Page 38 - drive a2b FEB 2020 web

OVERSEAS
news

London,

England

By Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz
Since 1961, Alec Curtis has watched the
city change from behind the wheel of his
black cab. This is his London story

I was born and brought up in London’s
East End. Apart from during the war,
when we got evacuated 30 miles outside
the city, I’ve lived here my whole life. I Alec Curtis, London's oldest cabbie | Photo: Andy Parsons
first started driving a cab in May 1961
after becoming fed up working at the motorways now, everywhere is a lot There are no fortunes in cab driving, but
factory where I made ladies’ garments. busier than it used to be, and there are it is a living – though I have noticed a big
I had never really given any thought to so many one-way systems. If you don’t difference since Uber came to London.
whether I wanted to be a cab driver, but know where you’re going now in central You can be sitting at hotels for hours,
a lot of my friends started doing The London, you can just forget about it – and all of a sudden someone will come
Knowledge, so I did too. you’ll just be going round in circles. But out using their phone, get in a car and
a black-cab driver will always get you off they go. It’s definitely had an impact
I was 30 at the time, which was quite out of trouble. on the trade.
late to become a cab driver. I used to go
out on my bicycle and learn the streets In 58 years driving around London, of I’ve always been a hard worker. In 1984
and suburbs of London using a map. course I’ve had some famous people in I had a heart bypass, but it didn’t stop
It wasn’t easy, but it only took about a my car (though I usually say everyone me driving: I had medicals every year to
year to learn then, whereas now it can is famous if they pay me). I’ve picked make sure I was safe on the road. But
take four to five years – the city has up Judi Dench, David Walliams and then a few months ago, I ended up in
grown so much. the poet John Betjeman. I once gave intensive care with double pneumonia.
Michael Flatley a lift on my wedding It was obvious that, at the age of 89, I’d
Eventually I got my badge and licence. anniversary: he gave me £50 and told have to pack it in.
The lower your badge number, the longer me to take my wife out for a nice meal.
you have been driving in London. My Even though I didn’t set out to become
badge number is 511. If you got your As a cabbie I’ve always tried to help out a cab driver, I never regretted it. I’ve
badge now, your number would be about my customers. A few years ago, one lady loved the freedom: even though you’re
70,000 or 80,000 – and it keeps going up. asked me to help her carry some bottles always working for someone, you are
of water up the stairs. She told me, ‘You an individual. Everybody pays their
‘I’ve picked up Judi Dench, David know I’m 75?’ I replied, ‘Well then, you own tax and insurance, and if you don’t
Walliams and John Betjeman’ should be the one helping me: I’m 85!’ earn anything you don’t get anything
from the government. You can please
London has changed a lot in my 58 ‘Even my heart bypass didn't stop me yourself about where to go and when to
years as a cab driver. There are more driving’ work. And, of course, I love talking!
38 DRIVE A2B magazine · February 2020