1. The Taxi Cab - Good Design and Bad Design
A Taxi Has a Function and Should be Designed Accordingly
Tools are designed to perform a function, and so are vehicles. You wouldn't use a sports car to
deliver goods; you would use a truck. A taxi cab has a simple function, to carry passengers from one
place to another. But like any function, there are right and wrong ways to get the job done.
This article will look at the major types of taxi cabs and will question how well the design performs
the function.
The American Sedan - A Bad Design for a Taxi Cab
An American sedan, such as the popular Ford Crown Victoria, is a comfortable car to be sure. It's
great for a long trip. But for negotiating the traffic of a city dense with people and other vehicles, it
is the wrong tool for the job. First, the seats are low, not a problem for driving around the suburbs.
But there comes a time when people have to get in and out of the car. For an elderly person, the task
of standing up from a low bench seat can be painful, especially if you've been riding around for a
while with your knees under your chin. Secondly, there is the issue of luggage, a problem for the cab
driver. Sedans have spacious trunks, but they require the luggage handler to bend. A whole shift of
bending at the waist can take its toll on the taxi driver. And then there is the issue of driving
itself.City driving requires a lot of attention, quick reflexes and a clear vision. The low slung sedan is
simply not made for a city.
But the American sedan has been the taxi of choice in the United States for decades. When the huge
Chevrolet Caprice was discontinued in the mid-1990sm most cab owners switched to the Ford
Crown Victoria, pictured here. In 2005 the Ford Crown Victoria accounted for 92 percent of all
taxicabs, according the Schaller Consulting firm. The reason for its popularity is its body-on-frame
construction and heavy duty suspension, which enables the car to negotiate the harshness of city
driving. But the drawbacks discussed above make it a poor choice for a taxi cab. It's not the only
vehicle that is solidly built.
The London Taxi
The London Taxi, often called the English taxi, is a masterpiece of intelligent design. When you get
into an English cab, you do not feel like you're sitting on the floor. The seats are designed to make it
easy to get in, and easy to get out. They are especially helpful for elderly passengers. The
photograph to the right shows how the form of the English taxi follows its function: it's designed for
carrying people and luggage.
The excellent design of the English taxi is matched by the personality of the taxi driver. The English
take taxi's very seriously, and the training of an English taxi driver is designed for one thing,
passenger convenience. The knowledge of English taxi drivers is legendary. If they have one goal it
is to be helpful.
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