London's Out-of-date Taxicabs. •
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WHY is it that London, huge and important as It is, has what are described by many visitors, both British and foreign, as the worst taxicabs in the world—not from the point of view of construction, because , some are excellent examples of engineering work, but in appearance and lack of comfort?
The chief reason is that they have to be designed and built to meet requirements which are now hopelessly out of date, and, in great part. quite unnecessary. These requirements were based upon designs formulated about the year 1906, and they have been amended only slightly from time to time. In our opinion, these amendments have been nothing like suffielently drastic, and it should now be rendered possible to place upon the streets of London a cab of much improved design giving comfortable seating, adequate accommodation and built to look better than the high, ancient and cumbersome contraptions which are in service at present.
The only really important point in the construction of the taxicab lies in the lock, which should allow exceptionally easy manceuvring in congested areas. Even allowing for this, it should be possible to produce a far more satisfactory model than is now permissible.
The builders of the first American • cab to be 'placed into servi.se in London were, we are assured, astounded when they discovered how the designer is restricted, and although they did their best to produce a nice-looking vehicle and one which is still looked upon in London as one of the best of its class, they themselves were not at all pleased at the result. They thought London was worthy of a much better model, and so do those who have to employ this means for transport to any considerable extent.
The Loudon-type taxicab is most expensive to produce, as it ie like no other vehicle now being manufactured; in fact, it is a relic of the past, but not one which should be preserved as if it were an ancient monument.