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Top 10 Interesting Facts About London's Black Cabs
June 9 2016 1:46 PM ET — via RheumReports
A London taxi driver must pass a "Knowledge Test" which takes ~2-4 years. My cabbie told me that he drove for hours a day to "study" for his test. In addition to knowing over 25,000 streets and 20,000 landmarks, they also have to know about popular restaurants, pubs and hotels.
Although cabs were traditionally black, they can be any colour. In fact, you can now see them whizzing about advertising everything from shows to products.
Most London taxis are operated as separate businesses.
The first taxi cab licenses were issued in 1639 to the Corporation of Coachman with their horse-drawn carriages.
Cabriolets were the original motorized taxis, introduced in the early 19th century. The word "cab" is short for cabriolet.
It is technically against the law to hire a taxi by calling out "taxi".
Only about 2% of taxi drivers in London are women.
Most black cabs have a turning circle of 25ft.
A black cab has to be tall enough to accommodate an individual wearing a bowler hat.
The term "taxi" originates from "taximeter," which is a tool used to calculate a fare.
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About the Author
Dr. Shahin Jamal
Dr. Jamal is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and an active staff physician at Vancouver Coastal Health. Her interests include diagnosis and prognosis of early inflammatory arthritis, and timely assessment and access to care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
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