very rare, almost unheard of

 

In the 1990s, then-Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani appeared on an episode of the situation comedy, "Mad About You."  He spoke straight ahead into the camera, to the audience -- it was at the end of the episode.  

He said,

"In spite of the Buchmans' experience tonight, New York is a great city, one of which we can all be very proud.  As you just saw, some of our hardest working residents drive taxi cabs, almost all of them are fair, courteous and honest.  But like any cab driver in any city, they merely wish to be told on which side of the street--the right or the left--their passengers want to get out.  I'm sure that you'll agree that's a very reasonable request.

Quality of life is very important to us in New York, and that's why we keep our streets as clean as possible, occasionally we may miss a spot here or there, but I assure you incidents of people stepping in veal are very rare, almost unheard of.  New York is a great city and we're constantly striving to make it even better.  I just thought you should know that."

---------------------- It was a humorous, droll turn for the mayor.  (That was the old Giuliani; no one seems to know who this new guy is that replaced him....)

That 'which side of the street' part in there referred to a cab driver in the episode where, the Buchmans are riding in the back, he's driving, and he would say, "Right side or left side?" with a heavy accent.  And Paul would ask, "I'm sorry, what?"

     "Right side or left side???!!!" the driver would bellow....

-30-