One of the best parts about being a taxi driver is that you get to meet an enormous variety of people who have very different lives, which you wouldn’t be able to do in almost any other job. This means that even on a short run it’s good to be able to get to know your customer, and chat is an essential part of being a top cabbie. But, what are your favourite taxi talk topics, and have we got them on our top 10 taxi talk list?
10. Traffic, Roads and the Local Area
Here in the UK we love talking about traffic and navigation, as well as how to shave a few seconds off of our regular journeys when we can. This means that very often one of the best things to talk about with your customers is the roads! Customers are often keen to get the inside scoop on what sorts of times are best to take which roads or, sometimes, are surprised by a new shortcut.
9. Sport, Sport and More Sport
It can take just a few seconds for a casual ‘did you see the game last night’ to turn into a heated, philosophical debate about tactics, refereeing or perhaps the merits of football versus rugby. As a taxi driver, it’s definitely wise to keep clued up on sport: it’s an instant conversation starter with almost any customer, and of course it’s not bad for the tip tray if you find you support the same team!
8. Celebrity Rides
Every cabbie has a story to tell, such as when they took Hugh Grant to the BAFTAs or picked up Maggie Thatcher back in the 1980s. While we’re not totally sure they’re all true, customers definitely want to hear about the celebrities you’ve met and whether they were any fun or not. Often, all we really want to know is who gave the best tips…
7. The Economy
While even top economists aren’t quite sure what’s happening in the mystical world of monetary policy, the economy is definitely one of our top topics. It’s especially interesting if your client is interested in what’s going on in the global economy or if they work in the financial sector. Either way, we find that talk can turn to quantitative easing pretty easily!
6. The Weather
We’re mad for the weather in Britain, and we love analysing and debating every change and story we hear. There’s no bounds to the pleasure that forecasting snow in October or a heat wave in May can bring, particularly if you’ve got the newspaper article to back it up. Of course, this quickly brings us on to our next topic…
5. Global Warming
With many taxis turning to electric or hybrid engines, global warming is a topic that’s sure to come up at least once a day or so. Whether it’s a detailed discussion about the hole in the ozone layer, or the benefits of making the switch from petrol to electrical power, the debate and science of global warming tends to come up very often in cabs.
4. Your Taxi and Your Business
Believe it or not, for many customers getting in a cab is actually quite a novelty, which means they’ll be interested in what life is like as a cabbie. Whether you’re chatting about the hours, car maintenance, your worst fares or just your latest, greatest deal on your taxi insurance, be open: customers often want to know!
3. Relationship Problems
Sure, relationship problems can be very personal, but sometimes all we need is a conversation with a random stranger with an outside perspective on the situation to make things better. It’s funny, as a taxi driver you’re perfectly placed to deliver that pearl of wisdom that can just make somebody’s day.
2. The Telly
Eastenders or Corrie, Alan Carr or Graham Norton, Big Brother or I’m a Celebrity: whatever it is that gets you going, telly seems to be an immediate spark for so many customers, especially if there was something really funny on last night. Even if you’re not someone who keeps up with current TV programmes, harking back to old Monty Python episodes will still raise a chuckle from most.
1. Politics
While it’s a risky subject at the best of times, talking politics is just our favourite thing to do in the UK and we’re fascinated by the goings on in Westminster and Brussels. There are two possibilities: either you agree, in which case you can connect on how much you agree on, or you don’t in which case you’re set for a bit of debate. Either way, it’s definitely the topic that comes up the most on fares!