I Drive SF: Dispatches from Behind the Wheel

Interesting article from 2015 about a Black-owned cab company in 1940's Pittsburgh that rose up from the jitneys that served the African-American population and neighborhood. In an Era of Segregation, Owl Cab Mobilized Black Pittsburgh Owl Cab Company was started by former jitney driver Silas Knox because Yellow Cab refused to come to the Hill, says Kenneth Hawthorne, guest curator of the exhibition ... http://idrivesf.com//the-story-of-owl-cab-a-black-owned-t/

The World's a Mess, It's in My Mask - The long-awaited third installment of the I Drive SF Newsletter.

If you’re not already on the I Drive S.F. mailing list, and you need more junk in your inbox every month or so, you can sign up here: https://idrivesf.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe I’m putting the final touches on the next installment now...

I Drive S.F. column #250

This column originally appeared in the S.F. Examiner on Nov. 4, 2016. One of the more provocative headlines from the glory days when the Editor in Chief gave me a long leash to write about whatever I wanted. I found out later he really had to fight the higher-ups to use this headline.

In this column, I introduce Mr. Judy, the drug dealer I drove daily for almost a year. He appeared in the column multiple times, much to his delight. He never seemed to worry that I was writing about him in the newspaper.

I have some publishing-related expenses due this week, in case anyone is feeling generous and wants to buy a book or a zine or two or three...

Even though this is the fourth column I wrote for the Examiner, the sensation of feeling "guilty" was prevalent throughout my taxi "career." I could have updated this material monthly. The Examiner actually printed the above image of Robert De Niro from Taxi Driver in the newspaper with this column. Probably the coolest one they ever used. Driving a cab in San Francisco is like wearing a target around your neck. [ 704 more words ] http://idrivesf.com//the-best-of-i-drive-sf-guilty-of-dri/

Originally appeared in the S.F. Examiner on Mar. 5, 2020. With the RSA conference in town last week, The City finally felt alive again. After weeks of struggling to survive, there were finally enough people with expense accounts willing to take taxis. On Wednesday night, numerous RSA-related events were happening throughout Union Square and South of Market. At 10 p.m., I’m on my way to check out a corporate sponsored concert at August Hall when I see an outstretched arm by The Donatello. [ 60 more words ] http://idrivesf.com/2020/04/15/next-stop-confusion/

When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro: The I Drive SF Newsletter #2 - https://mailchi.mp//when-the-going-gets-weird-the-weird-tu

Before the kid, back when having personal space wasn’t such a luxury, I did a lot of writing on a manual typewriter. Yeah, I know if I read something as hipster-fied as that, I’d want to throat punch whoever said it too. But I didn’t acquire an Olympia De Luxe for the aesthetics, or to enhance my authenticity vibe. No, for me, it was about the challenge. [ 784 more words ] http://idrivesf.com//04/13/the-typewritten-zine-collection/

Wow, I can’t believe I’m in a real taxi, the girl in my backseat slurs, her words as boozey as her breath. I didn’t think taxis even existed anymore. Oh, there’s still a few of us around, I respond absently, wondering how anyone could fail to notice the numerous multi-colored vehicles circling The City all day and night.

Originally appeared in the S.F. Examiner on Feb. 6, 2020. Lately I’ve been trying to avoid the airport. Now that we’re even deeper into the thick of winter, taxi business is absolutely dismal. At SFO, the wait times are longer than ever. There was a momentary respite from the bleakness two weeks ago when the JP Morgan conference rolled into town, but since then, driving a taxi has been mostly an exercise in futility. [ 341 more words ] http://idrivesf.com/2020/04/10/death-by-airport/

Originally appeared in the S.F. Examiner on Jan. 23, 2020. After pulling up to terminal three and stowing the young girl’s suitcase in the trunk of my cab, I get behind the wheel and look over my shoulder to find out her destination, but, to my surprise, she opens the front passenger door instead. Hop in back, I tell her. You’ll be more comfortable. http://idrivesf.com/2020/04/08/welcome-to-the-jungle/