If you are planning to drive in New York, you need to be even more careful around some cabs than others.

And that is because these cabs are carrying New York's finest.

As New Yorkers know, the NYPD has been using taxi cabs as undercover cruisers for years. But we had actually forgotten about it until one flew by us on 23rd Street today.

There is something very disconcerting about blue and red lights and a distinctive cop car phaser coming from a yellow taxi; in our case it was a Nissan Altima.

Here's a video of an undercover Ford Crown Victoria pulling over an actual cab (via YouTube):

NYC The Blog reports that there are some distinctive characteristics to identifying a taxi cop:

License plate numbers typically begin with T800.

Medallion numbers begin with 6Y or 2W.

There is no partition between the front and rear.

They never stop for passengers (obvious reasons).

Seeing two people in the front and none in the back is another great hint.

So just be sure to keep a vigilant eye while driving in New York City; you never know when and where the NYPD might show up.