Curious about the taxi

Speaking encyclopedic language taxi - a form of public transport provides various transportation services for passengers and cargo for a fee.

According to statistics, in this country at least once a month, use a taxi for about 70% of people.

And it all began? In the 18th century an enterprising Frenchman founded inn horse-drawn carriages. "Cab" (as they were called) were the first in the world hired public crews.

In Russia, taxis first appeared in the early 20th century, in 1907 in the capital. One driver hung up on his old car poster read: "The cabby. Dachshund by agreement. " Here's the car and was the first who carried the people by appointment. And as early as 1925 in Moscow taxi services rendered about two hundred cars brands Renault and Fiat.

The most expensive taxi ride in London - is notorious cabs, followed by Italian and German taxis.

 - The cheapest taxi ride will cost in China, where for ten dollars you can go God knows where. It is noteworthy that 30-40% of taxi drivers in this country women.

Australian taxi drivers are required by law to carry a bunch of hay. Violators may lose their license. A long time ago, when there were cabs, animal welfare advocates forced to adopt a law that these people always carried with him on the hay if the horse is hungry. Since then, the law is not corrected, and now the burden is on the taxi driver.

One American taxi driver found in the backseat of his car a bag with diamonds (by the way, they cost 350 thousand dollars). Driver with great difficulty, still sought out the owner. Forgetful passenger turned jeweler from New York. And an honest taxi driver received a commendation from the jeweler 10 thousand dollars and diamond bracelet. However, the taxi driver himself said that thanks to the jeweler, meant more to him than money.

An Indian taxi driver drives his car only on the rear gear. So much so, that people are lining up to ride on his taxi. One day this driver jammed the lever on the back of the transfer, and he was too lazy to repair the lever. Since then, a miracle naezdil taxi driver in India more than 12 thousand kilometers. Exclusively backwards. He adapt himself to go back to that can reach speeds up to 40 km / h and maneuver in traffic. However, how to react to his visit local traffic police, not reported.

In Moscow, about a quarter of a century ago has opened the world's only museum taxi. There are exhibited rare GAZ, ZIS-110, known to all "Victory", different versions of "Volga", and Rafiki. A common feature of all of them - the familiar "Taxi Driver" attributes.

In Finland, half taxi orders sent via the Internet.

The most unusual taxi can be seen in Chile. 9 cars painted by coloring cows mooing they even honking, and the rear seat is styled with udder.

The highest fee is paid by the meter recorded in Finland. 70,000 Finnish marks, or almost $ 15,000 paid two tourists for a journey that was spread over 23,000 km. They left the Finnish town of Nokia, traveled through Scandinavia, looked to Spain and came back.

In the autumn of 1914, German troops broke through the French defenses and marched on the capital of France. It was necessary to urgently push them towards reserves, but vehicles are not enough. And then there were "mobilized and called to" Parisian taxi. For one night about 1200 taxis were transferred to the line of the River Marne more than 6,500 soldiers. The enemy was stopped, and the machine went down in history under the name "Marne taxis". And they said to them: "If the geese saved Rome, then Paris taxis saved».

Once the mayor of Prague decided to personally check if it was true that the local taxi drivers skinned tourists. Mayor of Prague, wearing a fake mustache and posing as an Italian tourist, caught a taxi. The driver for the short trip to the mayor requested five times the price ... The driver has paid the penalty - 33 000 euros.