PARIS THE BEST CAB ED CITY IN EUROPE.
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The Wonderful Change in Taxicabs in Use in the Up-to-date Vehicles to thE apital. New, Comfortable and Mechanically of 13,000 Now in Use,
LESS than four years ago Paris taxicabs were a I--dbyword ; the Parisien would usually refer to them as being " infect," whilst the English visitor, on returning to London, would offer thanks for Scotland Yard. Anyone, however, who has not visited the French capital since 1920 or 1921 would be astounded by the change which has taken place.
When the city returned to normal conditions alter the war there ?were not nearly enough taxicabs in commission. By far the greater proportion of the cabs running then were two-cylinder Renaults of-the famous 1907 model. Should a taxi owner be fortunate enough to possess something slightly more modern than this, he • would proudly inscribe, " Quatre cylinders! " in large letters on both sides • of his vehicle. Owing to the shortage of cabs in those days, anything or everything was put into service. Old American Army Fords were picked straight oft the disposal dumps and thrown into service on to the streets of Paris without even a coat of paint. Scores of these were to be seen running about in all states Of dilapidation ; hoods torn off, stuffing bursting out of the uphelstery, etc., but always fitted
with a brand-new taximeter.
It should be explained that in Paris, • whilst the Prefecture of Police insists upon an examination for the drivers, including topography, etc., no special regulations need be complied with, so far as the cab is concerned, beyond the production of the ordinary "grey card " which is necessary for every motor vehicle in France. This grey card merely states that, on some previous date, ten or twenty years ago, perhaps, the car w a s in running order. The practical value of the card is absolutely nil, but to the official mind it is of great 'importance and to leave it at home when driving is in volving offence, mvolving a heavy fine.
• The dearth of taxicabs after the war naturally stimulated manufacturers to turn out new ones. Some of the first new cabs to appear -wer e Citrons. These neat and dapper little
• vehicles made a profound impression on the Paris public,, and they were quickly followed by a host of other new cabs, B e 1 1 a T1 g e r 5, Renaults, De Diens, etc, Each succeeding year has seen more and more luxury introduced into the Paris taxi Until, at the present
• time, the newcomer to the city is almost afraid to hail a cab, as the majority of them are indistinguishable from well-appointed private cars.
Thus, in the space
of three or four years, London has not merely been equalled but surpassed in the matter of taxicabs. Paris is now, without a shadow of doubt, the best served city in Europe so far as cabs are concerned. The last returns issued by the Prefecture of Police show a total of 12,730 motorcabs and 120 horse-drawn vehicles. There are also 100 " firstclass" cabs registered. The latter are large, powerful six or seven-seater cars not provided with a taximeter clock. Their principal " rank" is to be found in the Place de l'Opera, and their clientele consist almost excl usiv el y of tourists. A bargain has to be struck with the driver before starting.
As the official returns are .always in arrears it would appear certain that the number of taxicabs in Paris is already well over 13,000,
How does this compare with London? The population of Paris is about 51 to 5!fr millions. That of London is, I believe, considerably larger.
In addition to the smartness and allround efficiency of the modern Paris taxis, a number of refinements .have been brought in during the past two years. Front-wheel brakes and balloon tyres are to be seen everywhere. Lowpressure tyres are a genuine boon in P ari s, especially when driving in some of the outlying districts where the pave is in an appal ling condition. Front-wheel brakes are of very great assistance to the drivers in the tip-and-run conditions of present-day Paris traffic. Progress through the city takes the form of a series of sharp sprints from the fall of the policeman's baton at one crossroads to the raising of a baton at the next one. The ability to stop with a bang gives the driver the chance of obtaining a good starting position for the next race!
A very useful little fitting which is rapidly being adopted on Paris cabs consists of a small illuminated sign on the roof connected up to a switch on the clock. When the flag is raised, the electric sign automatically lights up. The flag on a taxi is always difficult to see after dark, and this arrangement saves a great deal of unnecessary trouble on the part of the would-be fare and avoids the probable loss of custom.
From time immemorial the recognized method of hailing a cab in Paris has been to stand on the edge of the -kerb and hiss. Owing to the change in traffic conditions, however, the efforts of the strongest hisser are liable in these days to be drowned in the
general uproar. The illuminated sign " Libre " thus reduces the expenditure of useless wind.
Four-wheel braking was introduced for Paris taxicabs some two years ago, and at the present moment hardly a single new cab is put on the road without this refinement, with the exception of the Monoplace, and the latter vehicle is really a cyclecar. About 150 Monoplace taxis are now on the streets, and they appear to be very popular. A recent arrival in Paris is the Yellow Cab, a splendidly turned-out taxi, complete with four-wheel braking and every modern improvement. These cabs bear the inscription, "The Driver Speaks English," and this is no idle boast, for although some of the drivers really speak American, they can nearly always make themselves understood in English. Like nearly all present-day Paris taxis, the Yellow Cabs are splendidly kept, cleaned and polished like a fireengine. A fine example of up-to-date methods in cab service is to be seen in the new Citroen garage to hold 1,000 cabs, which is nearing completion in Levallois Perret and was described in the ism& of The Commercial Motor for December 30th.
in some of the latest ultra-luxurious taxicabs which have appeared a newspaper rack is to be found con tainir1g several morning papers. The outside of the rack bears the following inscription :—" Voici quelques journaux. us sont a votre disposition. Mais laissez-lea pour votre successeur." A charming piece of courtesy to clients.
One reason for the amazingly rapid improvement in taxis in recent years is, perhaps, to be found in the liberty of choice allowed to the intending fare. In engaging a cab from a rank it is not necessary to take the leading vehicle ; one simply chooses the most efficient-looking cab. Natural selection is followed by the survival of the fittest.
The very last of the immortal two-cylinder Renaults is shortly to be removed from service. This does not mean, however, that they will be lost sight of, for as each cab is taken off the road it is fitted out with a light van body and sold out as a, camionette, to begin a further period of usefulness in private service after 17 years as a taxicab! Although, in private hands, these venerable chassis may not last more than another 30 or 40 years, it is pleasant to think that one of them at least is preserved for ever in the Museum of the Invalides in memory of the battle of the Marne. The wonderful old " hippomobile," with its gigantic wire wheels and pneumatic tyres, went the wayof all flesh some two years ago, but a certain number of horse-drawn cabs—about 100 in all—still exist. These contraptions, like the remaining growlers and hansoms in London, emerge from their lairs at night.
The Paris taiicab driver is nearly always efficient. Viewed from the French standpoint, that of getting there as quickly as possible, he is a positive marvel. He is utterly regardless of other vehicles, but this is simply because the idea of consideration for other drivers has never presented itself to him. To his mind, if you drive in Paris at all you must be an expert, otherwise you would not be so silly as to try the experiment. He is often far too harshly judged by the English visitor. Paris receives a larger proportion of foreign tourists than any other capital in the world and the foreigner is, not unnaturally, looked upon as legitimate prey to a certain extent. For all that, you will find on the whole less barefaced robbery in Paris than you will elsewhere.