31 July 2008

Yesterday's Cabs as Big as Today's Apartments


Saw a perfectly maintained Checker Cab parked under some scaffolding on Hick Street in Brooklyn the other day and, since no one was about who looked like the owner, I took a good long gander at the interior.

Ever wonder about those scenes from old movies where four people climb into the back of a cab and have a confab, two seated in the back seat and two faces them with their backs to the camera? Well, that wasn't a movie contrivance. There plenty room for four in the back. Take a look at that back seat! It could comfortably seat three across. And attached to the back of the front seat are two round black stools that can be folded down if they're needed. Luxurious.


4 comments:

Lidian said...

I remember riding in these cabs - the fold-down seats were my favorite! This would have been in the late 60s. There were plenty of them around then.

Anonymous said...

"Old movies?" Checkers were still on NYC streets in the early eighties (and were featured in Blondie videos). I had a friend who would not hail any taxi but a Checker.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, they were definitely around into the early 80s. They were a great help saving money when you went out at night because you could squish a ton of people in and split the far--capacity depended on how nice/flexible the driver was!

Victor said...

That's my Taxi, I'm a vintage car "NUT" and love to drive the Checker in and around the NYC area,and sometimes to special events . The cab brings back a lot of memories to people and lots of comments.
Have rented it to many Movies and TV shows. Lot's of fun HAPPY MOTORING Victor "The Checker Guy. from Brooklyn..