3 ms·

Can you elaborate on why this is a good thing ? Instead of using a 200$ GPS, they are required to spend a long time studying a body of knowledge superseded by

by Murkin 16y ago

Can you elaborate on why this is a good thing ? Instead of using a 200$ GPS, they are required to spend a long time studying a body of knowledge superseded by technology. And this translates to higher costs for the casual cab-rider.

ramchip 16y ago
I suppose there are cases where people want to go to certain places, eg. "the shopping center", without having specific enough information to look it up with a GPS. Also, the driver knows ways that may be faster than what a GPS will suggest, since he knows about traffic, construction, etc. Then there's the social aspect: by being more strict and maintaining an image of quality, you can attract better, nicer drivers.
- Murkin 16y ago
  Obviously a driver shouldn't be someone who is in the city for the first time. They know all the major points (like shopping centers). The other points just shows that GPS have a bit to go yet, and they are going there. There are quite a lot of GPS solutions who get real-time traffic updates, construction, etc (look at waze.com) The second point is true, wonder if there is a better way to solve it tho
pierrefar 16y ago
Remember this is from the days before GPS devices were so common. And frankly, given how rubbish a lot of those devices are, a human's intimate knowledge of the side roads is a very good thing; for example when you hit unexpected traffic and the device's service hasn't updated yet and you're in a hurry.
RiderOfGiraffes 16y ago
The driver's knowledge is not superseded by technology. Transit times in London are heavily affected by factors not taken into account by SatNav devices. Roadworks, time of day, congestion patterns due to current events, and accidents, all can change optimal route selection by factors of 5 or even 10, and all are taken into account by the London cabbie. I would trust a London Black Cab driver's route selection over SatNav every time, without fail.
regularfry 16y ago
The cost to the taxi driver of gaining The Knowledge is far higher than $200, so the people who do it take their job very seriously, and they are in general extremely safe and reliable. There's a marked difference in quality of service between minicab drivers who use GPS units and black cab drivers who don't need them. They both exist in London, and given the choice, I'll go with a black cab every time.

by Murkin 16y ago

ramchip 16y ago

I suppose there are cases where people want to go to certain places, eg. "the shopping center", without having specific enough information to look it up with a GPS. Also, the driver knows ways that may be faster than what a GPS will suggest, since he knows about traffic, construction, etc. Then there's the social aspect: by being more strict and maintaining an image of quality, you can attract better, nicer drivers.

Murkin 16y ago
Obviously a driver shouldn't be someone who is in the city for the first time. They know all the major points (like shopping centers). The other points just shows that GPS have a bit to go yet, and they are going there. There are quite a lot of GPS solutions who get real-time traffic updates, construction, etc (look at waze.com) The second point is true, wonder if there is a better way to solve it tho

pierrefar 16y ago

Remember this is from the days before GPS devices were so common. And frankly, given how rubbish a lot of those devices are, a human's intimate knowledge of the side roads is a very good thing; for example when you hit unexpected traffic and the device's service hasn't updated yet and you're in a hurry.

RiderOfGiraffes 16y ago

The driver's knowledge is not superseded by technology. Transit times in London are heavily affected by factors not taken into account by SatNav devices. Roadworks, time of day, congestion patterns due to current events, and accidents, all can change optimal route selection by factors of 5 or even 10, and all are taken into account by the London cabbie. I would trust a London Black Cab driver's route selection over SatNav every time, without fail.

regularfry 16y ago

The cost to the taxi driver of gaining The Knowledge is far higher than $200, so the people who do it take their job very seriously, and they are in general extremely safe and reliable. There's a marked difference in quality of service between minicab drivers who use GPS units and black cab drivers who don't need them. They both exist in London, and given the choice, I'll go with a black cab every time.