Talk:Cash Cab (British game show)

Edits

Fixed error in "Red Light Challenge" time length. Previous entry said the fare had until the light turned green to answer the question, however the constestant is actually given 30 seconds regardless of the duration of the light. In particular, "the passenger has until the light changes to green (usually thirty seconds) to give all five correct answers." was changed to "the passenger has thirty seconds to give all five correct answers."

Added name of "Mobile Shout-Out" to match the specific mention of "Sidewalk Shout-Out". Specifically, the text, "the Mobile Shout-Out, in which the contestant is allotted" was added.

Note: I believe that I saw a contestant answer a $150 question on a particularly long cab ride, though I am not 100% positive and did not edit that part of the Wiki. If anyone confirms this, please edit the part that speaks on this topic.

Dangerous neighborhoods

What if the passenger has a long path past a bad neighborhood and they get three strikes? Does the driver have to let them out in the middle of a dangerous place? M@$+@ Ju ~ ♠ 00:11, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

That's never happened on the US version. It's all in Manhattan, mostly between Chinatown & Central Park. Ianthegecko 05:41, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

There is a support vehicle that follows the Cash Cab. If contestents strike-out, they are ferried to their destination via the support vehicle —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dad.of.four2008 (talk • contribs) 16:00, 8 December 2008 (UTC)

Roads where pedestrians are not allowed aka limited-access roads, tunnels and bridges

How do Street Shout-Out work there and what happens if you get three strikes? Joe The Dragon 18:03, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

• Ben always pulls up to wherever there is a sidewalk.--Ianthegecko 01:28, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

• • Obviously they are not going to drop off the losing contestants anywhere dangerous... it is a simple matter to edit the show to make it look like the contestants are getting kicked out immediately when in fact they are driven further --- it would also be a simple matter to have a producer's car trailing the "cash cab" that could assist the passengers. 69.142.21.24

Citation needed

"Although the winners are shown taking the cash away at the end, this is only for TV; winners are actually mailed a check with their winnings."

Is there any reference or citation that backs this up? Ianthegecko 02:54, 11 August 2006 (UTC)

Well I would hope this is the case; the alternative is dropping the contestants off in a crowded city after conspicuously handing them several large bills 69.142.21.24 08:29, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

I was on the show. That's what they did with me.

That still conflicts with Wikipedia:NOR 70.124.85.24 21:23, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

Added citation--24.161.189.121 (talk) 04:53, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Not to mention the fact that in the US, when you win a gift valued at $600 or more, you must be given a 1099-Misc form to report the winnings as income. mailing you the check makes this a whole-lot easier

Advertisement?

"the contestant is allotted a phone call to a friend by means of the driver's cell phone, which is a Motorola RAZR (Also the Motorola SLVR has also been seen) with service provided by Cingular Wireless."

Is it necessary to speculate what type of phone and service is used? It seems kind of like an advertisement... Gleckt 22:19, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

That's rather the point. The show makes mention of it (albeit as an advertisement), and thusly so should the article. Wyv 03:32, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

It's clearly on the show as product placement and thus entirely appropriate in the article. 69.142.21.24 08:31, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

If you notice, sometimes the contestants quickly grab their own phone and uses it, other times, the Host hands them a phone —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dad.of.four2008 (talk • contribs) 16:12, 8 December 2008 (UTC)

Outer Boroughs?

Is anyone aware of how the show goes about preventing fares from leaving Manhattan? The city map used to show the Cash Cab's location seems to be specific to Manhattan, but it is hard to imagine that there wouldn't be a handful of fares trying to go out to Brooklyn at night, or to catch a flight at JFK or LGA. I believe it may be illegal for a taxi to refuse a fare going to an outer borough, but I'm not certain. It definitely seems that they are avoiding those fares, however, as the rules would not apply; the Cash Cab could not drop off losing contestants in the middle of a tunnel, for example, and the extended length of their ride would give them the ability to win a great deal of cash. --Jaykay109 18:51, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

• to answer your question, a T&LC licensed taxi (a yellow cab) must take you anywhere in the 5 boroughs or to Newark Liberty International Airport.Metropod 21:58, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

They probably don't air the trips to the outer boroughs... or perhaps when a fare attempts to direct the cash cab to an out-of-Manhattan destination, a producer tells them they can play the cash cab and choose a manhattan destination, or he will hail them a regular cab. That's my guess 69.142.21.24 08:31, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

• As I understand it from reading people that have actually been on the show, those that are pre-screened on the street are told they will be participating in a "reality show experience", but are not made aware of the nature of the show until they are actually in the cab. I imagine the screener tells them to take the Cash Cab to a particular destination, leading them to think that's where the show will happen. However, there are actual random fares that participate without the pre-screening. I don't know how they handle those. Chairman Kaga 08:36, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

• Also important to note that while the extended trip would give the contestants a chance to win a lot of money, it would also greatly increase their chances of losing it all by accumulating three strikes. Depending on the intelligence of the contestants, I would estimate that the most lucrative trips would tend to be in the 30-40 block range, not trips to other boroughs. 69.142.21.24 08:36, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

Maybe but if you are going to the airport you may be a limited-access roads most of way and you can't drop some one off there.

There is a support vehicle(s) that would take the riders to their extended trip, and NOT in the Cash Cab. Their not gonna tie-up the Cash Cab for non-airable fares

Info from IMDB

Anyone want to incorporate this information into the article:

"The contestants can't receive actual cash for tax reasons, that's why the show has to send them checks later. "

69.142.21.24 08:44, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

• I don't see why you can't. ;) Ianthegecko 16:10, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
  • Laziness 69.142.21.24 08:13, 23 October 2006 (UTC)
    • Just paste the info and re-word it. Ianthegecko 15:43, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

$2,300?

"The most money won on the show so far is $2,300." That seriously needs a reference. It's under the American version, around the bottom. Mouse is back 17:41, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

• There's a link on Youtube with the video of it. Broadcasted June 5, 2007.160.39.55.125 11:00, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

• I believe that the record was broken. im not sure but i think someone hit 3 grand after the video bonus.Whitey138
• I just watched an episode (6pm eastern, March 25, 2008) of "Cash Cab: After Dark" where two older men won $4100 after a video bonus question about Carthage —Preceding unsigned comment added by MuNjA (talk • contribs) 22:34, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

This information is definitely not up to date —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.45.8.228 (talk) 20:22, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Cash Cab US Theme Music?

Does anyone know what the theme song to the US version is?

148.177.1.210 04:12, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure it's Hot Blooded by Foreigner —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.97.138.99 (talk) 13:42, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

This is definitely not right, its just a synthesized tune they made up for the show —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.45.8.228 (talk) 20:24, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Ipod reference and ceiling lighting technology

1) To me the ceiling looks like EL panels, not LED. Since you can see sometimes when they're off during the day, you can see the color of the EL phosphor. Also the panels are common colors of EL.

2) Does the sound come out of an Ipod? Thats seems kind of odd since the cab is rigged with tons of specialized equipment. Why would they use an Ipod? 66.114.93.6 18:13, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

I concur that it looks much more like electroluminescence than LEDs. The light is too evenly distributed to be LEDs, unless they used thousands of them. Does anyone have a citation for them being LEDs? --Arteitle 03:35, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

To me, it actually looks computer generated at times. Brianga (talk) 14:57, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

In the beginning the sounds did indeed come from an ipod which Ben had to coordinate with the lights everytime a contestant entered the cab, but now they have installed a switch that activates both the lights and music at the same time. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.45.8.228 (talk) 20:26, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Screening?

Why doesn't the article say anything about the contestants being screened? The show gives you a second at the end to find out they are. How are they screened? Do they take a test? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.187.151.166 (talk) 18:48, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

When Does Ben Say This?

According to the article: "The players are also told that once the Cash Cab starts, the cab will not take detours of any kind unless directed by a police officer, stop sign, traffic light, or other legal means of diverting traffic, and offers them the chance to get out of the cab if they do not wish to play." I've never seen this on any of the shows. I realize that the show is edited, but even so, there should be some indication of the host having said this. I've never seen this indication.

When Ben asks the contestants if they want to play and they in turn answer yes, they are then taken out of the cab to the production truck that follows Ben around all day. In the truck they are informed of all the rules and regulations and must sign a release to be on the show. This is why somtimes between Ben asking if they want to play and when he actually drives away you will notice contestants re-situating themselves in their seats or buckling their seatbelts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.45.8.228 (talk) 20:31, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Confusing Discussion Above

The discussion above about the check mailing is confusing. Who was it that said that their experience was that the check was mailed? And, is that even what was being claimed? The meaning is very unclear.

The Answer Seat

I believe that the seat behind the passenger seat is the "answer seat" for the American version of this show hosted by Ben Bailey. I gathered hint of this in an episode I watched where two passengers switched seats so that someone else could be in the "answer seat". The answer seat, as it sounds, would be the seat from which answers are accepted. In other words, whoever is sitting in this seat is the only one that can call out answers to Ben. This should probably be documented in the Wiki article. I'd do it myself if I knew the first thing about adding stuff to a Wiki.

Split

This article should be an overview article, each fully formed country section should be a separate article. 70.51.10.188 (talk) 03:44, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

• Disagree with Split - The whole Cash Cab story is not long enough or unique enough in each country to merit a separate article. Imagine McDonald's being splt into thousands of articles, one for each restaurant location. --Nukes4Tots (talk) 14:29, 20 October 2008 (UTC)

I think the US article alone is long enough to be its own page. There could also be a page that has an overview of each of the countries including the US and then link it to a seperate page for Ben's show —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.45.8.228 (talk) 20:33, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

• Disagree with the split On the contrary, the U.S. section is WAY too long as it is. There does not need to be this level of detail in the article, an exhaustive overview of every episode and quirk of the show is not called for. The problem with being too long could be fixed if the section were edited down to a shorter length that was actually readible. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 20:41, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

• Don't split. The complete article is not very long and the US section is not overly long compared to other countries. If a split does happen it should be all the countries, not just the US. -- Alan Liefting (talk) - 00:23, 24 October 2008 (UTC)