Patriotism.

Scene from the movie Casablanca. 

Appropriate in light of the atrocities committed in Paris yesterday. 

Paste this link into You Tube or your browser.


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E2H1ChJM

American Idols!

Certainly more money than sense.

Millions of American youth see them, and others like them, as role models.

The Walls Come Tumbling Down

 

 

While I'm optimistic by nature and believe that logic and pragmatism are essential elements for a sane and happy approach to life; I must admit that as I learn more each day of the planned destruction of decency and freedom in this world I'm almost overwhelmed by how easy it is for the architects of that design to actually achieve their goals. A brick here and a brick there and eventually the building collapses. Just one more example of the eradication of manners and tradition is an event which just occurred in Great Britain.

I refer you to the many reports in the British newspapers in recent days of the demise of an institution which since 1850 has ensured that the London Black Cab has earned and maintained a reputation for safety and comfort - and a standard of service unparalleled in the world. Many visitors to London confess that a significant need to be satisfied is a trip in a London Black Cab.

I wrote this magazine story in 2001 and it will enlighten you about the specifics of the service. For the latest news just go to a browser and enter something like "London's black cab school to close." Many stories will open in major newspapers.

The London Black Cab

It’s easy to be contented when riding a taxi in London. Clean and roomy, the seats more like comfortable lounge chairs. Nowhere else on earth can one feel as confident about a car for hire.

There are 18,000 licensed London cabbies, and 23,000 cabs. A plethora of pirate, gypsy, and mini-cabs have evolved in recent years, but only the London Black Taxi is regulated to assure a standard of service unequaled throughout the world. The Metropolitan Police govern, through The Public Carriage Office (PCO), the safety and condition of the vehicles, the licensing of the drivers, the tariffs, and any external advertising and fittings. They are the only taxi’s which can legally pick up fares when hailed on the streets — all others must be requested by phone to a specific address, or be stationed at fixed locations: but many don’t stick to the rules. In July, 2000, the PCO began taking control of the unregulated private hire sector, for obvious reasons.

Visitor’s and Brit’s alike rely on the deserved reputation of London cabbies. The cabbies are justly proud of their trade, whose record is virtually unblemished since regulation in 1850. One might wonder how this state of affairs is maintained over such a long period of time, and the answer is as astonishing as it is obvious — when one has…the knowledge!

Many who covet a London cabbies license are not prepared to invest the time or effort to obtain one. It cannot be bought or sold; it can only be earned. The trade is considered a profession, not a job. All cabbies own their own businesses. About 5,000 of them subscribe to a radio dispatch service, but most of them rely on their uncanny knowledge of the city, and it’s events.

All applicants, after police background checks, must be prepared to spend up to four years in training. The first essential is to acquire “The Knowledge,” which is, and I quote, ‘You are required to know any place within the Metropolis to which a member of the public may wish to go.’ The ‘Knowledge of London’ examination consists of four parts and is supervised by the ‘Carriage Office.’ All costs are borne by the candidate; no financial help is given.

Candidates attend an informal interview where they are told that only one in five can expect to succeed, and the possibility of injury cannot be ruled out. At the end of the session they receive the ‘Blue Book,’ (it’s pink), which contains over 450 runs, i.e., Chapel St NW1 to Wigmore Hall, all of which must be memorized to include all points of interest within a ¼ mile of each end, and the shortest route to and from.

This must be accomplished whenever time can be made available in the applicants normal daily routine. Weeks and months fly by and frustration mounts because there are no short cuts. Contact with the PCO is prohibited until one is convinced of passing the test.

A verbal examination is conducted one on one, with the applicant seated directly in front of the examiner who will snap out a fare such as ‘Stringfellows Club to The Royal College of Music.’ The applicant must reply with the best route, noting all left and right turns and traffic restrictions, just as if driving the route. Over two years this performance is repeated many times with, usually, five random routes examined. The level of difficulty increasing with each inquisition. It would be unlikely if they bore any resemblance to the routes listed in the ‘Blue Book.’ The atmosphere in the examining room is not all sweetness and light. The ability to handle stress is also being evaluated.

At last, the advanced driving test in a London taxi is near. It is preceded by a two week intensive driving course with all expense borne by the applicant. When the test is successfully passed, the appellant moves on to the next phase which is to learn how to get between any two outlying suburb high streets, naming all the restrictions enroute including all the proper names of the roads. Typically, one of several questions that may be asked is Terminal 4 Heathrow Airport to East Croydon Railway Station. It involves around 60 roads which have to be worked out in ones head and recited to the examiner in the correct sequence

In all, a candidate will, at the end of the ‘Knowledge of London Examination,’ have acquired around 20,000 roads, the restrictions and all buildings of note within. That’s all that is required to become a London Cab Driver. Recognizing that London is not laid out to a specific plan or grid, that it is rife with one-way streets, and that lanes and mews are sprinkled everywhere, the feat is remarkable. Take into account also that London is one of the worlds largest cities with a population of nearly 8 million people, and encompassing between 800 and 1,000 square miles.

The three official licensed cab types are the Fairway, based on a 1960’s design and the most recognizable. The Metrocab, which is similar in appearance to a Land Rover — and the Asquith which, while modern, is a replica of a 1920/30’s design. They all have a 25 ft turning circle, automatic folding ramp access for the disabled with interior wheelchair restraints, a loop for the hard of hearing, a power point for a laptop computer, and a built-in child’s seat.

A licensed cab is not allowed to operate with exterior damage, and the safety checks conducted by the Metropolitan Police are the most draconian in existence anywhere in the world. A new taxi, the TX1, is replacing the Fairway and is fully compliant with all emission requirements. It is fast becoming the criterion, not only for Britain, but for the rest of Europe.

It all started 365 years ago when Charles I, in 1636, made a proclamation enabling 50 cabs, or in those days it was carriages drawn by either 2 or 4 horses, to ply for hire within the limits of London. By 1654 the English Civil War had raged for several years and Oliver Cromwell ruled the country. It was then that laws were passed to formulate the basis on which they operate today.

The history of the London Black Taxi is abundant with fascinating minutiae, but space will not allow the telling here. Suffice it to say that a ride in a London cab, and interface with a London cabbie, can be a most enriching experience. Don’t be shy, start a dialogue. You will be rewarded with opinion on any topic that you are ever likely to want, or need — all delivered with a droll sense of humor which will make you wonder why the English are characterized as dull. Of course, it will take you a few minutes to understand the dialect. By the time you finish your journey, don’t be surprised if tears of laughter are streaming down your cheeks, and you will later say that you had a phenomenal time — and a safe and comfortable ride with one of the most reliable purveyors of a service it will be your good fortune to meet. And by the way — the “Black”cab is sometimes a different color nowadays.

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