BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 31, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- New York City, a tenacious jungle of concrete and metal jutting towards the heavens, is eight million strong and thrives across a vast expanse of five boroughs. The streets of asphalt provide character for the city like the watery canals of Venice, Italy, but it is not what the streets are made of that depicts the metropolis, but those who hustle, skulk and inhabit them. In his new book, The Meter's Running: Three Decades of the Adventures of New York City's No.1 Taxi Driver (now available through 1stBooks), cabbie and author Jerry Tierstein recounts the unique fares that have hailed his cab.
"Come drive through the tough streets of New York and live the adventures with (me) as you share (my) exciting taxi experiences in the greatest city in the world," Tierstein says.
In his 32 years behind the wheel, he's seen a plethora of interesting characters slip into the vinyl backseat of his cab. In celebration of the diversity and uniqueness of New York City, he shares some of the most famous, interesting and poignant customers that have ended up in his cab. He recounts real-life adventures, from escaping a street gang to keeping his cool during a robbery where a "crack addict" held a nine-millimeter pistol to his head. His familiar yellow machine has held a myriad of famous people, from Walter Cronkite, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Joe DiMaggio to Jacques Cousteau, Dick Clark and Frank Pace. In the confines of Tierstein's comfy vinyl seats, the famous let slip stories never told before. The city wouldn't be a city without its eccentrics and seedy underbelly and Tierstein's seen it all. He tells of an impromptu trip to Philadelphia for a "hippie" carrying copious amounts of "white powder," hookers and a woman who decides to give a Times-Square-style peep show in his back seat.
From great jokes to terrifying moments of reality, the insane to the inane, The Meter's Running is an engaging glimpse into the faces and lives that color one of the greatest American cities.
A New York City taxi driver for 32 years, Tierstein was voted New York's best cabbie. He has since appeared on 16 television shows and a campaign commercial for former mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Meter's Running is his first book.
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