>>If the London cab drivers are required to actually pass an in depth exam, that's a point in their favor.<<

No "if" about it. They need to pass the Knowledge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxica...United_Kingdom

>><blue>The London taxicab driver is required to be able to decide routes immediately in response to a passenger's request or traffic conditions, rather than stopping to look at a map, relying on satellite navigation or asking a controller by radio. Consequently, the "Knowledge of London" is the in-depth study of a number of pre-set London street routes and all places of interest that taxicab drivers in that city must complete to obtain a licence to operate a black cab. It was initiated in 1865, and has changed little since. It is claimed that the training involved ensures that London taxi drivers are experts on London, and have an intimate knowledge of the city and are the safest form of transport.

It is the world's most demanding training course for taxicab drivers,[citation needed] and applicants will usually need to pass at least twelve 'appearances' (periodical one-on-one oral examinations undertaken throughout the qualification process),<B> with the whole process usually averaging 34 months, to pass.</B>[8]</blue>

Wow. Well, that explains the positive experience I had in London. Only one dud driver the whole time.

(I wasn't doubting that they had to pass a test, Janis, but thanks for the background anyway. Few changes since 1865? Fascinating!)

>>Few changes since 1865?<<

Well, they have to pick up on new developments and all the new places people will be asking to go to - not like they're tested on what people needed to know in 1865!

That's if they want the right to pick up casual passengers on the street. Minicab (pre-booked or "private hire") drivers don't need to have done the knowledge but they do need criminal record checks as well as safety checks on their vehicle and the right insurance, or their employing company needs to have done so. That's where Uber is falling foul - it's the fall-out from the argument as to whether they're employing their drivers, and the employment tribunals have already said they are.

I am so used to London 's excellent black cabs that I was astounded when asked by a cab at the Washington airport where the Weston downtown was located! How should I know?? I don't live there...surely the name of the hotel and street it is located on should be enough!

Lol. Yes, jamikins, that sounds more like my experiences with the Seattle cabs. I think you may be talking about DC? But I often think Seattle cab drivers are better advertisement for Uber and lyft than the PR they actually pay for! I'd rather take the bus and that's really saying something.

I don't think metro DC cab drivers are that great but the Westin in DC is on a long street that runs across the entire city. Plenty of chain hotels have multiple sites in a city. There are two Westins in DC, for example, and both are on the same street as it runs for miles across the city (M ST). I think anyone should have the actual address of a hotel. So that question wasn't so stupid to ask the address of a Westin on M St as there are two of them (and neither is called "the Westin Downtown").

Yeah but that's more of a nitpick than anything else as the Westins are either Georgetown or city center so if you said downtown, I can't really see a cabby taking you to Georgetown. City center/downtown is more or less interchangeable usually.

Just listened to Uber's first defence on Radio 4 (BBC). "We don't understand why these 5 issues are a concern" then slowly with very little pressure it all unravels. While sounding very cool, they admit to errors "yes we hold our hands up to this and that etc". What they don't like is that their errors are being displayed in public rather than being swept under the carpet.

They are d@@ks