Subway or Taxi...which would be faster?

[Ireneparalegal]

In the LOVING CUP episode, Lucy told Ethel to call a cab so they could go downtown to the silversmith and get the cup removed professionally. Ethel tells Lucy they should take the subway because "it will be faster."

Ok, I am not in New York, never have been, but from what I gather, wouldn't the taxi be a lot faster than the subway to go downtown?

Lucy lived in New York City. She and Ethel boarded a Lexington Avenue subway train. Where was the silversmith located?

[Mikado]

Subways travel under the streets at 60 mph, a taxi in NY crawls at maybe 10 in the heavy traffic ( least by what ive seen of NY on TV ) and has to stop at all the lights....id think the subway is MUCH quicker

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Ok, I am not in New York, never have been, but from what I gather, wouldn't the taxi be a lot faster than the subway to go downtown? :confused

OMG, No! In those huge east coast cities like New York and Boston, people try not to drive! I was in the middle of Manhattan on a trip with my Grandpa. It was amazing to look down out of our 18th floor hotel window an see dozens of yellow cabs inching their way through the streets. If I opened the window at anytime 24 hours a day, all I could hear was a dull roar of the bustling city and hundreds of taxi horns honking! The subway was the only way to go.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Madame X

OMG, No! In those huge east coast cities like New York and Boston, people try not to drive! I was in the middle of Manhattan on a trip with my Grandpa. It was amazing to look down out of our 18th floor hotel window an see dozens of yellow cabs inching their way through the streets. If I opened the window at anytime 24 hours a day, all I could hear was a dull roar of the bustling city and hundreds of taxi horns honking! The subway was the only way to go.

Definitely the subway is the way to go when the traffic volume is high. New York's public transportation is amazing. The subway runs all through the night. Folks who live in New York generally do not even want their own vehicle, not only because parking is expensive, but having one is simply not necessary at all. The subway will get you anywhere in the city at any time of the day or night, and quickly. I love New York!

[Ireneparalegal]

Great, thank you all for the information. I had it in my head from seeing certain movies, the cabbies could zoom in and out of traffic and seem to really be in control of things. I guess that was my perception. Thanx again!

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Great, thank you all for the information. I had it in my head from seeing certain movies, the cabbies could zoom in and out of traffic and seem to really be in control of things. I guess that was my perception. Thanx again!

I guess it depends on the time of day. I can remember driving in Manhattan at night and the cabbies were driving like maniacs. I was very proud of myself because I was keeping up with them! I've also been on the subway at night, and the trains don't run as often during the late night hours. And it can be pretty sweltering down in those old stations at night. So when it's late at night, with less frequent train service, and few cars on the road above, it would make more sense to take a cab rather than the subway. But during the daytime when there's a lot of traffic on the streets, the subway is probably the way to go.