Bartering Value

What is of Value to me:

Over the course of my taxi service, I began to be selective of what was important to me. I had a nice collection of things. After spending 10 weeks in this car, I had a new vision of “things”, possessions. We could only bring what we needed. Items often had duel purposes. A scarf became a pillow at night and trash was burned or became a funnel. After three days, I began to encourage the bartering of items that would be more important to me. I have some good reading to do from magazines and some other great accessories. I became to value items that had no responsibility over time.
Songs and stories were my favorite. I felt like I got to be Ira glass, helping encourage people’s story telling. Driving a Taxi became what traveling has been to me, permission to talk with people, much like the car has provide to me with, the opportunity for new interactions, from a wide range of viewers.
However based on the day, the barter need could change. I was getting hungry and getting a snack would have been a great barter!

Barter Stories: DAY 3 and 4

Barter: BARTER OFFER, one song played on CD, one song sung, one written song for me
Summary: This was a barter offer. A new friend interested in Bartering for a ride, but not now, later perhaps. I had the opportunity to choose when the barter gets chosen, coordinated and played out.
Willingness to barter: Very
Destination: not yet selected

Value of barter to me: not yet determined
Value of Barter over time: not yet determined


Barter attempt: one necklace
Summary: two ladies, looking for a ride out of my range, LES? There barter had to be good. They jumper in without completing the barter. Hmmm. One was certain her barter would be worthy.
Willingness to barter: very, but also very investing in getting to her destination NOW!
Destination: LES
Value of barter to me: wasn't valuable at all.
Value of Barter over time: no value


Barter: Romanian Children's song, sung and taught
Summary: She approached the vehicle with a sense of ease, and interest. She looked in her purse. We suggested a song. She was insure, and convinced and encouraged that it would be possible
Willingness to barter: unsure. Can bartering happen with a language barrier?
Destination: Columbus Circle
Value of barter to me: AMAZING
Value of Barter over time: hope and good cheer.

Barter: One Wired magazine, one dirty joke, PR networking mailing list and upcoming VIP tickets to the furniture show
Summary: This was the 2nd ride out of the radius. I encouraged him to keep bartering for the course of the ride. This was a lot of work. The joke was fair, his company was nice.
Willingness to barter: very
Destination: East Village
Value of barter to me: Wired magazine has a feature on Green Cars!
Value of Barter over time: This barter will be more valuable, if I can follow through with it, the contacts that is. Perhaps then, we will have to see.

Barter: Subliminal Statements Publication for dispersal and company
Summary: Carrie is a friend. I ran into her at the fair, she practically ran into my taxi. I invited her to warm up in the car that I could not turn off, because my battery was going dead, and before I knew it, two hours later, we were bartering passengers together.
Willingness to barter: Very
Destination: Company for three rides and final destination: 14th street and 6th ave. Where I was going.
Value of barter to me: Priceless
Value of Barter over time: This barter will lead to another subversive project. I think I will insert these newletters to place all over town , where there already existing stacks of paper and see what happens. This then is and becomes a barter with prospect.

Day two barter

Barter #4:
One Scope Art Fair Press Booklet
Summary: One man and one woman going to two different stops. Bryant park and Hunter. They decided that 42 and Lexington would suffice to make it an even stop for the both of them.
Willingness to barter: So, So
Time factored in to decide barter: few minutes.
Destination: 52nd and Lexington
Value of barter to me: Negligible. Might send the book to my folks, if it has my name in it anywhere. I'll also look at it to get a sense of funders, photography, Scope mission and philsophy, and perhaps cut out a page to hang on the wall if it is striking. Perhaps make a birthday card, which I love doing.

Barter #5
One ostrich joke and one story about the number 42 (which included a life lesson)
Summary: 3 visitors from Minnesota. One gallery owner, one gallery assistant, one painter
Willingness to Barter: Very wishy washy. Convinced that it was too cold to barter their jacket or gloves. Ongoing conversation of California, Minnesota, Vermont, art fairs.
Time Factored in to decide Barter: Ongoing. We became friends, laughed, joked and offered the ride many times. They were unsure they could fulfill the barter. It was perhaps too much pressure. Finally, they jumped in.
Destination: A martini... I took them to Kashkaval
Value of barter to me: Priceless. We chuckled the whole time. The car was full, warm and they even asked to go around the block again to continue the company.

What are passengers bartering?

Barter #1:
VIP Scope pass

Summary: Two Men dressed to the T toting a bubble wrapped framed work and looking for their next direction, subway, bus, taxi, street? The beautiful red lipsticked woman, who I was talking to, unsure if she had anything to trade, nudged me that they would be much better prospects. She seemed defeated by bartering, but these two gents weren't.

Willingness to Barter: Very. They were looking for their next transport and had their used VIP pass ready to trade.

Time factored in to decide: Seconds

Destination: Headed to Gramercy Park, they were right outside the 30 block radius, but the first ride of the weekend. It was negligible.

Value of Barter: I had my staff pass, but this was bartering leverage with someone else? Until you actually use the Scope VIP pass, the value becomes this: Chatter of art, riding bicycles in Amsterdam, NY slide shows in Gramercy, the Moroccan drivers in Europe service jobs, how trash pick up workers should be paid more and how we should settle for work we love that also pays. We arrived and an invitation for a cocktail in the best lobby just north of Union Square, was shared. Can't a taxi driver cocktail, pending that there is parking..not a chance.

Value Over Time: the Scope VIP pass has been of great value. Any friend that decides to accompany me, has the unlimited opportunity to enter the scope fair. It is great and a nice way of extending the invitation to my sidewalk art performance which gets cold after a while, at times.

Barter #2
A beer, for my health
Summary:Four passengers from Slovakia. One Curator/Editor/gallery owner, two quiet women, and a young artist debuting at the Pulse Fair. The Gallery owner ran a mobile art gallery unit throughout Slovakia, urban and was looking to extend the project into the country side. He was knowledgeable about alternative transportation artist riding throughout Russia on vegetable oil.
Willingness to Barter: This group of people were looking for me
Time factored in to decide: Slight hesitation, based on what they could offer
Destination: To get a beer, somewhere
Value of barter: It ended up as a barter intention. Parking and drinking as a cabbie is impossible. Somehow, it didn't matter.
Value Over Time: Knowing these "transportation" artists, may prove to be helpful next time I am in Eastern Europe


Barter # 3
one magazine, two business cards for printing opportunities, one tape player(portable), one searing wheel lacing cover.
Summary: a man and woman, looking aimlessly for their next direction and fascinated my the prospect of the car ride, no matter how short.
Willingness to Barter: Saw it as a creative opportunity, to get to her car, so we could barter what might be in the back trunk.
Time factored in to Decide: debate over the value of this ride. Wouldn't it be closer just to walk? Or would they be bartering for the experience?
Destination: 60th and Amsterdam
Value of barter: At the moment, the tape player seemed like the most amazing trade, after all my speakers just blew. The Eco issue of Metropolis, GREAT for reading, the steering wheel cover, will come in handy
Value Over Time: Replacing 6 c batteries in any electric machine without a cord almost makes me cry. It takes so much energy to dispose of batteries properly, pay for new ones and maintain the cycle. I might have to barter it to someone else.

Cabbie hits the town

Scope was quite a scene. I began with a stroll into the pavilion of tents, through to one door into the next, into a side room, passed a superhero laying on the floor with ducktape and fowl language, and into a room of dressup and tutu's, pink polyester and jewels. I got my ID and permit for "street activity" and I was ready to go.

I perveyed the surrounding neighborhood that I would be working in the next few days, much like when I travel, getting the lay of the land. Feeling a bit apprehensive, I began to make home, home. I met the zip drivers, the cross walk woman, Patricia, two security guards, a sweeping attendant, and then the kiss booth. I sent a kiss on a piece of paper with a shocking red lipstick that was mine to keep and began with my first barter. The lipstick was mine to keep, for the glove compartment, and in exchange I heard of the latest greatest barter system in Atlanta.

Here goes nothing.