Taxis are one of the most popular services in the world when it comes to transporting people. In fact, there is no one who is not familiar with them and is unable to recognize them. Therefore, especially those who travel abroad often use them frequently to transport themselves quickly to their destination.
Without a doubt, we are talking about vehicles that are an icon of our society and that we will find anywhere in the world. But surely, you, like many of us, have realized that in various parts of the world taxis are not the same. So we will find taxis with different characteristics in terms of color, shape or size, but also, with different customs when driving through the streets.
With all this in mind, we can say that there are many curiosities about taxis that very few know and then we will reveal some of them. So we invite you to continue reading until the end.
the first cab
Although the automobile had not yet been invented, the first form of taxi service began in the early 17th century, in the cities of Paris and London. Back then people used horse-drawn carriages as vehicles and hired or paid the driver for a ride.
Origin of the word taxi
Although the word “taxi” is almost universal in all countries and people all over the world use the word or at least know what it means, few know where it comes from. This is a word first used in London shortly after its release in the early 20th century. And it’s actually the shorter version of «taxi-cab,» which is derived from the words «taximeter» and «cabriolet» combined.
A taximeter was an instrument used to measure the distance or time a vehicle traveled. While cabriolet refers to a horse-drawn carriage used in those days.
The first taximeter
The invention of the taximeter happened long after the invention of taxis as such. In fact, the first taximeter was invented in 1891 in Germany by Friedrich Wilhelm Gustav Bruhn.
It is a device whose name comes from the combination of the Greek words “τάξις” which means rate and meter which means to measure. With regard to a device used to measure the distance or time that the vehicle passes. So we can say that the name to designate this means of transport comes from the invention of this device. In fact, taximeter entered the language in 1894; while taxicab and taxi followed in 1907.
The first metered taxi
The world’s first metered taxi was built in 1897. Called the Daimler Victoria and it was first operated in the city of Stuttgart in Germany.
The fastest taxi driver
Sabine Schmitz holds the title as the world’s fastest taxi driver, as she can drive 20.8 km in just 9 minutes. Which shouldn’t surprise us, as in addition to being a taxi driver, she’s also a professional BMW motorsport driver.
The most educated taxi driver
Cai Mingjie is a taxi driver from Singapore known as the most educated professional taxi driver in the world. But he is also quite an internet celebrity famous for having his own blog”A Singapore Taxi Driver’s Diary” and has even published a book. He has a Ph.D. and used to work as a researcher for Sabine Schmitzbiology. But, due to strange circumstances, he became a taxi driver and started a blog about his fascinating experiences.
The most expensive taxi service in the world
According to a report by Daily Mall News, New Zealand airport taxi services are the most expensive services in the world and are rarely affordable for ordinary people.
The longest taxi ride in the world
Paul Archer, Johno Ellison and Leigh Purnell are famous for completing the longest taxi ride in history. These three friends from university covered more than 43,000 km at a price of almost 80,000 pounds on the meter and took 15 months to complete the journey. Fortunately, since the trio were driving the car themselves, they never had to pay the fee.
In addition, they traveled to 50 countries. But in China, these guys also set the record for the highest altitude reached in a taxi: 5,224 meters.
The legendary London cabbie test
Being a taxi driver is not easy, especially when it comes to the city of London. Since the exam to become a taxi driver in this city is possibly the most difficult to pass in the world. New taxi drivers need three to four years of study to memorize the 25,000 streets of this labyrinthine city. That’s not to mention any businesses or landmarks on them.
Introduced as a requirement for taxi drivers in 1865, this test is certainly challenging. But for those who have the pride and passion to become a London taxi driver, there are other rewards as well as knowledge. And it is that, as taxi drivers, they can choose when and where to work and how much to earn.
Why are taxis in New York City yellow?
Taxis come in many colors and the most iconic is undoubtedly the yellow used in New York City. But many people do not know why taxis have this particular color.
Some sources indicate that Jhon Hertz, founder of the Yellow Cab Company, had read a study carried out by the University of Chicago. According to which it was concluded that yellow was the easiest color to glimpse, so he decided to paint his fleet of taxis in this color.
Also read curiosities about New York City
In Beijing it is difficult to distinguish a taxi
Although taxis have their length and cylinder capacity regulated, the same does not happen with their color. So the disparity in colors makes them difficult to distinguish from other vehicles. Turning this into an exercise only available to locals.
In Finland taxi drivers must pay royalties
In this country if passengers want to enjoy music, by law the taxi driver must pay a fee, otherwise he will incur penalties. Music rates are about $40 a year and include playback from a device as well as music heard over the radio.
Why do black cabs in London have such high ceilings?
This is because, in England, there used to be a law that taxis had to be tall enough for a passenger to sit comfortably while wearing a bowler hat.
As we mentioned, these are just some curious facts about taxis around the world. But, if you know more curiosities and interesting facts about taxis, we invite you to share them with us in the comments.