I saw it on the news tonight, how London cabbies have to study for 3 years to pass a test to be a London cabbie.
20 odd years ago, while in my twenties, I worked in London, doing the night run stocking shelves with fresh sandwiches in a certain chain store. I drove the truck whilst my 'mate' had the key for all the stores. I unloaded the truck and we both stocked the shelves. He knew London like the back of his hand because he was training to be a London Cabbie. A 4 year course back then which was taken very seriously.
I love Australia, Tis surely my home, wouldn't change it for quids. But I'd love if the cabbies in cities knew where they were going.....
I watched a BBC 'Docco' on that very subject many years ago. It was called "The Knowledge" Remarkable to have to study for so long to get the licence.
I don't know what happens these days but it was very informative and eye opening. No wonder the British Cabbie in London was so good when it came to getting you around.
I wonder if with the advent of GPS and immigration London has gone the way of all the Australian big cities and have many drivers from the sub continent?
Bit OT, but we have a few replica London Cabs in Perth in one of the taxi fleets, never been in the proper ones though so can't make a comparison (of the cab, not the drivers).
Just recently I caught a cab from Sydney airport to the Airport Ibis Hotel. Cabbie didn't have a clue & we ended up in a dead end twice. We made him turn off the meter after the second dead end & of course no tip.
Just recently I caught a cab from Sydney airport to the Airport Ibis Hotel. Cabbie didn't have a clue & we ended up in a dead end twice. We made him turn off the meter after the second dead end & of course no tip.
In another life I had a NSW Taxi licence, had to sit for the test which was pretty thorough especially on how to get from here to there by the most direct route and had to know the metro/city maps back to front (no GPS then).
I had to sit for the exam 3 times before I passed it, another cabbie told me I should have done a palm to palm handshake transfer of money to the examiner and I would have had it first time around. Can't verify that was the case though as I didn't do it. Maybe I got my licence the third time around out of pity, who knows (or the recognition that I was too dense to cough up..)
No doubt the system has changed over the years, for better or worse...
-- Edited by Weevil on Sunday 17th of May 2015 04:09:54 PM
