A Study in Scarlet question

Good point, Feliks - but obviously you're not as familiar with jumping out of handsome cabs as Mark here who obviously does so on a regular basis to speak so confidently on what is and what is not possible. You might think that in the crowded streets of London, with the cab stopping and starting as it negotiates traffic, etc, that said occupant might be able to lower himself to the floor at an opportune moment and avoid Holmes' notice, especially as he had already managed to fool Holmes with his disguise (therefore we can probably assume that he is no fool) and that we know Holmes wasn't expecting such an attempted escape, but I'm afraid we both have to bow tho Mark's expert knowledge in this area. :)

Uh...I'm not entirely sure, but I think he just fell out of the cab, like Babafaba was saying.

I think the cab driver - of that cab - was not Hope. Even if it was, Homes wasn't 100% on his conclusion, and was not after Hope at that precise moment in time. His object was to follow the old lady - who I believe Homes does say he suspects is not a women, but a young man in dress-up.

The question you should really be asking is: Hope was a man who moved around a lot. When did he have time to make such a reliable and helpful friend?

Indeed, the cab driver in this case is not Hope, otherwise Hope wouldn't have walked into Holmes' trap at the conclusion. It was just a passing cab and as Babafaba said the accomplice merely jumped out of the cab at an opportune moment.

I'm pretty sure I could jump out of the front of a hansome cab --in the dark--without someone clinging to the back of the cab--noticing me. You just have to choose your spot; land behind some obstruction or other cab passing. Listen and make your move when the commotion and sound will cover your movements.

Sweta wrote: "In "The Study of Scarlet," Sherlock Holmes follows the old lady in the cab and when the cab finally stops, there is only the cab driver inside. How does this happen?
Old lady is a young man who is in disguise, he jumps of the cab \; when it is in motion...."

Anyone jumping out of the cab would have been seen by Holmes because he was clinging to the back. The cab would have passed them. The only way it could have been accomplished is by running faster than the cab. Way faster. So fast and so far ahead that you could turn a corner before the cab caught up.

The other possibility is hiding in the cab itself, under a seat perhaps. She couldn't have climbed into the boot because Holmes was clinging to it and would have heard.

Really, it's a weak story. Not Doyle's best at all.