On 2012\06\08 16:22, Robin9 wrote:
'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote:
;131057']

True, but don't assume that it's always the taxi driver that has the
knowledge. In my last two cab journeys, both involving heavily
congested roads, the minicab driver (Monarch Radio Cars, W4) was superb,

both in driving skills and knowledge of the street network. By
contrast, the taxi driver with an all-London badge, hailed on the street

at Edgware Road H&C station, needed advice from me on 4 separate
occasions because he evidently had very poor knowledge of West London.


Your experience is quite typical of many who hail a taxi in Central
London
and want to go to the suburbs. Although most green badge taxi drivers
know Central London extremely well, many are out of their depth in the
suburbs,
particularly the outer suburbs. It's one of the reasons taxi drivers
sometimes
refuse to take passengers to the leafy suburbs. (The other main reason,

of course, is that they are unlikely to get a fare back into the
middle)

Your other point is also valid. Many minicab drivers know their patch
very well indeed and have no difficulty finding alternative routes when

the main routes are congested.

...although the suburban taxi drivers found at suburban ranks have done
the knowledge for their suburban area and know the suburbs better than
anyone.