Morning:
8°c
Awful to open the papers to read about John Worboys, the black cab driver guilty of hundred of rapes and assaults on women. All the times I've said to my daughter when she was travelling home late, "Don't get in a minicab, whatever you do, get a proper taxi," thinking she'd be all right and now? Well, I'm determined this isn't going to change a thing.
Whatever Worboys did, it will still be glad confident evening again for all women across the capital. Of course, his violent, pervy career was terrible. But it was so much worse to read the reaction of some women who wrote pieces saying that the black cab - symbol of safety on London streets - could no longer be a port in the storm for women alone, late at night.
I find this incredibly irresponsible. The truth is, if the police had appealed to all the black-cab drivers for help, it is likely that Worboys would have been caught years ago. Given the alternatives - drunken drivers, unlicensed minicabs, night buses, long walks in unlit streets - it would be a catastrophe if this sick loser caused even one woman to avoid taking black cabs.
Black cabs are one of London's top brands. Black cabs are brilliant. They are safe and recognisable. Cabbies always know where they're going, and are the only men I know who can make my day by calling me blossom. They need our fares and our faith in their trade. Taxi!
* Has thuddingly literal US-style advertising (Take Advil! It works!) come to London? Reason I ask - the cabs that are currently cruising about advertising a special type of flatulence pants called Shreddies. Now I know more than I need to about package enhancement, odour filtration and scrotal - am I allowed to say this? - support. Still, the direct approach works. Ordering mine now.
* This last spot is reserved for totty and, therefore, who better to drool over than French rugby's Sebastien Chabal? I don't know what it is about this beardie's Cro-Magnon brow, whipping manlocks and taut thighs straining against the combined weight of the entire England team but whenever I see him I get a terrible "You Tarzan, Me Jane" rush and feel like crawling back into the cave, clad only in a fur loincloth. It's odd that he's had to channel a look fashionable at about the time that men ran with mammoths to achieve this devastating effect but, frankly, we women don't care. The Caveman. He's just so hot right now.
Reader views (7)
Why am I seeing what appear to be sat navs in all of the black cabs lining up at the cab rank at Clapham Common Station? Does this have any connection to the Mayor's recent initiative to encourage more under-represented groups into the trade?
- Peter, London, 05/03/2011 18:37
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Nice to see the comments section highjacked by the usual bitter lycra louts and failed Knowledge students, still it keeps us all entertained.
Worboys was one in a million, every profession in the world has them, I've been a licensed London Taxi Driver / Owner for 19 years, and this is the first case of it's kind, sadly the same cannot be said of our competition and our friends the Pedicabs.
- Gbc, London, 20/03/2009 14:21
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Robert and Jon are both mini cab driver who can not be botherd to do the knowledege, sat navs do not work properly in town you should know that robert,stop hitting on the cabbie they do a very good job unlike the touting mini cab lot .
- Richard, SARF LONDON, 20/03/2009 12:12
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So the question we need to ask is "Why didn't the Police seek the co-operation of the London Taxi trade" ?
I like all my colleages are glad this evil individual is behind bars and I'm hoping the judge on passing sentence ensures this evil person is never released from jail, 30 years will not be enough...!
- John Kennedy, London, 20/03/2009 06:08
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Three years to qualify yet many of them use satnavs.Its simply a means of keeping out perfectly adequate drivers from running black cabs even if they could afford to do so.Its just a licensed racket
- Robert, London England, 19/03/2009 17:57
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Black cabs should be banned from central London in the daytime. They clog up the streets and are only used by lazy rich people who can't be bothered to use buses or tubes.
Black cab drivers also hate cyclists. They block cycle lanes, drive into the cycling boxes, and take to the pavement when it suits them.
- Jon, London, 19/03/2009 13:10
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Talking a black cabs, I, as a tourist to the UK, although very expensive, find them the best in the world - real professional. After all, cab drivers study for a min of 3 years to qualify, isnt that right?
- Cally, somwehere in the Med, 19/03/2009 09:43
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