The Language of the London Cab Driver

As with any long-standing trade or profession, over the many years of the black cab trade in London, it has evolved its own particular vocabulary of its own out on the streets of London. With the majority of cab drivers being Londoners, there a raft of names and sayings that are as unique to the cab trade as is the success of this famous and very proud trade in London. Some have obscure meanings whilst others sound familiar and yet mean very different things.

For example, “Hackney”, a name synonymous with the hackney trade has nothing to do with the inner London borough of Hackney but rather comes from the French word ‘haqunee’, that means an ambling nag! Furthermore the word cab owes it meanings to another French name, cabriolet, that translates to two wheeled, one horse carriage.

Interesting words and meanings

Bilk

“to defraud a driver of his or her fare.”

In the 1830s a new two wheeled cab was introduced into the trade that had a door to the cab at the rear of the carriage. Unfortunately, this resulted in an easier way for non-paying customers to exit the cab and was known as the “bilker’s cab” amongst the trade and unsurprisingly was not popular.

Musher

“an owner driver who owns his own cab”

For many in the trade, the cost and ongoing cost of maintaining a taxi cab in London has increased. The upfront cost of a new cab in London often runs into the tens of thousands and with it the cost of servicing too. For many cab drivers, rather than own their cabs, an industry of small and large garages across the capital have for many years made a good living from renting out cabs to drivers. The driver benefits from driving a well maintained cab for a fixed fee (no time off the road if there are any problems). Until quite recently, this was a very popular way of running a black cab in London until more flexible financing became available for drivers back in the 1980s. That said, with the capital cost of new electric cabs increasing, it is possible that as the trade continues to evolve that renting a cab will once again begin to dominate the trade again.

Butter Boys

“a new cabby”

With the advent of mobile phone APP and a dearth of Uber like Apps now in the market place, many now consider the pursuit of the London Knowledge to be almost out of date with 21st Century London. Many however also still think that there is a significant role for the green badge holders within the trade. For those with the dedication and hard work to pass the knowledge, it takes on average 2 years to secure the coveted green badge. New drivers are perhaps unromantically known as butter boys, unfairly perhaps guilty by taking the bread and butter away from older drivers! Another well known fact about new drivers is the tradition for new drivers to provide their very first journey for free.

Req

“requisition”

Linked to completing the knowledge – it is the status given to a knowledge of London student who has finished the main blue runs but has still yet to complete the suburban knowledge.

Legal

“to pay the far shown on the meter”

It is still enshrined in English law that no cab driver can charge more than what is shown on the meter. On an occasion when a customer pays the legal fare and adds no tip, the cab driver can often be heard to say that he or she “legalled me off”.

Broom Off

“to reuse to take a particular passenger”

Kipper Season

“a period when trade is slow”

It could be argued that with the pandemic over the past 18 months, this has been a terrible period for London’s black cab trade. With no one working in the city or anyone looking to enjoy the many cultural activities of the west end, trade has been decimated across the capital since March 2020. In historical years, the kipper season usually referred to the period January to March when the general levels of trade would slow off after the busy build up to Christmas. For many cabbies the precise meaning isn’t clear – it is either that kippers are eaten for tea as they are a relatively cheap form of food or it was because the drivers took more “kips” than working!

Be on the Foul

“to exceed the appropriate number of cabs allowed on a particular taxi rank”

Across London there are hundreds of formal taxi ranks, outside train stations, leading west end stores, hotels, and airports. A sign at every rank clearly states how many cabs are permitted to use that rank at any given time. Drivers are required to move up when able to do so and the first two drivers on any rank must stay with their vehicle at all times and be constantly ready for immediate hire.

Woosher

“someone that calls a run so fast that it is impossible to follow it”

Runs are the bread and butter of any knowledge student. It is not enough to simply ride or drive the runs – students must recite them in their head many times to ensure that when required to they can recite them to the test examiner to such a degree of detail that they not only know the route but know the many points of interest that line that route too.

Bowler Hat

Many cab drivers have developed unique names for clients. Some being more flattering than others. For example, a “him and her” is a couple, if it is a single person then they are known as a “single pin” and a businessman has been coined a “bowler hat”.

The proud taxi trade has undergone many changes and faced many challenges to its dominance in London in recent years. That said, one of its many strengths are the traditions themselves that surround the trade. The black cab is an iconic feature of London, much like the red buses, and it is to that end that there will always be a black cab trade for visitors to London to use and enjoy.

There are many ways to hail a cab in London, at airport ranks or off the street being the more traditional way. You can also look to pre-book an iconic black too in London here.