Brits are the second chattiest taxi passengers in Europe, research reveals

British people are the second chattiest taxi passengers in Europe, research has revealed.

Three quarters of British passengers (73 per cent) said they enjoyed talking to their taxi drivers during journeys.

Only the Irish were found to be more conversational than UK passengers in a Europe-wide survey by Free Now, a taxi firm.

The survey showed that Brits were more sociable in the back of the car than their counterparts in Italy, Spain and Germany.

Among UK respondents, 41 per cent said they enjoyed engaging in small talk with cabbies.

A third of British passengers said they preferred talking about the news and the local city (34 per cent).

Grumbling about the traffic and conditions of the road was also popular with 32 per cent saying that was their preferred topic.

Whereas 50 per cent of UK passengers said talking about their love life was their go-to subject, with a fifth (20 per cent) even seeking romantic advice from their cab driver.

Indeed, 43 per cent of UK respondents said they appreciate the non-judgemental ear of taxi drivers.

More than half of UK passengers (54 per cent) said they preferred a chatty driver over silence.

Although Brits do enjoy engaging with their drivers, 54 per cent view taxi rides as a time for relaxation and introspection.

Local insights

The survey found that although passengers often take an interest in the daily lives of their taxi drivers by asking them personal questions, drivers prefer to talk about sports, holidays, celebrity encounters and local insights.

Mohammed Ewasha, another driver with Free Now, said: “I have been a black cab driver in London for over 41 years. The customers are the best part of the job. Meeting new, interesting and exciting people every day is the reason I have stayed in the job for such a long time. I have had so many impactful conversations over the years, but one in particular changed my life.

“Back in 2017, I picked up a fare on London Marathon day. By the end of the journey the passenger had convinced me that anyone could run the marathon, so I decided I would mark his 70th birthday the following year by completing a marathon, I had never run one before.

“In 2018 I ran the London Marathon and – in the process – raised £2,500 for Independent Age, which supports older people facing financial hardship. In 2022, for my 75th birthday, I ran the London landmarks half-marathon, raising money for Alzheimer’s research. Running is a huge passion of mine and without that conversation, it would never have happened.”

According to research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, engaging in conversations with strangers, including taxi drivers, can significantly enhance life satisfaction and overall well-being.