Can I Ask My Cab Driver to Speed to Get Me to My Destination on Time?

Many people who find themselves living in or visiting a city for the first time where they have to use taxi services frequently find themselves with many questions regarding exactly how the cab companies operate, and what the proper protocols are. They may wonder if they can haggle over price, or about how the fare is calculated, or even about the etiquette of asking the cab driver to change the radio station. One of the most common questions that people ask, though, is whether they are allowed to ask their cab driver to speed to get them to their destination on time. There is a short answer and a long answer to this question.

The short answer is that you are free to ask anything that you want, if you don't mind being told "no!" If you are determined to ask, the worst that can happen is for them to sneer and say no. And normally, they will say no. The driver for the taxi service gets the same pay whether he gets you there on time or not. If he speeds, he risks a traffic ticket, which would eat up all of his profits for the day. So the driver normally has no incentive to honor your request. The long answer to this question is that it depends on what country you are in.

In some countries, where haggling is more common, you may be able to sweeten the pot for the driver and make this happen. Again, the driver is risking a traffic ticket if he honors your request, so you have to make it worthwhile for him. In the United States, this might be seen as bribery, but in many parts of the world, it is just how business is done, and it is not looked down on. In those instances, if you offer the driver more money than what a speeding ticket would be, he may be willing to drive faster for you.

Also, in some countries, the rules of the road are not heavily enforced. These are the countries in which you find yourself thinking that the taxi service driver is driving like a maniac, but then you realize that that is how everyone drives! In instances like these, you may actually be able to simply ask the driver to speed, particularly if you can establish good rapport with him, and he will do so just in hopes of getting a better tip from you.

Brandon Caldwell is a consultant for Chicago taxi service and Willowbrook taxi services as well as national courier service businesses.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Connecticut - A Great Vacation and Travel Destination

If you live in Connecticut or will be traveling through and have kids then you must make time for a visit to the Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Parents usually want a way to keep their kids entertained when they are traveling or visiting relatives and this museum will help them do just that. The museum is specially designed for children 10 years old and younger. This hands on museum allows kids to learn and have fun in the five different interactive exhibits. There are also educational workshops and performances that help kids keep having fun and learning new things.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children has also been named as one of America's Top 50 Children's Museums, which makes it worthwhile to check out and even visit regularly if you are in driving distance. There are four main galleries that are for children up to age 10 and then one area that is specifically for toddlers. The museum offers kids up to 100 different activities to enjoy, which is a lot to do in one day and leaves plenty to explore during future visits.

This museum focuses on learning by doing, which kids do best, and every activity and exhibit at the museum is designed specifically with kids in mind and they way they learn. There is one whirlpool exhibit that teaches kids about the water cycle and another that allows them to build a house to learn more about construction and design. One exhibit that is popular with kids is the one where they learn more about tropical rainforests and how to conserve them.

Another great aspect of Stepping Stones Museum for Children is that it located in Mathews Park, so families can get outside, play in the grass, and even have a picnic! The building itself has also won awards and it is an exhibit in itself. The tower draws kids in immediately since the windows make up eyes, ears, and a mouth while a sundial makes the nose and a birdcage makes a hat.

There is a café where you can eat lunch or enjoy the park with a picnic of your own. Feel free to let the kids play on the playground called Devon's Place to get some of their energy out before heading home for the day. Admission is $9 and kids under 1 are free. Visit soon because it will be an experience of a lifetime!

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Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business since the 1970's on the C64, AMIGA, and WINDOWS Computer Systems. He has won magazine awards for the 'Game of the Month', and more, in several European computer magazines.

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