From The Sun Newspaper

‘Cab, innit’ gets girl a cabinet

A TEENAGER called directory inquiries to book a taxi but ended up having a cabinet delivered – because she asked for a “cab, innit”.

The 19-year-old Londoner wanted a taxi to take her from her home to Bristol airport, and first asked for the number using the Cockney rhyming slang “Joe Baxi”.

When the baffled operator told her she could not find anyone listed by that name, the teen snapped back: “It ain’t a person, it’s a cab, innit.”

The operator then found the nearest cabinet shop, Displaysense, and put the girl through.

She then spoke to an equally bemused saleswoman and eventually fumed: “Look love, how hard is it? All I want is your cheapest cab, innit.

I need it for 10am. How much is it?”

The sales adviser said it would be £180 and the girl gave her address and paid with a credit card.

The next morning, the company delivered an office cabinet to her home in South London.

The girl then called back in a fury and Displaysense finally realised the mistake.

The firm, of Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, has now apologised and refunded her cash after the mix-up two weeks ago.

Marketing manager Steve Whittle said yesterday: “We thought it was a joke at first but the girl was absolutely livid.

“We have suggested that maybe she should speak a bit clearer on the phone.”

That's one style of speech I don't miss

That's one style of speech I don't miss
I am still stuck with here!

That "Cab, innit" blooper was mentioned on Jo Whiley's show on BBC Radio 1 this morning. Here are some similar gaffes she mentioned:


A man went to a pizza parlour and asked for a pepperoni pizza. The man behind the counter got confused and gave the customer a pizza with peppers becuase he thought the customer ordered a 'peppers only' pizza. The customer hated peppers.
A drunken man asked the taxi driver to take him to his street, which is called Heath Road. Heath Road is a short journey from where the man hailed the taxi but he eventually fell asleep. When he woke up, he realised that the driver had taken him to Heathrow Airport and the taxi fare was just over £90!

From The Sun Newspaper

‘Cab, innit’ gets girl a cabinet

A TEENAGER called directory inquiries to book a taxi but ended up having a cabinet delivered – because she asked for a “cab, innit”.

The 19-year-old Londoner wanted a taxi to take her from her home to Bristol airport, and first asked for the number using the Cockney rhyming slang “Joe Baxi”.

When the baffled operator told her she could not find anyone listed by that name, the teen snapped back: “It ain’t a person, it’s a cab, innit.”

The operator then found the nearest cabinet shop, Displaysense, and put the girl through.

She then spoke to an equally bemused saleswoman and eventually fumed: “Look love, how hard is it? All I want is your cheapest cab, innit.

I need it for 10am. How much is it?”

The sales adviser said it would be £180 and the girl gave her address and paid with a credit card.

The next morning, the company delivered an office cabinet to her home in South London.

The girl then called back in a fury and Displaysense finally realised the mistake.

The firm, of Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, has now apologised and refunded her cash after the mix-up two weeks ago.

Marketing manager Steve Whittle said yesterday: “We thought it was a joke at first but the girl was absolutely livid.

“We have suggested that maybe she should speak a bit clearer on the phone.”


Would that be the same speech as Eliza Doolittle?

Would that be the same speech as Eliza Doolittle?


No, even the untrained ear could probably make some sense of Ms Doolittle's words...

I'm afraid this 'whiny'-speak is becoming more and more prevalent with the youngsters here!  :-\\

Has anyone heard of the Cockney rhyming slang “Joe Baxi” for taxi before? I have not.

Has anyone heard of the Cockney rhyming slang “Joe Baxi” for taxi before? I have not.


Probably something the youngsters have 'made up'... ::)

The only rhyming slang for taxi that I know is 'sherbet'...sherbet dab = cab

Probably something the youngsters have 'made up'... ::)

The only rhyming slang for taxi that I know is 'sherbet'...sherbet dab = cab
Andy McNab is more feasible.

Wow,such strange speech.  :o

Who is, or was Joe Baxi in the first place?

Who is, or was Joe Baxi in the first place?


Never heard of him but according to this site he was a heavyweight boxer in the 1940s/50s

Never heard of him but according to this site he was a heavyweight boxer in the 1940s/50s
"Mind if I share your Joe Baxi? William Coward says Joe Baxi was a heavyweight boxer who knocked out British champ George Woodcock around 1950."

Still none the wiser.

Never heard of him but according to this site he was a heavyweight boxer in the 1940s/50s
There is very little on this British Boxer on the Internet.

The 19-year-old Londoner wanted a taxi to take her from her home to Bristol airport, and first asked for the number using the Cockney rhyming slang “Joe Baxi”.

When the baffled operator told her she could not find anyone listed by that name, the teen snapped back: “It ain’t a person, it’s a cab, innit.”


Dear, oh dear...these so-called 'Mockneys' have a lot to learn...

You never use the rhyming part in proper 'rhyming slang'... :-\\

I blame the parents...

Dear, oh dear...these so-called 'Mockneys' have a lot to learn...

You never use the rhyming part in proper 'rhyming slang'... :-\\

I blame the parents...
So she should have said "Can I have a Joe"?

Dear, oh dear...these so-called 'Mockneys' have a lot to learn...

You never use the rhyming part in proper 'rhyming slang'... :-\\

I blame the parents...

So she should have said "Can I have a Joe"?



As in Joe Le Taxi by Vanessa Paradis?

As in Joe Le Taxi by Vanessa Paradis?


I thought he was a French taxi driver living in Wales.  Like Jones the Steam in Ivor the Engine.

I thought he was a French taxi driver living in Wales.  Like Jones the Steam in Ivor the Engine.
...like Dai the Butcher, Dai the Undertaker, etc?

Joe Le Taxi sung by Vanessa Paradis

Joe le taxi
Y va pas partout
Y marche pas au soda
Son saxo jaune
Connait toutes les rues par coeur
Tous les p'tits bars
Tous les coins noirs
Et la Seine
Et ses ponts qui brillent
Dans sa caisse
La musique a Joe
C'est la rumba
Le vieux rock au mambo
Joe le taxi
C'est sa vie
Le rhum au mambo
Embouteillage
Il est comme ca
Rhum et mambo
Joe - Joe - Joe
Dans sa caisse
La musique a Joe resonne
C'est la rumba
Le vieux rock au mambo bidon
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y fonce
Dans la nuit vers l'amazone
Joe le taxi
Et Xavier Cugat
Joe le taxi
Et Yma Sumac
Joe - Joe - Joe
Joe le taxi
C'est sa vie
Le rhum au mambo
Embouteillage
Joe le taxi
Et les Mariachis
Joe le taxi
Et le cha-cha-chi
Joe le taxi
Et le cha-cha-chi
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y fonce
Dans la nuit vers l'amazone

...or in English...

Joe le Taxi
It is not everywhere
Are not the soda
His yellow Saxo
Knows all the streets by heart
All bars p'tits
All corners blacks
And the Seine
And bridges which shine
In its cash
The music has Joe
C'est la rumba
The old rock mambo
Joe le Taxi
It's his life
Rum to mambo
Bottling
It is as CA
Rum and Mambo
Joe - Joe - Joe
In its cash
The music resonates Joe
C'est la rumba
The old rock mambo bidon
C'mon Joe
C'mon Joe
Go ahead darkens
On the night toward the Amazon
Joe le Taxi
And Xavier Cugat
Joe le Taxi
And Yma Sumac
Joe - Joe - Joe
Joe le Taxi
It's his life
Rum to mambo
Bottling
Joe le Taxi
And Mariachis
Joe le Taxi
And the cha-cha-chi
Joe le Taxi
And the cha-cha-chi
C'mon Joe
Go ahead darkens
On the night toward the Amazon

So she should have said "Can I have a Joe"?


In effect, yes...

It would have been interesting to see what she would have ended up with then!

...like Dai the Butcher, Dai the Undertaker, etc?


Or the travel agent - Dai the Fly.

A friend of Dai's once saw a mobile shop called Dai the Pie

In effect, yes...

It would have been interesting to see what she would have ended up with then!
The firm of office suppliers was mentioned on the radio yesterday, I did note it down, but with the firm in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts and the Marketing manager Steve Whittle, I think it would not take long to find out. The cab innit did cost £180.

In effect, yes...

It would have been interesting to see what she would have ended up with then!

The firm of office suppliers was mentioned on the radio yesterday, I did note it down, but with the firm in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts and the Marketing manager Steve Whittle, I think it would not take long to find out. The cab innit did cost £180.
This is the 'cab innit' in The Sun newspaper report.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00467/SNN1128CAB-280_467643a.jpg