MINI CABS

The posters are talking about minicabs that ply for hire in the street - which is illegal anyway so you know you're dealing with outlaws. Nowadays "private hire" (minicab) drivers in London are required to have criminal record checks. Even so it's best to get a recommendation from a local of a reliable firm.

Where?

What's a minicab?

In the UK (and specifically in London) the term 'mini cab' is a taxi that is something other than a licensed black cab that everyone is familiar with. Some differences: > black cab drivers have to pass an exam to prove they know every street within 10 miles of Charing Cross and the quickest route between any two locations. It takes years of study. Mini cab drivers don't have to do that > Mini cabs cannot be hailed on the street, you have to go to a taxi office or phone one to book a mini cab. Outside of London this is also true, but in other cities you can pick up taxis at locations called 'taxi ranks' > In London I've seen posters advising women not to use mini cabs when travelling home alone at night. There have been a number of cases where such journeys did not turn out well at all EDIT: By which I meant, but did not express sufficiently clearly, the posters advise women not to use unlicensed mini cabs whose drivers are either touting for business on the street or in any other case except where they have been pre-booked via a licensed taxi service

Philip and Keith's points duly noted. As is so often the case, what I meant was not entirely clear from what I wrote. Third bullet updated accordingly.