You know you are in London the minute you see their black cabs. The horse drawn buggies used before the engine were called Hackney cabs. The name is still regularly used today. The Austin FX4 distinctive shape and practicality have made it popular and it has been used in the same basic design for many years. The combination of the design and colour leave you in no doubt which city you’re in.
Yellow cabs are easy to spot in New York. Different cab companies may own the cabs but they all have to be the same colour. Yellow is so clearly known in the United States as the colour of cabs that it is probably impossible to find any city in the United States that does not have at least some yellow cabs. While many cities have different coloured cabs available, New York is unique in only allowing yellow cabs to appear.
In Beirut and Miami you can find pink taxis being used. The pink taxis in Beirut are exclusively driven by women and can only be used by female passengers.
In other cities, the taxi cabs are not even cars. In almost any major Asian city, you are likely to find rickshaws as cabs. rickshaws let you sit in a cab seat that is either pulled or pedalled by human power. They are also sometimes referred to as pedicabs.
Waterways in large cities are often used for water taxis. The Venice gondolas are probably the most famous example of water taxis. In some cities they have large water cabs capable of carrying hundreds of passengers and these usually dock for passengers to get on and off. In many Asian cities, such as Bangkok for example, the water cabs don’t actually stop to let people on and off, they just slow down instead.
Local Knowledge
Most taxis drivers have a great local knowledge so can help you to get your bearings. Since cabs are constantly driving all over a city, to places both famous and out of the way, the drivers learn their cities well.
Indeed, many cities have some drivers trained as travel guides who offer special tours in their taxis. Learning about the city you are in from an expert is a great way to become acquainted with all there is to see and do. Before becoming a taxi driver in London, each driver has to learn The Knowledge. Learning all the roads in London is a massive task, but knowing the best route for any journey is essential so they can offer great service. Wherever you may be, taxi drivers are usually some of the people with the best local knowledge.
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