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Comment by ipnon | Hacker News Reader

The decorum in London and Tokyo dictates you don't talk to your cabbie and they don't talk to you. The drivers of the black cabs in London will not make small talk as a rule. It helps them focus on doing their job, and it prevents you from boring them with the 50th tall tale of the day. It certainly rubs the general American sentiment the wrong way but it has it's perks. In the case of this article the passengers would know they're expected to shut up until they return home, pay, and get out of the cab.

This isn't to say cabbies never talk to customers (emergencies, change of plans), but the expectation that you should ask every service professional you encounter about how their day is going and what are their hobbies and what's their favorite color isn't a universal value. Some people like the author actually find it a little irritating!

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This is hilariously wrong. Almost every cab driver I ever rode with in Tokyo would talk to you unless you were talking to someone else, or seemed like someone who didn't want to talk.

Even the one taking my wife to the hospital to give birth was being a television trope of a terrified stuttering teenager while he drove her there. (Despite that being a reservation with the situation being explained beforehand!)

Yes yes, anecdotal. I've also read Japanese-language books by cab drivers (ex: https://read.amazon.ca/kp/kshare?ref_=r_sa_glf_b_0_hdrw_ss_A...) and the idea does not come up — ever.

So yeah maybe an issue in some parts of Japan but not in Tokyo.

I never let reality get in the way of making a good point.

edit: The Japanese are also famous for treating foreigners and tourists differently.

Not been my experience. I've lived in Kyoto and most drivers in Kansai would talk a lot and enthusiastically whereas in Tokyo, I've only had about 20% of Taxi drivers who tried to start a conversation.

Do people use the taxi a lot in Tokyo? I’d assume with all the traffic the JR or Tokyo Metro would be faster. I don’t live in Japan though.

Yes taxis are everywhere and easy to get by waving at any road. Also subway is great but for non adjacent to subway journeys they're a must. Also many get taxis when a bit tipsy versus subway. both are of course common. Also subway and then taxi at the end of station for the last 20 minutes instead of walking.

The trains shut down fairly early and there are no night buses (allegedly because of lobbying by the taxi union). In the daytime the trains are faster but only if there's a line where you want to go; if you need to change a taxi is often quicker.

If I had a family trip and it was raining or it was late, I would take the taxi from the station to my home.

I also used the taxi to get home from Haneda - cheaper and easier than taking the train for 5 people with 5-8 bags.

>The decorum in London and Tokyo dictates you don't talk to your cabbie and they don't talk to you

Huh? London cabbies, particularly black cab drivers, are a notoriously chatty lot. Every cabbie I've ever used in London has talked my ear off for the entire trip.

I concur. I lived in London for 11 years and every cab I ever took the cabbie was always friendly and chatty.

Only if you get in and clear show you don’t want to talk will they refrain from engaging you in a conversation.

I would agree in general, although notably not the couple of times I got a late night cab home with a date. So there is definitely some judgement on the cabbies part in my experience

Er, couldn't be more wrong about London cabbies. Obviously you can't generalise and say all drivers love a chat but there's absolutely no expectation of not talking, that's just plain wrong!

Sorry, I've never heard of such a decorum or rule in London and I've lived there or around for 25 years. Not that I would go out of my way to have with a conversation with a cabbie, i prefer to mind my own business.

In my experience, NYC cabbies (those who drive actual licensed yellow cabs) are virtually always wearing an earpiece chattering away on bluetooth the entire time, paying no mind to your existence. Uber/Lyft drivers, however, seem to be a mix of those who clearly are just there to drive and want no part of you ala cabbies, and those who will actively engage you in conversation even if you don't initiate it or even show reluctance to engage. My last lyft driver recounted to me, virtually unprompted, several long and amusing anecdotes of his experiences driving strippers to bachelor parties.

I wish this was true, however I’ve had enough memorably uncomfortable views expressed to me from black cab drivers to know this is far from reality.

This is the total opposite of my experience in London.

In Japan they'd always talk and ask if you're American and make small talk. They say they watched Hollywood to learn their English. almost every taxi driver that spoke even a little English wanted to talk. maybe parent is directed at Japanese in the taxi and they don't talk as its a service. but as a foreigner they certainly were warm, friendly, and always wanted to chat.

Japanese (mostly Tokyo though some in Hakata) cabbies have been some of the most unique cabbies I've ever ridden with. I speak Japanese and have chatted with cabbies who coached me on which love hotels not to go to, the history of rail development near a small town, and even lamentations on how Japanese Kids These Days (TM) are less worldly than they were during the Bubble days. Only one cabbie I rode with was the silent sort and he was respectful and kept to himself.

>lamentations on how Japanese Kids These Days (TM) are less worldly than they were during the Bubble days.

"Less worldly" in the sense of less knowledgeable about people and the world or in the sense of less sex?

The former. It's a refrain I've heard frequently from the older generation about how young Japanese have a less global outlook due to travelling abroad less for work or having fewer foreigners visit for work. I'm not Japanese myself so I can't comment as to how much I agree with this perspective.

I wish it was the case here in Australia. I used to have to take a lot of early morning taxis for flights, and invariably found the drivers wanted to chat. Ever if I had earbuds in they'd try.

At that hour I just want to pretend I'm asleep and maybe doze a bit.

Have you ever been in a black cab?

Some cabbies talk to me, some don't. And if I start a conversation some ignore me and some don't. Not sure about London but in rest of UK.

If I can chat while driving without getting distracted then a professional driver probably can.

As a former cabbie, one of the best skills I learned was to quickly spot which passengers wanted to have a conversation and which didn't. I loved to talk with passengers, but sometimes people are just having a bad day and the cab ride is their moment of peace. Some others want to talk excessively, and you have to just listen to them. A good cabbie has the ability to carry on a friendly conversation with anyone if they want to talk on any subject, but also to read the room and be quiet if they want to ride in silence.

Funny, one of the opening quests to one of the Yakuza games on PS3 had your passengers rate you on your conversation skills. I was under the impression that you chat with your cabbie, like where I am used to

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