…I take at least 2 cabs a day, and prefer having an Indian/Pakistani driver…perhaps it’s the instant bond of having roots in the same region…hell, I don’t know…

Perhaps my unjust generalization stems from a fist-fight I had with an African-American cab driver outside my office building in front of 1 person who works for me, and one person I work for…

He took a wrong turn, made me late for a meeting, didn’t help me with my suitcase, and I gave him $6 on a 5.70 fare that normally takes $4.10…

He got pissed about the shabby tip, and started cursing at me…I told him that he didn’t do anything to earn a tip, and I took my suitcase out of the trunk…he kept cursing, so I left his trunk open, as well as my door…I walked towards my building, and when I turned around to tell him off – I saw him running at me, ready to hit me…

He kicked my bag, and I ducked when he swung…I tackled him into the wall in front of my building, hitting some poor girl who only wanted to enjoy her morning smoke…after we both fell, I hit him once and he got up and ran back to his car, driving off…

Not sure if it was because of the fury of Ank G, or if it was that the doorman from my building ran out along with my boss, who was walking into work when this happened…

my experience with my homies?…my cell phone returned to my building, my friend Zoryana (Ukranian girl) whose wallet was returned to the restaurant we were eating (AFTER the meal we had- the cabbie saw it 90 minutes later)deducted rates when a wrong turn was their fault, politeness more times than not, semi-pleasant conversations…etc, etc…

I’ve had some crappy ones too, but, overall I would rate South Asian cabbies above the norm…

hell, occasionally you’ll even get the cabbie who was a former engineer/dentist/rocket scientist in India/Pakistan, and now driving a cab…it gives you a humbling dose of reality…

I remember one time, 6 sake bottles deep into a night, when I sat down and had an hour long conversation with a Pakistani cabbie about Zia-ul-Haq, the Pakistani dictator/general…

Very odd, but always memorable.

My only other intense cabbie experience was when I when I was on the 3rd floor balcony of my apt, and lo and behold, I spot some hobo trying to break into a cab right below me, using some sort of hanger or tire iron. For some reason I decided to pick up a potted plant and chuck it at him, and was very surprised when I managed to hit the guy on the back! Very satisfying experience, especially when I saw the desi cabbie come running around the corner at the noise and start chasing after the fleeing hobo.

I talked to the cabbie from my balcony and he even offered me $20 for my trouble.