Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for January 23, 2019

Only map he has is a NYC subway map, and right now he wishes he had taken the subway.

Performance art at its worst

Don’t New York taxi drivers need to pass some test first?

What, no GPS?

Ah, the crazy times before GPS. Oh, the crazier times after…!

Cell phone? GPS???

Hope you guys are kidding.

 

This strip says ©1991.

Twenty eight years before the current Sunday strips.

Hard to realise how much has changed.

 

A huge, freestanding cell phone in 1991 weighed a couple of pounds…. but they were rare.

So called “car phones” were somewhat lighter, but some were still tethered by a coiled cord to a box mounted between the front seats.

Newer ones were attached to a heavy suitcase-like carrying case.

 

The company I worked for bought one of the latter for my boss to use, coincidentally, in 1991… we were fascinated.

It cost over $2000, and calls, incoming or outgoing, were $2 a minute.

No texting, GPS, or screen of any kind.

 

JJ is driving a taxi because Mike is unemployed, and they’re broke, with a small child to feed.

Cell phone. Right.

She’s fired.

“Welcome to Pennsylvania”? That’s Exit 6 of the New Jersey Turnpike, about 80 miles south of NYC. Yeah, she’s lost.

Time to change the sign to Tours instead of Cab.

Her cap sure changes size and style a lot…

Not really just don’t have to speak English.

“No, I’m am computer programmer, and write things called ‘apps’. My favorite is one that shows a map of where you are and gives directions to your destination”

This is like one of those anxious dreams where you’re trying to get somewhere, and just keep getting further away, later for work, or whatever.

I saw a documentary on the London exam, it’s like a graduate thesis by the time they’re finished. I don’t know what they’re paid, but that’s a lot of work for a cab license. Wonder if Uber has gotten it’s paws in there yet? Or if it can.

Several years ago my husband, who is pretty well-traveled, had a late-night flight for his first time into NJ. By the time he got his car and was trying to find the hotel he was done for the day. But the NY/NJ highway system was far from done with him. He always calls when he gets to his hotel room, but this time he called from his car, SWEARING that every highway sign directing him where he needed to go wound him up at the Holland Tunnel. It got funny as it went along, but was funnier the next day. (“…and did he ever return? No, he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned (poor ol’ Charlie) he may ride forever ‘neath the streets of Boston. He’s the man…who never returned…”) the Kingston Trio “The Man Who Never Returned”)

No English spoken and have to have phone glued to ear.