[miss marmelstein]

No one in New York wants to call for a cab - unless we're going to the airport. We want to go out on the street, find a yellow cab in a minute that isn't “off duty” and has proper lights so we can see whether it's “off duty” or on. (Is that dimming of lights on the hood a green initiative, Bloomberg?!)

The cab scene in Manhattan is a wreck.

[Roccus]

Since the 70's, except for airport runs, yellow cabs for the most part operate as if NYC's borders are 110 St., the Battery and the rivers.

We want to go out on the street, find a yellow cab in a minute...

Ya gotta learn to separate yer "wants" from yer "gots". :)
I hacked part time in the 70's and 80's and that's just the way it was. Both the garage I worked out of and I resided in Queens, but if you wanted to make any money, Manhattan was the place. You starved if you worked the outer boroughs.

PS, don't know if they're still around, but Skull's Angels used to be radio dispatched, medallion-ed yellow cabs.