Thanks for taking the time to vote on this, my first readership survey, of those who viewed last week’s post over half filled in the questions.

The typical CabbieBlog reader is a male from the London area, who is approaching the twilight of his life. He has received via email my missives for over half a decade which he devours rapaciously every day. Although his preference is London’s history a bit of trivia doesn’t come amiss, and thinks CabbieBlog could do better, even though he hasn’t himself written a blog.

After that rather tongue-in-cheek summary, let’s have a look at the real data.

(1) Male or female?

I don’t believe there are fewer females reading stuff on the internet than men, so either I’ve disillusioned female readers or else my choice of subject matter has proved more appealing to male anoraks like myself. Sorry ladies, I’ll try not to lose any more of you.

80% male; 20% female

(2) Age?

I’m rapidly haemorrhaging the younger audience too, ten years ago when meeting other bloggers and blog readers almost all were under 30, but that’s now less than 10 per cent. I suspect blogging’s become a bit old school for the younger generation, many of whom prefer video content to twice-weekly 600 word essays. Admittedly I’m now two age groups higher than when I started the blog in June 2008, and many of my readers will have aged along with me, but my audience is maturing faster than that, which may be why some days the comments descend into a nostalgic wallow. Over 90 per cent of my readers are over 50 and, as you might expect, none under 20. Curiously also there are none in the 40-year-old group.

Under 20 none; 20-39 8%; 40-49 none; 50-59 24%; 60-69 20%; 70+ 48%

(3) Where do you live?

Nearly half of my readership lives in London, the city I write about the most, while one quarter is from the rest of England, most likely with an Eastern England bias if my comments are anything to go by. Over one-quarter of you are still from outside the UK, so it can’t only be my reports about cabs to Cockfosters which keep you coming back. I guess in these travel-restricted times it doesn’t really matter where you’re from, so long as you don’t mind reading about somewhere you’re unlikely to be able to visit.

London 48%; England 24%; United Kingdom 0%; Europe 12%; World 16%

(4) When did you first check out CabbieBlog?

This question celebrates the longevity of CabbieBlog’s readers. 12 per cent of you claim to have been reading for at least 12 years, and another 16 per cent for more than 10 years (assuming your memory of that first visit is truly accurate). More and more of you have joined in as successive years have passed, and as hardly anyone ever gets redirected here from anywhere else any more, surprisingly 20 per cent have arrived since 2020. But thank you all for sticking around, however long it’s been.

2008-2010 12%: 2011-2013 16%; 2014-2016 20%; 2017-2019 32%; 2020+ 20%

(5) How often do you read CabbieBlog?

Curiously 56 per cent of respondents read CabbieBlog every day, even though I only post four times a week. Nearly a third peruse the site weekly, and hardly surprisingly no one filled in the survey upon stumbling upon CabbieBlog for the first time.

Daily 56%; Weekly 32%; Occasionally 12%; First visit 0%

(6) How do you find out when new posts are published on CabbieBlog?

This was for me the most revealing question that 60 per cent discover my new missives from receiving an email, and rather reassuringly 20 per cent check out CabbieBlog regularly to read any new posts.

RSS feed 16%; Newsify 0%; Bloglovin’ 4%; Twitter 0%; CabbieBlog emails 60%; Check out CabbieBlog site 20%

(7) Are four posts a week?

While the majority thought CabbieBlog posted about enough times a week, those who wanted more or felt I droned on too much were identical in number.

Too many 12%; About right 76%; Not enough 12%

(8) What is your best-liked category?

Considering CabbieBlog’s raison d’etre is London’s history it’s hardly surprising that the most popular category is not the opinion of a London cabbie, with zero votes, but history with trivia trailing far behind.

Trivia 16%; Quotations 0%; London history 72%; Thinking allowed 0%; None particularly 12%

(9) Do you own a blog?

A substantial number of you either never wrote a blog in the first place or have given up on producing original long-form content in favour of merely reacting via social media to what others have written. But it’s reassuring to know that blogging isn’t quite dead yet and that I still have competition from at least some of you.

Yes 20.8%; No 79.2%

(10) How do you rate CabbieBlog?

I hesitated to include this question as the result could have been far from reassuring, or worse in telling me that I have been wasting my time this past decade. I squeezed past the halfway point when seven out of ten was my lowest score, and nearly a third of you gave me full marks. Conclusion I must try harder.

1/10-0%; 2/10-0%; 3/10-0%; 4/10-0%; 5/10-0%; 6/10-0%; 7/10-11.5%; 8/10-19.2%; 9/10-38.5%; 10/10-30.8%