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In London they have to pass a test called "the knowledge"[1]. It's the "hardest taxi test in the world" and quite impressive. It ensures taxi drivers actually k

by orf 9y ago

In London they have to pass a test called "the knowledge"[1]. It's the "hardest taxi test in the world" and quite impressive. It ensures taxi drivers actually know what they are doing and where they are going, not just blindly following their GPS. > To become an All-London taxi driver or Green badge holder you need to master no fewer than 320 basic routes, all of the 25,000 streets that are scattered within the basic routes and approximately 20,000 landmarks and places of public interest that are located within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. > It takes the average person between 2 and 4 years to learn the knowledge, a lot however depends on how much time and effort they are willing to dedicate in learning it. 1. https://www.theknowledgetaxi.co.uk/ https://www.theknowledgetaxi.co.uk/

ForHackernews 9y ago
Not just the hardest taxi test, it's arguably the hardest test of any kind: > If anything, this description understates the case. The six-mile radius from Charing Cross, the putative center-point of London marked by an equestrian statue of King Charles I, takes in some 25,000 streets. London cabbies need to know all of those streets, and how to drive them — the direction they run, which are one-way, which are dead ends, where to enter and exit traffic circles, and so on. But cabbies also need to know everything on the streets. Examiners may ask a would-be cabbie to identify the location of any restaurant in London. Any pub, any shop, any landmark, no matter how small or obscure — all are fair game. Test-takers have been asked to name the whereabouts of flower stands, of laundromats, of commemorative plaques. One taxi driver told me that he was asked the location of a statue, just a foot tall, depicting two mice sharing a piece of cheese. It’s on the facade of a building in Philpot Lane, on the corner of Eastcheap, not far from London Bridge. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/t-magazine/london-taxi-test-knowledge.html https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/t-magazine/london-taxi-te...
gsnedders 9y ago
That is, however, a requirement for taxi drivers only (who can be hailed and pick up people off the street), but not for private hire drivers (who must be prebooked through a booking office). It is, perhaps, the most notable difference. London has more stringent requirements for private hires than much of the UK (especially relating to pollution), but ultimately most of the requirements essentially relate to equipment (pollution standards for the car, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, etc.) which while they form a cost to entry are nothing compared with a multi-year effort to learn a large part of London, or the tens/hundreds of thousands that medallions cost in many places.
bogomipz 9y ago
>"In London they have to pass a test called "the knowledge"[1]. It's the "hardest taxi test in the world" and quite impressive. It ensures taxi drivers actually know what they are doing and where they are going, not just blindly following their GPS." I am familiar with "the knowledge" and while I think it's indeed impressive and I frankly I prefer taxis drivers that have local knowledge however is this still practical in 2017? I am asking sincerely. Certainly "the knowledge" doesn't include local traffic conditions a la Waze.
- orf 9y ago
  > I am asking sincerely. Certainly "the knowledge" doesn't include local traffic conditions a la Waze. Experience provides that, I guess. Waze is perhaps better in US grid style systems with lots of large, laid out roads but In London the streets are tiny and the traffic patterns very different. I think the traffic follows in a predictable ebb and flow pattern based on the week day and time, which you can pick up easily enough if you spend all day in it. I've seen the Google maps traffic display in London and it's not terribly useful: all red everywhere at peak times, yellow/green off-peak. It's anecdotal, but in London every taxi experience has been superior from a directions point of view. Uber sometimes gives drivers crazy directions that make no sense and the drivers just go along with it. That being said, Uber is a fair bit cheaper so it's all a trade off I guess. Fankly, if I've got money I don't mind spending it on a black cab, I see it similar to supporting local businesses over buying off Amazon - a good idea for smaller purchases, but the discounts on larger items are often too good to turn down.
  - bogomipz 9y ago
    Sure, I am quite familiar with the narrow Victorian streets in London and agree that that knowledge is certainly and asset but having knowledge of those doesn't tell me if there's road work or an accident on them until it's too late. That's all I meant. I agree that the level of professionalism of a London cabbie provides a comfortable experience. Certainly to to that of a Yellow cab driver in NYC. And this is one of those issues for me. Taxi drivers in NYC have no regard for blocking an intersections, blocking cross walks, running red lights and blowing the horn incessantly. The Uber/Lyft driver on the other hand seems to do these quite rarely. It's seems to be a much more considerate experience for both the passengers and pedestrians. I do certainly see the danger though if cities losing their cabs and Ubert/Lyft just becoming the new entrenched player.

by orf 9y ago

ForHackernews 9y ago

Not just the hardest taxi test, it's arguably the hardest test of any kind: > If anything, this description understates the case. The six-mile radius from Charing Cross, the putative center-point of London marked by an equestrian statue of King Charles I, takes in some 25,000 streets. London cabbies need to know all of those streets, and how to drive them — the direction they run, which are one-way, which are dead ends, where to enter and exit traffic circles, and so on. But cabbies also need to know everything on the streets. Examiners may ask a would-be cabbie to identify the location of any restaurant in London. Any pub, any shop, any landmark, no matter how small or obscure — all are fair game. Test-takers have been asked to name the whereabouts of flower stands, of laundromats, of commemorative plaques. One taxi driver told me that he was asked the location of a statue, just a foot tall, depicting two mice sharing a piece of cheese. It’s on the facade of a building in Philpot Lane, on the corner of Eastcheap, not far from London Bridge. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/t-magazine/london-taxi-test-knowledge.html https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/t-magazine/london-taxi-te...

gsnedders 9y ago

That is, however, a requirement for taxi drivers only (who can be hailed and pick up people off the street), but not for private hire drivers (who must be prebooked through a booking office). It is, perhaps, the most notable difference. London has more stringent requirements for private hires than much of the UK (especially relating to pollution), but ultimately most of the requirements essentially relate to equipment (pollution standards for the car, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, etc.) which while they form a cost to entry are nothing compared with a multi-year effort to learn a large part of London, or the tens/hundreds of thousands that medallions cost in many places.

bogomipz 9y ago

>"In London they have to pass a test called "the knowledge"[1]. It's the "hardest taxi test in the world" and quite impressive. It ensures taxi drivers actually know what they are doing and where they are going, not just blindly following their GPS." I am familiar with "the knowledge" and while I think it's indeed impressive and I frankly I prefer taxis drivers that have local knowledge however is this still practical in 2017? I am asking sincerely. Certainly "the knowledge" doesn't include local traffic conditions a la Waze.

orf 9y ago
> I am asking sincerely. Certainly "the knowledge" doesn't include local traffic conditions a la Waze. Experience provides that, I guess. Waze is perhaps better in US grid style systems with lots of large, laid out roads but In London the streets are tiny and the traffic patterns very different. I think the traffic follows in a predictable ebb and flow pattern based on the week day and time, which you can pick up easily enough if you spend all day in it. I've seen the Google maps traffic display in London and it's not terribly useful: all red everywhere at peak times, yellow/green off-peak. It's anecdotal, but in London every taxi experience has been superior from a directions point of view. Uber sometimes gives drivers crazy directions that make no sense and the drivers just go along with it. That being said, Uber is a fair bit cheaper so it's all a trade off I guess. Fankly, if I've got money I don't mind spending it on a black cab, I see it similar to supporting local businesses over buying off Amazon - a good idea for smaller purchases, but the discounts on larger items are often too good to turn down.
- bogomipz 9y ago
  Sure, I am quite familiar with the narrow Victorian streets in London and agree that that knowledge is certainly and asset but having knowledge of those doesn't tell me if there's road work or an accident on them until it's too late. That's all I meant. I agree that the level of professionalism of a London cabbie provides a comfortable experience. Certainly to to that of a Yellow cab driver in NYC. And this is one of those issues for me. Taxi drivers in NYC have no regard for blocking an intersections, blocking cross walks, running red lights and blowing the horn incessantly. The Uber/Lyft driver on the other hand seems to do these quite rarely. It's seems to be a much more considerate experience for both the passengers and pedestrians. I do certainly see the danger though if cities losing their cabs and Ubert/Lyft just becoming the new entrenched player.