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I took a taxi to work this morning. A wonderful indulgence! During the ride, I had a chance to think about a number of the Chicago transportation tricks I've learned.

Here are my top ten for taxis, buses, and trains (in no particular order):

10. Ask an able-bodied person (preferably a female person) to hail a cab for you if they're passing you by. Some cabbies just don't like to get out of the car to help fold a wheelchair, and this can be especially true in bad weather. Like it or not, sometimes it's most expedient to lurk in the background and let a pretty able-bodied girl do the hailing.

9. Tip well… even if your cabbie is a little uncertain about dealing with a wheelchair. If you tip well consistently, you'll eventually earn a reputation in the neighborhood for being a good tipper. Cabbies remember that. And the next time they see you, they'll stop. Guaranteed.

8. Do whatever it takes to get out of the car immediately if a cab driver mishandles your wheelchair, doesn't respect your personal space, or says you look like Melissa Gilbert and he’s in love with you.

7. Hail a cab going north during morning rush hour and south during evening rush hour. I'm not sure why, but I always have better luck when I do that.

6. Plan to take the bus either a little earlier or a little later than rush hour commuters. That way there will most likely be space for a wheelchair on the bus.

5. If the bus is crowded, and a person in a wheelchair needs to get on, let them get on first. If the bus is empty, it’s easier for everyone else to board before the wheelchair passenger.

4. If you’re riding the bus with a friend in a wheelchair always let her/him get on the bus first to ensure that the wheelchair lift is working.

3. Call the RTA before taking the train to ensure that all of the elevators are working at the train stations where you’ll be. Riding escalators in a wheelchair is a last resort!

2. If you’re taking a route you’ve never taken before, take a cell phone with you. Occasionally, the accessible CTA stops aren’t as accessible as they should be. One time I was stranded on a median in the middle of the street with no curb cut. I was glad I had my phone with me.

1. Leave extra travel time. Most days a few taxis, buses and trains will pass you by. So be prepared. And be nice to the drivers who do stop.

Have tips of your own? Leave a comment and tell me about them.

Eating out? Here’s my top ten tips (in no particular order) to help make the experience more wheelchair friendly:

10. When making a reservation, let the restaurant know there will be a wheelchair in your party. Some places have a limited number of accessible tables, so it’s a good rule of thumb to plan ahead.

9. Let all of your dining partners know about potential accessibility issues. That way no one is caught off guard.

8. If you happen to be the one in the wheelchair, wear comfortable shoes. You never know when you might have to transfer out of your chair or, if you can, climb a few stairs.

7. Pick a restaurant that has a lot of space in between tables, especially if there is an electric wheelchair involved. Extra space means more room to navigate when the restaurant gets crowded.

6. If you can easily transfer out of your wheelchair into a booth, say so. Sometimes the seating host or hostess will assume that you can’t and that can mean waiting longer for a table.

5. If you want a good handicapped parking space, eat in the suburbs. Beautiful paved parking lots are everywhere out there.

4. In the city, pick restaurants located near accessible public transportation. If the transportation is accessible, the curb cuts are likely to be better too.

3. An accessible restroom is a must…especially toward the end of the evening… in a bar.

2. And speaking of bars, wine bars are more fun for people in wheelchairs than other types of bars. That’s because the tables are often lower. It’s always better to be able to look who you’re talking to in the eye without getting a neck cramp. And talking to someone perched on a bar stool all night almost always leads to neck cramping!

1. Go to sports bars that serve food. The tables are more likely to be low there too.

Thanks for suggesting I make a list, David! Check out the other top ten list entries in this carnival.