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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| New York Today: The Tale of Our Taxis | New York Today: The Tale of Our Taxis |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Updated, 10:39 a.m. | |
| Good morning on this sizzling Wednesday. | Good morning on this sizzling Wednesday. |
| As you navigate the streets in Wednesday’s blood-boiling temperatures, which are expected to climb into the 90s, imagine a New York City without taxis. | As you navigate the streets in Wednesday’s blood-boiling temperatures, which are expected to climb into the 90s, imagine a New York City without taxis. |
| The roughly 13,000 yellow cabs we have today — gone from our grid. | The roughly 13,000 yellow cabs we have today — gone from our grid. |
| Just over a century ago, they wouldn’t have been missed. | Just over a century ago, they wouldn’t have been missed. |
| Taxicabs as we know them — yellow on the outside, metered on the inside — were not yet part of our city’s fabric. | Taxicabs as we know them — yellow on the outside, metered on the inside — were not yet part of our city’s fabric. |
| Instead, there were thousands of hackney coaches pulled by horses. | Instead, there were thousands of hackney coaches pulled by horses. |
| But the horses were difficult to handle, said Graham Russell Gao Hodges, a former New York cabby and historian who wrote “Taxi! A Social History of the New York City Cabdriver.” | But the horses were difficult to handle, said Graham Russell Gao Hodges, a former New York cabby and historian who wrote “Taxi! A Social History of the New York City Cabdriver.” |
| “Their manure was everywhere,” he told us. | “Their manure was everywhere,” he told us. |
| “They were dangerous, too — they’d kick and bite people — and since they were so overworked, they’d often die or become injured, clogging traffic badly.” | “They were dangerous, too — they’d kick and bite people — and since they were so overworked, they’d often die or become injured, clogging traffic badly.” |
| As New York grew, there was a need for something more reliable. | As New York grew, there was a need for something more reliable. |
| (And, well, less smelly.) | (And, well, less smelly.) |
| “We need the cabs now,” The Times insisted in an editorial in summer 1907. | “We need the cabs now,” The Times insisted in an editorial in summer 1907. |
| The New York businessman Harry N. Allen began importing hundreds of metered, gasoline-powered taxis from France, which New Yorkers started riding in that fall. | The New York businessman Harry N. Allen began importing hundreds of metered, gasoline-powered taxis from France, which New Yorkers started riding in that fall. |
| “Cars were very expensive and somewhat rare then, so the idea of getting into one lifted you into a different level of life,” Mr. Hodges said. | “Cars were very expensive and somewhat rare then, so the idea of getting into one lifted you into a different level of life,” Mr. Hodges said. |
| “People in the back seat would generally regard you as a servant.” | “People in the back seat would generally regard you as a servant.” |
| And now? | And now? |
| “Hitting a phone app and having a driver appear is like having a servant on call, and no driver likes being regarded as a servant.” | “Hitting a phone app and having a driver appear is like having a servant on call, and no driver likes being regarded as a servant.” |
| Food for thought the next time you hail. | Food for thought the next time you hail. |
| Here’s what else is happening: | Here’s what else is happening: |
| It’s a scorcher today, with a high near 91. | It’s a scorcher today, with a high near 91. |
| In our first heat wave of the season, we could have two or three consecutive days where it feels above 95 degrees. | In our first heat wave of the season, we could have two or three consecutive days where it feels above 95 degrees. |
| With elevated pollution levels today, it’s best to move your afternoon run to the evening. | With elevated pollution levels today, it’s best to move your afternoon run to the evening. |
| And do whatever you can to stay cool. | And do whatever you can to stay cool. |
| • The mayor’s office and Education Department have not offered broad plans for addressing school segregation, but grass-roots experiments are taking place. [New York Times] | • The mayor’s office and Education Department have not offered broad plans for addressing school segregation, but grass-roots experiments are taking place. [New York Times] |
| • The police released a video of the suspect in the fatal shooting of the owner of a popular Brooklyn pizzeria. [New York Times] | • The police released a video of the suspect in the fatal shooting of the owner of a popular Brooklyn pizzeria. [New York Times] |
| • Here’s how climate change will reshape our city. [Rolling Stone] | • Here’s how climate change will reshape our city. [Rolling Stone] |
| • A 6 train was taken out of service after a stray dog was found on board. [DNAInfo] | • A 6 train was taken out of service after a stray dog was found on board. [DNAInfo] |
| • The M.T.A. unveiled a ticket-buying app for the Metro North and Long Island Rail Road lines. [NBC] | • The M.T.A. unveiled a ticket-buying app for the Metro North and Long Island Rail Road lines. [NBC] |
| • A 13-foot bronze statue of Captain America will be installed in Prospect Park this summer. [USA Today] | • A 13-foot bronze statue of Captain America will be installed in Prospect Park this summer. [USA Today] |
| • New York is no longer the rudest city in America (it’s No. 3), according to a new survey. [Travel and Leisure] | • New York is no longer the rudest city in America (it’s No. 3), according to a new survey. [Travel and Leisure] |
| • Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “The One That Got Away” | • Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “The One That Got Away” |
| • Scoreboard: Marlins lance Mets, 5-2. Yankees tear throw White Sox, 9-0. | • Scoreboard: Marlins lance Mets, 5-2. Yankees tear throw White Sox, 9-0. |
| • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Wednesday Briefing. | • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Wednesday Briefing. |
| • Take a swing class at Midsummer Night Swing in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center. Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., live oldies at 8 p.m. [Prices vary] | • Take a swing class at Midsummer Night Swing in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center. Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., live oldies at 8 p.m. [Prices vary] |
| • Hear the Lumiere String Quartet play an outdoor sunset concert at Wave Hill in the Bronx. 7 p.m. [$8] | • Hear the Lumiere String Quartet play an outdoor sunset concert at Wave Hill in the Bronx. 7 p.m. [$8] |
| • Watch the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Birds,” under the stars at Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island. 8:30 p.m. [Free] | • Watch the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Birds,” under the stars at Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island. 8:30 p.m. [Free] |
| • All aboard the Clipper City for a jazz concert cruise around the city, departing from Battery Park. 9:45 p.m. [$59, tickets here] | • All aboard the Clipper City for a jazz concert cruise around the city, departing from Battery Park. 9:45 p.m. [$59, tickets here] |
| • Looking ahead: Explore the history and making of crepes, blintzes and Malaysian peanut pancakes at Brooklyn Brainery. Saturday at 2:30 p.m. [$40] | • Looking ahead: Explore the history and making of crepes, blintzes and Malaysian peanut pancakes at Brooklyn Brainery. Saturday at 2:30 p.m. [$40] |
| • Mets host Marlins, 1:10 p.m. (SNY). New York Liberty hosts Seattle Storm, 7 p.m. (MSG+). New York City FC at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (MLS LIVE). Yankees at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (YES). | • Mets host Marlins, 1:10 p.m. (SNY). New York Liberty hosts Seattle Storm, 7 p.m. (MSG+). New York City FC at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (MLS LIVE). Yankees at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (YES). |
| • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. | • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. |
| • Subway and PATH | • Subway and PATH |
| • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak | • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak |
| • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. | • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. |
| • Alternate-side parking: suspended through Thursday, July 7. | • Alternate-side parking: suspended through Thursday, July 7. |
| • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry | • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry |
| • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark | • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark |
| On a summer day like today, you’re sure to see trees of green. | On a summer day like today, you’re sure to see trees of green. |
| Perhaps red roses, too. | Perhaps red roses, too. |
| You may think to yourself: What a wonderful world. | You may think to yourself: What a wonderful world. |
| That’s the beautifully sandpapery singing voice of Louis Armstrong, who died 45 years ago today. | That’s the beautifully sandpapery singing voice of Louis Armstrong, who died 45 years ago today. |
| Mr. Armstrong was very much a New Yorker: He lived with his wife in Corona, Queens, from 1943 until his death in 1971. | Mr. Armstrong was very much a New Yorker: He lived with his wife in Corona, Queens, from 1943 until his death in 1971. |
| You can celebrate his life and strong ties to our city at Wonderful World 2016, a free music festival in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on July 16. [Register here] | You can celebrate his life and strong ties to our city at Wonderful World 2016, a free music festival in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on July 16. [Register here] |
| You can also visit his home at the nearby Louis Armstrong House Museum. | You can also visit his home at the nearby Louis Armstrong House Museum. |
| Now go enjoy those skies of blue and clouds of white. | Now go enjoy those skies of blue and clouds of white. |
| New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. | New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. |
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| Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. | Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. |
| You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. | You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. |