Getting rid of the Knowledge for cabbies?

[Mark300zx]

I have a fair few mates who are cabbies and occasionally this question pops up, with the advancement of satnav I can't see how the knowledge is justified anymore, surely it must be just a matter of time before they get rid?

[Munter]

So many Sat Nav devices dont take account of the best route. They dont know the timeing of lights and general traffic flows at different times of day. Particularly in citys. So I'd say keep it. Plus I'm sure it keeps some of the riff raff out of the job...

[king arthur]

Mark300zx said:

I have a fair few mates who are cabbies and occasionally this question pops up, with the advancement of satnav I can't see how the knowledge is justified anymore, surely it must be just a matter of time before they get rid?

You ever tried using a satnav in London?

[OJ]

king arthur said:

Mark300zx said:

I have a fair few mates who are cabbies and occasionally this question pops up, with the advancement of satnav I can't see how the knowledge is justified anymore, surely it must be just a matter of time before they get rid?

You ever tried using a satnav in London?

I have, 9 times out of 10 it is a mistake of catastrophic magnitude.

Unless you really have no idea where you are and where you want to be it's as much use as a Paris Hilton

[Blib]

I can't see that happening. By working The Knowledge, a cabbie gains an intimate 'knowledge' of a vast area. Not only the major routes, but all of the alternative ways to get to and from particular places.

They also know so much about the city in which they work as they've spent two years or more on mopeds scooting around to almost every nook and cranny. They have also sucked the brains of many qualified cabbies along the way in the various cafes and halts where they congregate.

Due to The Knowledge, London cabbies are by far the best in the World. They are a wonderful resource for such a great city and it would be a travesty if some fool with a box of tricks was to be allowed to ply for hire.

Blimey, if sat navs were allowed, even I could become a cabbie! That just doesn't bear thinking about!

CALL THAT A TIP? YOU TIGHT bd!!!!

[F i F]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Class there BR!!

Whole purpose of the knowledge is that you can deal with a developing situation in a flexible way. You can see the queue up ahead using mark one eyeball, using the map in your head you know that a quick left here, and a right there you can avoid the hold up and keep rolling even though the obvious detour route by satnav whilst it looks good on the map actually would put you in worse position later on.

Also as someone says keeps the rif-raf out and allows the office to have a proper look at the candidates over several weeks, months even years in many cases.

[Silver993tt]

Blib said:

Due to The Knowledge, London cabbies are by far the best in the World. They are a wonderful resource for such a great city and it would be a travesty if some fool with a box of tricks was to be allowed to ply for hire.

you are kidding aren't you? London cabbies are some of the rudest and most expensive in the world. They also use some of the worst cars which are outdated and uncomfortable. For the prices they charge they should be using Mercedes Benz S class cars.

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

The "Knowledge" is a contadiction in itself. It's used to protect an out of date monopoly and Sat Nav is only in it's infancy. Give it another 3-5 years and anyone will be able to find their way around London.

Edited by Silver993tt on Monday 5th January 10:39

[Mark300zx]

My tomtom is pretty good in the city, they are working on systems that work on traffic flow, using mobile phone signals, if too many congregate in one area if works out there is a jam!

[merc_man]

Black cab = Destination as quick as possible and entertaining banter.

Mini-cab plus Tom-Tom = Rip off slow journey and inability to communicate with the driver in the language of the country it is being driven in.

[Munter]

Silver993tt said:

For the prices they charge they should be using Mercedes Benz S class cars.

Think of the turning circle on that! And compare it with the width of the streets in the best parts of london.

(Who gets a black cab from Heathrow! Hello I've got my own lube....To London!)

[Munter]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

We'll need to build more flats in Peckham/Birmingham/Bradistan then....

[croyde]

The Knowledge is not just about knowing streets and routes, you have to know all the hotels, clubs and places of interest. My Tom Tom is very useful but when I use it in London, just for laughs, as I was a Dispatch Rider, Van and Minicab Driver for 10 years, it gets it wrong almost every time.

Most of the Addison Lee Minicab drivers rely only on their SatNav and I have had some weird and terrible trips home and when it loses signal, they have no idea what to do.

I worked for AL back in the 80s and you had to pass a basic knowledge test with them and you only earn't money if you knew the streets by name as the jobs were given out, by street name, at lightning speed on the radio circuit.

[Silver993tt]

Munter said:

Silver993tt said:

For the prices they charge they should be using Mercedes Benz S class cars.

Think of the turning circle on that! And compare it with the width of the streets in the best parts of london.

(Who gets a black cab from Heathrow! Hello I've got my own lube....To London!)

Sure, maybe the Benz isn't suited to doing u-turns but it would stop much of the illegal manouvers that black cabs constantly do. Why do they think they're above the law? However, the Germans mange just fine with Mercs in the old town parts oftheir cities which have very narrow cobbled streets, so there really is no excuse for them not to use vehicles more appropriate with the rates that they charge.

As a foreigner and maybe first time using a cab from Heathrow, why should you get ripped off? It's no excuse whatsoever.

[MK4 Slowride]

Munter said:

Silver993tt said:

For the prices they charge they should be using Mercedes Benz S class cars.

Think of the turning circle on that! And compare it with the width of the streets in the best parts of london.

(Who gets a black cab from Heathrow! Hello I've got my own lube....To London!)

So you just slither your way to the centre?

Anyone can follow Munter's snail trail into town.

[siscar]

Silver993tt said:

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

That's because it is quite a long way and takes a long time, not a sensible way of getting from Heathrow into London.

[king arthur]

I have not yet come across a satnav that when plotting a course from say, Watford to W1, did not try to send me down the Edgware Road. When they sort that kind of problem out, they may become more usable in the city, however I also find that mine gets utterly lost amongst tall buildings, and also often asks me to make right turns where you cannot.

No, keep the knowledge and keep out the riff raff as others have said. I can respect the cabbies for the way they have to go about their business, it's the private mini cab drivers who I often see driving like utter tts.

[Silver993tt]

siscar said:

Silver993tt said:

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

That's because it is quite a long way and takes a long time, not a sensible way of getting from Heathrow into London.

If it's not a sensible way to get into London, then why are black cabs allowed to ply for trade into central London from Heathrow?

Also, why aren't there green, blue, red, yellow and whatever cabs at Heathrow (or in fact anywhere in London) in order to bring in competion to what is the largest monopoly in London?

Black taxis have had it too easy and too protected for far too long.

Edited by Silver993tt on Monday 5th January 10:58

[Munter]

Silver993tt said:

siscar said:

Silver993tt said:

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

That's because it is quite a long way and takes a long time, not a sensible way of getting from Heathrow into London.

If it's not a sensible way to get into London, then why are black cabs allowed to ply for trade into central London from Heathrow?

Also, why aren't there green, blue, red, yellow and whatever cabs at Heathrow (or in fact anywhere in London) in order to bring in competion to what is the largest monopoly in London?

Black taxis have had it to easy and too protected for far too long.

Because if you want to take a black cab from Heathrow to london and travel on your own in "private" thats up to you. And you should be allowed to.

If you are not prepared to pay for the ride in a black cab then simply get the Heathrow Express, or the Tube....

If you land at Schipol you wouldn't get a Taxi to Amsterdam. You get on the train.

[Silver993tt]

Munter said:

Silver993tt said:

siscar said:

Silver993tt said:

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

That's because it is quite a long way and takes a long time, not a sensible way of getting from Heathrow into London.

If it's not a sensible way to get into London, then why are black cabs allowed to ply for trade into central London from Heathrow?

Also, why aren't there green, blue, red, yellow and whatever cabs at Heathrow (or in fact anywhere in London) in order to bring in competion to what is the largest monopoly in London?

Black taxis have had it to easy and too protected for far too long.

Because if you want to take a black cab from Heathrow to london and travel on your own in "private" thats up to you. And you should be allowed to.

If you are not prepared to pay for the ride in a black cab then simply get the Heathrow Express, or the Tube....

If you land at Schipol you wouldn't get a Taxi to Amsterdam. You get on the train.

I worked in Amsterdam for 2 years and often got a taxi from Schipol to the centre of the city. I also used the train on occasions but the taxi fare per km was significantly less than that of a black taxi in London.

[Plotloss]

Silver993tt said:

Munter said:

Silver993tt said:

siscar said:

Silver993tt said:

Nearly all of my foreign colleagues have learnt their lesson to never use black taxis in London. £80 from Heathrow into central London

That's because it is quite a long way and takes a long time, not a sensible way of getting from Heathrow into London.

If it's not a sensible way to get into London, then why are black cabs allowed to ply for trade into central London from Heathrow?

Also, why aren't there green, blue, red, yellow and whatever cabs at Heathrow (or in fact anywhere in London) in order to bring in competion to what is the largest monopoly in London?

Black taxis have had it to easy and too protected for far too long.

Because if you want to take a black cab from Heathrow to london and travel on your own in "private" thats up to you. And you should be allowed to.

If you are not prepared to pay for the ride in a black cab then simply get the Heathrow Express, or the Tube....

If you land at Schipol you wouldn't get a Taxi to Amsterdam. You get on the train.

I worked in Amsterdam for 2 years and often got a taxi from Schipol to the centre of the city. I also used the train on occasions but the taxi fare per km was significantly less than that of a black taxi in London.

And taxis in Tokyo are significantly more expensive than taxis in London.

What is that supposed to prove?