TAXI-CABS AND THE PUBLIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1925, Page 4

TAXI-CABS AND THE PUBLIC.

London is an Imperial city. Visitors to our capital city have judgment aliened a good deal by the- condition of the public vehicles. And more visitors come to! London from every part of tlie globe than to any other city. The old London hansoms were our .invalid pride. We called the the gondolas of our capital, says Lieut .-Conimnn,|yr .]. .M. Ken wort !;y in the London "Dailv Mail."

To-day there are about 8.020 taxicabs in the Loidon area, and tln-y have not enough work to di>. In view ot the congestion of the streets their numbers should certainly not he added to. Ihe existing cabs are not patronised by the public a.s they should be. Ibis is. firstly, because the charges are too high. and. secondly, beeait.se many ol tlie vehicles on flic streets are old. slow, and insanitary.

In consequence we have idle taxicabs on the ranks and “cruising” taxicabs plying for hire. These cruising cabs are a. danger. The driver must l-> >k out. for fares and caniuit- pay lull attention to Ids driving. And some ol the drivers have a habit- of turning verv sharply when a customer s band is la-ld up; this lias frequently led to collisions.

Paris is a. contrast. There, taxicabs are inueli more widely pat roni-ed by the public, than in London and there always appears to be just enough to go round. One reason is Hull the taxienb-ovvuers and owner-drivers in Paris reduced their fares a long time ago. It is I utile lor rite advocates cl high fares in l.omlon to plead that this is because of the de-m-ciation of the franc. The principal items of upkeep namely, petrol and ihe rubber lor the tyres are not produced in Eram-e km have to bought at world prices. Again, in Paris there are two class, es if taxicabs with two diflerent infills. W-v should vc no! have the satin- tiling her*-!' A single passenger could then take the second-class and a. parly could take the first-class cab. Ib-tler still is the Rrightoll idea, where a good trade is done by the motor-cyclist'; with a kind ol sedan chair on wheel-, which will take two at a pinch. ’I hose little Vehicles arc hamlv and swift and can dodge in and out ol Ihe traffic very conveniently. Abo they lake tip less road space. Me-; of tin tint - taxicabs, are iu use they have only one passenger, and it is absurd that four-seater machines • tills should he allowed on the l.omlon streets. This the Home Office Committee has recognised. Another plan we might follow is I hat adopted in Germany. Italy. Australia, ain I ol la-r con t: i rics where open cn t ■ ply for hire as well as the clo.-eil var-ii-.v. I f a certain proport lin ol open cars were on tin- 1.-'iidun si reels. I believe they would In* used lor longdistance runs into tin- country to a far greater extent than closed cabs today. In any ease the number should not be added to : but Ibe new Iypi s of iaxicults suggesteil might replan- many .of the dei ti pi! old machines which anno credit to the greatest ami ii > !•- I citv in tlie world.