VegasChatter

· Don't Hail a Cab
There are plenty of cabs in Vegas, but there’s a catch – unlike New York, Chicago or, well, any big city, you can’t simply hail a cab. Because most likely, the cab you are trying to hail as you walk down the Strip is already full. Why?

Because all the empty cabs are waiting in lines at various hotels and at the airport, as those are the places where people are most likely looking to catch a ride. So if you need one, you’ll have to stand in the cab line at whatever hotel you’re at.

Not at a hotel? Get a cab company’s number before you leave.

· Cabbies Love to Talk
Remember, Las Vegas is a city of transients. That being said, these cab drivers could have come from anywhere. And whatever they know, they’ll try to use it to get a bigger tip. Usually, they are harmless and love to blab about whatever is going on-- or these days, not going on--in the city. But sometimes they can turn on you.

We’ve heard cabbies say there’s a $5 charge to go from A to B, you have to tip cab drivers at least 15 percent, etc.

Cabbies are also known to heckle their passengers, as in, “You’re from LA? I know y’all know how to tip in LA, and this is no tip.” Seriously, drivers will say anything and they might even get a little vocally aggressive. Don’t get scared, just blame it on the recession and quickly exit the cab.

· Credit Cards Not Usually Accepted
Again, unlike other big cities around the world Las Vegas cabs don't usually take credit cards. We once inquired about a cab with a credit card machine while waiting at the Flamingo and the taxi line attendant said he could call us one. Um, no thanks. We'd hate to see what that "extra fee" looks like.

Still, we wouldn't blame you if you wanted to read up on taxicabs in Vegas before you get to Vegas. In fact, we encourage you to do that here. So in case you happen to be the only semi-sober one of your friends, you can tell if the cabbie is trying to take advantage of your group's intoxication.

What are you tips for taking cabs in Las Vegas? Let us know here.