Finally, an explanation!

The jaded ad-guy in me thought it was all related to a Vodka launch or something, since the art is very similar to the work of Romero Britto, frequent booze-ad campaign contributor.

Nice to know it's "just" art.

Thanks Matt!

Me too! Thank you AT for this article -- so good to know that it was a massive art project, and not an ad campaign. The Gardens in Transit website is wonderful - check it out:)

That's...um...nice...I guess. Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of life this morning, but it'd be nice if people and the city gov focused resources in what I see are other priorities in NYC that need to be addressed (e.g. rodent problem, homelessness, filthiness of subway stations/streets, making more cabs available during rush hour/Thursday/Friday nights, etc...).

Many of us have been scratching our heads over that one...Thank you AT for the explanation!

Cool!

Thomas - if it makes you feel any better, the project is privately funded, and run completely by volunteers (through the Mayor's Volunteer center). Not sure that it affected other city agencies, except for the TLC, but I hear what you're saying...

If you get into one of those cabs, you'll see a sticker on the plexiglass divider explaining what the flowers are all about.

In my opinion, they're not aesthetically pleasing in person - the photos make them look a bit better. But in the wild, they look like distracting honeycombs or lots of big bugs.

I was told that the cabs with flowers painted on them have the new credit card machines / GPS systems installed and that is how we can tell which cabs have it as of now...

wonder if that is true?

karenmmm, Thanks for that hypothesis.

I'll steer far away from these now. Indeed, I forgot to mention above that the most annoying thing about the (very few) flower cabs I've gotten into is that they have monitors installed in the back of the front seat. And they're always on. Supposedly you can turn them 'off', but that only turns off the images - the screen still glows a horrible light (especially when driving down the West Wide highway at night; that bright blue light staring me in the face the whole time gave me a headache). Attached to that screen is a credit card machine, which costs the cab drivers to use. So maybe that's why the two drivers I asked about the flowers seemed decidedly underwhelmed by them....

I've been in several flower cabs without the monitors in the back. I also dislkie the monitors but don't blame the flowers.

I dated a guy who owns one of the monitor companies. I told him how much I just wanted peace and quiet during my ride. Those monitors don't read my fingers and I have the hardest time getting them to turn off.
Annoying.

Is that what it was? I totally thought it was an ad campaign.

the drivers don't want credit card machines because then all their income can be tracked and they won't be able to cheat on their taxes (like they can when they only take in cash)

most drivers don't own the cabs they're driving, and the cab owners have to foot the bill for the machines.

I saw an article about it those flower things in one of the free papers a couple of weeks ago, but this has more pictures, so I'm glad to see it posted here.

I dislike the glow of the new taxi cab monitors. I took a gently-used black percale pillow case, cut it down to size, and sewed it back together, leaving one side open. Now, when I get into one of these cabs, I simply remove my monitor cover from my bag and cover the monitor, effectively dimming the glow. It's a good thing.

--Martha

Oh Martha, you are always so prepared! Would you come to my house and run my life (but not my finances--I like my freedom).

Thomas, go back to bed and get some rest and then drink a big glass of water and maybe you will feel better. The world would be incredibly bleak if we couldn't have any fun or do anything light until every problem of humanity gets solved.

martha, sometimes my willy gets cold. could you make a kozy krafty sweater for it?