Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Hep Taxi!


If you already came to Paris and took a taxi you probably found it hard 1) to spot them 2) to know if they were available or already taken. Not surprising for until recently it was not really easy: you had to guess  if the little white light on the rooftop was lit (free) or not (not free). The state of the light though was not easy to see and a lot of people - even Parisians - would shout "Taxi" without even taking a glance at the light ! Now there is a new rule: if the light is red, the taxi is busy (like in this photo) and it is green then the taxi is free. This has been the PDP tip of the day hoping to make your life easier...

17 comments:

  1. Yahoo first in .............. TAXI

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  2. What is it recently with, Red lights/Green lights drivin' through the pouring rain? You gotta explain!

    So if the light is green, the taxi is Free? How wonderful and so generous.

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  3. LOL, Drummond. Thanks for the tip, Eric. Perhaps this info will come in handy when I'm in Paris—though most likely I'll be hoofing it all over town.

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  4. Excellent!! Good tip and I like the shot! Now if the drivers will just use the system!! LOL!!

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  5. I rarely take a Taxi...using the Metro and mostly "hoofing it" as Alexa says. Best way to get around town!

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  6. Paris taxis were so frustrating! When I finally did manage to hail one, I asked the driver about how to tell if it was vacant and he started his answer talking about Napoleon. I knew that I would never understand the answer then.

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  7. Comme toi et beaucoup de gens je ne comprenais rien au système des taxis qui se trouve désormais simplifié !!! j'ai remarqué moi aussi ces lumières rouges mais je n'en vois pas souvent de verte ;-)
    Bon, en même temps ce n'est pas trop grave car je prends les transports en commun ;-)

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  8. This a news for me! (shame I even did not notice that..., really feel I live under a rock sometimes).
    I do not take many taxis anymore but I did a lot until recently. And I must say I got pretty well used to the white light system, even not so easy to see... But changing is better, I guess so.
    Well, no, I'm sure I'll miss the previous white light system like a kind of nostalgy from old Paris, like in old movies...
    Funny to see how a color can be related to a position : free (green) or not free (red)! Very easy pattern, with no doubt.
    Thank you Eric for the tip.

    Flore

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  9. an excellent and most appreciated tip. thank you.

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  10. Thank you Eric for the very useful information. I will be coming back to Paris this June 2011 so I will that keep that in mind;))

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  11. What a useful tip! I'm not a big taxi person, I'd rather use the Metro to get around a big city, but I can see how this would be good to know. Hope you have a splendid day!

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  12. I enjoy the movement in this photo ! Merci for the taxi info! I will be there in the Spring but like Alexa will most likely be taking in the sights by foot.

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  13. @Drummond LOOOOOOL

    @Louise "When I finally did manage to hail one, I asked the driver about how to tell if it was vacant and he started his answer talking about Napoleon" What??

    @Marnie. Et oui, je pense qu'ils ont eu raison de changer le système (pas encore très répandu cela dit)

    @Flore. Really you did not hear about this? Interesting I suppose they did not advertise it enough (or maybe only among foreigners ;-))

    @Everyone. You're welcome (for the ip). Actually there are many more things to know about taxis in Paris (including which number to call) I will post more of these tips later...

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  14. I'm late with my taxi comment!!

    They won't stop at ALL for you if you are within 100 meters of a taxi pick up zone. They aren't being mean, which used to be my only conclusion. It also begs the question, how on earth would you ev er know if you are within a taxi zone?

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  15. @Eric : yes, you can laugh at me, you can .........! :)

    Flore

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  16. Same thing here, we never know when a taxi is taken.
    Not to mention that it´s impossible to get a cab when it´s raining.
    Just when we need them the most...

    (It´s Monica from Rio here. It seems I can´t log in anymore... )

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  17. I really enjoy your one-a-day photos as I "established" the same practice 633 days ago for the pics of Zagreb, Croatia.
    My principle was (is) to say everything what's got to be said with just a pic and a title, but somehow you convinced me that a non-tiring short story behind... can (also) do!
    Thanks for quite an experience with your blog.
    Regards.
    GP

    http://www.gp-zagrebancije.blog.hr/

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