Identifying a niche - in a NY minute

One of the things I love most about NYC is the ingenuity of its citizens. Seth Godin pointed out how quickly some advertisers identified strike related searches on Google. I think smart companies could also learn a lot from the guy who was out of work and was offering himself up at 96th & Broadway as a fourth person in cars and taxis that needed to drive downtown. He charged $2 a ride and was raking it in. He identified a unique need, acted fast and 'created a service' that benefited both himself and 'his market' during the transit strike. Way to go! (although I think he priced himself too low)