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Backseat Nav/Entertainment Screen Distracts NYers from Cabbie Hoonage

It was just like old times! On the eve of the New York Auto Show, several Jalopnik staffers hopped into a cab, called out an address—and immediately felt the familiar sensation of a Ford Crown Vic having its pedal jammed to the metal. Gotta love NYC cab drivers. As we were being tossed hither and yon in the back seat, we noticed that...NYC cabs now have nav/entertainment systems for he benefit of passengers.

Luckily, our gadget expert, Travis, was among our number. He quickly mastered the system by randomly stabbing at the touchscreen while our driver hooned across lower Manhattan. In the old days, all that you would have had back there for entertainment was the lingering aroma of puke from the last drunk to take a ride. As for nav, you had your wits. And blind trust.

Those days are gone for good. God only knows what they'll come up with to keep us occupied in the next generation of yellow hacks.

5:30 PM on Wed Mar 19 2008
By Matthew DeBord
552 views
12 comments

Comments

Bumblebee at 05:40 PM on 03/19/08
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"...we noticed that...NYC cabs now have nav/entertainment systems..."

Tourists.
om nom de plume at 05:42 PM on 03/19/08
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Connectedness Index: 122
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cryo sleep chambers??
Maxichamp at 05:43 PM on 03/19/08
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Cabbie hoonage and inspirational Obama speech on race. Doesn't get any better than that.

I'm Maxichamp and I approved this message.
KingRoyale at 05:52 PM on 03/19/08
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Bu bu...but it's not an iPod Touch..so itz da suxorz!!
Triborough at 05:53 PM on 03/19/08
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This was on the news over a year ago and they had one on display at last years auto show at the Javits.
Maybe you heard about the taxi strike over these and GPS.
gadgetfanatic at 07:02 PM on 03/19/08
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Aw cap, they weren't in the only cab that pays you as you go. I think you know the one I mean.
dulcamara at 07:17 PM on 03/19/08
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The best part is the off button in the upper right corner.
camp6ell at 08:15 PM on 03/19/08
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@dulcamara: bottom right corner?

anyway, it literally makes me nauseous reading the screen... which is fine because i would be metaphorically nauseous from the sanitized corporatized garbage that is paid to put on there... however, it does much simplify the process of paying by CC, and that i like.
gadgetfanatic at 09:05 PM on 03/19/08
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No one got my reference? Cash Cab is the only cab that pays you as you go.
smokyburnout at 11:16 PM on 03/19/08
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is the "taxi info" like a live telemetry thing (speed, RPM, pedal position, gear, etc) or more info on the taxi itself (make, model, service history)? or am i putting way too much thought into that?
laxman15 at 11:49 PM on 03/19/08
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so now when your cab driver gets lost you can give him directions!
Mazda Plainview at 09:38 AM on 03/20/08
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do you really need an entertainment system in the back of a car you'll only ride in for 10 minutes tops? (not counting traffic jams). And it's NYC, shouldn't you be looking out the window at the mind-boggling spectacle that is the big apple, not glued to another monitor? they want to put TV's in Subway/PATH cars too. Welcome to the Matrix friends....yyyyeeeccchhhh