New York cab drivers are the world's most accessible source of truth and wisdom. Where else can you have intimate discussions with someone from Bangladesh, Liberia, India, Zaire, Pakistan, Vietnam, Iran, Russia, Haiti, Lithuania, Poland and the Ivory Coast. Where else can you hear the wisdom of Taoism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Islam, Scientology, etc..

Maybe because people can only deal with limited-time intimacy, we get into a taxi and, suddenly (sometimes), we can reveal our souls. We can ask questions we've been afraid to ask.

A cab is a kind of confessional-mobile. Sealed off from the rest of the world, you slide open the glass divider and it's just you and your guru, sharing a few minutes of reflection and advice.

Here is some advice from the "Philosophers of real life":

- AS SOON AS YOU MEET SOMEONE, YOU KNOW THE REASONS WHY YOU WILL LEAVE THEM.

- NEW SHOES ALWAYS HURT.

- YOU ARE NOT ANY SAFER IN FIRST CLASS.

- IF SOMEONE STEALS YOUR CAB, THEN IT WASN'T YOUR CAB.

- PEOPLE LOOK SO MUCH BETTER ALONE.

- THE WORSE A TOWN'S ECONOMY IS, THE BETTER LOOKING THE GUYS WHO WORK AT THE LOCAL GAS STATIONS ARE.

- THE MOUTH IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF A PERSON.

- YOU SAY WHAT YOU LIKE TO HEAR.

- IF YOU'RE A SMART PERSON, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S SMART ABOUT THE NEXT GUY. IF YOU'RE SECRETLY AFRAID YOU'RE A MORON, OKAY, THEN TO YOU, EVERYBODY'S A MORON.

- IF A MAN KEEPS TELLING YOU HE LOVES YOU, OVER AND OVER, THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG.

- YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF AND EVERYONE HAS YOU TO BLAME, TOO.

- TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR MARRIAGE, YOU MUST THINK: I AM GOING TO BURY THIS PERSON.

- IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO BE BEHIND A POLICE CAR.

- DON'T LOOK AT WHAT HE IS NOT. LOOK AT WHAT HE IS.

- YOU SAY YOU ARE HAPPY, YOU ARE LYING.

- TRUST NOBODY. YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING ON PAPER.

- SOME PEOPLE, THEY PREFER YOU WHEN YOU FAIL.

- WE DO EVERYTHING FOR OURSELVES.

- IF YOU ARE ALWAYS LATE, IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS FASTER.

- DEMOCRACY IS ONLY BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS OTHERS TO SHARE THE BLAME.

- WHOMEVER IS IN POWER IS NOT IN TROUBLE.

- THERE'S NO NEED TO STAND BEHIND ANYONE WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH ROOM TO WALK.

- IF YOUR DRIVER HAVE NOTHING INTERESTING TO SAY TO YOU, MAYBE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOTHING INTERESTING TO SAY TO HIM.