Originally Posted by
Petrus
Apologies for going a little OT here;
4pm is usually fine. The shift change starts around 4.30 and the closer to 5pm the harder to hail a cab. Past 5pm it gradually gets better. The NYC cabbies get fined if they miss the shift change, so it's nothing personal when they refuse the fare.
One way or another, it can really be
extremely hard to get a cab late afternoon. Being in the middle of the holiday season is not gong to help. I would never ever rely on a hailing a cab to get me to the airport (far better to pre-book a town car) but I have had problems at that time of day when I need one to get me and my luggage from, say, a friend's apartment where I've been staying to a hotel.
It's not that I've experienced their refusing a fare - it's that there are no free cabs at all with every street corner or cab rank full of people trying to get one. Moving to a quieter block rarely makes that much difference: ultimately I have needed to match the locals ruthlessness at that time of day and in that neighbourhood to get one.
The OP just needs to be aware of this issue.