The guy was perfectly nice and had a 4.7 score. What surprised me was my kids assuring me how easy it would be (true) and how much cheaper too (not true).
exactly.Addison Lee are the largest private hire company in the country, I think. I've stopped a few of their cars before & there were some in quite shocking condition (mechanically: I can't speak for their fragrance or seat covers...). So I guess the same applies in the mainstream private hire industry as well as Uber.
I do think there's something quite special about the traditional black cab drivers & the Knowledge, even if they are a bit pricey at times. I'm not sure any other city in the world has anything quite like that. It's not just the streets they know, they have to learn about shops, museums, attractions, places of worship and so on. It's phenomenal. It'd be sad if that was lost because of Uber & co.