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Like an Aberdeen taxi

Posted by Parthian on May 26, 2007

In Reply to: Like an Aberdeen taxi posted by pamela on May 20, 2007

: : Does anyone know why Aberdeen in the phrase "took off like an Aberdeen taxi", which I think means to take off in a fast, furious and erratic way? The web seems to have no ref. to the phrase, but I recall its use here in Australia!

: I've just spent an amusing while scrolling through the first few of many "took off like a" pages retrieved from Australian Google. "Took off like a Bondi Tram" (and yes, the author meant "fast")is among the vehicles in contention (as well as a jet ski, plane and steam train -another one that strikes me as kind of slow). Among the many "rockets" and "shots" there is also a "turpentine cat", a "shout" a "mad thing", a "half cut Brumby mare", a "human dart" as well as rabbits and hares (startled or not), cats (scalded, scolded -naughty cat - or skinned), supernovas, shotguns and bullets. But the winner is ... "took off like a belt sander". I did also find "a New York Taxi" but none from Aberdeen. Pamela

:Thanks Pamela,and for all the amusing references,I would have to agree that "took off like a belt sander" seems the best image.Just had a thought as to why so few references in Google,that rather than the Scottish Aberdeen,it may be referring to the New Zealand one.As to the now immobile Bondi Trams,the same can be said of the Scottish Aberdeen,which has many pages devoted to saying the people there are shiftless-and I have no opinion on that-which would tend to imply that their cabs would be slow.I have unfortunately been guilty of sqirting vinegar at invading cats so the 'turpentine cat' may actually be 'turpentined cat'.

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