How do you hail a taxi?

Raise your arm up high to make it more visible to the driver. Make eye contact with the driver. Look at them and smile so they know you're interested in a ride. A cab driver that feels confident you need a ride is more likely to pull over.



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Hailing a taxi Before you get in the cab, ask the driver “Could you take me to (place)?” and either “How much will that cost?” or “Do you use a meter?” if you are somewhere where drivers charge by the mile.

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When the light is off it means that either the cab is already carrying passengers or the driver is off-duty. If you see that the light is on (you'll know if it is, it's a bright yellow light), then to hail the cab simply stand on the side of the pavement and extend your arm outward.

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Since the time of Queen Anne, the humble Hackney carriage has attracted the most legislation, totaling over 37 Acts, many of which are still in force. One thing many passengers may not be aware of is it is actually illegal to hail a taxi cab in motion.

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London taxis, black cabs and minicabs
  1. Only black cabs can be hailed in the street. If the yellow taxi sign is on, the cab is available for hire.
  2. Black cabs are metered, and the minimum charge is £3.20.
  3. Minicabs can be a cheaper alternative. ...
  4. Only book a licensed minicab with a Transport for London license disc.


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Hailing a cab If you've ever hailed a taxi before, then doing so here in London is effectively the same thing – just stand on the curb, raise and hold out your arm towards a black cab that's approaching and will pass you and wait for it to stop (you don't have to whistle!).

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Look for the light – if the roof light on top of the cab is lit, the taxi is available for service. Raise your arm to “flag” the cab, and do your best to make eye contact with the driver. Be prepared to let the driver know where you're headed.

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Flagging down or hailing a taxi You can flag down a Hackney carriage (black and white taxi) but not a private hire vehicle, those must be pre-booked.

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From Driver Rule 54-20 (in PDF): It is against the law to refuse a person based on race, disability, or a destination in New York City. A taxicab driver is required to drive a passenger to any destination in the five boroughs. You can make a refusal complaint by calling 3-1-1.

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The main distinctions between ride hailing and taxi services is that ride hailing trips are booked through an app and offer pooling options. Taxi services offer private transportation and are typically not pooled.

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The famous London taxis are actually called 'hackney carriages' but in London we just call them 'black cabs/taxis'. London taxi drivers have to pass a special exam called the Knowledge to get their license so if you take a black cab, you can be sure the driver will know the way.

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It's a bit unusual to say catch a taxi, because taxis aren't scheduled. We'd normally say 'hail' or 'get' to refer to calling a taxi.

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The original design of the London black cab didn't even have a passenger seat. It had a rack, on which you placed your luggage before retreating to the peaceful rear. This confirmed the convention at an early stage. The normal, balanced passenger occupies the back seat of a taxi.

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Report the incident. Even if it's been a bad day for the cabbie driver, or he was just reacting to circumstances, rudeness should never be tolerated (credit miller). Contact the cab company right away and let them know what happened.

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The rule derives its name from the tradition by which a hackney carriage driver at the head of a queue of taxicabs is obliged to take the first passenger requesting a ride.

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Tipping taxi drivers It is polite to tip 10 to 15% of the taxi fare for black cabs and licensed minicabs in London. However, most people simply round up the fare to the nearest £1 and tell the driver to keep the change.

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