BAD NYC Cab Driver

  You hear a lot of things about how carazy NYC cab drivers are, but I have one to add.  I was coming home from JFK (was in Toronto with RocketBoom) and the cabbie was constantly hitting the breaks on the highway back into Manhattan.  I though "what a safe driver, the roads are a bit wet."  He just kept tapping his breaks over and over again about every 30 to 45 seconds but I just played it off.  However, I started to get worried when I noticed the pattern that he tapped the breaks suddenly whenever people passed the cab, and there were plenty passing.  Maybe he was a new driver, finally got his own cab and driving cautiously perhaps, who knows.  

  Nothing seemed too bad until we got over the bridge into Manhattan and stopped at the first light.  It turns green, no movement.  A few honks and we're off, but now I'm suspicious.  So I slide over to watch in the rear view and at the next light (which was past our turn as he missed it, Lexington Ave., not like he missed a side street, he missed the whole avenue).  As soon as we stop, he nods off, classic eyes shut slowly and chin drifts to chest; he's out.  Light turns green, nothing.  No one was behind us so I took out my phone, flipped it open, then snapped it loudly shut.  He pops up and keeps going looking confused at where he was and I helped steer him back on course.  The next light he nodded off again (SNAP goes the phone) and he tried to turn down a one way street.  I hollered at him not to as a cop gave us the "Bleep Bleep."  Luckily, he turned back, missed the cop car, and I got to my block.  

   I got out, got my stuff, paid the man, he said "thank you," I said "thank you," he said "I said thank you," as if I hadn't heard or asked what he had said.  He got away without giving the receipt, which I needed as the cab was generously on RocketBoom.  As I walked to the door it all clicked, the breaking was him asleep on the highway being startled by the sound of passing cars.  How many cabbies are out there putting in insane hours all through the night just to keep the city going?  They are like the blood cells of the city running around feeding the beast, no time to sleep.

-Idaho Bob-