Taxicab drivers have always been barometers of political trends in the capital among the middle class. It is said that taxi drivers love to discuss politics, lest it draw them into trouble. To avoid the risks, they dangled small signs from their rearview mirrors that read, “Political debate not permitted.” Today, those same taxis — in some cases the same remarkably old locally made Paykans — are the venue for the most unabashedly frank discussions. Although many of the Capitals Taxi fleet have been replaced with newer models, still there are many old run down Taxi’s that one wonders how are they still running!?