Two years. That’s how long Undaunted has been on the road. For two years. And there has never been a column on that most Irish of topics... taxis.

Imagine. Two whole years and not one puny pixel committed to screen about the brethren of yellow tops.

How remiss of me.

I am a regular taxi user. I am delighted to say the urban myth of the overweight, sweat-stained driver is just that, a myth. As is the ‘all-taxis-are-ashtrays-on-wheels’ argument. So far so good. So what am I going to rant about?

Sat Navs.

When I told my wonderful editor, she said she loved the idea that taxi-drivers use them. I sighed quietly and started to write.

Most of the destinations I take taxis to and from are in the city centre. I find it really disturbing to see drivers having to key in those city-centre streets.

As a regular visitor to London, perhaps I am spoilt by knowing every black-cab driver has gone through learning the Knowledge. If you don’t know what it is, you can read about it here.

See, it takes two years, not-to-mention a moped, to get a Londoner anywhere near the driving seat of a black cab. This training has been proved to enlarge the brains of those who take it, and has even given us a Mastermind champion.

Dublin would fit into the tiniest London borough. Is it not beyond the realms of possibility that a similar scheme could be set up here?

Taxi drivers are complaining that there is a glut of taxis out there. Such a rigorous training regime would even act as a ‘natural’ filter, as would-be drivers take time to learn the roads.

Am I the only person who thinks that getting into a taxi where the driver could drive you anywhere without going, ‘Ah bud, are you sure? It’s not in the Sat Nav,’ would be a pleasure?

So there you go. Undaunted has come of age. You have a column on taxis.