Coping, Part 6

I like Cash Cab.

At first, I watched for the novelty of a game show set in a New York City taxi.

Then I watched to laugh at the stupid people. The most recent question during a "red light challenge" was to name five of the six flags that have flown over Texas. The party got four, then got desperate, naming Venezuela, Colombia, Switzerland and Israel(!). I thought the attempt to guess a country that didn't exist prior to 1948 was particularly desperate.

At that very moment, rolling my eyes at the screen, I realized I wasn't watching this show for the stupid guess answers. My attention was focused on the windows of the cab, looking at the buildings going by.

Yes, I was watching Cash Cab to catch glimpses of New York. As it turns out, the show is particularly good for this. They drive by 6th and 12th all the time. I catch Ray's and Murray's out the window of the cab, screaming "Hey, I lived there!"

For those that care, the little map that flashes on the screen when the Cash Cab picks up a fare is usually way, way off.

So, I'm correcting game shows and playing "spot the continuity error." My pathetic waste of time serves to show how much I miss New York. My attempts to reconnect have become as desperate as guessing that the Israeli flag has flown over Texas.

I like Cash Cab, but only in small doses, and I watch long enough to catch a glimpse of a corner that I know. Otherwise the game is completely unrealistic. Here are some ways I would improve its realism:

There should be a "hold your breath challenge." Especially in the summer, the cherry air fresheners really don't cut the scent of thirty-six hour shifts.

There should be bonus money every time the cabbie risks your life to get through a yellow light. This would probably break the show's budget.

Anyone who rides in the cab (usually the back seat) and can't contribute one answer to the group's benefit shouldn't get a share of the winnings. New York is a tough place, the show should reflect that.

These suggestions would make the show that much more pleasant and give me a healthier New York fix. I'll write the Discovery Channel immediately.

BTW, the six flags were Spain, France, Mexico, Texas, U.S. and The Confederacy.