In that moment, if you take advantage of it, you can glean a new perspective, get some interesting facts, find out something about a place you'd never have figured out on your own and then some.
We had English-speaking, American taxi drivers when we were in Las Vegas. I don't believe that's ever happened to me before. Even in American cities it's unlikely the drivers will be American or really English-speaking.
But in the 10 minutes or so it took to rack up a $13 bill, we got lots of good information about famous people in town, housing trends, rich kids, best shows and such. These are not things you learn from reading newspapers or travel guides. They're things you learn from locals who've been there, seen that.
We had one taxi driver in Japan (white gloves and hat) who spoke English -- in fact was listening to it on tape. He told us how President Bush was a "cowboy" and made shooting signs with both hands, he told us how he used to be in a band in college and sang a few folk songs with us -- including "This land is your land." Probably the most remarkable 30 minutes of the trip.
We took a taxi to the airport in Salt Lake City and the man from Iran told us about the troubles there. In New York City we learned about the hard life in Haiti from our driver.
But it's not just in taxis that bothering to talk instead of sitting in silence can be rewarding.
It used to be airplane rides were a great place to learn something about someone from someplace you'd never been who'd had a life unlike anything you'd ever live. Now everyone -- including me -- is short-tempered from the gauntlet air travel is and no one even says hello much less shares their life history and world views.
I recommend the quick take, however. Whether you're waiting in line at the post office (that would be long) or standing next to someone at intermission.
It only takes a minute to expand your views by getting a bit of someone else's.
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