Places to go...People to see

There are many interesting sights to see in Richmond, Virginia. Although COVID-19 has impacted many individuals travel plans, summer activities, and social interaction- there are many safe activities available for anyone to enjoy. Listed below are the top ten sights we suggest to anyone traveling in Richmond. Please keep in mind that some of these venues may have Covid-19 restrictions in place as far as face masks or social distancing, however, we did verify that each location is open and receiving customers.

The Valentine

The Valentine is a museum dedicated to the history of Richmond. It was the first museum ever built in Richmond and, when taking a tour, one can see such things as exhibitions, walking tours, and even the historical landmark, the Wickham house.

The Poe Museum

The Poe Museum is a museum dedicated to the American writer, Edgar Allen Poe. While the museum is primarily dedicated to commemorating the life and works of Poe, it also stands as an example of the early 19^th century and what that time was like for the citizens and the city of Richmond.

The Virginia House

The Virginia House is a beautiful mansion crafted using materials dating back to the 16^th century. The Virginia House is operated now as a museum where people can go to experience what life was like in the early 20^th century when the original owners, Mr. and Mrs. Weddell, resided there.

Agecroft Hall

Agecroft Hall and Gardens is a unique 16^th century home which includes fabulous architecture inside and landscaping outside. Agecroft Hall was built in one of Richmond’s first planned neighborhoods and is truly a window into a different time of history.

Black History Museum

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia is a powerful museum which details the history of the black community in Richmond. The mission of the Museum is to preserve the stories of notable and inspirational people from the black community.

Belle Isle

Belle Isle is a 54 acre city park located around the James River. This city park is a great place for anyone who loves the outdoors. When walking, or biking, on the various walking trails or bridges, one can see a fantastic view of the Richmond city skyline and several other historical sights. Belle Isle is the perfect place to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the one-of-a-kind atmosphere of Richmond, Virginia.

The Holocaust Museum

The Holocaust Museum is a very powerful museum which details the tragedy of the Holocaust through the personal stories of several people who were closely impacted by the event. The Holocaust Museum is truly an eye-opening experience for any person who visits.

                                

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a beautiful experience located in downtown Richmond. This museum has been ranked one of the top ten comprehensive art museums in the United States and is also one of the largest art museums in North America. The VMFA is the perfect experience for any family or individual looking to enjoy a unique memory.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

 

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a worthwhile experience for any person regardless of age. The gardens are open year round and offer unique experiences regardless of the season. From the conservatory to the flower gardens to the fantastic dining, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is truly one of Richmond’s shining stars.

Maymont

Maymont is truly one of Richmond’s finest attractions. From the fabulous gardens to the multitude of wildlife to the historic mansion, a person could spend weeks soaking in all that Maymont has to offer. The history of Maymont truly shows the citizens of Richmond’s heart for their city as the original owner left the home and the land as a gift to the people.

We hope you enjoy this list of just a few of the amazing things that Richmond has to offer and, whenever you are traveling, we hope you know you can trust us to get you where you want to go! Remember to call us at (804) 447-1393 or pre-book your trip on our Website at:  www.yourtaxirva.com 

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic there have been many circumstances which have led to fear and worry amongst the population. There have been job losses, unclear procedures, and, of course, many illnesses which have resulted in a general spirit of seriousness resting on the world. Now that the country has slowly started moving towards a new normal, there are many people who want to move themselves towards a renewed spirit of fun and lightheartedness. A perfect opportunity to explore one’s renewed sense of fun is celebrating the birthday of our country’s independence on the fourth of July.

As this holiday approaches, there are many people heading towards the beach, barbecues, or to whatever traditions they feel inclined to pursue. People will not forget the unprecedented times and circumstances we live in right now, but will focus on the good times and the opportunity to spend time with their family and friends.  As we know, July fourth is a celebration of the birthday of our country!  It was on July 4^th, 1776 that the United States declared its independence and became a free nation.  

This celebration has been upheld for hundreds of years, and, while the world is getting ready to celebrate in a different way this year, there is one thing that always seems to surround the holiday and be a constant focus. That one thing is traffic.  The dreaded line of hundreds of cars waiting for what seems like an eternity just for the hope of moving a few feet. Traffic is the one thing that makes every family road trip seem endless and the destination seem millions of miles away.  It is the thing that makes every worker and well-intentioned employee cling desperately to the hope that they may reach their workplace on time. Traffic can cause even the most relaxed individual’s knuckles to turn white as they grip the steering wheel in frustration.  Traffic can make even a wonderful occasion such as the fourth of July become rather upsetting and stressful.   Little can be done to alleviate the stress of traffic.  While a person could hope that every driver will take their time and be careful on the roads, there is no guarantee that the roads in between you and the destination will be clear.   

If you are a stressful driver and need real relaxation this holiday weekend, why not release the reigns of your steering wheel and trust a professional to get you there safely so you have time to rest and relax.  ‘Your’ Taxi will get you to your destination safely and on time.  All of our drivers are background checked, fingerprinted, and have an outstanding driving record which makes them the safest hands to trust with your travel needs. While no one can guarantee that traffic will not interfere with your travel plans, why not let someone else be in control while you sit back, relax, and enjoy the holiday!  

In this increasingly stressful environment, everyone is trying to think of ways to de-stress and lessen their worries and cares. It is tough when there is so much negativity enveloping the news and every day activities. If you are brave enough to don a mask and go out in to public you are face to face with the rest of the public who are emoting signs of fear, angst, worry and distrust of their fellow human race. This is something that was little issue before and yet it has taken over society causing undue reactions in people that would never react this way before. In many cases it has produced uncaring and selfish attitudes in people that would normally give the shirt off their back for someone in need.  Its hard to just take a step back for self-assessment and be honest. 

Everyone is working hard to survive and keep food on the table in our crippled economy. It is devastating to many out there.  If you are lucky enough to have a nest egg to rely on and not be dependent on a paycheck, you may not understand the emotional strain that many others are feeling right now.  Staying positive during this time is a feat in itself and hurtful comments, anger and selfish acts can instantly ruin what might have been someone’s otherwise “good” day. For example; in our business we have drivers that have hearts of gold. They live each day to come out and be the very best example of customer service and they are trying even harder during this stressful time.  Many of them haven’t received a decent paycheck in months due to this pandemic but they maintain an upbeat attitude even when the customer may not.  When we call on them to go miles out of the way to pick someone up, they don’t complain about the distance even though they are burning their own gas.  What many people don’t realize when they hail a cab, is that these drivers pay for their own fuel. If we send them 12 miles to pick someone up because that person called for a taxi, they will burn that fuel to get them.  When they arrive and see 2 other taxi companies pull up, 2 other drivers just wasted fuel for nothing due to inconsideration.  When they pick up a patron that has no intention of paying and knowingly takes the ride knowing they can’t pay for it when they are dropped off, the driver is left losing money not only for the fare but for all the fuel they just wasted due to the dishonest act of that patron.  Please keep in mind, that during these hard times there are many people living for what little they make in a week.  If you have been one of those patrons that stiffs a driver or calls multiple companies for a ride, remember, you are taking food off of their table. 

If everyone’s goal was to perform one kind act for someone else in a day, can you imagine what our world would be like?  Just one kind act can mean saying hello to a complete stranger, paying it forward at a toll booth or drive through, giving an extra 5% on a tip, etc.  There are so many ways to show kindness instead of anger. The world would be so much better if everyone just thought for one moment about the needs of others rather than their own.

Kind Gestures go a long way

A Kind Word or Gesture…

Is it so hard to find kindness today in a very “self” centered universe? I can remember as child growing up in a preacher’s home hearing the words “a soft answer turneth away wrath” every time I got in a fight with a sibling.  Today, I hold that proverb dear to my heart as I watch drivers on the roadways daily, either in a huge hurry or just harboring anger issues.  Just having patience and a little bit of kindness towards fellow motorists can be that soft answer.

Probably one of my biggest annoyances on the road is the driver that is so self-consumed that they don’t care about anyone else around them when it comes to the use of high beams.  Being on the road at 5:00 am means you will not see daylight no matter what season passes. Obviously, it is easier and safer to see obstacles and critters in the road with your high beams.  When you come to a traffic light and there is a car on the opposite side of the highway blaring their high beams right at you, it is blinding and uncalled for. It is also very unsafe if you leave your fellow motorist partially blind for a few seconds because you are too ignorant to turn off the brights.  Try to be kind one time and turn them down and see if it doesn’t leave you with a good feeling inside that you did something kind for a fellow driver.

Another peeve I have is the unsafe driver that feels it isn’t necessary to signal.  Signals were factory installed on every vehicle for the safety of you as well as your fellow drivers. Most of us haven’t mastered the art of mind reading and if you decide not to use your signal and just veer over into a tight lane while the driver in front of you breaks harshly, you will have caused a pile up just because of a lazy impulse to ignore the signal feature in your car. If it wasn’t an important feature in a car, it wouldn’t have been factory installed and it wouldn’t be required for vehicle safety inspections.

Remember, a simple act of kindness on the road could mean the difference of having a really great day or ruining someone else’s as well as yours.  Kindness should be an inborn nature in all of us. We just need to dig down deep and find it each day.

Are Rideshares really a safer option?

For those of you out there that remember the T.V. Show "Taxi" and can whistle the theme song in your head, you will appreciate this post.  Today's taxi driver, however, does not sit around in a garage sipping coffee and waiting for fares to be dispatched.  They are hustling twice as hard to make a living, many of them trying to support a family or even single parents attempting to make a living to support a child because the ride share industry has cut so far into the transportation industry that it has forced smaller family owned cab services out of business. Some companies that had been in business for 15 and 20 years just crumbled in debt due to the decline of business.  But why? 

Simply put, ride sharing companies do not have to abide by the rules and standards of a legitimate taxi company.  The next time you decide to call a ride share because they are "cheaper", take into consideration "why".  

The overhead that a taxi company has to bare far outweighs the costs of a ride share company. Not only do they have to pay for permits, business licenses, high insurance, extensive maintenance just to put a cab in service, background checking, fingerprinting, etc... but they are also mandated to abide by the regulated rates established by their registered City.  Taxi companies are restricted to the rates they 'have' to charge vs. ride shares that can charge anything they want to.  

The saying "you only get what you pay for" rings true in our industry.  The guarantee that your taxi driver pulling up into your driveway has been thoroughly background checked, fingerprinted, and has an outstanding driving record gives you a feeling of safety and security when you climb into that cab.  The expense of putting a driver into a taxi is worth your safety in the end.

Certainly all taxi companies won't uphold the highest standards that we do at "Your Taxi", but our number one goal is passenger safety.  We have strict guidelines that are enforced and even with that, our drivers are a team. They are like a well oiled machine working together with each other and watching out for each other.  The passenger is treated with the utmost respect as they would want to be treated themselves.  

So the next time you decide to save a buck or two because its a cheaper deal, weigh out the safety options and understand the reasons why the difference between ride shares and taxi cab companies are so different.  America used to care about pushing small business, taking care of mom & pops and that is what made America strong.  Today its all about big business swallowing up the mom & pops and demolishing the smaller business that worked so hard to make a presence.

Why don't the same rules apply to all transportation providers?  Why does one transportation providing company have a ton of mandates and expenses while another one has very little, and both provide the same service?  I couldn't begin to give you a good answer because there isn't one.  It's just one of those unfair imbalances in life but you, as the consumer should be aware.

Stay tuned for new blog posts to come and thanks for visiting!