To not understand the point of black cabs now?

[Userlavender]

Aside from all the uber controversy (i use addison lee and local minicabs) can someone please tell me - what is the point of black cabs in 2017?!

They are insanely expensive, surely the knowledge is irrelevant now that everyone has satnav and they love going the long way round to get extra £££? This has happened to me a few times. Cab to the airport using my local minicab which sends driver details and tracking is £18. With a black cab the estimate is 'about £80'. Surely they are no longer sustainable due to prices? Am I missing something? Who are all these people who pay black cabs their ridiculous prices?

I am not fussed about the banter, or knowlege

You do know The Knowledge is not "banter", right? It's someone with a close, detailed and tested knowledge of how to get around the city, including landmarks and really quite obscure places? It's a qualification, not light conversation.

Sure, the knowledge takes a lot of effort and skill to attain. I (for one) am not denying that.

But, I don't want to pay a premium for it in a world where we have sat navs. It doesn't command extra cost any more.

The blacksmiths had a lot of skill too. But the world moved on, rendering their skill redundant. Same thing is happening here.

Black cabs in my city ( not London) never know where anywhere is and struggle with the most basic routes, charge you a good £7 more than a mini cab for the pleasure as well.

Why are you comparing the knowledge to a PhD? Yes it affects your brain, but so would learning every book title and shelf in waterstones and I wouldn't pay extra for a a shop that had staff like this when a computer does it better.

Geese I am not stupid: I meant that I was not fussed whether the driver has done the knowlege test, nor am I fussed with making banter with the taxi driver.

Of course I know they are two separate things, my friends dad was a black cab driver.

I don't want to pay double the price for the privilege.

Black cabs are synonymous with London like Yellow cabs are to New York..I would hate to see them go.

I agree Teddy, there is a place for them, its part of the tourist thing when in London, though I would not use them, as the transport is very good, mabey if I was in a group, but not on my own, it will be too costly.

Teddy1970 People were sentimental about Hanson cabs too. But they had to go.

As for the bus lanes - allow both or allow neither. Problem solved.

Still would hate them to go...

Wasn't there lots of protectionism when manually lit street lights were replaced with electronic?

As quaint as somethings are, they need to adapt to the times.

Black cabs are synonymous with London like Yellow cabs are to New York..I would hate to see them go.

Buuut, yellow cabs are a bargain in comparison and there is none of this elitest bs spouted by their drivers. Also, there has been a consorted effort to make the yellow cabs more enviromentally friendly.

And lastly, about 5 years ago "green cabs" launcged in NY. These are just green in colour, not in an eco sense. The main difference is how the licensing works and where they are allowed to pick up passengers. My point is simply that the yellow cabs don't keep a desperate stranglehold on the city and threaten to bring all the roads down if they don't get what they want and yet, they've managed to adapt and thrive even in the face of fierce competition. Remember, Uber is just one of many ride-sharing / taxi apps there.

Sorry if you have a sentimental attachment to them and think they should have a monopoly because of that, but really, they need to either adapt and compete in the market fairly.

Bollocks that black cabs have a monopoly - there are plenty of alternatives. Uber is not an alternative I would use until they stop taking the piss, though: they've been chucked out of a good deal more cities around the world than London for shitting all over the licensing requirements where they operate, rather than complying with them like every other operator is expected to if they want to keep their license.

Of course they have a monopoly! Bus lanes and ranks in all the main areas!

Strange monopoly where half the people on this thread have been saying they use alternative providers out of principle.

When Heathrow provided somewhere for minicabbers - not just uber - to sit down, have a coffee and use the loo the black cabbers objected; they of course already have one but they thought only they should have the Right to Piss!

You have to remember that councils keep a tight control over how many Hackney cab licences they issue, how much they cost and how they are controlled. They are a source of revenue for many city/town councils. So there is probably an element of it being in city/town councils favour to protect the Hackney cab from competition and keep Hackney cabs an attractive buisness option to maintain numbers of licensees.

1DAD2KIDS In London, whatever else is wrong, there is no such limit, although the LTDA would like to pull up the ladder and impose one.

There should be no such numerical limit anywhere. A restriction on how many people can enter a trade is an abomination.

I'd totally take Hansom cabs if they still existed (as long as they could use the bus lanes, too).

What service will all you Uber users use when Uber hike the prices up to their realistic, true level, not the current one subsidised by investors?

(Genuine question.)

ArcheryAnnie I will use whoever moves into the market. What you say is what every defender of monopolies and cartels has said since time immemorial. It is only valid where monopolies and cartels are backed up by law - as the London cabbies want. They still hanker for the days when there were no minicabs.

It's not just about the price for me. It's about the convenience (I can't actually hail black cabs where I live, even though it is technically inner London) and safety (have had too many dodgy trips in minicabs to count - though plenty of safe ones as well, obviously.) and knowing that I'm going to have a pleasant ride.

Personally I always use black cabs when I'm on my own. I'm a young woman and especially late at night it just feels safer. It's not just the vetting they get, it's the set up of a black cab. The driver would have to get out of the car to get to me, giving me a chance to get away if god forbid something were to happen. Glasgow black cabs are actually cheaper than uber

The question is not: are black cabs a Good Thing?

It is: should they be allowed to trade without competition?