I’m a taxi driver with tens of thousands of followers – here’s how to avoid making costly mistake when ordering a cab
AN experienced taxi driver has revealed the costly mistake people often make when hailing a cab.
The London cabbie known on YouTube as TomtheTaxiDriver said many customers make the mistake the moment they enter a black cab.
Tom, who has nearly 87,000 subscribers, says many people don’t mention exactly where they are going and simply give the driver a street name, which can lead to problems.
The cabbie said that customers can often get a quicker ride if they are more specific about their precise destination, so the driver can tailor a journey to get there via the quickest route.
Tom though did say this was more of an issue in central London where roads are often much longer and usually very busy.
He told Express.co.uk: “A lot of it can come down to communication… For people in the UK, give the driver as much information as possible.
“If someone said ‘oh can you take me to Oxford Street’, Oxford Street is a very long street.
“Depending on where I am there could be multiple points I could drop you that are a lot quicker or a lot longer.
“If you’re very specific to the driver and say ‘I want to go to Oxford Street because I specifically want to go to this shop’ then that really helps.”
‘TomtheTaxiDriver’ also said the tip can also be useful for tourists in the capital.
He revealed visitors can help themselves from getting lost in the city if they are open with their driver who may be able to give extra instructions having paid for their journey.
This could include advice on how to get to a venue which may not be easily accessible via the road.
It could also mean they don’t miss the start of a show or performance if the roads are snarled up with traffic.
Tom advised if people were going to a particular theatre, by taking them right to the door, this could add, say, another five minutes to the journey time, resulting in a higher fare.
But he said if people say they need to get to a particular theatre, he can drop them short or nearby, perhaps on the opposite side of the road and they save time and money.
The YouTube star added that not only does it help the passenger if they have good communication but it also means he can get onto his next job faster.
Elsewhere, drivers have been blown away by discovering there is a secret compartment in their car doors.
Motorists have also been warned they could be landed with a £100 fine for having a messy car.
Drivers could also be facing a £5,000 fine for simply checking their watch, even at a red light.