The London 'Black taxi'

Are you an ACCA professional travelling to work in a London Black Taxi?
Some basic facts about the London Black Taxi:

The first black taxi in London was the hackney coach in the 17th Century. The name comes from hacquenée, the French term for a general-purpose horse. It literally means, 'ambling nag'. In 1625 there were as few as 20 available for hire, operating out of inn yards. In 1636, the owner of four hackney coaches brought them into the Strand outside the Maypole Inn, and the first taxi rank had appeared. He established a tariff for various parts of London, and his drivers wore livery, so they would be easily recognisable. 'Hackney carriage' is still the official term used to describe taxis.

When the drivers began using lighter cabriolets, two-wheeled vehicles from France, at the beginning of the 19th Century, they became known as 'cabs'. The name comes from the French for 'jump like a goat', as they were very light, and tended to bounce through the streets. The London Hackney Carriage Act was passed in 1831, and the Metropolitan Police gained control of the trade for the next 169 years.
Wilhelm Bruhn invented the taximeter in 1891, and it is from this that the term taxi comes from. The taximeter measures the distance travelled and time taken of all journeys, allowing an accurate fare to be charged. These were disliked by cab drivers as they did not want their incomes regulated by machines. Bruhn ended up being thrown in the river by drivers, although his invention is still being used today.

Drivers do not have to stop if you hail them, whether or not the yellow 'taxi' sign is lit. This is because, legally, taxis are not plying for hire when they are moving. However, if they do stop, they are considered 'standing in the street' and cannot refuse a fare under six miles or that will take less than one hour. These regulations are to prevent the now non-existent horse from becoming fatigued or thirsty.

Fascinating Facts

Taxis were banned from driving through Hyde Park in 1685. This was due to the unruly behaviour of some ladies in a hackney coach. The ban was lifted in 1687, only to be reinstated in 1711 due to 'several disorders' being committed. That time the ban lasted until 1924.

Taxi drivers are not legally obliged to give change. If a large note is offered the driver is entitled to take the cash, and offer to post the change to the passenger's home address.

The 'Knowledge of London' was introduced in 1851 by Sir Richard Mayne after complaints that cab drivers did not know where they were going. Passing the Knowledge involves detailed recall of 25,000 streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross station. The locations of clubs, hospitals, hotels, railway stations, parks, theatres, courts, restaurants, colleges, government buildings and places of worship are also required. It can take three years to pass the test, including the six months it takes to be tested.

Only one percent of London's taxi drivers are women.

The original 'stage coaches' were certain hackney carriages whose drivers travelled in stages, i.e., they would drive short distances, along a fixed route, picking up fares at definite stopping points. As this part of the trade grew, they eventually became omnibuses, and then the bus transport system we have today.

Source: BBC

While travelling in the taxi your laptop can be used to study the ACCA e-books of Tony Surridge Online.