London Taxi Drivers Glossary and Slang: Part 2 – General Glossary

May 6, 2024

London hackney carriage drivers in the 1600s became London cab drivers in the 1800s and they in turn became London taxi drivers in the 1900s.

In fact all three names are still in everyday use, absorbed within the taxi trade lexicon as the trade evolved. As the taxi trade in London developed, over the past 400 years, there has always been slang used amongst the drivers. It could more accurately be described as a sub-slang, a jargon that uses both general London slang and a more specific slang that developed and is used only by London cabbies.

This London ‘dictionary’ lists three things: taxi drivers slang, slang used by taxi drivers and London taxi trade specific lexicon or jargon. Some words are historical and not used anymore. Many words and phrases are still in everyday use amongst London cabbies.

Part 2 focusses on General Glossary.

Glossary (General)

All in	Earnings	Gross earnings (daily or weekly) before expenses. Also see Exes.
Appearance (an)	Verbal assessments/exams during the Knowledge of London	Examinations, aka Appearances, for Knowledge students are verbal, face to face, one to one, with an examiner. If the results of an Appearance are good points will be awarded – points means progress. Average Appearances over three years = 15+. Also see Drop, Examiner, Knowledge of London.
Badge	Taxi drivers’ badge	The metal green or yellow badge with a taxi driver’s identity (badge) number, always worn whilst working. Taxi Driver Badges – London Cab Tours
Be lucky	Goodbye	Taxi drivers don’t say goodbye to one another, they say ‘be lucky’.
Bilker	Non-paying fare/passenger	Origin: late 17^th – 18^th century, cheat, deceive, defraud. Bilkers tend to be ‘runners’. Also see Did a runner.
Bill	Taxi drivers license	The taxi driver’s identity license is called a bill and along with their badge proves they are a licensed London taxi driver. Also see Badge.
Binder	A long wait for a job/fare	Specifically whilst waiting on a taxi rank. Also see Kipper, Roast.
Blue Book	Book of routes to learn when doing the Knowledge of London, 1911 – present.	Knowledge students studying for the Green Badge (All London) will start with the Blue Book. At the time of writing the Blue Book has 320 routes to run and learn, all within a six-mile radius of Trafalgar Square. Completing the Blue Book is merely the end of the beginning of doing the Knowledge. Also see Call Over, Green Book, Knowledge of London, Req. Blue Book Runs, Knowledge of London – London Cab Tours
Blue Tree	Policeman at a speed trap	They usually stand very still pointing their funny little camera at you. Also see Hair Dryer.
Bowler Hat	City gent	Once upon a time many bankers and workers in the City of London (the financial district) wore bowlers.
Broom/Broom it	Refusing an unwanted job/fare	Origin: 1700 – 1800s, sweep away, run away. Brooming is illegal on a rank and technically illegal if street hailed- although there are some allowances.
Bung	Money received as a tip or given as a bribe	Meaning: to pass or hand over. Origin: a purse with money, 16^th century. A good bung is a tip from a passenger. A bad bung is a bribe given by a taxi driver to a linkman for a nice job (ahead of other cabbies on a hotel or nightclub rank). Also see Linkman.
Burst (the)	A busy time	Often the time of night when theatres finish, films end and people come out of restaurants.
Butter Boy/Butter Girl	A new taxi driver	One is a ‘butter’ for 9 years, according to some (three Bill renewals). The phrase is disputed and could mean either a newly badged cabbie who is ‘but a boy’ (wet behind the ears), or a new cabbie who will do any and every job, working all hours for their ‘bread and butter’.
Butterfly (a)	Summer/warm weather cab driver	Historical: quite common when cabs were horse-drawn and many cabbies would find indoor winter work.
Cabology	Conversation between cabbies	The ‘wise’ words and ‘meaningful’ conversations (often ‘philosophical’) taxi drivers have with each other, usually in a Green Hut or café. Also see Green Hut.
Canary (a)	Suburban taxi driver	Suburban London taxi drivers hold the Yellow Badge. See Green Badge, Yellow Badge.
Call Over	Practising routes and runs whilst doing the Knowledge	Calling over is usually done with other Knowledge students. Also see Cotton up, Knowledge School, On the cotton.
Cargo	Passenger/s	A punter. Also see Punter.
Changeover	A time or location	Taxi drivers who double up will have a time or place for the swap, e.g. day man to night man. Also see Doubling Up.
Chop up	To cut in front of another taxi driver	Bad manners, because it often means stealing the next fare. Also see Do over.
Churchill (a)	A meal	During the 1920s Winston Churchill, whilst Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave taxi drivers the right to turn away a fare whilst eating.
Clipboard Johnny	A tout, a facilitator for mini cabs	Often to be found lurking around nightclubs or Heathrow terminals. Touting is an illegal practice. Also see Little People, Tout.
Clock	Taximeter	A nickname. Also see Taximeter, Zeiger.
Cole Porter (a)	Long working hours	Night and Day.
Come out of a drain	A surprise fare	A pleasant surprise.
Connaught Ranger	Stranger – on a taxi rank	Origin: cockney rhyming slang. Cabbies often have their favourite ranks and a new cabbie ranking up could be a butter boy or another cabbie seeing if this rank has any action. The real Connaught Rangers were an Irish infantry regiment in the British Army, 1881 – 1922.
Cotton up	Testing recall of a run or route	Knowledge students would test each other/themselves by lining up cotton thread between two locations and then calling over the route as close to the cotton as possible. Nowadays it’s done with a marker on laminate maps. Also see Call Over and On the cotton.
Crawler (a)	A cabbie that leaves a rank and searches for a fare	Specifically at a slow, crawling, pace (1860s).
Cruiser/Cruising	Driving the streets looking for a fare/street hail	Some drivers prefer to rank up, some prefer cruising. See Rank Up.
Did a runner	Running away	A bilkers most popular method of escape. Also see Bilker.
Do over	To steal a fellow cabbies fare	Can be done in a number of nefarious or careless ways. Also see Chop Up.
Doubling up/Double team	Sharing a taxi with another driver	Usually a day man and a night man. Also see Changeover.
Drive-in	Taxi drivers protest or demonstration	A passive-aggressive description for the rare occasions when taxi drivers protest about something affecting their livelihood and bring the streets of London to a complete stand-still.
Driving Dead/Dead Ride	A long drive without a fare back into central London	Typically after a Roader; the ying to the yang.
Drop (a)	A monetary tip/gratuity	A just reward.
Drop (the)	Stages of progression through the Knowledge	Appearances fall in multiples of seven days: every 84, 56, 28, 21, 14 days. If a Knowledge student performs well in an Appearance they score points; the more points they get the quicker they get the drop to the next level, e.g., an Appearance every 56 days to every 28 days. Once they get the drop to an Appearance every 14 days their Req is getting closer. Also see Appearance, Req.
Drop off/Drop off point	Building or location at the end of a ride	No explanation required. Also see Point.
Early-day man	Taxi driver who starts in the early hours	Neither a night man nor a day man.
Examiner	Person who tests Knowledge students	Always referred to face-to-face as Sir or Ma’am. Sometimes fair, sometimes cruel to be kind. Also see Appearance, Taxi & Private Hire Licensing.
Exes	Expenses	Things that chip away at gross earnings: taxi rent or HP, fuel, insurance, maintenance etc. Also see All In.
Face (a)	A regular driver at a specific rank, building or location	Can be good or bad. Good is just a regular face who likes a certain rank or Green Hut or cab drivers cafe. Bad can be a regular who bribes a linkman to jump the rank, especially for a fare to the Flyers.
Fare (a)	A job or the passenger	No explanation required. Also see Punter.
Fleet (a)	A varied number of taxis owned by a fleet owner for rental	A taxi garage, fleet owner or individual may own any number of taxis for rent to journeymen. These taxis are referred to as their fleet. Taxi drivers do not work for fleet owners, fleet owners work for the taxi drivers (their clients). Also see Journeyman.
Fleet (the)	Total number of taxis in London	The total number of taxis licensed and registered in London is referred to as the fleet. In 2024 there were approximately 15000 taxis and 20000 Green and Yellow Badge holders.
Frarney	Rain	Origin: late 1800s, cockney rhyming slang, abbreviation of France and Spain.
Freight	Luggage	No explanation required.
Full flat	Method of renting a taxi	Full time rental. Also see Half flat.
Gantville Cowboy	Taxi drivers residing in a certain geographic London ‘corridor’	A lot of taxi drivers live/lived in the east London areas of Gants Hill, Newbury Park, Ilford, Clayhall and the A12/A127 corridor into Essex. Also see Green Badge Valley.
Get one in/Get one out	Fare in from Heathrow or fare out to Heathrow	Into or from central London. Also see the Flyers.
Green Badge	Taxi driver – all London	The colour of the badge given to a Knowledge student who has learnt and passed the all-London badge. Also see the Knowledge.
Green Badge Valley	Taxi drivers residing in a certain geographic London ‘corridor’	A lot of taxi drivers live/lived in the east London areas of Gants Hill, Newbury Park, Ilford, Clayhall and the A12/A127 corridor into Essex. Also see Gantville Cowboy.
Green Book	Book of routes to learn when doing the Knowledge of London.	Knowledge students doing the Green Badge (All London) study the Green Book after they have their Req. This book contains dozens of runs to/from central London to the suburbs and to/from Heathrow Airport. A final Appearance on the Green Book must be passed before the coveted Green Badge is awarded. Also see Blue Book, Knowledge of London, Req. Green Book Runs, Knowledge of London – London Cab Tours
Hair Dryer	Speed gun	Used by policemen. They usually stand very still pointing their funny little camera at you (which looks very hair dryer-esque). Also see Blue Tree.
Half flat	Method of renting a taxi	Part time rental. Also see Full flat
Hanging up	Unofficial ‘ranking’	Hoping something will just turn up, possibly in a busy area.
Hurry up job	A passenger pressed for time	A passenger who should have got out of bed earlier.
‘im’n’er	Two passengers, male and female	Him and her. Also see Single Pin.
In and out job	Return fare/round trip	Often for a delivery or for a quick meeting.
Journeyman (a)	A rental-driver	A taxi driver who rents their cab from a taxi garage or fleet owner. Origin: 15th century, with reference to one who has trained and qualified for a trade or craft and can practise anywhere, usually employed by another – historically refers to the time when all cab drivers rented their cabs, with horses. Also see Fleet, Musher.
Kipper/Kipper Season	January and February	The quietest time of the year. The phrase is disputed and could mean either when trade is as ‘flat as a kipper’ or because trade is slow the only food one could afford was a cheap kipper. NB: a kipper is a flattened and smoked herring.
Knowledge of London/the Knowledge aka KoL	Training course required to become a London taxi driver, 1851 – present.	Doing the Knowledge (or being on the Knowledge) for a Green Badge takes on average 3-years. There is a 66% drop out rate. Also see Appearance, Blue Book, Green Book, Req.
Knowledge Boy/Knowledge Girl	Knowledge student	What Knowledge students are known as before they become a butter boy or butter girl. The Knowledge is most effectively done on a scooter or motor bike. Whatever runs or points are being studied are clipped to the board. Also see Butter Boy. Knowledge of London Student, Knowledge of London – London Cab Tours Knowledge Student, Knowledge of London – London Cab Tours
Knowledge School	A place where Knowledge students learn, study and revise	Not a school in the traditional sense. Usually a small space/back room run by a ‘proprietor’ where Knowledge students meet to practise, revise runs, routes and points of interest and test each other. And drink endless cups of coffee.
Legal (a)	Being paid the exact fare as it shows on the taximeter	Usually by people one has been very helpful to.
Linkman	Doorman at a hotel, club or smart residential block	They will street hail a taxi for their resident or client. Origin: a general man-servant.
Little People (the)	Mini cab drivers (aka private hire)	Uber and the like. Can only be legally hired via app, phone or web.
Local (a)	A short journey/fare	Particularly unwelcome after ranking up for a long time.
Musher	An owner-driver	A taxi driver who owns his/her own cab. Origin: late 19th century possibly derived from moosh, a Romany word meaning ‘a man’. The implication is that one has arrived, has status. Also see Journeyman.
Night man	A taxi driver who works nights	No explanation required.
On point	First taxi on a rank	The next job is yours.
On the cotton	Testing recall of a route or run	Knowledge students would test each other/themselves by lining up cotton thread between two locations and then calling over the route as close to the cotton as possible. Nowadays it’s done with a marker on laminate maps. Also see Call over, Cotton up, Knowledge School.
Passing out ceremony	Ceremony that marks the formal transition from Knowledge student to official cabbie	Yes, there is a formal ceremony where every Knowledge student will receive their badge and bill. A moment of pride, and reflection on the blood, sweat and tears shed over the past 3+ years. Also see Appearance, Taxi & Private Hire Licensing.
Pieces	Luggage	Usually stored in the luggage area up-front next to the driver.
Pin position	First taxi on a rank	The next job is yours.
Plot up	To line up on a taxi rank	Also see Rank up.
Ply for hire	The legal act of looking for a fare	This can be on the street or on a taxi rank. The taxi hire light is always on. Also see Light.
Point/Point of interest	Building, landmark or location	Up to 8000 points are learnt whilst doing the Knowledge of London. Also see Appearance, Blue Book, Run.
Point Sheet	List of points and runs asked by examiners in Appearances	Printed/emailed daily to provide up-to-date intelligence for Knowledge students on what points and runs examiners are asking in Appearances. Examiners will often ask for points or runs that have a topical relevance or new buildings. Daily points are collected by Runners for Knowledge Schools. Also see Appearance, Knowledge School, Point, Run, Runner.
Public Carriage Office (PCO)	Taxi administration body, 1843 – 2010	Under the control of the Metropolitan Police the PCO regulated the Knowledge of London (and examined Knowledge students), taxi Conditions of Fitness, tariffs, taxi drivers’ fitness to drive and annual/ongoing taxi inspections. Referred to as ‘the last bastion of the British Empire’. Replaced by TPH. Also see Taxi & Private Hire Licensing.
Punter/s	A fare	The passenger/s
Put on	To line up on a taxi rank	Also see Rank up.
Putting on foul	Over ranking	Lining up beyond/behind an official rank. Technically illegal.
Rank up	To line up on a taxi rank	Also see Plot up and Put on.
Req	The end of the Knowledge, almost	Abbreviation of Requisition. When a Knowledge student is given their Req it is a moment for celebration. Also see Blue Book, Green Book, Knowledge of London.
Roader	A long fare/drive.	Definitely to the Flyers, or anywhere long distance. Also see Driving Dead, Schlap.
Roast/Roasting	To line up on a taxi rank for a long wait before a fare	Not what we earn our badge for. Also see Binder and Kipper.
Run	A route	It can be a route to be learned by a Knowledge student or simply a description of the way a journey was driven. Knowledge students also have to find and learn five or six landmarks near to the start and end of each Run in the Blue Book. Also see Blue Book, Point. Blue Book Runs, Knowledge of London – London Cab Tours
Runner (a)	Gatherer of information for Knowledge Schools	Question: How does a Knowledge School provide up-to-the-day intelligence on what Knowledge students are being asked by examiners in Appearances? Answer: They use Runners (other Knowledge students) to wait outside Appearances to ask examined Knowledge students what their Appearance questions were. Appearances are in the mornings which means each Runner has time to go back to their Knowledge School to distribute the questions during the afternoon. Also see Appearance, Knowledge School, Point Sheet.
Sausage and Mash	Crash…or cash	Origin: cockney rhyming slang.
Set down	The destination of a fare	The drop off point.
Scabs	Mini cab touts	Mini cab drivers (private hire), or their reps, who illegally ply for hire/gain work from the street. See Tout and Clipboard Johnny.
Schlap/Schlep	A long fare/drive	Origin: Yiddish, to drag or carry, can also mean a long journey. The cockney-Yiddish pronunciation is schlap not schlep; this isn’t New York. A very long journey would be a schlap-and-a-half. Many London cabbies were/are Jewish. Also see Roader.
Schtumer	Called to a job by a linkman or an app booking and the job is not required	Origin: Yiddish, silent. Or in this case ‘silence’ or nothing. Many London cabbies were/are Jewish.
Single pin	One passenger on board	Also see ‘im’n’er and Punter
Sleeper	A passenger (Single pin) who falls asleep	Probably the result of feeling a bit ‘tired and emotional’.
Splosh	Tea	Cup or mug of tea from a café.
Stalker	A lucky passenger	Driving a punter having forgotten to start the meter.
Strawberry	Heavy traffic	As in strawberry jam.
Sucking the mop	Being last on a rank after the queue has gone	Not what you want after a Roast.
Taxi and Private Hire Licensing (TPH)	Taxi administration body 2010 – present	Under the control of the Mayor for London TPH regulates the Knowledge of London (and examines Knowledge students), taxi Conditions of Fitness, tariffs, taxi drivers’ fitness to drive and annual/ongoing taxi inspections. Also see Public Carriage Office.
Taxi driver organisations	Taxi trade associations representing the interests of licensed London taxi drivers: legal issues, tariff changes, central and London government policy etc.	The largest trade body by far is the London Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) followed a long way behind by the London Cab Drivers Club (LCDC) and two trade union sections within Unite and the RMT. The United Trade Action Group (UTAG) campaigns for the trade as a whole and has a joint membership of all the above, individual members and other stakeholders who service the taxi trade in London . Also see Taxi trade.
Taxi trade (the)	Holistic description of what taxi drivers are part of	On completion of the Knowledge (the apprenticeship?) a new taxi driver joins the taxi trade – not a profession or an industry or even a craft. The trade also includes taxi garages, taxi fleets, taxi dealers, taxi driver organisations, taxi accessory suppliers etc.
Tout/Touting	Illegally seeking passengers for a mini cab driver	Mini cab drivers (private hire), or their reps, who illegally ply for hire/gain work from the street. Also see Clipboard Johnny, Scab.
Trap	Finding a street hail	Often the result of cruising.
Walk up (job)	A fare	Picking up a job whilst stationery, not cruising or on a taxi rank
Walkers and Lookers	Tourists who don’t require a taxi	No explanation required.
Washers and Polishers	Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers (WCHCD)	Began with an Act of Parliament in 1654 but only received full Livery in 2004. A Worshipful Company is also known as a Guild or a Livery Company. There are 111 Livery Companies connected to the City of London. The WCHCD does a lot of charity work and hale and hearty well met stuff. When taking part in the annual Lord Mayor’s Show their members cabs are always thoroughly washed and highly polished.
Wrong’un	An unpleasant fare or job	Could be a horrible passenger or just a bad job.
Yellow Badge	Taxi Driver – suburban	Taxi driver who has completed the Knowledge for one or more suburban districts of London, not the All London badge. There are nine suburban London zones. Also see Canary.