What is the best way to hail a taxi cab in New York City?

Patience is a virtue when hailing a cab in the city. While there are no hard and fast rules on how to hail one, there are some pointers that can help insure that you won't be standing there for days.

1. Stand in the street when attempting to hail a taxi. If you are on the sidewalk it is very easy for someone to step in front of you and snatch your cab.
2. Make sure that you are facing the direction on traffic. So if the cars are going uptown then you should be facing downtown.
3. Always hail taxi cabs on avenues (which go north-south) rather than on cross streets. Most cabs that are headed across town already have passengers.
4. Hail in the middle of a block. Street corners may look like attractive places to hail cabs but they have some drawbacks. Few cabs are caught coming down cross streets. Many people are crossing so its harder for cab drivers to see you. And pulling over near corners can be very difficult.
5. Keep your arm extended in the direction of the street. New York cabbies know this signal and will be more likely to spot you than if you are just standing there with a finger in the air.
6. Walk against the direction of traffic as you hail. If you have a tough time hailing a taxi then walking against traffic (so you walk south if traffic is coming north) protects you against people jumping in front of you to get a cab.
7. Keep your eye on the taxi. When a driver notices you he will begin to pull to the curb. Keep your eye on the vehicle so you don't have to worry about being accidentally hit or having your cab poached by a sneaky pedestrian.

Always remember to put safety first when hailing a taxi cab in New York City. You must be very alert if you plan to stand or walk in the street. If the weather is bad or you don't feel comfortable walking in the street than be patient and wait in one spot on the sidewalk.