London Cabbie


The London Cabbie Game or Cabbie is a board game in which players drive taxicabs through the streets of London to collect fares. It was designed by David Drakes and first published by Intellect Games in 1971. The board shows a map of the major streets of central London.
There are no dice. Up to six players take turns moving first one, then up to two, of the player's own taxis. Cab colours are green, yellow, blue, black, brown, red. Each player may move a taxi 20 spaces per turn. A draw of a passenger card determines where the fare is to be picked up. The board shows a map of central London which shows the one-way roads and simulates traffic jams. A draw of a card determines the destination of the passenger. The fare is listed on a chart on the game board itself; cabbie is also entitled to pick up a tip card when the trip is completed. Tips range from generous to zippo. The strategy is to decide which fares would be most lucrative and most efficient.
The game is on display at the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising.