London Minicab Etiquette
Nobody publishes the rules, so everyone invents their own. Here are the conventions that actually apply in a London private hire vehicle, and the reasoning behind each one.
Why etiquette in a minicab is mostly about safety and the next passenger
Almost every unwritten rule in a private hire vehicle traces back to one of two things: somebody getting hurt, or somebody else getting in the car after you. Once you know that, the conventions stop feeling arbitrary and start being obvious.
Take the question everyone quietly worries about, which is where to sit. The answer is the rear seat on the kerb side. Not because the front is rude, but because the kerb side is the door you can open without stepping into a live traffic lane. On a busy London road that distinction is not theoretical.
The next passenger explains most of the rest. A vehicle on a London private hire licence may carry twenty or more separate passengers in a shift. Hot food, an open drink or a wet dog does not end when your journey does. It carries forward into somebody else journey, and the driver is the person who has to deal with it.
The final category is legal rather than social. Smoking and vaping in a working vehicle, open alcohol in the passenger compartment, and travelling unrestrained where a seat belt is required are not matters of preference. Drivers who allow them risk their licence, which is their livelihood, so a polite refusal is not a driver being difficult.
The conventions, and the reasoning
General expectations for London private hire journeys. Individual operators and drivers may differ, and a quick question always settles it.
| Situation | Usual expectation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Where to sit | Rear seat, kerb side | You exit away from moving traffic |
| Front passenger seat | Fine if you ask first | It is often holding luggage or equipment |
| Tipping | Optional, rounding up is common | Not culturally obligatory in the UK |
| Hot food | Avoid, or ask first | The smell stays for the next passengers |
| Open alcohol | Not permitted | Licensing and insurance conditions |
| Smoking and vaping | Not permitted | Law on smoke-free enclosed workplaces |
| Music and temperature | Absolutely fine to ask | Most drivers adjust happily |
| Phone calls | Fine, keep them brief | Loud calls make driving harder |
| Pets | Declare when booking | Allergies and post-journey cleaning |
| Waiting time | Short grace period, then charged | Waiting is unpaid working time |
| Extra stops | Ask at booking, not mid-route | Changes the price and the routing |
| Seat belts | Always, in every seat | Legal requirement with narrow exemptions |
Four things drivers genuinely appreciate
None of them cost anything.
A precise pickup point
A house number beats a postcode, and a named entrance beats a building name. Big sites, hospitals, stations and hotels frequently have three or four entrances, and the driver cannot guess which one you are standing at.
Being ready when the car arrives
The pickup clock starts when the vehicle is in position. Being at the door rather than still packing keeps the whole schedule intact, and it is the single biggest factor in whether an early morning airport run feels calm.
Saying the destination out loud
Even on a pre-booked fixed fare, confirming the destination at the start catches the rare booking error while it still costs nothing to fix. Ten seconds, occasionally saves an hour.
Flagging problems politely and immediately
If the temperature is wrong, the route feels wrong, or you feel unwell, say so straight away. Almost everything is easy to fix in the first two minutes and difficult to fix in the last two.
The five-step perfect pickup
How experienced travellers do it without thinking.
Book with the exact address and any access notes
Gate codes, one-way systems, no-stopping restrictions and building entrances all belong in the booking. Nothing improves a pickup more than information the driver has before arriving.
Be outside two minutes early
Two minutes early costs you nothing and removes the entire category of waiting time charges, missed calls and circling vehicles.
Check the vehicle before you get in
For a licensed private hire booking you should be able to match the registration and the driver to your booking confirmation. Do that as a habit, every time, not only when something feels off.
Load luggage into the boot, not the seats
Let the driver decide the packing order. They know what fits in their own boot, and heavy items on seats are a genuine hazard under braking.
Confirm the destination and settle in
Say the destination, put your belt on, and ask for any temperature or music change in the first minute. After that, the journey looks after itself.
Related passenger guides
Practical detail behind the conventions.
Lost property in a minicab
What to do, and the two-second habit that prevents it.
Boot space and luggage
Why the driver packs the boot, and what actually fits.
Travelling with a baby
Child seats, buggies and the space they take.
Booking for a large group
Coordinating several vehicles without chaos.
Fixed fare transfers
Why the price is agreed before the journey starts.