A cabman is a so-called crew driver, a cart. Sometimes it was called a peasant who was engaged in transportation. Cab drivers, depending on the crew, were divided into categories and even categories.
As the cabman was called in the old days
A cabman is a profession that existed in Russia.
At different times, representatives of this profession were called differently. They even had their own categories. The youngest are “Vanka”, the oldest are “darlings”. There were even “dashing people,” but they cost much more than the Vanek.
About the Vanka
They were considered the lowest category. Their carts were cheap; they themselves came to work in towns from villages. Sometimes they worked on their own horses, sometimes they were rented from the boyars. Vanka worked for wear and tear - the price of their services was not high, but they were ready for long and hard work. Agreed to go anywhere. But the condition of their carts was such that not everyone was ready to ride. The clients of such cabs most often became poor ordinary people, lower-ranking officials and clerks.
Rights "Vanka" also did not possess. There were always those who were ready to profit at their expense. One of the books describing the everyday life of those times contains an indication that the city men daily robbed the unfortunate cabmen.
Part of the income "Vanka" was given to the owner of the cab, which were on stand. The size of this payment was most often fixed. If there was not enough money, then the cab remained a debt. And it turned out that many peasants who came to the city to earn money returned empty-handed or even debtors.
About the "reckless"
"Dashing" is the other side of the carriage life. Their horses were strong and healthy, well-groomed and beautiful. In these cabs, the strollers were with a lacquered painted body and inflated tires.
They worked primarily for themselves, transporting wealthy passengers. They were approached by officers, wealthy merchants and boyars with their ladies. Sometimes they were hired by scammers and adventurers who want to create a good impression about themselves or quickly flee from someone.
It was possible to notice "dashing" on the streets after dinner. But they worked until the morning. Passengers were picked up near theaters, hotels and restaurants. They took at least 3 rubles for the trip, while the maximum that Vanka could count on was 70 kopecks.
"Dashing" could themselves choose with whom they will go. But they received an impressive income. Rich gentlemen, who left the theater to have fun with actresses, often hired a cab for the whole night and did not skimp on payment. Wheelchairs equipped with a convertible top were especially valued - half-drunk passengers with their companions could hide from disapproving glances.
About the "darlings"
"Dear" is a kind of aristocracy among the cabmen. Sometimes they were also called "pigeons with ringing." Their carriages were decorated with arches hung with bells. Their name came from the fact that the coachman often exclaimed: “Oh, pigeons!” That's what they called the cab in the old days.
The Duckies had a special form of clothing — a woolen blue shuttlecock with a high waist and folds in the back, thickly lined with cotton, a Yamskaya felt hat in the summer, and a cloth quadrangular hat in the winter. There was a tin number on the collar. In winter, “darlings” rode on a city sleigh, and in summer - on a lightweight wheelchair with a convertible top. It was possible to “catch” them on a horse exchange.
For the most part, one horse harnessed to one crew, but there were both deuces and triples. A special chic was considered to ride on a triple to the loud cries of the coachman: "Hey, watch out!"
Other categories
“Lomoviki” - this is what they used to call cabmen in the old days, this is another category that was engaged in the transportation of luggage and cargo. The coachmen were driven by heavy-duty horses capable of carrying large volumes of cargo. Work for them has always been found.
Another name, as the cabmen were called in the old days, is "coachmen". They transported both people and goods on pit horses. Their duties included mail delivery.
Before horse-riding appeared (carriages designed for a large number of passengers traveling on rails with horses), and after the tram, the drivers had no competition. Only a few rich people owned private crews.
Authorities regulation
The city government was responsible for the inspection of the crew and horses. Each driver was assigned a number. First, badges with numbers were attached to the coachmen on their backs, later they were nailed to a prominent place in carts or prams. The horse had to meet special standards - to be strong and healthy, and not bony and decrepit.
The cabmen dressed in a special uniform, depending on the crew class: blue or red caftan with frills at the back, a beautiful belt was tied around the waist, and a low top hat with curved fields was hoisted on the head, decorated with a buckle in front.
There were also age restrictions - a young man who reached the age of 17 could become a cabman. It was believed that the better the beard, the more decent the coachman.
All crews were divided into three categories, each of which corresponded to its own color strollers and night lights:
- The first category - closed spring strollers with rubber air tires - red.
- The second category - similar strollers with simple tires - blue.
- The third category is everyone else.
Traffic rules
Carriers in Russia moved according to the established rules of the road. They had to ride on the right side of the street at a trot - about 11 km / h. When it got dark, the cabmen lit special lights. A stroller was allowed to put only in one row along the sidewalk. And it was also forbidden to leave the crew unattended.
At the beginning of the XX century, with the advent of trams, the profession of a cabman gradually began to decline. By 1939 there were only 57 of them in Moscow. After a couple of years, the cabmen completely ceased to be in demand.