The black cab is a quintessential part of London, up there with the Queen and the Houses of Parliament. Getting in the back of one of the capital’s icons is easy, but being able to sit in the driver’s seat is a rather more complex affair.

The ‘Knowledge’ is the term used to describe the huge amount of information that each and every cab driver has to learn before he or she is allowed to pick up customers by the kerbside. Thousands of road names and routes must be committed to memory before a driver can start their career. In addition, they must also remember hundreds of landmarks, theatres, police stations and pubs in order to pass the exam.

Being able to identify the quickest route between two places is also key to being a London cabbie. In the oral part of the exam, the would-be driver is asked to describe the most efficient route between two parts of London, completely at random.

Despite how hard it is to become a London cabbie, between 700 and 1000 new drivers pass the exam each year.

While you may not use your vehicle quite as much as a London cab driver, getting a first class Annual Breakdown Cover policy is highly recommended, and with startrescue.co.uk you can get covered for less than you might think.