Who's faster around London: a taxi driver or a GPS?

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  • Опубліковано 9 гру 2022
  • ​@TomtheTaxiDriver has The Knowledge. I have a phone. ■ AD: 👨‍💻 NordVPN's best deal is here: nordvpn.com/tomscottplus - with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
    My main channel: / tomscottgo
    With thanks to Clipper Cab www.clipper.cab/ for providing the electric-converted TX4, which was one of their two prototypes!
    I'm at www.tomscott.com
    Twitter: / tomscott
    Instagram: / tomscottgo
    Facebook: / tomscott
    Series Producer/Director: Kirsten Taylor
    Assistant Producer: Han Evans
    Camera Operators: Ciaran O’Brien, Bryn Williams
    Runner/Driver: Hannah Fellbaum
    Production Runner: Dominique Daeschner
    Editor: Chris Leggat
    Sound Design: Dan Pugsley | www.cassinisound.com/
    Executive Producers: Cambria Bailey-Jones, Guy Larsen
    A Pad 26/Penny4 Production www.penny4.co.uk
  • Розваги

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,4 тис.

  • @tomscottplus
    @tomscottplus  Рік тому +2409

    Full marks to the production team both for the routing, and for the costumes. ■ AD: 👨‍💻 NordVPN's best deal is here: nordvpn.com/tomscottplus - with a 30-day money-back guarantee! ■ And thanks to Clipper Cab www.clipper.cab/ for providing the electric-converted TX4, which was one of their two prototypes!

    • @ArrowMaster_
      @ArrowMaster_ Рік тому +7

      Tom I love you

    • @-_.-__
      @-_.-__ Рік тому

      me too

    • @Rckatz
      @Rckatz Рік тому +3

      Everyday when Tom Scott plus uploads always a banger

    • @ArrowMaster_
      @ArrowMaster_ Рік тому +2

      I will use your sponsor because I love you

    • @SevenHunnid
      @SevenHunnid Рік тому +1

      i listened to andrew tate & started following my dreams.. now i do food reviews on my UA-cam channel

  • @nfortescue
    @nfortescue Рік тому +8714

    I work as a Google engineer in London. I'm not sure if Tom would have been aware of the irony that when his GPS was stuck on re-routing he was literally outside the window of the Google engineering office in London.

    • @fryz
      @fryz Рік тому +101

      🤣

    • @phineas81707
      @phineas81707 Рік тому +526

      "Yo mate! Help with your GPS updates?"

    • @arunsp767
      @arunsp767 Рік тому +125

      We don't consume what we sell 😂

    • @Maxmaj0r
      @Maxmaj0r Рік тому +17

      I'm the 666th like because what the hell lmao

    • @ChrisPoindexter98
      @ChrisPoindexter98 Рік тому +8

      ​@@arunsp767 🤭

  • @misterthegeoff9767
    @misterthegeoff9767 Рік тому +14089

    "I'm required to follow all traffic laws" and "I'm allowed to drive like I normally would in London" sound like 2 mutually exclusive goals.

    • @dan8ball22
      @dan8ball22 Рік тому +368

      I think that applies to most cities around the world.

    • @toziassmitt
      @toziassmitt Рік тому +68

      @@dan8ball22 London is different, bro

    • @Skelterbane69
      @Skelterbane69 Рік тому +12

      Stockholm be like

    • @skataskatata9236
      @skataskatata9236 Рік тому +230

      for a starter, they drive on the wrong side of the road 🤣🤣🤣

    • @EmmaWithoutOrgans
      @EmmaWithoutOrgans Рік тому +5

      @@Skelterbane69 gothenburg is worse

  • @PhilosophyVajda
    @PhilosophyVajda Рік тому +4626

    Legend has it, the founder of a Dutch company had a lucid dream in 1990 of two drivers named Tom, driving around London. In that dream real-time computer-generated directions were equivalent to the competence of a well-trained cab driver. That company was TomTom.

  • @narnigrin
    @narnigrin Рік тому +3482

    Tom #1: "It's not a race, it's not a race ... I wonder how Tom does this every day"
    Tom #2: "Drive, drive, drive your cab gently down the road ... Merrily, merrily, merrily ... obey the highway code"
    Best cut of this video, no contest xD

    • @roosbozon3709
      @roosbozon3709 Рік тому +78

      22:15

    • @richardlee5412
      @richardlee5412 Рік тому +68

      Answer: he’s gone slightly insane😂

    • @WeAreThePeople1690
      @WeAreThePeople1690 11 місяців тому +10

      It's always a race, even when it's not 🤣🤣

    • @js0988
      @js0988 10 місяців тому +3

      I mean you have to give Tom credit here, he was using an iPhone to navigate and still wasn't weeks off. It would literally be better to use a blind person who has never visited London to get it right than to use an iPhone.

    • @EightThreeEight
      @EightThreeEight 8 місяців тому

      ​@@js0988 He was using Google Maps.

  • @dbackscott
    @dbackscott Рік тому +13935

    I loved the difference in temperament between the two Toms. Taxi Tom was pleasant and relaxed, while Tom Scott was like: “We’re here. Get out.” 😂

    • @maciej4250
      @maciej4250 Рік тому +659

      "Go. Go. Why won't you go??"

    • @PrograError
      @PrograError Рік тому +74

      @@maciej4250 ped: what a jack... you came from NY is it?

    • @mrb692
      @mrb692 Рік тому +699

      Tom Scott’s barely contained adrenaline fueled “It’s not a race. It’s not a race” smash cut to Taxi Tom’s “Drive drive drive your car” had me absolutely rolling

    • @Teverell
      @Teverell Рік тому +83

      One of the coolest ever Tom Scott Plus vids yet!
      I've driven down Knightsbridge a sum total of once, after whatever time of day the congestion charge stops, and I never want to do that ever again! Hats off to both of you for this and I honestly don't know how the cabbies do it without losing the will to live, never mind keeping the cool calm collected persona that typifies the London cabbie! You are amazing!

    • @simonro9168
      @simonro9168 Рік тому +39

      One of them works with possibly tipping customers

  • @vonriel1822
    @vonriel1822 Рік тому +4642

    22:16 That cut killed me.
    "I don't know how Tom does it for hours and hours!"
    "Drive, drive, drive your car, gently down the road! Merrily, merrily, merrily, obey the highway code."

    • @therealtriangle
      @therealtriangle Рік тому +55

      i wuld have laughed but you spoiled it for me

    • @harrry4052
      @harrry4052 Рік тому +117

      @@therealtriangle who clicks on a timestamp that's 2 mins from the end of a video...?

    • @ArnoldsKtm
      @ArnoldsKtm Рік тому +1

      @@therealtriangle that's kind of on you... Moron

    • @kraio-sfu
      @kraio-sfu Рік тому +21

      @@harrry4052who said he clicked on the timestamp?

    • @therealtriangle
      @therealtriangle Рік тому +10

      @@harrry4052 i didnt i read the text

  • @ImARichard
    @ImARichard Рік тому +1899

    Today I learned that it takes more training to get your London taxi drivers license than it takes to become a police officer in the United States...Fantastic video, terrifying realization though.

    • @shaukahodan2373
      @shaukahodan2373 Рік тому +29

      A true Tom Tom race.

    • @Stefan_Penninga
      @Stefan_Penninga 9 місяців тому +72

      ill be very honnest, i cant say im suprised about that

    • @jasperfk
      @jasperfk 8 місяців тому +160

      And subsequently, very few people get shot by taxi drivers here.

    • @foxgluv
      @foxgluv 8 місяців тому +5

      @@jasperfk🤣🤣

    • @Pyrus425
      @Pyrus425 8 місяців тому +27

      It also takes more training to be a London cab driver than most other jobs.

  • @toblerone0104
    @toblerone0104 Рік тому +567

    It was really interesting to see how cautious Tom (the taxi driver) was when the customer was leaving the cab, constantly checking his mirrors and blind spots for hazards while they reach the curb. Awesome stuff!

  • @TomtheTaxiDriver
    @TomtheTaxiDriver Рік тому +11380

    Had so much fun with you and the team Tom, thank you 🙏🏻
    And for those wondering, yes the result really was as close as the edit makes out 😱

    • @aliakeel
      @aliakeel Рік тому +33

      you're welcome

    • @thomswift4843
      @thomswift4843 Рік тому +155

      What do you think the difference would've been if you'd been allowed to use bus lanes?

    • @mrtommygunwhite
      @mrtommygunwhite Рік тому +44

      oh now the remach should be (other) tom getting like a 20 min head start with no gps

    • @protektor2399
      @protektor2399 Рік тому +84

      So if the app wouldn't have lost connection Tom Scott would've won?

    • @advanceringnewholder
      @advanceringnewholder Рік тому +22

      is there a plan for annual UA-cam Tom competition?

  • @buggibii
    @buggibii Рік тому +6484

    Tom Scott's mission to collab with every other Tom on UA-cam is a go.

    • @ericvicaria8648
      @ericvicaria8648 Рік тому +257

      The Tom Tom Club

    • @peterjf7723
      @peterjf7723 Рік тому +42

      A Tom version of Are you Dave Gorman.

    • @ninjaz5736
      @ninjaz5736 Рік тому +68

      @@ericvicaria8648 In this video it could even be the "TomTom" Club, although only one was allowed to use his

    • @eTiMaGo
      @eTiMaGo Рік тому +62

      Would have been funny if this video was sponsored by TomTom GPS devices :D

    • @JeffS96
      @JeffS96 Рік тому +18

      I want Tom to do a collab with the other Tom Scott who does videos on Battleship Texas

  • @JessT2K7
    @JessT2K7 Рік тому +583

    A big part of why Tom the Taxi Driver "won" is the extra time it takes for Tom to research where Einstein lived, etc. A cabbie knows even when the passenger doesn't quite know where they need to go.

    • @Bogdan100pink
      @Bogdan100pink Рік тому +5

      🤓☝

    • @fryz
      @fryz Рік тому +1

      @@Bogdan100pink lmao

    • @jakobjas4212
      @jakobjas4212 Рік тому +53

      Maybe an extra 10 seconds per search. 'Jimi Hendrix house London' or 'Einstein house London' gives you the address straight away. A taxi driver might need that long just to remember.

    • @diney7085
      @diney7085 Рік тому +34

      Tom Scott probably would've won if there was a major backup on one of the roads, since he had access to outside information, while the taxi driver didn't. The race wasn't a surefire guarantee any way.

    • @SgtLion
      @SgtLion 10 місяців тому +3

      @@jakobjas4212 Dunno about you, but searching that on my phone would take at least 60 seconds.

  • @hextree
    @hextree Рік тому +27

    For those too lazy to watch till the end: Tom wins.

  • @jamesball2784
    @jamesball2784 Рік тому +4322

    I love how Tom inherits a cabbies disdain for other road users immediately upon getting into the cab.

    • @EvenTheDogAgrees
      @EvenTheDogAgrees Рік тому +394

      Ah, you innocent child, untainted by car ownership. This is literally everyone the moment they turn the ignition on, and absolutely not unique to cab drivers. 😉

    • @Menon9767
      @Menon9767 Рік тому +174

      @@EvenTheDogAgrees i would never want to drive a car if I lived in such a big city, so much of a hassle. Public transport can be such a blessing

    • @safcjcp
      @safcjcp Рік тому +24

      @@EvenTheDogAgrees other drivers are bad but go into London and the fumes must make them worse

    • @EvenTheDogAgrees
      @EvenTheDogAgrees Рік тому +35

      @@Menon9767 I don't disagree. When I worked in Brussels, I was glad I could take the train rather than go by car. ;)

    • @EvenTheDogAgrees
      @EvenTheDogAgrees Рік тому +19

      @@safcjcp I'm always reminded of that old Goofy cartoon from the 50's or thereabouts, titled "Motor Mania". As a kid I didn't understand it, but as an adult? Oh, yes... So accurate. 😂

  • @meep3709
    @meep3709 Рік тому +2352

    ‘He has a good understanding of London, through sheer osmosis’ 😂 I like this guy he’s so humble and funny

    • @eeeeeek
      @eeeeeek Рік тому +29

      his brain just picked random words from dictionary 😂

    • @liechtenstein6775
      @liechtenstein6775 Рік тому +7

      @@eeeeeek english humor xD

    • @belgianvanbeethoven
      @belgianvanbeethoven Рік тому +186

      The words actually make sense. This is not an uncommon expression. It's not random.

    • @eeeeeek
      @eeeeeek Рік тому +7

      @@belgianvanbeethoven must have come from the tea

    • @belgianvanbeethoven
      @belgianvanbeethoven Рік тому +1

      @@eeeeeek Who knows... 😆

  • @maddymaree2684
    @maddymaree2684 Рік тому +1433

    Kirsten and Han were absolute joys in the episode, really hope they are both in more content!!!

    • @iwasborn8470
      @iwasborn8470 Рік тому +23

      Agreed.

    • @nikilaj
      @nikilaj Рік тому +25

      they were hilarious and made the video even more fun

    • @TheSearchForTruth88
      @TheSearchForTruth88 Рік тому

      I personally prefer females to not be in the content I watch.

    • @watermelonZESTY
      @watermelonZESTY 3 місяці тому +1

      They were very entertaining. I do hope they get featured more often.

  • @kristiandevil
    @kristiandevil 10 місяців тому +157

    It would be interesting having a third Tom on a bike or using public transport, not having to deal with traffic jams

    • @Pearcewreck
      @Pearcewreck 4 місяці тому +15

      Sounds like a Top Gear episode.

    • @arthurerickson5162
      @arthurerickson5162 4 місяці тому +2

      @@Pearcewreck reminds me of the point-to-point London challenge of car v marathoner.

    • @irishmanfromengland25
      @irishmanfromengland25 3 місяці тому +1

      @@Pearcewreck I think it _was_ actually.

    • @jessicaregina1956
      @jessicaregina1956 3 дні тому +1

      Top gear did that already, the car came in dead last.😂

  • @Elwaves2925
    @Elwaves2925 Рік тому +2742

    It's poetic that a video involving one following a GPS has TomTom as the drivers.

  • @Cimlite
    @Cimlite Рік тому +4141

    "Tom VS Tom" could easily be an entire show. This absolutely felt like it, more so than just a one off thing. The difference in attitudes between the two was perfect.

    • @dees3179
      @dees3179 Рік тому

      Land’s end to Jon o groats sounds like it would be a good sequel…….

    • @huggleton
      @huggleton Рік тому +37

      Tom Scott vs Tom Clark of the Yogscast in a Benga Showdown

    • @varnamq3
      @varnamq3 Рік тому +47

      He should have used a TomTom for a win

    • @kasparsk5008
      @kasparsk5008 Рік тому +20

      Tom vs Tom with TomTom.

    • @300blackcats
      @300blackcats Рік тому +5

      as someone from somewhere where Tim Tam could be a person or a chocolate, they could cheat a bit and go with Tims too hahha

  • @TheSeth
    @TheSeth Рік тому +654

    While Team GPS lost, I think this is actually a testament to how good GPS is. A trained professional driver was barely able to win against it. I see so many people ignore GPS directions because they think they know better. But the GPS has so much data.

    • @magnemmar4869
      @magnemmar4869 Рік тому +325

      Truthfully, the Taxi driver Tom was also handicapped. He couldn't use his phone for traffic updates, which he does use while driving his taxi.
      He would have won by a larger margin if he could have done that.

    • @YavorM-Yash
      @YavorM-Yash Рік тому +27

      Well, don't ask me how many times the GPS had lost us along the way.

    • @Outwardpd
      @Outwardpd Рік тому +10

      @@magnemmar4869 Possibly true, but would it have been enough that it is worth 3+ years of education and many more years of experience?

    • @EggyGTO
      @EggyGTO Рік тому +18

      Imagine if the taxi driver uses gps too, both combined, he would be much faster

    • @metalema6
      @metalema6 Рік тому +5

      It really just shows how little difference there is between similar routes to the point of not mattering

  • @samuelrmilns
    @samuelrmilns Рік тому +34

    19:25 loved the instiinctive meter reach 😂

  • @nanoqht285
    @nanoqht285 Рік тому +1773

    Scott trying to convince himself that it isn’t a competition, test or race is so delightful to watch.

    • @therealtriangle
      @therealtriangle Рік тому +53

      you had to say Scott or they would think you meant Tom

    • @sandyman4
      @sandyman4 Рік тому +23

      @@therealtriangle as opposed to Tom

  • @Alex-cw3rz
    @Alex-cw3rz Рік тому +2020

    Love how tense Tom is, while Tom is driving so casually

    • @nogsteedsleon6119
      @nogsteedsleon6119 Рік тому +215

      I thought Tom was not that bad, but Tom was definitely going strong.

    • @bugattiwu
      @bugattiwu Рік тому +74

      Ah yes, Tom is really being Tom today

    • @ezrastewart543
      @ezrastewart543 Рік тому +70

      Tom losing was a shame... I hoped Tom would lose.

    • @CradilyBestPokemon
      @CradilyBestPokemon Рік тому +38

      Tom's performance was excellent but I wished that Tom would win

    • @RajJaiswal538
      @RajJaiswal538 Рік тому +27

      Tbf, Tom did absolutely amazing.
      Almost comparable to tom

  • @patrickarmstrong8908
    @patrickarmstrong8908 Рік тому +52

    London cabbie drivers are amazing. The training they go through is extraordinarily rigorous. They train by riding around on bicycles and a map secured on the handle bars. Literally they know London like the back of their hands. They have to memorize all the roads, routes, places. If you want to know what's interesting to see, best night clubs, shopping... ask a cabbie.
    Can say for certain in this video, the cabbie was calm and collected. No stress.

  • @MrDreadhead97
    @MrDreadhead97 Рік тому +8

    I love how the cations switched to a serif font for the posh english. Noone I watch has captions as good as Tom Scott's Channels. Big props to @caption_plus!

  • @arvibi3084
    @arvibi3084 Рік тому +1592

    As someone who previously had two guys named Tom as roommates, I understand the confusion, production team. Congratulations on Tom on winning this one. Tom, hope you do better next time.

    • @snowfloofcathug
      @snowfloofcathug Рік тому +111

      C’mon, spoilers

    • @WyvernYT
      @WyvernYT Рік тому +47

      Been there, lived that. I once wrote a phone message: "Scott, Scott called. -Scott"

    • @reptongeek
      @reptongeek Рік тому +5

      Try working with four Lucy's!

    • @MysterySteve
      @MysterySteve Рік тому +7

      I like that you very well may not have finished the video before putting this here

    • @NorbiPeti
      @NorbiPeti Рік тому +2

      But who's the best Tom?

  • @slimjimcognito
    @slimjimcognito Рік тому +3329

    I took a London cab where the driver refused to take payment because he was disappointed he missed a turn he wanted to take. It added 30 seconds to our trip. I tried very hard to pay him and he literally threw my money out of the cab at me and drove off. World class

    • @PrograError
      @PrograError Рік тому +602

      pride mate... pride... the Knowledge is like their own pride

    • @user-lt5no1xt1z
      @user-lt5no1xt1z Рік тому +240

      Seems way too hard to believe

    • @lupa3041
      @lupa3041 Рік тому +373

      I love when people make stuff up on the internet!

    • @joelaw728
      @joelaw728 Рік тому +665

      A London cabbie I took a trip with paid me his entire salary for the year because he parked slightly too far from the pavement. World class.

    • @Jack-cq9pv
      @Jack-cq9pv Рік тому +374

      One of my taxi drivers paid off my mortgage because he forgot to put on his high beams. World class.

  • @MrSirViking
    @MrSirViking 7 місяців тому +13

    What i was amazed by is the fact that the passenger could say Jimmy Hendrix house and Tom the cap driver just knew where that was. You might know streets and such, but its really important to know landmarks and stuff on those streets, cause tourists coming into town wont know the streets, they will just say stuff like Jimmy Hendrix house. And so its incredible that Tom the cap driver can remember all these details and how to get there the fastest way.

  • @ivoluijendijk5529
    @ivoluijendijk5529 Рік тому +68

    I recently saw a documentary on people studying for The Knowledge and going through the exams. Amazing how motivated and skilled these cabbies are. Mad respect!

  • @EForrest88
    @EForrest88 Рік тому +953

    many years ago in the late 90s or early 00s, on the BBC program "So You Think You're A Good Driver?" they did basically exactly this as a piece - except it was Taxi Driver verses a driver and navigator using just the London A to Z. The navigator in the "map car" was my dad, who at the time was president of the British Cartographic Association. He did not and had never lived in London, yet the map car beat the taxi driver handily. Both cars actually did the same route for that show, and the map car had the lead for most of it. They even managed it quicker than the camera car on one leg.

    • @thomasdalton1508
      @thomasdalton1508 Рік тому +83

      Were there extenuating circumstances? Looking stuff up in an A to Z isn't quick, so I'm surprised they could beat a cabbie.

    • @gerry343
      @gerry343 Рік тому +50

      I was a delivery driver around London about 30yrs ago and used an A to Z to navigate. I had it on the seat beside me and used a Bulldog clip to mark the next page en route. I'd snatch a quick look when stopped in traffic and would memorise the last few side streets before my final stop.

    • @thomasdalton1508
      @thomasdalton1508 Рік тому +6

      @@gerry343 How long did it take you to figure out the route before you started?

    • @EForrest88
      @EForrest88 Рік тому +112

      ​@@thomasdalton1508 no extenuating circumstances as far as I can recall, just a normal day of London traffic. If you've got a dedicated navigator in the passenger seat, who is literally an expert at understanding maps, the driver just has to follow instructions and doesn't have to put as much thought into alternative routes when you hit traffic. This is well before the days of commercial sat navs, with your only traffic reports being the one on the radio once an hour.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Рік тому +24

      @@EForrest88
      Then it wasn’t really a fair comparison, because the “map car” had an expert map-reader while the cabbie had to carry all the same knowledge in their head without a support person.

  • @andreasu.3546
    @andreasu.3546 Рік тому +757

    2:32 "I'm required to follow all traffic laws. I'm required to follow the speed limit..." - I was totally ready for him to say "the actual taxi has to do none of that". Because, out of experience, they just don't.

    • @ids1024
      @ids1024 Рік тому +237

      A licensed London taxi is, naturally, exempt from all laws of Britain and of physics.

    • @Tara_Li
      @Tara_Li Рік тому +76

      Next bit was "I have to drive like I would usually would." I expected the next line would be "but those two conflict."

    • @richardpike8748
      @richardpike8748 Рік тому +1

      @@Tara_Li Me too

    • @xander1052
      @xander1052 Рік тому +4

      Now check out London Bus Drivers.

    • @Jablicek
      @Jablicek Рік тому +10

      Most speed limits in inner London are entirely aspirational.

  • @KatieGimple
    @KatieGimple 7 місяців тому +14

    One thing I appreciate about Tom Scott is that he knows enough about VPNs that he doesn't just read off a sheet filled with lies like other UA-camrs do when they are sponsored by VPNs

  • @RedStinger_0
    @RedStinger_0 Рік тому +203

    The producers were so awesome with keeping the rides fun. Massive props to them both!

  • @damiworld
    @damiworld Рік тому +645

    An unexpected crossover. Glad to see Tom (taxi Tom) get this deserved exposure.

  • @misophoniq
    @misophoniq Рік тому +2746

    Don't know why, but I was rooting for the cab driver from the very start. He seems to love his job and spend a decent amount of time getting good at it. I would hate to see these kind of professionals be overtaken by technology.

    • @walworthrd6752
      @walworthrd6752 Рік тому +110

      Tom would have lost if Tom wasn't allowed to use Bus Lanes, so all in all, might as well go for a walk instead...

    • @WilliamParkerer
      @WilliamParkerer Рік тому +60

      Imagine all that years of effort spent just for taxi driving though. He could've been a doctor who could save lives for example. It's alright for exotic skills. But for day-to-day life it's better for humanity to spend time on more meaningful things and let machines do the works.

    • @CClarinet123
      @CClarinet123 Рік тому +346

      @@WilliamParkerer I suppose you never had to use a taxi then :/

    • @aminulhussain2277
      @aminulhussain2277 Рік тому +17

      @@CClarinet123 No one should drive.

    • @board7374
      @board7374 Рік тому +268

      @@WilliamParkerer Not everyone wants to be a doctor and scientist.

  • @GamingMathematically
    @GamingMathematically Рік тому +53

    I love how Tom Scott was like "This isn't a race. This isn't a race." While Taxi Tom is like "I AM GOING TO WIN."

  • @whatsinaname7289
    @whatsinaname7289 Рік тому +112

    The editing is unbelievably perfect! The cuts are seamless between the two of them; it's almost as if they're answering each other's questions.

  • @nathanisip
    @nathanisip Рік тому +439

    This was a lot of fun! Love that the prompts weren’t just the locations directly but showcased the strength of the Knowledge, familiarity with place and culture. Some destinations just have only one main route and if you’re stuck in traffic then you’re stuck in traffic but it’s the convenience not having the driver fumble with the gps that makes the difference. Hope Tom does this again but versus the TfL network, or comparing different apps (though that one might be hard to sponsor).

    • @PrograError
      @PrograError Рік тому +13

      this seem like a collab op with the one and only, Geoff Marshall

    • @choreomaniac
      @choreomaniac Рік тому +1

      He could try again but he has a navigator using gps and Tom can take a different route if he thinks best.

    • @sirBrouwer
      @sirBrouwer Рік тому +3

      That would be more something Taxi Tom could do. as he is allowed to go in the bus lanes. And then like the person before me said in combination if Geoff, As he is a expert on the TfL network both above and below ground.

    • @realeatham
      @realeatham Рік тому +6

      @@chemicalfrankie1030 google maps doesn't go through small roads(at least not in Australia) so it is often slower than if you know the route.

    • @demonindenim
      @demonindenim Рік тому +6

      @@chemicalfrankie1030 before departing at every stop, and when Tom Scott's gps didn't reroute after he couldn't do the U-turn the GPS suggested

  • @jimtekkit
    @jimtekkit Рік тому +319

    And here I was feeling quite competent being able to find my way around the urban outskirts without a map. This guy memorized an ENTIRE DAMN CITY.

    • @ringsystemmusic
      @ringsystemmusic Рік тому +25

      I know, right? I know my way around like… 3 towns, maybe 4? And this guy just SMASHES my fidelity of knowledge.

    • @lmnop29
      @lmnop29 Рік тому +23

      And not just any city! One of the biggest cities in the world! Idk how London is laid out but older cities are typical confusing to navigate in my experience.

    • @niteflite1287
      @niteflite1287 Рік тому +20

      @@lmnop29 absolutely, it felt like in half the shots I was going that's a road?! looks more like an curving ally between buildings to my American brain. hats off to any of the London cabbies and those in similar cities to know how to navigate those roads reliably from memory.

    • @neilcampbell2222
      @neilcampbell2222 Рік тому +5

      @@niteflite1287 The main form of transport was walking. Many old cities have roads that barely take a car. And some that are too narrow even for that!

  • @ArcMedicalResearch
    @ArcMedicalResearch Рік тому +9

    I enjoy that the character wearing a tiara was simply labeled "rich" while the one in the hat was "royalty"

  • @markwright3161
    @markwright3161 Рік тому +39

    I would have liked TomtheTaxiDriver to have been given Tom Scott's destinations to talk through the route for at the end. See if they are the same as GPS or what differences he might take and if he could call where Tom (Scott) encountered traffic and not if then told the way he actually went.

  • @glossaria2
    @glossaria2 Рік тому +351

    This was so much fun!!
    I had no idea "The Knowledge" was a thing. (Kinda wish they did that in more places... I'm a reference librarian, and I've had cab drivers come in for directions at least three times when they couldn't find a pickup address in our neighborhood.)
    I've only been to London once in my life, but the cab drivers who helped us there were uniformly welcoming and pleasant and happy to point out the sights to a newcomer (and now I know why they knew them all!)

    • @takkC
      @takkC Рік тому +6

      Personally, I think the cab dirivers are some of our city's greatest people

    • @thesteelrodent1796
      @thesteelrodent1796 Рік тому +28

      it's very unique to London. Most other places don't expect the drivers to know much at all, maybe at most a few major touristy spots.

    • @ajs41
      @ajs41 Рік тому +31

      To state the obvious, the Knowledge was very valuable before GPS and smart phones.

    • @WyvernYT
      @WyvernYT Рік тому +10

      In their defense, it's fair to assume that a librarian can know ANYTHING.

    • @glossaria2
      @glossaria2 Рік тому +20

      @@WyvernYT 😆 We don't know everything... but we DO know where to look it all up. ^_^

  • @really-quite-exhausted
    @really-quite-exhausted Рік тому +343

    I love how much fun the producers are having in this one

    • @kenj0418
      @kenj0418 Рік тому +9

      I especially liked the Ghost of Issac Newton happily saying "It's science!"

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Рік тому

      It's great to see the producers be part of the story.

  • @alejandrocastro211
    @alejandrocastro211 Рік тому +37

    One of the things I like more about Tom's content is that he always show the passion that the protagonists of their videos have for their work

  • @thefightingsquid6708
    @thefightingsquid6708 Рік тому +8

    "Am I in the right lane?"
    No sir, you are in the left lane

  • @henningerhenningstone691
    @henningerhenningstone691 Рік тому +134

    I appreciate that your producers also get to enjoy their time infront of the camera more and more, they're wonderful!

  • @ryanhubler4699
    @ryanhubler4699 Рік тому +144

    Excited to see someone do a colab with Tom the taxi driver, watched a couple of his videos before, his knowledge and cabbie life is fascinating

  • @marcus25g
    @marcus25g 11 місяців тому +7

    As a london Cabbie I had passengers ask why I had sat nav? It’s a tool to help
    like having an A-Z in the cab. my brain usually kicked in faster than the sat nav to get the general direction . And if it’s two in the morning and your passenger is tipsy and want to head far out of london to Essex for example the sat nav is going to be a life saver so he can get forty winks and I can drive in peace with the knowledge that the navi is heading in the right direction,

  • @james23640
    @james23640 Рік тому +7

    I cannot believe i just found out tom scott had long format videos now. I aways watch the other channel wishing it was like half an hour long

  • @SophieScrolls
    @SophieScrolls Рік тому +152

    never expected tom to win, I had thought that tom surely would have won

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Рік тому +17

      Whereas I was completely unsurprised when Tom won.

    • @jursamaj
      @jursamaj Рік тому +9

      Dunno… I was kinda betting on London to win.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Рік тому +4

      @@jursamaj
      London definitely won.

  • @osvaldomorinigo
    @osvaldomorinigo Рік тому +69

    This has the old Tom Scott's videos vibes, it makes me remember that one video where Tom and Matt had to appear in as many TV news shots as possible

    • @CapuchinMonkey1
      @CapuchinMonkey1 Рік тому +8

      Unfortunately I'm a relatively newer viewer. Would anyone be willing to hunt down the link as a general UA-cam search doesn't seem to pop up with what you've mentioned

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Рік тому +5

      @@CapuchinMonkey1 The video is titled "Breaking the News: Tom Scott and Matt Gray bonehead the budget"

  • @haamidque894
    @haamidque894 Рік тому +4

    8:56 Love how the subtitles are in serif when she's talking fancy.

  • @FilFee
    @FilFee Рік тому +7

    8:51 I like how the subtitles change to a serif font for the posh voice :D

  • @flocka-
    @flocka- Рік тому +73

    The cyclist blowing a kiss to the camera was brilliant

    • @aliakeel
      @aliakeel Рік тому

      ?

    • @aliakeel
      @aliakeel Рік тому

      nvm

    • @prim16
      @prim16 Рік тому +5

      13:17 timestamp of the chad in question for whoever needs it

  • @Kaiasky
    @Kaiasky Рік тому +136

    This was delightful. The costumes were incredible, Taxi Tom was so fun. I'm sure it wouldn't even be close if he had live traffic data as well as his knowledge.

  • @cornbeef
    @cornbeef Рік тому +107

    It would have been interesting to see the taxi fare if they'd both been started at the same time too. Would GPS or The Knowledge be better value for money?

    • @metalema6
      @metalema6 Рік тому +11

      Where I live in some cases taking longer costs less and taking less costs more (km fare vs time fare), the difference in this case would be a few cents at the sacrifice of a few seconds in an unpredictable manner

  • @ggbirdymill1618
    @ggbirdymill1618 Рік тому +5

    22:21 Brilliant cut right there. That was fun

  • @hungrymusicwolf
    @hungrymusicwolf Рік тому +51

    The improvs were a real bonus for the video, it made everything much more entertaining.

  • @Alex-cw3rz
    @Alex-cw3rz Рік тому +245

    I think not just did the taxi win, he was so relaxed whereas using the sat nav looked so stressful

    • @JKTCGMV13
      @JKTCGMV13 Рік тому +39

      Wondering if he was in the correct lane or not is the perfect demonstration of that

    • @aaroncousins4750
      @aaroncousins4750 Рік тому +33

      Thats because tom scott is a stressful person tho

    • @carbon1255
      @carbon1255 Рік тому +17

      Tom Scott getting a massage would stress him out

    • @_A.t.g
      @_A.t.g Рік тому +5

      Most of the time those “rage moments” are exaggerated for content.

  • @Digggyyyyy
    @Digggyyyyy Рік тому +18

    Awesome to see you getting Tom on - I've been subbed to him for a good while now and his videos are fantastic. The more people who see him and his content the better! He's a tip-top lad.

  • @palindromee
    @palindromee Рік тому +19

    I love seeing more of the Tom Scott team, they seem like such a good bunch.

  • @aaronsjourney2544
    @aaronsjourney2544 Рік тому +175

    Great to see Tom with Tom, I've been watching Tom for a few years now but only discovered Tom roughly 18 months ago. I'm glad this video now exists with them both.

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Рік тому +15

      I just found out about Tom a few months ago when Tom gave him a shoutout. I'm glad that Tom does a lot to expose viewers to other creators like Tom.

    • @jackhuangys
      @jackhuangys Рік тому +1

      I've been following Tom's channel for a few years now and I absolutely love to see a competition between him and Tom. Afterall, Tom is so good at what he does, I hope Tom will do better next time.

  • @DaveSimon406
    @DaveSimon406 Рік тому +157

    London cabbies' knowledge is just crazy to me. So impressive. 🤯

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Рік тому +23

      That sort of knowledge tests used to be standard practice for taxi drivers, but London’s definitely has a reputation for being a lot harder than average.

    • @aaroncousins4750
      @aaroncousins4750 Рік тому +5

      @@ragnkja well ubers and other companies dont even have to bother because they claim to not be real taxis

  • @feedtheflameforfacts
    @feedtheflameforfacts Рік тому +19

    This was fabulous! Hats off to both Toms and the production team! I loved the costumes and the accents. They were a wonderful touch!

  • @LegoAssassin098
    @LegoAssassin098 Рік тому +127

    I'm not someone who generally needs subtitles, but I want to shoutout the amazing work that the subtitle team that works on these videos does.
    Best subtitles in youtube. The minor touches and attention to detail bring these from good to great.

    • @kingsly2275
      @kingsly2275 2 місяці тому

      Never seen colored subtitles on UA-cam and

  • @conorcrowley6256
    @conorcrowley6256 Рік тому +76

    Once again Tom Scott making me curious about a topic I had never once considered in my entire life.

  • @Arctic3OD
    @Arctic3OD Рік тому +113

    It would have been very interesting to see how much Tom the Taxi Driver's route was different from what Google would have suggested

  • @UKCougar
    @UKCougar Рік тому +2

    Tom Taxi: "I hope Tom is having a good time."
    Tom Scott: "FFFFUUU...."
    🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @ninja12lawbreaker
    @ninja12lawbreaker Рік тому +9

    I used to work on multiple building sites round London and I got really good eventually with lots of practice. I was once sent from Mayfair to Chigwell. Stopped in Essex when I thought I was close, I was less than a mile from the address, on a motorbike back in 2000 before smartphones, I had an A to Z in my jacket. Great test, today I have Maps on most of the time and sometimes spot the false fastest route. Check arrival time before diving off route then check arrival time again, its quite often sooner

  • @michelfug
    @michelfug Рік тому +553

    The chemistry between Kirsten and Taxi Tom is contagious ❤️

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Рік тому +86

      They became best friends in one taxi ride. It's like a buddy comedy.

    • @ArnoldsKtm
      @ArnoldsKtm Рік тому +13

      Yikes

    • @WilliamParkerer
      @WilliamParkerer Рік тому +17

      lmao they're just doing their job

    • @RecklessFables
      @RecklessFables Рік тому +4

      @@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 like the opposite of that. Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx movie

    • @theju3939
      @theju3939 Рік тому +7

      I was thinking about it, they're going together very well

  • @Call_Me_David
    @Call_Me_David Рік тому +132

    I delivered pizza for years, and everytime I transferred to a new area, I used GPS to learn the area. After a couple months, I'd slowly ween myself off GPS. My delivery times consistently got significantly faster when I was no longer using GPS.

    • @tanishaarora3976
      @tanishaarora3976 Рік тому +6

      super interesting! Do you think the time shaved off came from not having to interface with the GPS, or shortcuts/better routes?

    • @Call_Me_David
      @Call_Me_David Рік тому +18

      @@tanishaarora3976 Combination of both really.

    • @jama211
      @jama211 Рік тому +2

      Those are old GPS's though I would imagine? The apps now are WAY smarter, especially with regards to things like traffic

    • @Call_Me_David
      @Call_Me_David Рік тому

      @@jama211 I just used Google Maps.

    • @animeartist888
      @animeartist888 Рік тому +5

      @@jama211 Google Maps and similar have gotten WAY smarter just in the last few years. For instance, knowing when there are stop signs and lights on your route, or even just the suggestion of alternate routes in case you see something ahead that the GPS doesn't know about yet, like a fresh crash.

  • @ricosrealm
    @ricosrealm Рік тому +20

    As much as I like Tom Scott, I was really hoping for Tom the taxicab driver to win this! I've always wondered if human route knowledge can beat the algorithms and it is good to see a human prevail.

  • @niklasjohansson680
    @niklasjohansson680 Рік тому +6

    Amazing collaboration between two great and inspiring people! Keep up the good content!

  • @dhruvemital
    @dhruvemital Рік тому +47

    I like how this 'who's the best Tom' series is working out

  • @arm_613
    @arm_613 Рік тому +27

    Back in the day, I used to have a TomTom GPS. I used to call the male English voice I used (I'm an ex-pat Brit living in the US) and then, by extension, the GPS unit, itself, "Tom". Tom was stolen out of my car. I would like to dedicate my watching of this video to Tom(Tom)'s memory.

    • @markwright3161
      @markwright3161 Рік тому +2

      I forgot about Tomtoms. This is the one time I would actually want Tom to have had product placement. A race between 2 Toms with one using GPS...This has to happen again.
      possible title; Are 3 Toms better than 1 (at navigating London)?
      Of course, a taxi driver called Noel Edge would complete the series. 'Noel edge with the knowledge vs Tom with a Tomtom' or an enthusiastic fan of London taxi drivers called Noel Edge 'Noel Edge with knowledge of the knowledge vs Tom with a Tomtom'. :)

  • @arunsp767
    @arunsp767 Рік тому +4

    TomTheTaxiDriver: (Utmost confidence) It's on Brook Street
    Tom Scott: Am I in the right lane? Am I in the right lane? Am I in the right lane?

  • @DasGanon
    @DasGanon Рік тому +10

    I want to see a part 2 of this:
    Tom and Tom in a cab, vs Geoff Marshall trying to get to certain locations.

  • @japplek
    @japplek Рік тому +36

    Very impressed with Taxi Tom. And with the route planner for being so accurate in the planning stage.

  • @benjaminanderson1014
    @benjaminanderson1014 Рік тому +132

    This is a great testament to how technology can make someone with no experience 99% as good as someone who had to spend years studying to acquire a skill

    • @LostieTrekieTechie
      @LostieTrekieTechie Рік тому +68

      At 23:22 Tom Scott describes it as a very stressful drive while Tom the taxi driver is incredibly relaxed the whole time through.

    • @benjaminanderson1014
      @benjaminanderson1014 Рік тому +14

      @@LostieTrekieTechie Fair, but Tom Scott was still able to accomplish the task very well despite the stress

    • @Pit1993x
      @Pit1993x Рік тому +38

      @@LostieTrekieTechie True, but that could very well just be a "Tom Scott issue". XD

    • @willsterjohnson
      @willsterjohnson Рік тому +20

      This sentiment is true for the majority of skills, for example I'm a programmer, and a product released by GitHub (a Microsoft-owned company) writes code that's quite often better than mine.
      It quite often spits out utter nonsense too (for example it might see me beginning to add 1 to every number in a list and decide I want to run a virtual database to do that), but generally it's a decent junior/mid level developer from a code-writing perspective.

    • @aaroncousins4750
      @aaroncousins4750 Рік тому +7

      @@LostieTrekieTechie he gets stressed in every challenge. A normal experienced regular driver would have done fine

  • @johnorchin8567
    @johnorchin8567 11 місяців тому

    Great video Tom, one of your best. Can you do more videos like this one? I was actually surprised at how efficient the GPS was.

  • @Luther7718
    @Luther7718 11 місяців тому +1

    The different colors and fonts in the subtitles for each character add a lot to the video

  • @punkstjimmyF1
    @punkstjimmyF1 Рік тому +42

    I am fairly sure at this point that Tom is basing these collaborations on my UA-cam subscriptions. If GeoWizard appears in the next Tom Scott Plus then he definitely is...

  • @GIOGS
    @GIOGS Рік тому +43

    Always find it funny when two channels I watch (that I think are obscure in themselves) do a collaboration!
    Great to see taxi driver tom getting the exposure he deserves

  • @srh2301
    @srh2301 Рік тому +234

    This episode is really a gem not only because of the competition aspect, but for a non native speaker it's full of idioms and phrases which help to improve understanding and speaking fluent English. I enjoyed the conversation (as well as the lovely girls 🥰). Well done! 👍

  • @FallingofftheGrid
    @FallingofftheGrid Рік тому

    I’ve got to say, the Tom Scott Plus channel is an amazing experiment and it just keeps bringing joy! Long may it continue :)

  • @Zerbey
    @Zerbey Рік тому +53

    "The Knowledge" is one of the hardest exams to take, much respect to Tom for passing it.

  • @daleykun
    @daleykun Рік тому +35

    FYI, Tom S did have a disadvantage using google maps. They changed the algorithm a while back so it no longer defaults to the fastest route but instead takes into account emissions & total distance. For pure fastest route, need to use Waze instead

    • @SouthPaw1805
      @SouthPaw1805 Рік тому +20

      It's possible to turn off the fuel-efficient routes option on the GMaps Android app at least, but I'd agree that Waze usually gives a faster route.

    • @kesakko90
      @kesakko90 Рік тому +9

      Taxi Tom had a disadvantage because he wasn't allowed to use the tools he normally does like bus lanes and a phone to check traffic/accidents...

    • @sarahbrivio4159
      @sarahbrivio4159 Рік тому +1

      Just so people know, you'll get in trouble for using waze in some European counties and /or some features will be unavailable

    • @tlpineapple1
      @tlpineapple1 Рік тому +1

      @@kesakko90 Yes, because Tom was unable to use bus lanes and the point of the video was to pit human knowledge against technology. Both of those restrictions on taxi tom were there because of the type of challenge. Lets not forget tom was required to follow the GPS even when he knew another route was faster.

    • @daleykun
      @daleykun Рік тому

      @@sarahbrivio4159 Oh really? Interesting, why is that?

  • @kitstorm7637
    @kitstorm7637 Рік тому +10

    I'd love to see something like this involving more methods of transport - comparison of cab, car, tube, walking, boat, bike etc.

  • @zerotree1310
    @zerotree1310 Рік тому +7

    Its not just about having a static map in your head of all the streets. Its also important to know the current status of the streets - such as live traffic and road works, which is constantly changing. Cabbies try to mitigate this via sharing info on the radio, but in reality its no substitute for technology.

  • @andrewmunro8830
    @andrewmunro8830 Рік тому +6

    Serif fonts for the posh voice in the captions was GREAT.

  • @RolyMoes
    @RolyMoes Рік тому +358

    Car spotting time!
    * 6:27 Bentley Continental GT
    8:20 Maybach sedan
    10:35 Rolls-Royce Cullinan
    13:18 bike guy
    16:25 Rolls-Royce Phantom
    probably some I've missed earlier on from being distracted

    • @phenomanII
      @phenomanII Рік тому +9

      Good eye, I only noticed the last one and purely because it was right in the middle of the view and the door handles made it so obvious.

    • @cringeginge7663
      @cringeginge7663 Рік тому +46

      6:28 bently continental
      15:37 Maserati ghibli*

    • @qwertyTRiG
      @qwertyTRiG Рік тому +36

      Cyclist blowing a kiss to the cameras!

    • @skate3replayz
      @skate3replayz Рік тому +3

      Who cares? They are just objects.

    • @paddington1670
      @paddington1670 Рік тому +3

      Ah yes the hiding oligarchs

  • @woutervanr
    @woutervanr 10 місяців тому +4

    That shows the difference between them here well. They might arrive at about the same time here, but Taxi Tom is sooo much more relaxed. You don't just have to be good, you have to be able to do a job for a whole day. And again the next day, etc, etc.

  • @Nicofisi
    @Nicofisi Рік тому +1

    Love you as always for your top tier quality captions!

  • @Aengus42
    @Aengus42 Рік тому +64

    You're right, Tom, about it being tiring driving in central London. I used to drive for a god awful firm picking up student's & nurse's tea chests of tat to be shipped back to Australia, S. Africa ect. by sea whilst they flew.
    Between 20 & 30 pick ups inside the M25 &I had a 30 minute window to get to them and this meant that they always had a flight to catch. So any hold-up, accident, traffic, road works etc. could stuff your day up so very easily.
    I'd be getting calls from my boss saying "Where the hell are you?" and also from the customer yelling "I've got a bloody plane to catch!".
    The pressure was just too much! My route was put together the night before in a mythical London with no traffic or delays. Also, this was just before sat-nav was commonplace & I had the Master Atlas of Greater London on my lap all day!
    I just hit a brick wall after a while. White van manning can be a thankless task. No tachograph either in 3.5 tonners so 16 hour days weren't uncommon.
    Edit: There's another collaboration video to be had with Taxi Tom. London cabbie's brains change as they learn "The Knowledge". Their hippocampus in their brains grows! It's the area of the brain that controls navigation & spatial awareness & it'd be interesting to see what the current research is related to the plasticity of our brains when confronted with such herculean learning tasks!

  • @maxsnts
    @maxsnts Рік тому +2

    I never expected Tom to take a VPN sponsor. It is weird after that VPN video a few years ago.

  • @IanZainea1990
    @IanZainea1990 8 місяців тому +3

    22:39 love that song haha

  • @brian9731
    @brian9731 Рік тому +108

    As someone who drives around London a lot as a technician, I was fascinated by this. I probably have roughly similar knowledge to Tom Scott. I nearly always use satnav/GPS, even if I know the way, for the BEST route and so that I can concentrate on being safe and not violating bus lanes etc, rather than worrying about the route. That said, I always look up my destination and try to pinpoint the precise location rather than entering the postcode and hoping for the best as many people do.
    I have recently changed vehicles and have been introduced to the joys of Android Auto. Unless there's some big ambiguity with what is entered, it will just calculate the route and it won't show the destination as the Google Maps app will do on the phone screen. I realise that this is because even if you're safe and parked, it's designed for use on the move and so does not burden the driver with surplus information while operating the vehicle. I have not yet worked out if you can look up and plan the route on the phone app before moving off and then transfer to the car display. If anyone knows if that's even possible, please let me know.

    • @animeartist888
      @animeartist888 Рік тому +10

      It is! Just look up the route/edit it by searching it on regular ol' Google Chrome or other browser, then when you hit the button to actually start navigating, that's when it sends the info to the Android Auto screen. (You can also do this to add a stop when it won't let you use the search bar while moving even at 0.01mph!) That said, I wouldn't recommend taking the time to do so- the technology has advanced to the point that you can zoom in on the Android Auto screen and see individual buildings (with street numbers, if known) and side streets all labelled. It's far easier and faster to do the fine adjustments on the fly when you're at the stop light before the last turn or some such.

  • @swaree
    @swaree Рік тому +4

    I love how the captions turn to serif font when doing the posh accent

  • @RacingPepe
    @RacingPepe Рік тому +1

    Taxi Tom was great ♥ Love how he was aware of road works on certain streets too.

  • @YoussefGamerYT
    @YoussefGamerYT 6 місяців тому +1

    The fact that they're both named Tom makes it better