British taxi passengers are the second chattiest in Europe, a new survey has revealed.
A Europe-wide survey by Free Now, a taxi firm, found that Brits were more sociable in the back of the car than people in Italy, Spain and Germany.
Only the Irish were found to be more conversational than British passengers, after 73 per cent of UK respondents said they enjoyed talking to their taxi drivers during journeys.
Whilst in a cab, 41 per cent said they enjoyed engaging in small talk, while a third said they preferred talking about the news and the local city.
People also liked to complain about the traffic and conditions on the road (32 per cent), while half of passengers said they enjoyed talking about their love-life with their cab driver.
A Europe-wide survey by Free Now, a taxi firm, found that Brits were more sociable in the back of the car than people in Italy, Spain and Germany (file image)
Whilst in a cab, 41 per cent said they enjoyed engaging in small talk, while a third said they preferred talking about the news and the local city (Pictured: A queue of black cabs outside Victoria Station, London)
The survey also found that more than half of Brits (54 per cent) preferred a chatty driver over silence, with 43 per cent saying the they appreciate the non judgmental ear of the cab driver.
While the majority enjoyed talking to their drivers, 54 per cent of those surveyed see their journeys as a time for relaxation and introspection.
Passengers often take an interest in the daily lives of drivers, the research revealed, but cabbies often prefer to talk sports, holidays, celebrity encounters and local insights.
Mohammed Ewasha, a black cab driver in London for 41 years, told the Telegraph: 'The customers are the best part of the job. Meeting new, interesting and exciting people every day is the reason I have stayed in the job for such a long time.'
According to research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, engaging in conversations with strangers, including taxi drivers, can significantly enhance life satisfaction and overall well-being.