London Black Taxi Cab Etiquette- How to Ride in a London Taxi

01 Apr London Black Taxi Cab Etiquette- How to Ride in a London Taxi

Not many tourists will know that cabs too demand an etiquette to be driven with comfort. It may come as a surprise even to the natives that by hiring a taxi, their duty isn’t done because there is more to the ride than just the apparent convenience you feed upon. Hailing a cab has to be followed by a small conversation with the driver to let the chains loose, and try wearing politeness on your face and exuding it through every action of yours. But the baffling question that arises is that of the necessity to do so.

People who have traveled to different parts of the world suggest practicing this etiquette that needs to go into the ride that you take in any city. London is said to have an entirely different culture that entails a different requirement of etiquettes while taking a cab. Although you need to stick to these norms while taking one of the black taxis in London, there isn’t plenty of them that you need to keep in mind. Here are the procedures that anyone hiring a London black taxi cab must follow.

 Procedure and Etiquette

• You must check for the light on top of the cab before hiring one. Like in other cities, London has also followed this rule of having to switch the light’s activity depending on its availability. When the light on top of the cab is on, it is available for hire.
• In many countries, there exists a practice of calling out “Taxi” to hail one for a ride. You don’t do that to hail a taxi in London; a wave will do.
• Queues are meant to be kept, and this is mandatory to be followed while in London. When you are at the booking counter for a cab in an airport or train station, make sure to maintain the queue and be patient with the procedure. Refrain from making insensible decisions of jumping the queue for selfish deeds.
• Before you enter a cab that has stopped for you, make sure that you ask the cab driver politely if he/she can take you to your destination. It is among the basic etiquettes that you need to follow while taking a ride on a taxi in London.
• The cabs will have an intercom system installed inside it, which you can find near to the seat. You can use it to communicate with the driver. While you do so, try to be polite with him/her and say hello. Be friendly with them by conversing with them about light matters.
• Leaving a tip for the driver at the end of the trip is always a good practice. Round up the fare to the nearest pound or add 10% of the fare to it and pay the total. However, it is up to an individual on how much they tip the driver; you could pay more if the ride were an enjoyable one.