Ravi
Hailed in: Downtown Brooklyn
Hails from: India

One time I was driving and thought I saw my ex-brother-in-law, and I actually changed lanes to get away from him. Now, I could see in the mirror that it ended up not being him, and I’m not even 100 percent positive that he was trying to hail me, but I’d probably do that same thing again, lame as that sounds. It was a bad divorce, and her brother used to always give me shit about being a cab driver, so I think that if somehow he wound up in my backseat that would be terrible.

Taweel
Hailed in: Times Square
Hails from: Pakistan

I’m not sure I really have enemies. If there’s someone walking around out there who hates me, I don’t know about it. [What about a public figure you dislike?] You mean like Dick Cheney or Donald Trump? If someone hailed me and I pull over and it’s Dick Cheney, ugh. That man makes my skin crawl. I might refuse to let him in. I don’t know; I feel like he could easily get me fired. But if he couldn’t, yeah, I wouldn’t want him around. Donald Trump I might drive, but only because he’s so rich he might give a big tip. But now with the credit card machines, people generally tip the same amount, so who knows?

Collie
Hailed in: Lower East Side
Hails from: Brooklyn

I refuse people every day. If people are so drunk they can’t stand, I don’t let them in because I’ve cleaned up enough vomit. If someone helps them into the cab, OK, but I don’t want drunk guys. If a girl is drunk I might let her in just so she’s not out on the street alone and drunk. The other day, a guy got in, and he smelled horrible. He looked normal, but he just absolutely reeked, like he had shit himself. I kicked him out. He was pissed, but if you don’t do that, you have to smell it, and then the next people who get in might leave because of how bad it is.

Danny
Hailed in: Park Slope
Hails from: Crown Heights

I honestly don’t pay that much attention to what people look like when they get in, so no, unless they were holding a gun or covered in blood or something. Actually, if they’re covered in blood they may need to go to the hospital, so I should probably pick them up. [What about your worst enemy?] You mean, would I lock the doors and drive the cab off a bridge and jump to safety at the last minute? Yeah, probably.

Hailed in: Midtown West
Hails from:Sunset Park

Well how much did I win? [Let’s say $10 million after taxes and everything.] Ten mil, OK. Well first, pay off my credit card. My brother also has debt, from student loans, so I’d help him out. I feel like I should probably give something to everyone in my family, since none of us are rich. After that I’d want to move out of my neighborhood, so I’d probably want to buy some amazing apartment in Manhattan, maybe in the Village or one of those luxury apartments that are going up. [I’m not sure you’d have enough left over.] Maybe not. Well, I could afford a better place than I have now, at least. (more…)

Hailed in: Chelsea
Hails from: Austin

I don’t have an official bucket list, but skydiving is the first thing that comes to mind. Ugh, that’s lame. I bet everyone says skydiving. But yeah, I’d actually want to do it. But it’s more about being able to say you’ve done it than doing it, know what I mean? Like, the point is being brave enough to jump out of the plane, not what it feels like to fall. If you can actually jump, that’s amazing. [Maybe they push you out if you don’t jump.] I’d have a heart attack if they did that. I’d be dead before I hit the ground. (more…)

Hailed in: TriBeCa
Hails from: Michigan

I’m having a roommate horror story now. Will my last name be published? [No.] Good. Because my roommate is an asshole. Nothing too unusual: He eats my food; leaves his stuff everywhere; he’s always late with rent and utilities. I hate him. Luckily, I don’t see him much, since I work nights and he works days, so we don’t really cross paths. [How did you two come to live together?] Craigslist. That’s it, really. My old roommate moved out suddenly, so I needed to get someone right away, and this guy was the first guy who could do it. I can’t wait until I can afford to ditch the asshole. (more…)

Hailed in: Fort Greene
Hails from: Florida

Well, my big plan is to fix this. [Holds up an iPhone with a cracked screen.] I literally had this for an hour and a half before I dropped it, and because I just got it, I didn’t have a case. I don’t even remember what it’s like to use a phone that isn’t cracked; you have to touch it a different way because there are parts of the screen that don’t read your finger well. So that’s my plan. Anything else goes to credit cards and student loans. (more…)