Russia’s second-largest city, St Petersburg, has a new landmark: an armored reconnaissance military vehicle that is used as a taxi.
Although city authorities at first refused to grant the owner a permit, after a long licensing campaign the BRDM APC (Combat Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle) has been launched as a public taxi.
However, authorities imposed certain conditions, including changing the vehicle’s camouflage pattern into something more civilian – hence the strident red paint used for fire-fighting vehicles chosen by the owner to stand out from standard taxis painted yellow.
Now, if one could mistake an enormous amphibious military vehicle with a deactivated turret machine gun on its top for a regular cab, I think that would be the least of his or her problems.
Because of its weight, the BRDM taxi is not allowed to enter certain streets in the historical center of St Petersburg. However, it can cross the Neva river without needing a bridge, which probably justifies the price of 5,000 rubles (under $100) one has to pay for a ride.
Story references: RT