Whenever I've been in NYC, I've never had a problem getting cabs. Going to Newark airport however cost me something like $110 if I remember correctly, because the cab driver gave me these special "fees" at the end, it felt like highway robbery.
Now in SF, it's the worst cab situation I've ever seen. I've had cabs that I ordered via the phone never bother to show up, and once waited 90 mins in front of a hotel, as the hotel employee tried to flag taxis as they passed by the line. I don't bother taking the cab anymore. If I need to be somewhere for a day like New Year's Eve, I'll park downtown earlier that afternoon and then take the Muni there.
I just might try out Uber this New Year's Eve and see how that goes.
> "Going to Newark airport however cost me something like $110 if I remember correctly, because the cab driver gave me these special "fees" at the end, it felt like highway robbery."
It is. There is no flat rate to Newark airport, so you can either take the metered rate or negotiate your own flat fare. Bonus of the custom-negotiated fare is also that customarily you don't tip on it.
There's no good reason why going to EWR from Manhattan should cost $110 (short of complete and utter gridlock). Insist on negotiating a fare, or just call a car service - their vehicles will be nicer, the driver will be less surly, and the price will be substantially lower.
Now in SF, it's the worst cab situation I've ever seen. I've had cabs that I ordered via the phone never bother to show up, and once waited 90 mins in front of a hotel, as the hotel employee tried to flag taxis as they passed by the line. I don't bother taking the cab anymore. If I need to be somewhere for a day like New Year's Eve, I'll park downtown earlier that afternoon and then take the Muni there.
I just might try out Uber this New Year's Eve and see how that goes.