Being a London Taxi Driver. The article damn near wore me out. Know anyone who accomplished the feat of getting a Green Badge? Do tell.
I’d known about the knowledge before, but I hadn’t seen it explored in such detail.
Awesome article.
Belowjob2.0, Dude Man. Besides written exams you have to take Orals??? WTF!!?! Any Doper Grrrls out there with a Green Badge are d-e-f-i-n-i-t-l-e-y on my to-do list. Gabba Gabba Hey!
There is an excellent and very funny 1979 made for TV movie called “The Knowledge” that is well worth watching on this subject if you can find it. My knowledge of The Knowledge comes from that movie and it’s interesting to see that based on the linked article not much has changed about the process since 1979.
Also, when I was driving courier trucks in London there were a couple of other drivers who were doing The Knowledge. It was a good way for them to combine earning a living with learning the streets.
One of them famously left her courier van running with the keys in it while she ran inside an office to drop something off. Apparently she made a habit of this, at the same time every day. One day she came back out to find her van gone, perhaps unsurprisingly. She got the sack, natch.
Princhester, I Googled the following and came up with a number of hits.
movie “The Knowledge”
I read the linked article yesterday and was amazed at what it takes to be a London cabbie. I had never heard of The Knowlege, but am well and duly impressed!
Can you imagine going to a university for a degree in medicine and being told “Here is a book of the basics, go figure out the rest for yourself through existing knowlege stores. Come back when you’re ready for you first test and we’ll go from there”.
…and two weeks later you’re arrested for graverobbing.
I have the papers sitting here now to begin The Knowledge. If I do start it won’t be until January but things are changing fast in that business (inc. Uber and GPS). It’s a huge investment in uncertain times …
When I was in college, many of the frat boys would go over to one of the sorority houses to take Orals. They were always very fond of the experience and eager to try the next level.
Are there any equivalencies to this in other cities, or is London pretty much alone in making this huge demand?
On the other hand, it’s so tough that it seems that once you pass, you’re pretty much set for life. And I guess that’s part of the reason that the current set of drivers don’t want to change it.
This sounds like something that the guys on The Big Bang Theory would get a total kick out of, and would probably pass too. It requires top-notch visual and spatial skills along with the ability to memorize shit-tons of trivia. Are there a lot of autistic or autistic-ish cabbies in London?
Wow BOOM! I’m amazed that Uber is allowed in London after reading about The Knowledge.
This movie was the first thing I thought of as well. Manor House Station to Gibson Square!
Good luck! I was thinking about the GPS issue for you guys myself lately. (I also saw the 79 docufilm The Knowledge). ISTM, as awesome as modern GPS systems can be, a taxi driver who passes the tests is like a guy with a GPS built into his brain. As long as they’re still people willing to do it and there is enough cabs for the city, why change? Just to be modern?
A friend’s husband completed The Knowledge a couple of years ago. It took him several years hard work and it was a struggle for him to put in the hours and still work part-time as a house painter to make end meet. He is an intelligent man but you wouldn’t say he was especially talented. It was just down to dedication and hard work.
What a trip. Cool cultural enrichment.
I’m not crying a river though. When I was studying foreign language at the defense language institute I learned that with practice, I could learn shitloads of information every day. If you’re into it and motivated, it’s pretty easy to memorize ridiculous amounts of information.
So are the qualified black cab drivers - they have been protesting:
Until recently I thought GPS was pretty good. I drive 60-70 hours a week now and it really isn’t, it’s so annoying - I guess it’s okay if you’re in a strange city but really you’re better off using a map or, better still, have the stret knowledge.
Best I can see is GPS solves a particular problem and this is why it’s been so popular: it solves the problem of what to buy men at Christmas.
I guess it’s actually problem solving (how best to get from A to B), though based on huge amounts of information.
The Knowledge is both very cool, and historically interesting. But having said that, I really can’t find any good reason for the protectionism that cabbies (in London and many other places) demand for their service. If people want to use Uber, then why shouldn’t they be able to? Sure, black cabs in particular are brilliant but if that’s what the market wants it will pay for it, and if the market would rather have crap taxis that are cheap, then so be it.
I remember once being a black cab in London when the driver suddenly swore under his breath and then said “Sorry guv, I shoulda turned left back there, I’ve cocked this up. I shoulda done Creaking Lane, left into Crossbudget, right into the Rambles, then round Barmy Square an’ I woulda dropped you right at the ‘effin door bu’ instead I’ve gone Crumpet Street, right into Crossbudget and now I’m gunna 'ave to go the whole way 'round Strumpetmarket. I’ll turn the meter off. Dunno where me 'ed was at.”
The thing was I never would have known he had made a mistake (which only cost me maybe 1 minute) and it was clear it was mostly the blow to his professional pride at having got the route wrong that made him annoyed. So, as I say, black cabbies are great but I just don’t know that they should have to be protected if their talent isn’t enough to make people want to pay for them.