when the passing is done.

And for dammed good reason, I thought my car was fast until I was doing 145mph and a Porsche went past like I wasn't moving.

When the 200mph+ supercars are about you only have a few seconds of them in your rear view before they belt past..

 

[Kiru]

I remember visiting my Mom in Geneva in the mid '90s and seeing an S-Class taxi at the airport.

Then I saw the police driving around in BMW 5-series.

Figured all bets were off.

 

[MartinHatch]

Kiru[/url]":30qs4we2]I remember visiting my Mom in Geneva in the mid '90s and seeing an S-Class taxi at the airport.

Then I saw the police driving around in BMW 5-series.

Figured all bets were off.

Not sure if they still do but last time I was in Germany the Autobahn police drove Porsche 911 GTS

 

[Drang]

One of the first things that amazed me when I went to New Orleans about 5 years ago was that all the taxis that I saw were SUVs. Seriously, that makes no sense to me. You'd think that you'd want a more gas-sipping vehicle.

 

[Deleted member 192806]

Drang[/url]":354huhof]One of the first things that amazed me when I went to New Orleans about 5 years ago was that all the taxis that I saw were SUVs. Seriously, that makes no sense to me. You'd think that you'd want a more gas-sipping vehicle.

High tide.

 

[masterbinky]

If I remember right, they are also stricter on things like courtesy on the Autobahn. You will get a ticket for being a jackass, flipping people off, driving close to people's bumper, etc.

 

[SheldonRoss]

Would be nice to have a little more insight into what the differences are in the systems.

I'm under the impression that part of the reason US cabs suck is due to crony-capitalism. The medallion system in New York for instance, just seems to protect entrenched players. Uber and Lyft, while not perfect by any means seem to be a pretty big step up in quality and service when I've used them.

How does the cab system in Germany work?

 

[spztoid]

Mercedes are popular for taxis in Europe because when they're well taken care of, they can still command a high resell value, while the professional driver/owners also enjoy tax depreciation after about 3 years, just like an office item or computer.

Teslas are becoming popular as taxis too because of their technical novelty, silence, lack of a transmission hump, and fuel savings. If being new tech and silent brings in more clients, that's good. Taxi drivers usually drive these same cars for personal use when they're not on duty. They use a magnetic sign they can re/place on top that lights up wirelessly when they are working. That's so much more professional than a pink mustache.

 

[LB1LF]

The Quick & The Read[/url]":225aqd29]Beautiful travelogue. Thank you.

All were sparking clean BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class sedans. All were kitted out inside with leather and dashboard displays.

Why? I'm sure there are less expensive automotive options, why did they standardize on the (undoubtedly) more expensive one? I feel a joke about Apple coming on...

-It is probably a simple matter of economics and predictability. Say what you want about Mercedes-Benz, but if you stick to the maintenance schedule, they are just about unstoppable - they just keep doing their thing day after day.

If you earning a living depends on your car being reliable, it makes an awful lot of sense to go with a Mercedes.

C-class is the bog standard taxi option in Norway, too.

 

[bburdge]

makimaki[/url]":2855cd0z]I'm surprised you used a taxi. The public transport network is excellent in Munich, regular, reliable, extensive, and not expensive. A day ticket for the entire network (including going to the airport) is only €11, and there are discounts for groups of people.

I was thinking this as well, when I've been in Munich it's off the plane, into the rail station, and about 45 minutes to Marienplatz, easy, cheap, and quite nice.

 

[ads2]

spztoid[/url]":2u5gze4v]Mercedes are popular for taxis in Europe because when they're well taken care of, they can still command a high resell value, while the professional driver/owners also enjoy tax depreciation after about 3 years, just like an office item or computer.

Teslas are becoming popular as taxis too because of their technical novelty, silence, lack of a transmission hump, and fuel savings. If being new tech and silent brings in more clients, that's good. Taxi drivers usually drive these same cars for personal use when they're not on duty. They use a magnetic sign they can re/place on top that lights up wirelessly when they are working. That's so much more professional than a pink mustache.

Not sure how the economics work out in Europe, but a taxi driver in the US would drive a ton more than 300 miles per day, and would never take a 45min break for charging.

Last week I saw a taxi driver in NYC pour a steaming piss bottle out of his door at an intersection -- they never stop driving.

 

[bburdge]

LB1LF[/url]":32c8hr30]

The Quick & The Read[/url]":32c8hr30]Beautiful travelogue. Thank you.

All were sparking clean BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class sedans. All were kitted out inside with leather and dashboard displays.

Why? I'm sure there are less expensive automotive options, why did they standardize on the (undoubtedly) more expensive one? I feel a joke about Apple coming on...

-It is probably a simple matter of economics and predictability. Say what you want about Mercedes-Benz, but if you stick to the maintenance schedule, they are just about unstoppable - they just keep doing their thing day after day.

If you earning a living depends on your car being reliable, it makes an awful lot of sense to go with a Mercedes.

C-class is the bog standard taxi option in Norway, too.

You would be surprised at how much of a misreputation for poor reliability Benz has in the states. I have 04 C230 for my daily driver at over 100K miles, and it has been quite a dependable vehicle, but I frequently get cracks from people about how it must be costing me a fortune to maintain.

 

[The Quick &amp; The Read]

arcite[/url]":35llvchs]I don't really get this article. In NYC one can get a limo (Manhattan - jfk) for marginally more than 70 euro and get much better service (newspaper, hot coffee ect...). The real issue seems more of a free market vs. socialism argument.

I shouldn't, but I will...wha? huh?

Explain that last sentence.

 

[spztoid]

Teslas can make economic sense, as I understand things, for very short stop & go city traffic and distances. Because this gives an advantage to the electrical torque technology, vs. the weakest part of the internal combustion engine (during stop and go over short distances).

I guess if you don't drive much more than 8 hours a day like a rational person with a life outside of driving, you can charge it up fine. Just a guess. Someone can feel free to correct me.

FWIW, there's a pissoir for the drivers at the taxi stand near Centraal Station in Amsterdam.

 

[Thordane]

You had me at lack of vomit.

 

[khawkins98]

Important to realize that the taxi system competes with public transport.

Given the cleanliness and good connections of the German train, bus, bike facilities, there'd be far fewer taxi riders if the taxis weren't recent and well kept Mercedes.

Add in how Mercedes is a German firm, buses are often Mercedes, a willingness to invest in "assets", and a culture of cleanliness and social responsibility (prepare to be followed by a citizen if you scratch a car and leave the scene), and a good quality taxi system is no surprise.

Frankly I've been surprised to see Uber attempt the German market -- I see little reason to use it compared to MyTaxi.de

 

[LB1LF]

bburdge[/url]":18rrqsqn]
You would be surprised at how much of a misreputation for poor reliability Benz has in the states. I have 04 C230 for my daily driver at over 100K miles, and it has been quite a dependable vehicle, but I frequently get cracks from people about how it must be costing me a fortune to maintain.

-I didn't really say maintenance was cheap; just that if it was performed, the car is just about as reliable as they get.

The less is spoken about the parts cost for my colleague's Geländewagen, the better. (Though in fairness, G-wagen parts are eye-wateringly expensive, even by MB standards.)

 

[lunix]

심돌산[/url]":2nf2na53]

Wickwick[/url]":2nf2na53]I'm sure one of our German readers can flesh out the details. However, there are large stretches of road where the "dynamically" assigned speed limit is actually no limit. Because you were in a city center you may not have encountered such stretches.

It's important to note that it's a ticket-able offense to drive in anything but the far right lane unless you're actively passing. That's how the unlimited speeds thing can work.

I'm not German but you mean the far left lane. And you can stay in the far left lane all day as long as you are driving fast.

It's called "Rechtsfahrgebot" and means you have to stay on the right whenever feasible, even when driving fast. Whether you'll get ticketed is another story, the law is pretty clear as far as I know.

In practice, there are usually enough slow trucks in the right lane to make it less than feasible to drive there.

The last time I was in Germany I was stuck driving a van because of the number of people I was carrying. As I entered Germany on the way from Salzburg I was doing 130 kmh and keeping up quite well. At the border there was a lighted "no speed limit" sign overhead. I accelerated to 150, but within seconds I was passed by several cars on their way to 200+

Motorbikes are the worst. You may not see them coming from behind and only notice them when their engine noise practially explodes right next to your window. A second later they're just a dot on the horizon.

Driving at home I always wonder how those insane speeds work in Germany, when I drive in Germany I wonder how passing on the right ever works here.

Edit: clarity