What's It Like Driving A Black Cab?
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- Опубліковано 14 лип 2024
- Geoff and Daniela take you for a behind the scenes look at London's iconic black cabs. They meet the people who sell, maintain and drive them.
Geoff even gets to drive a cab (and in a bus lane, too!).
Many years ago when arriving at Victoria, from France, wife, kids and luggage in tow, we jumped in a cab and said "Paddington please". We were half way there when I realised I should have said Kings Cross (for Scotland). Freudian slip. Now running short of time for the train the cabby didn't bat an eye. Turned down a side street, went up and down alleyways I couldn't believe and got us there with 5 minutes to spare. I have always held them in high esteem ever since.
Just get the tube lol
How would you know you were half way to Paddington before the driver detoured to kings Cross?
@@williamsmith8164 He didn't realize he was on the wrong way, he realized he had said the wrong address, therefore being on the wrong way.
@@livinglifeform7974 It sounds like Joe was on a serious time crunch. Getting his wife, kids, and all that luggage down to the platform (From experience with my mom, dad, and sister on the Piccadilly Line) takes a few minutes just to get down to the platform and get your ticket. A cab would be quicker.
Really can't understand why anyone would use Uber in London instead of a proper black cab driven by the world's best trained taxi drivers - often with great humour too!
Oh Geoff... "Uhh what's the nearest Tube station? I only go by Tube stations...!" Loved this one and looks like Daniela's a perfect fit for the Londonist team!
Oh? Do they all freak out and play the sex card if you ask their age?
Geoff is the best lmao
#BringBackGeoff
Geoff's joy driving a cab and Daniela's distractingly attractive smile - this video is great!
London black cabs are definitely one of London's icons along with the red bus
With a lot of Memories to remember the streets
Ha Ha, looks at Geoff, 'oh yeah, you're not too young' ☺
i think in one of his vlogs he said he was 50 or something
James Geust he is not 50 he is in his 40s
Every time I hear about Uber and Lyft I think about the London cabbies and everything they’ve gone through to do what they do and I think it’s amazing. Not only for the Knowledge but for the friendliness and the wealth of information they provide. Bless ‘em. Black Cabs forever!
Alright love where do you wanna go?
um...ok...
ShengJun101 Heathrow T5, please.
UxBridge Station guvnor
Hahah. I understood that reference
Baker Street please guvna
Spiffing weather
God save the queen
It's amazing that it takes 3 and half years to become a cabbie in London!
Great video Londonist. Even though I've never been to London I always enjoy these videos.
Ashish Ranjan I was surprised as well how long it take
Spaß Trompete Its a legendary test. You must learn streets, squares, clubs, hospitals, hotels, theatres, government and other public buildings, British rail, London Transport and police stations, coroner, crown and magistrates and county courts, diplomatic buildings, important places of worship, cemeteries, crematoria, public houses of interest (and I thought they all were), museums industrial and residential buildings, parks and open spaces. You don't drive on the tests either, you sit in an office and have to name all the names of the streets in the correct sequence. There is a reason why the London taxi drivers have the reputation and in fact are the best in the world. :)
nintenmarz documentary from 1996 about 'the knowledge what a cabbie must learn' www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007796l it is also on youtube
nintenmarz my dad's just got his Rep and his Final is on 9th January, and the amount he knows is second to none
Amazing how TFL make these guys waste 3 years or their lives, there is no need for the knowledge. its an outdated test and skill. There is nothing a black cab driver can do that I cant do better using a phone.
That gent was a good sport - specially letting you drive through London. You defiantly need to get more like him on here!
definitely.
*especially
Like this dude, i love people who love their profession, great video.
"How do you know witch buslanes cabs can drive on?"
"Normally a few weeks later when you get a 60 £ fine, and you never forget about it later"
Few days later not weeks
@@williamsmith8164 It can take up to two weeks
This is very interesting video. I really enjoyed watching it and learning all about the black cabs.
But they take cash or would say card machine not working. Whom they are hiding from !
7:02 no credit to Geoff? he drove the cab and did the camera after all
I liked the video when I heard "Cabbie Cutthrough"
Even though I miiiight be here for the train-related stuff this could be my favourite video by Londonist. This was brilliant, well done!
London's cabs are more accessible than some ADA-compliant facilities in the US.
i think it's more all over the world ... well Tokyo is accessible but not that ... well accessible...
And yet they have retained the iconic design. Amazing how they manage to do that.
Though that seemed to be an awfully steep incline for a wheelchair.
In real life though it wouldn't be as steep as it would be landing on the pavement, so a few inches higher
PikalaxALT troo
THE WORK DRYED UP. THE GAME IS FINISHED.
Thank you for another great video! Loved the 'cabbie cutthrough', I am going to adopt that phrase from here on in!
A brilliant insight into the world of a cabbie!! The cabs themselves are built just down the road from me in Coventry! Love seeing a huge lorry of them go off to be used, not just in London, but worldwide. A true British icon.
Simply brilliant....! Love this channel! Keep it up!
What a nice bloke!
I really love this channel. I've lived in London my entire life and since watching a few videos have realized I know nothing about London. What a great city we live in.
Great stuff. The black cab company is actually the largest british-owned car company still in existence.
They've been owned by a Chinese firm since 2013 - london-taxis.co.uk/our-company . That said, without the Chinese, they might well have disappeared due to their financial problems - www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/9843178/Chinas-Geely-saves-London-cab-maker-Manganese-Bronze.html
I stand corrected then
lol British Imperialism at its finest, when will you lot realise that Britain is irrelevant now. It doesn't wield any power or influence over anything.
Geoff's tube knowledge is impeccable. It's amazing how many tubes follow the routes of prominent roads in London!
Always held them in high esteem. Great lads. When I was in London first time, I was lost in this big city, thankfully one Black cab driver helped me precisely to get there. took me 15 minutes to walk but was great.
I'd ride black cabs more if they weren't so expensive. Also the number of times I've jumped in one and their card machine isn't working, bloody inconvenient for Londoners, as we use card for nearly all of our purchases nowadays.
Yeah, who cares how many shortcuts they know if you can't afford to use them?
They’re not expensive, everything is relative to what you have, so if you don’t have much money then of course they will be expensive for you.
If they are too expensive take the bus? PHV really aren’t much cheaper and if your going really far you can negotiate with the cabbie for a set fare some will do it cheaper, PHV can’t negotiate a fare. If your using UBER you are exploiting your driver for the sake of a quid or two, you don’t have to take a taxi but please never use an UBER there are decent apps out there that don’t exploit the drivers or just phone for a PHV.
Fantastic vid. The guys passion was tangible
Beautiful geniune british icons that never seem to get old. Can't wait to go to london one day and take a ride in one of them.
Very interesting and informative video! Great job Geoff and Daniela!
Loved this video - it's great to see "behind the scenes".
Great video, guys! Really interesting and informative....I think Geoff was in his element when he was behind the wheel! Always had wondered what the yellow strips on the seats were for, usually don't often notice them...ah the joys of being partially-sighted! I must confess that like Geoff, I'd prefer traveling by train when I come to London, although I will certainly consider taking a taxi the next time I'm in town
A superb video. I really enjoyed this.
Really enjoyed this video! Quite interesting behind the scenes look
Somehow, I was surprised to learn that Geoff even has a license! :D
Give the man Tube stations map and he will lead you everywhere :D Since I have watched your "underground" videos you are in my mind as the Tube master. Great stuff!! :)))
What a great wee video never realised how difficult it was to be a London cab driver
Another great video!
I've never used a cab on my visits to London, but I'd definitely miss seeing them in the streets, they are London like Big Ben and red busses.
Very interesting video. Keep up the good work.
I would love to do that for a job. Great video I would give it five thumbs up.
A really superb video. I am sure Geoff enjoyed driving the black cab. Daniela is truly brilliant.
Now, there are open top bus tours of London, I wonder if there are iconic London Black Cabs tours of London.
You can take a black cab tour anytime so long as you enjoy throwing vast sums of money around.
wow, nice video. I'm impressed.
“Make sure we got ur address for any fines” 😂😂😂😂😂
I went to london in 2013. And used quite a few black cabs. And dont have anything bad to say about any of them. One driver was a 3rd generation black cab driver. And he was so proud to be one. Where i live in Melbourne Australia, the taxi drivers are generally seen as scam/ripoff. And ive had times where drivers have asked me for directions because their GPS wasnt working. And so Uber is so popular here. But i would never even consider Uber in london. (infact pretty sure they been kicked out)
Great fun!
Brilliant!! My uncle is a BCD x
Wow! I never new one had to be 23 to pilot a licenced cab! Work has sent me in a few of the Mercedes Vito based taxis (not pictured here), they're a lot higher up, which makes accessibility a lot more challenging when compared to the LTI vehicles, however the Benz has power doors which is great if you have a lot to carry around, so bear in mind which cab you hail next time!
Interesting comment by Geff 'how do you know which bus lanes you can drive the taxi on'. Geff there is a blue sign at the start of a bus lane that tells taxi drivers and other motorists which vehicles can use a bus lane and even what times.
Keith Piper Also great comment that since you paid your first fine for this you will learn to look at blue signs in the future. Self experience 😉
The thing is....some bus lanes are operated my TFL, therefore cabs are cool. But a lot of bus lanes are operated by the local council i which they are situated, e.g. Brent, Camden...and these bus lanes do not neccesarily allow taxis.
You check if there is any police around.
I know several London black cab drivers, they have now issued so many new badges that they have swamped London making it difficult to earned a decent wage, add to that Uber competition and the astronomical cost of a yearly meter change and absolute cost of ongoing cab inspections (a black cab cad be put off the road for as little as having a dirty engine bay)
3:36, good lord, what a camera Geoff. A huge Canon C100
Brilhante!
This was good
bro this taxi is my fav
it is a really great video, but if all cab drivers were as nice as this gentleman.
Singapore has a few of those cabs, but painted in white. Consider yourself lucky if you do get onboard one of those!
Very good video
Very impressive
The factory is in Coventry
Geoff should do Secrets of the Black Cabs
My home town taxi industry (Montreal) could learn a lot on how to class-up their act by watching this vid.
I love the old black cabs which always seemed like limousines.
Top class
I love the Taxi Londres
All Nonces and child molesters...mate!
Cracking spokesman for the LTC.
Goodbye Uber. I see a lot goes into being a Black Cab driver and not exploited labour, a quick profit and safety issues. Shame on you Uber. Great work Daniela and Geoff.
Kareem Osman there have been Far more issues with Uber's safety record, I saw 2 Uber drivers driving the wrong way Down Tottenham Court Road and nearly collided with a school Group. Bloody idiots most of them.
I have no issues with Uber, but then again, I live outside London and most of them are just the same experience as a regular private hire taxi.
Yamzeh fair dos, it's just the roads in London are a war zone atm, and the explosion in private hire and Uber cars haven't helped, black cabs on the other hand have mostly remained consistent in numbers, but there is still a rise in black cab drivers but no where near the same amount as Uber and private hire
Its the opposite i'm afraid, Uber is the future. They may not play by all the same rules but to so many customers they are the only option to get home. As traditional as black cabs are they are absolutely extortionate to get a ride in. I've only ever used one when my companies expensed it, otherwise i always take an Uber.
vinnyvasquez I appreciate your point, however the black cab will not leave for the foreseeable future, it may change its working operations in London, but it will never leave, much like the yellow cab of New York. I just don't like Uber as their contractor workers get paid bellow minimum wage and in extreme cases, they pay Uber more then they earn, so they might be 20 quid out of pocket. Also I've used Uber countless times, but I stopped recently and started appreciating as well as using Black Cabs, I will never use Uber again, despite their innovations. Could I suggest just giving the Black Cab another go? You don't have to. Also the amount of work the driver puts in is jaw dropping, also I consider myself a Londoner when I do. I know they are expensive sometimes but I'm more then happy to pay for the difference knowing that my driver is licenced, is actually LEGAL (yes, one of my Uber drivers was an illegal immigrant he has been reportedly deported since), is safe (yep here's another one of my experiences, the door on my side fell off, driver didn't notice for 2 1/2 mins even though I was shouting at him to stop (he didn't understand English) (tbh most drivers I've had with Uber have no clue where they are going :| ). It's like eggs, Black Cabs are free range, organic and Uber is a battery farm egg. I know which one I would pick and I'm more than happy to pay a higher price, wouldn't you do the same?
Anyone can be a driver. But to be a proper cab driver, you must be good at your profession.
It’s not a ..’proffession’..is it, it’s a trade that we did training for
Great, you really made me want to drive one. Can I rent one for an hour or so somewhere?
We needed hem please don’t take them away
What camera was that? The Canon C100 or Canon C300? Bit of a nerdy question just curious. Keep up the good work peeps :)
long live the cabbie
Massive respect to black cab drivers. As fun as the other options are (ie being driven at 100 mph whilst listening to punjabi FM and being dropped off in the wrong location) it is just not quite the same experience
Wil Barber in the beginning of the video links like Assad’s double.
😇Great Sogood🤗💯👏
What are the taxi drivers' thoughts on Google maps and other map applications?
I love taxis
Imagine when Americans are driving the British Black Cabs, since they’re looking cooler than the checkered cabs that you seen in any metropolitans
It kind of sounds like The London Taxi Company kind of do a lot of things, kind of.
Post Uber etc did the price of the medal fall accordingly?
So??? what is the fastest route between the kings cross and the V&A?
1:51 Is the "Knowlegde" something different to the Knowledge?
Ello Gov’nor
I have google maps so I should be able to jump ahead 2 weeks. If you use Uber the route shows up automatically because the passenger declared their destination when they requested the ride.
Meanwhile I waited in a tesco carpark for 20 minutes because my uber couldn't find the entrance.
so - I had my myTaxi and Uber moment last time I was in London - does this count?
I heard that one in every videos comment sections gets a reply from Geoff. Is that true?
Christ, she is beautiful😍
Well the black cab first originated from Edinburgh and went down to London and were renamed
On the thumbnail of the video there's one white cab when it says there are just black cabs XD
I could drive a person anywhere in london. Been living here 21 years.
Ukid111 can u take me from philpot square to k west hotel, there is and accident on northend road so avoid it
ask some pornstars 😂 Fake Taxi 🙌😂
Imagine hailing a black cab and the driver is Stephen Fry (who has been known to occasionally pick up a fare when driving his.)
Best taxis in the world
I was hoping you'll meet the Fake Taxi cab driver, he might have been one of them baldies standing next to the shelter perhaps.
2:12 Welp with the app like waze this would be kinda useless since direct route isn't means the fastest like for cases like traffics.
Daniela is too much 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
yeah..too many teeth and too heavy.
I was thinking about buying a decommissioned London taxi, to use as a normal car. Unfortunately when I saw the cost of the Tax, almost £600 a year, I decided against it.
Is the Knowledge really still necessary with technology at the stage it now is?
Yes. Like the guy said in the video. You get in the cab and the driver takes off you don't sit there and wait while they mess around with the GPS. Basicly a Black Cab driver has map of inner London in their head. Plus The Knowledge includes things like historical points of interest as well as hotels, theaters, parks, places of worship, and the like. So you don't even have know the address of where you're going just what building. Tell the cabbie and off you go.
David Lee Kersey well damn, that's way different than here stateside, they don't leave til the GPS is set (unless it's Uber, the GPS Self sets)
Although I don't use Uber as a matter of principle unless I absolutely have to, I was in a friend's Uber ride recently when we only wanted to go a short 10 minute journey. The Uber driver was very nice, but he put our destination into his GPS and got the route. Unfortunately the route was blocked so the Uber driver drove around in circles 3 times because he didn't know where to go to get to the destination. Eventually we got there, but i felt that a London cabbie would have known alternatives and adjusted his route to get us there without driving around in circles. Just to point out, the Uber driver was from London so I'm not making a point against non locals competing against London cab drivers. I would say though that although I love the knowledge that London cabbies have I think that 3 years to learn every route in London is a bit outdated. The one thing that the introduction of Uber has brought is that technology has to be embraced more, whether it is GPS technology, card payment or even cashless over the internet, or being able to hail a cab from your smartphone. These are things that Uber has forced as a standard on other cab and private hire companies. I'm not against Uber, but they need to have the same regulations applied to them as other private hire companies do. Then if with all the costs of having to have vehicles checked regularly, employees vetted to make sure they aren't criminals or illegals, and other regulations they still attract all the customers they do (with the increased costs that this inevitably brings) then good luck to them. No one should have a monopoly on taxi or cab services in London, not London cabbies and definitely not an unregulated Uber that is for sure. London cabbies have to move with the times and I think a reduced knowledge that would take a year, maybe year and a half with ongoing training would be better. To think times can just stand still is like King Canute did, sitting on the beach commanding the sea to go out!!!
I would say yes, I don't drive in London but I drive for a living , if you come across a road closure a sat nave /GPS will struggle, it will keep trying to put you back on the closed road, (if you have one that is connected it won't) if it's a pre-planned closure then the division signs will be set up for all types of vehicle including hgv, so you can end up going miles out of your way for no reason, in both cases knowing the area can save a lot of time.
The Queen said it is, so it is.
Why were there so many "sort of" and "kind of"😂
i want to work for londonist when I'm older
Red buses