classic london cabs go bye,bye...check out green talk in comments.

[larrybuck]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/ /history-london-black-cabs

I understand the need for modernizing, but as article states: no vehicles
allowed 15 years, and older??

Would they be allowed with custom modern drivetrains????

Arragonis can probably answer those questions!

Is it really true that in Japan, or at least in their big cities that only vehicles
under 5 years old are permitted???? as anything more is considered totally
obsolete????


London's passing tests for being a cabbie, and Japan's strict be perfect,
or no motorcycle license retry for maybe a year ( don't know about cars?)
sounds very interesting. On the positive side, it would be nice to share the
roads here in America with other people who actually would care about how they drive!

[Arragonis]

This regulation was spnsored by one Tim Yeo who is an MP in the UK. He also sits on various bodies associated with saving us from CO2. He was involved in creating this regulation and signing it into law.

Oh, hang on - he is a director of a company that imports ---- replacement taxis

Taxi Trouble Mounts for Tim Yeo Eco City Vehicles CEO Signed Age Limit Deal - Guy Fawkes' blog

Hmmmm. So lets gets this straight - London Taxis tend to be kept going over millions of miles (average life of a UK car is under 200K) but now no longer. They will be scrapped.

Underneath the LT1 body is actually a very modern Nissan Diesel - latest emissions gear and everything.

And now we will replace them with imported Mercedes, Citroen and Peugeot vehicles.

Well done greenies, well done - all those green jobs again

Anyway the company that makes the LT1 is now also going bust.

London black cab maker Manganese Bronze enters administration | Business | guardian.co.uk

As for the drivers, the training is pretty hard in London - the rest of the UK just has a limited numbers licencing scheme - so owning a taxi badge is worth £000's even if you don't drive. Only "black cabs" are allowed to pick up at the kerbside, minicabs (aka cars) have to pre-book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMRJhanj-UI

[slowmover]

The knowledge . . great stuff to read on in re London cabbies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16086233

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--xwm7c2aRh...Smart+Taxi.jpg


We lost the iconic American taxi thirty years ago, the 1956-1982 CHECKER Marathon. Could fit four across that back seat, five on the right Friday night.

The station wagon version was the fast ticket in and out of remote airports for a group traveling by light plane; up into a National Park from a train station . . or chartering transportation to a music or art event a good ways away. My favorite ride in one was in a six door version out to the Santa Fe Opera from town. Some quite knowledgeable persons may not have otherwise met.

http://gomotors.net/pics/Checker/che...axi-cab-02.jpg


Seems to me that "public" vehicles need a decent exemption, be it police, EMS or taxis. They are not the problem, per se, and highly dependable long life should be foremost.

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