God Save the Taxi

          

  Ever since Francois Isaac de Rivaz of Switzerland invented the first combustion engine in 1807,   the rise of the automobile has paved the way for the iconic city taxi. From London’s classy and efficient carriages to New York’s clumsy and sluggish Crown Victorias, taxis epitomize what each and every city is all about. We can’t run away from them and our wallets provide the evidence. No human can resist the temptation to pass up a ride in a foreign taxi because we all crave the story that it will tell us.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things

when I traveled to visit my family in England was stepping onto the hectic taxi way outside London Heathrow. I can still remember the smell of the musty car exhaust trapped beneath the rumbling overpass. Then as I tightened my grip around my mother's hand, our family would step into the chaos of the city. The moment I saw the glimpse of a British cab, my jet lag suddenly levitated and a huge smile would come over my face. I felt extreme happiness because I knew I had made it home. 

Taxis never seem to fail slapping people in the face with a cultural experience. When we look a little closer to home, our culture seems to embrace taxis as symbols of national pride. Hell, Americans make movies about taxis. For instance, "Taxi, "a recent American motion picture, depicts a New York taxi as a pinnacle of NYC pride and as a savior of a failing cop. 

                                             

Another extreme view of national pride can be seen with Thailand's infamous Tuk Tuks. Thailand embraces its rustic culture and emulates it through their unique taxis. Even in somewhat rural communities, transportation like buses found in Bolivia portrays stories of fiestas and fun.

Taxis not only represent a city's image, they also carry the drivers. The magical thing about it is that the drivers portray the history of the city. New York taxi drivers certainly give outsiders a glimpse of America's equality and prosperity by demonstrating to passengers that every ethnic group can succeed in a America. However, sometimes taxi drivers foster expressions of craziness. 

Not matter how we see it, taxis have enveloped all aspects of urban life. They have molded to human evolution and have cemented themselves in history. Cities wouldn't be the same without these people carriers. They will always and forevermore be engraved in our hearts.