pdogg Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 London took the top spot, the Big Apple 2nd and the Big Mango 5th. The world's best taxis: Rank City % of votes 1 London 11 2 New York 6.4 3 Tokyo 5.6 4 Shanghai 4.8 5 Bangkok 4.3 http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1054897/london-has-world-s-best-taxis-for-fifth-year-running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quietguy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I'm surprised to see New York at second place from what I've heard about them. But I agree that London cabbies are the best in the world. It takes 3-4 years hard work,doing 'the Knowledge',going out on a Honda 90 motorbike (like the little bikes you see in Pattaya), learning the roads, routes, and 'points' (anywhere you might be asked to go, including places of interest, police stations, hospitals, stations, and so on). Then there is the mapwork, and the oral exams known as 'Appearances' before you reach the 'Req' (Requisite standard). After that you have to pass another test on routes outside London itself, mainly from different places to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. And finally an Advanced Driving test in a Black Cab. I did it 20 years ago. I had hoped that if I became a Cabbie I could spend my summers working in London and earn enough to spend the winter abroad, as some cabbies do. When I started the the Knowledge the economy and the cab trade was booming. Unfortunately after 3 years and 4 months, when I finally got my Badge, the economy was in recession, City firms were cutting back on expenses, tourists were using public transport instead of cabs, and I wasn't even earning enough to pay for the diesel and hire of the cab. So I had to stay in my day job. Still it was an interesting experience and I got to know every corner of London. Most Londoners only get to know the area they live and work in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luung Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I did it 20 years ago. I had hoped that if I became a Cabbie I could spend my summers working in London and earn enough to spend the winter abroad, as some cabbies do. When I started the the Knowledge the economy and the cab trade was booming. Unfortunately after 3 years and 4 months, when I finally got my Badge, the economy was in recession, City firms were cutting back on expenses, tourists were using public transport instead of cabs, and I wasn't even earning enough to pay for the diesel and hire of the cab. So I had to stay in my day job. Shit!.. That's my plan 'B' fucked! I was considering going back to the UK to do 'the knowledge', to save me from becoming skint & destitute in Thailand in my old age... Oh well, best sharpen m' pencils & get back to the drawing board, so to speak. I was really looking forward to taking my new motorbike back home too. How the fuck Thailand got to be 5th, God only knows, poxy shower of no good shit pigs, I fuckin' hate Thai cab drivers with a vengence... And Songthaw drivers even more. Nice post, BTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdogg Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Good to see ya back Lungster! Welcome to the 500 post club! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luung Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Fuck me!.. Do I get a badge or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 "Badge!!! We don't need no stinkin' badges!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahuna Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 "Badge!!! We don't need no stinkin' badges!" Alfonso Bedoya...The Treasure of Sierra Madre...It's on my dvd shelf... Coming from the auto capitol of the world (I'm guessing)...The USA...we (meaning I) don't use cabs (the USA word for a taxi) as much as I would guess they are used in Europe and Asia and other parts of the World...So, as someone who really only uses cabs (taxis) with some frequency when in LOS, I actually find them to be OK...They get me (almost always) to where I want to go...and they are damn inexpensive (cheap)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Correcto mundo Mr. Kahuna. Great line, great movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahuna Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Indeed it is Sam...One of about 300 dvds on my shelves...Shares it's place of honor on the shelf with The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The African Queen (that ain't about a black fag), and (even though he wasn't really a cast member), Play It Again Sam...And to stay on topic but on a different shelf...Taxi Driver... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hefe Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Seems like K is a fan of Bogie! Most recent discovery I've had of him is "In a Lonely Place"... seen it? Oh, taxis.... ok, well if you put your bags into a New York taxi be careful not to knock over his piss bottle with your things. You'll bring back an unexpected souvenir. Whenever I went to Mexico City for work the local staff would caution me about all the phony cabs on the streets there that will take you to a warehouse or someplace & keep you there for days until they emptied out your bank account from an atm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahuna Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Seems like K is a fan of Bogie! Most recent discovery I've had of him is "In a Lonely Place"... seen it? Whenever I went to Mexico City for work the local staff would caution me about all the phony cabs on the streets there Saw it a long while ago...I would like to have a copy but often DVD copies of older flicks are hard to find and very expensive costing $50 or $60 or more...Picked up a pristine copy of Vertigo at a garage sale the other day for a 25 cents...But it was VHS...I ain't got a VHS player so I sent it off to Lefty...Still waiting for a report... Mexico City...Boy that brings back some very good memories...Been years since I've been there...Last trip many years back my hotel was on the Reforma on the way out of town...When I was downtown If I could get to the Reforma by bus of taxi i could grab a peso cab which only ran up and down the Reforma and only charged one peso no matter how long the ride...Problem was they would pack people in and sometimes you would have to share the back seat of the cab with like 5 or 6 other passengers...But the good thing was it only cost a peso which in those olden times with about 8 cents...a real bargain...You made me wonder if they still have peso cabs or the equivalent these days...Maybe I'll have to make a visit...I do miss Mexico... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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