It turns out that to become a Black Cab driver in London applicants need to study for two to four years and during that time memorize an incredible 25,000 streets and 20,000 landmarks within a 25-mile radius of Charing Cross in London.

London black cab drivers must master "The Knowledge," arguably the world's most difficult taxi licensing exam. This grueling process typically takes three to four years of study and requires the applicant to memorize the layout of over 25,000 streets and thousands of landmarks within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. Drivers must learn "The Blue Book," which contains 320 standard "runs" (routes), but they are expected to know any combination of points "A to B" in a straight line. The training involves "pointing"—riding a scooter around London to physically verify one-way systems, dead ends, and "points of interest" like theaters, embassies, and even small pubs. The final stages consist of a series of oral examinations called "Appearances," where an examiner tests the student's ability to recall the shortest route between two obscure locations from memory, including every turn and street name. This legendary training ensures that London cabbies remain the world gold standard for navigation, far surpassing the reliance on GPS used by modern rideshare drivers.