The Black Cab: London’s Quintessential Icon

London. A city steeped in colourful history and breath-taking architecture, it boasts some of the World’s greatest museums, and is home to diverse cultures. All of this is what makes it one of the most famous and wondrous cities in the world. Plus, a city with myriad icons: The London Bus, Buckingham Palace, The Clock-Tower of Big Ben, The Tower of London, to name but a few. However, for Londoners and tourists as well, the definitive London icon is its much-loved black cab, an indispensable part of London’s public transport system (which includes the underground Tube system and the London Bus). The London cab has some very special features, most notably its incredibly tight turning circle (or radius), defined as “the smallest circle within which a ship, motor vehicle, etc., can be turned round completely”. Like many British traditions, there is a rather quaint story here. London’s famous Savoy Hotel’s entrance — Savoy Court — has a rather small roundabout, forcing any vehicle attempting to navigate it, to per force have a small turning circle, not exceeding 8.535 m (28 ft). Compare this with 10.4-10.7 m (34-35 ft), the typical turning circle for a passenger car, and we get some idea of the London cab’s agile manoeuvrability. The