Need Help Buying a Gift For a Black Cab Driver Friend (On Verge Of Becoming One)

Associate

Hi,

APOLOGIES TO MODS IN ADVANCE, BUT GO NO REPLIES IN "I wanna buy-it or do-it" SECTION


Bit of an unusual request.

I want to by a gift for my friend and as he is well into doing "The Knowledge," an exam that they need to pass to become a licensed London Black Cab driver. I thought I'd buy him something, perhaps, a bit quirky and with a Black Cab theme; which he would probably appreciate.

I was thinking of buying a good watch that may have a picture of a Black Cab on the front (face) of the watch, and then having the back case engraved with his initials. But I haven't found anything like this online, nor optimistic about whether it exists.

I came across something different on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LONDON-TAXI-BL...item2eb3797274

I'm not sure if it is appropriate or the right quality, though.



What do you think?


Any ideas on what I could buy for him that follows the theme I have mentioned?




Thank you

Chimpofdoom

London black cab driver.. map of east india.. last 2 cabs I got down there.. I had to give them directions to where I was staying!

My OH's dad's a taxi driver in Edinburgh.. he loves his beaded car seat massager that we got him last year @ xmas. Massages his back while he drives!

Lirin

Look on ebay for coal sculptures of black cabs- they're really good

bigjl

Thing to remember is that the area around there is partially part of a suburb, as the Romford/East London yellow badge comes right up to London City Airport.

So a lot of Green badge holders have only basic knowledge of that area, which they would have picked up when they did their suburbs, unlike Edinburgh Green or all London drivers have specialist knowledge of the 6 miles from Charing Cross, and less detailed knowledge as you get further from the centre of London.

Another problem recently is Yellow badge cabbies from West, South and North London also come into London and pick up fares outside their licencing conditions, hence why some Black Cab drivers sem tobe lacking in knowledge, obviously a Yellow badge from East London would have very good knowledge in East London and certainly around East India Dock, as it is right by City Airport.

As far as a good present for a new Cabby, I would get hime a money belt/bum bag for his change.

You must also get him to say repeatedly, " the game isn't what it was".................

One tip from my minicab/courier mates from years ago, that now have their Green Badges, is to work in the evenings through to the early morning, say 4 or 5 am.

The reason is that there is a lot less work during the day and driving a Black cab is a service industry, and you an easily double your hourly rate by working during the busy periods. Also tell him that sitting on the ranks all day is no way to make decent money, nice place to plot up and eat a sandwich and read the paper though.

Also tell him to find out about all the little "unofficial rules of conduct" that there are out there, any Black Cab driver will fill him in, though if he does break any of these little rules he will almost certainly get told by the other cabby involved.

An example of one of these little rules is that when in traffic and another Black Cab lets you into traffic then somebody puts their hand up to flag you down you have to drive past and indicate that the cab that let you out should have the fare.

Sadly some drivers don't abide by these rules, but then again in every industry there are !!!!!!, cab driving is no different.


Tell him to get out there and enjoy himself, if he wants a good cup of tea then he can get one at Finsbury Sq in the evenings during the week at "Petes" burger van, or in the meat market at the "chinese cafe" on Long Lane and get a nice sit down meal and milky coffe at "Ferraris" on West Smithfield. Lots of other black cab driver meet up at these places, mainly due to a lot of the evening drivers having been couriers or minicab drivers prior to doing the KoL.


Hope your friend enjoys it.

Ionkontrol

A compass, so they can go south of the river.

fadetogrey

A recorded message saying "ear your neva gonna guess who I had in my cab the orer nite guvnor":money:

hartcjhart

a cabiie pal of mine has suggested a leather licence holder that can be worn around the neck, as they have to display it at all times

HFH_2

How about one of those daily tablet containers for his chill-pills and heart tablets?