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Flew up the trap

English translation: Yes, threw up the trapdoor in the roof of the cab.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Threw up the trap
Selected answer:Yes, threw up the trapdoor in the roof of the cab.
Entered by: Jack Doughty

08:32 Sep 30, 2018
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / London, circa 1900
English term or phrase: Flew up the trap
From Hound of the Baskervilles:

"Until we got three-quarters down Regent Street. Then my gentleman threw up the trap, and he cried that I should drive right away to Waterloo Station as hard as I could go."

I'm assuming this refers to the same thing as in the previous chapter:

"Instantly the trapdoor at the top flew up, something was screamed to the driver..."

But I've never seen an English horse-drawn cab, and I have trouble visualizing what exactly this is or what signal this action sends.
Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 23:52
Yes, threw up the trapdoor in the roof of the cab.
Explanation:
Victorian cabs were mostly of one design, the hansom cab. See this Google page for images.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hansom cab&source=lnms&tbm=i...
The driver sits high up at the back, outside and overlooking the cab, and communication with the passengers is via a trap(door) in the roof.
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:52
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5Yes, threw up the trapdoor in the roof of the cab.
Jack Doughty


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
flew up the trap
Yes, threw up the trapdoor in the roof of the cab.


Explanation:
Victorian cabs were mostly of one design, the hansom cab. See this Google page for images.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hansom cab&source=lnms&tbm=i...
The driver sits high up at the back, outside and overlooking the cab, and communication with the passengers is via a trap(door) in the roof.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 370

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Davis
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  writeaway
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  Armorel Young
9 hrs
  -> Тhank you.
agree  B D Finch: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Josep...
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thank you.
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