CUSTOMER RELATIONS 1
I am writing to Mailshot in connection with both the Editor and Allen Togwell's recent articles on driver / account client relations. I would like to tell you a story that happened to me at the time of the last football World Cup in France.
   I had gone to 25 Cabot Square to pick-up an account passenger going to Knightsbridge. As the lady entered the cab, I asked which particular part of Knightsbridge she wanted. Her reply to me was not to waste time asking questions and just to hurry along as she was late and I was making her even later! Knowing DaC's position on not upsetting account clients, I bit my lip and drove off thinking to myself that if she was rude o me again, I would reply that if she couldn't speak to me civilly, then I would rather that she didn't speak at all. However, as we were leaving the Limehouse Link, she did start speaking to me civilly explaining that she wanted four separate stops in Knightsbridge and then to be dropped at Waterloo Eurostar. She then took out her mobile phone and spoke to Harvey Nicolls and the three other shops telling them that she was in a cab on her way to pick up the dresses that she had ordered and could they have them ready as she would be in a hurry. We eventually arrived and she ran into each shop and straight out again with the dresses. Soon we were on our way to Waterloo Eurostar. With traffic fairly light, we were soon at the station. As I pulled over, the passenger said that this was for you in addition to the fare and pushed a piece of paper into my hand. I looked at it and saw that it was a £50 note! I asked her if she realised that it was a fifty and she assured me that she did and she wanted me to have it. As I helped her with her luggage, she explained that she was Dutch and that she had arranged to meet her friends to take them to see Holland play their football match and she just had to catch her train - which she now had time to do. As she went through the barrier, I told her that I'd never forget her. "I'll never forget you either" she said with a smile!
   So, apart from the account fare, my £50 tip was my reward for controlling my emotions...
Freddie Argent (E40)
What else would you expect from a driver whose name means money in French...Ed

CUSTOMER RELATIONS 2
I read with interest your Editorial regarding passenger's complaints against some cab drivers (Nov Call Sign). In your last paragraph, you invited responses from drivers, so here goes...
   How about the other side of the coin i.e. drivers complaints against passengers? On Saturday 2nd July, I accepted an account ride from the Hurlingham club to Henley-on-Thames booked for 12:45am. My instruction was to make own contact on arrival. Tried but failed. Back to the cab to do an AAR. Dispatcher can't make contact either. Never mind, with so many people milling about, the best thing to do is wait by the cab and let my client come and find me. Sure enough, at 1:30am a young lady, dressed in a long evening gown, approaches a cab parked adjacent to me and mentioning her surname, enquires of the driver: "Are you for Henley?" On hearing this, I make contact with my 'passenger from Hell!' As she gets in the cab, her eye catches the meter: "What" she says, "£16 on the meter already!" Be polite, stay calm....
"Look my love, you booked the cab for 12:45, it's now 1:30"
   "So what - are we on the second rate now?" Be polite, keep calm, ignore that last remark. Press POB and let's just get going. Try once more to make this a pleasant journey. Intercom on: "You seemed a bit out of sorts back there"
   "Just drive will you."
   "Pardon?" says I.
   "Just take me to Henley."
Terrific! We haven't touched New Kings road yet and already I'm regretting having pressed the accept button. At least she can't find fault with the route to Henley (I checked the map while waiting).
   "Along the M4 to junction 8/9, onto A404(M) then the A4130 and you can direct me there, OK?"
   Long sigh "What ever."
Stay polite, keep calm and wipe the blood from your bottom lip .Intercom off, radio on. Around junction 6, the heavens open up. It's a torrential downpour. Thunder, lightning, hailstones. Wipers working on full speed. Onto the A404(M) - totally unlit apart from the lightening.
   "Driver, we are going to Henley?"
   "Yes, we're on the A404(M)" Still calm, albeit with swollen lip.
I follow the signs for Henley. Onto the A4130 which I can only describe as a narrow, two way (30 to 40mph) country lane with no lighting. It's still raining. I start to realise that the wheels are not making contact with the road surface, so I adjust my speed accordingly. There are bits of freshly broken twigs strewn across the road. I drive through what I perceive to be a puddle. There's an almighty splash. I feel the vibration through the steering wheel, so I slow down even more. This is where my passenger comes into her own. No need to switch the intercom on.
   Shouting, "Can't you go any faster?"
   Raising voice slightly, perspiring, but, still calm. "No I can't. I'm driving on a film of water here and you ........(swerve to avoid tree trunk laying across my path)......look at that, a bloody tree in the road and you want me to drive faster!"
   "Oh! big deal" she says, "a tree in the road. You're going even slower now! I can walk faster!!"
   I could stop here in the middle of nowhere and let her walk if she wants to, (I know God would forgive me) but no, I am a professional. Can't be much further, I hope. Still not happy, she now screams: "Can't you go any bloody faster? What are we doing now, 10mph?"
   That's it! Calm, politeness etc. just flew out the window, so I scream back at her:
   "No! I can't go any faster. These roads may be familiar to you, but not to me. I don't know what your problem is, but from the moment you got in this cab you've gone out of your way to be unpleasant."
   Silence. Total silence - but not for long. As I approach the middle of Henley Bridge, I'm ordered to stop immediately. I ignore the command until safe to do so, by which time she is extremely angry. She alights from the cab, looking at the meter and says: "Right!" - then slams the door shut! Being a professional, I lower the window to speak to her:
   "I'm supposed to take you safely to your front door." She ignores me and walks off. I sit there watching her walk along Henley High Street until she was out of view and then get my exact location from two passers-by. On the way back, I ring the DAC dispatcher to tell him exactly what happened on this journey and to make a formal complaint against the passenger. He suggests I ring Tom Whitbread on the Monday by which time Mr Whitbread would have listened to the tape of my conversation with the dispatcher. I did ring Mr. Whitbread, but unfortunately he knew nothing about it and asked me to tell him the story to save having to listen to the tape. Mr. Whitbread said he would pass on my complaint to David Adelman in Sales. Before the end of that week, I spoke to Mr. Adelman, who was not in possession of the facts. No one has been in touch with me since then.
   I'm told DAC is my circuit. Forgive my cynicism, but if the boot were on the other foot and there was a complaint against me, the driver, I'm sure DaC would respond immediately. After all, the customer we are told, is always right, even when he's wrong. Or is he?
Errol Lotriet (D14) ...via email...
I'm sorry that you had so much grief, but, and please don't take this the wrong way, it made a great letter! I spoke to Tom Whitbread and he had already spoken to the client, but it's one word against the other ...Ed

CUSTOMER RELATIONS 4
Your editorial in the November issue of Call Sign was justified, any right minded person cannot condone the actions of drivers who behave in the manner you stated. Mind you, what happens when the boot is on the other foot. I was recently accused by an account customer of overcharging. The customer made a complaint to DaC to the effect that I had given them a receipt for one amount, yet cleared the job for a few pounds more. Naturally DaC contacted me as to why the difference, once told I actually challenged the signature on the receipt sent with the complaint. One week later I attended Brunswick House to find out what was happening, to be told that the complainant had admitted to filling in the receipt themselves and was obviously not proceeding with the allegations. I would like to stress that had I not gone to DaC, how long would it have taken them to explain the withdrawal to me. I have never been told if DaC took action against her on my behalf or if I could take action against her for casting doubt on my character or even if an apology was forthcoming. Do we, the drivers, get protection from such people as well as the customers? In other words, does the customer always come first. And has the complaint been removed from the file that is no doubt kept on me.
Peter Murphy (A35) ... via email

TALK OF LONDON WINNER
Many thanks for our winning tickets for the Talk of London. We were made most welcome by all concerned from the moment of our arrival. We had a nice meal followed by an excellent cabaret which was all heightened by there being a great crowd of people there on the night. Please pass our most sincere thanks to the management for a most enjoyable evening. I certainly will recommend it to passengers and friends for a great evening out. Once again many thanks and best wishes.
Morris Abrahams (R85) ... via email
If you would like to be entered for the Talk of London monthly prize draw to win a table for four, send your name, address and call sign to Call Sign mag. Unsuccessful entries will be re-entered each month...Ed

MARK WHITE AND THE ASCOUGH REPORT
In the November Call Sign, I asked (the Editor): "Have I made an error of judgement in assuming your degree of intelligence or do you just not wish to use it?" Do you now want me to insult your intelligence by explaining the importance of Ascough's Report, despite having given you a detailed account at the start of the year?
   You again quote Ascough from his 1997 Call Sign article but, as I have already pointed out in a previous correspondence (Mailshot March 99) ... "The Progress of Dial-a- Cab (which) could only have been endorsed by Roger Ascough had he been led to believe that the Society had complied with his recommendations."
   At the 1998 AGM, Brian Rice admitted that the Society was not in a position to move forward as outlined by Ascough in his management consultancy report. Therefore Ascough must have been misled to have made that statement in 1997! For you to keep recycling it to suit your arguments show it to be no more than propaganda!! Or are you calling the Chairman a liar?
In his last Chairman's Report, Brian Rice, commenting on new terminals said: DaC will not in the future be in the position that it found itself in some seven years ago when it was trading on a day-to-day basis..."
   That statement stresses the importance of the implications of the Ascough Report and it's timing. Its recommendations of a non-executive elected Board allied to a professional executive managers (a view also held by the current Chairman) is as good now as it was in 1992. However, your view on whether it is ridiculous or not is hardly an expert opinion. You've had seven years to read the report and for someone who claims to be as committed to DaC as you do, to say you couldn't find time shows the validity of your arguments, particularly the one promoting the changing of the status to a PLC. How can you possibly know what you are talking about?!
   One of Ascough's recommendations was the role of a general manager. How does Brian Rice see that and is he in favour of such a move?
Mark White (B86)
You must understand one thing Mark, there is no law (that I know of) that says everyone must agree with Mark White. What gives you the right to assume that Mr Ascough was misled before writing his Call Sign article just because it doesn't suit you? I asked him to write a follow up and he did. He may well have asked questions because he doesn't work at DaC, but you automatically assume - because his answer doesn't satisfy you - that someone lied to him. Circumstances are constantly changing - hopefully for the better - but that doesn't seem to occur in your letters where everything reverts back to 1992 logic.
   Because you're driving me nuts, I've briefly flicked through the report again. I first saw it in 1992 and it probably had merit at the time. It was created for a set of circumstances that stood at the time. It talks about (in 1992) our marketing strategy being too low key, calls for a clearer marketing strategy, speaks of our attempt at starting a suburban circuit, talks of losing account work through recession and among many other things, the lack of continuity due to the possibility of Board members losing their position at an AGM. The report also says: "The BoM is currently operating in an unhealthy political climate, founded on the potential ability of a minority of shareholders to influence the Board to revoke sound commercial decisions which are unpalatable in the short term to individual shareholders."
   The report went on to add that income had fallen from 1989/90 by 30% whereas operating income had risen by between 22 and 31%. Pretty much what you would expect during a recession. The reverse is true now. Surplus up dramatically while operating expenses are down. 

VINTAGE CABS
As the Chairman of the London Taxi Vintage Association, I have been following with interest the Call Sign series on the A to Z of Taxicabs written by Merle Peirce, one of the LVTA's most active members in the USA. I am always reluctant to pass comment on matters historical, as there is always someone with a more detailed knowledge than I have. However, when it comes to Metrocabs, I do have a fair knowledge of the subject.
   The first prototype has been in my possession since it's disposal by the London General and the second prototype is owned by my colleague Bob McPhail. I have also made a thorough search of the relevant files at the PCO. Although three chassis frames were made, only two cabs were actually constructed and only the first cab was plated. This worked from the London General at 1 - 3 Brixton Road. The second cab was never licensed. I am afraid that Merle has confused the Metrocab with the CR6 in that it was the CR6 that worked in Peterborough. The current Metrocab is really a distant relation of the 1969/70 prototypes. Perhaps I can put together a potted history of the prototypes for a future issue of Call Sign. It really is a story of missed opportunities.
Keith White (A16)
Thanks for the offer, Keith, I'm sure there are many drivers out there who would be interested in such an article...Ed

THANK YOU FOR NASH'S NUMBERS
Thank you for sending me the copy of Nash's Numbers featuring hotels after I lost my original. With all the name changing of hotels, this article was very necessary to keep in the cab. Please thank the secretary who passed on my message to you.
Mick Garner (D1)
No problem, Mick. Unfortunately, Call Sign does not have a back number department but if any subscriber needs any part of the magazine, I am always happy to send a copy of the article...Ed

T&G RESPONSE
As the trade enters the new Millennium, it does so with less certainty than at any time in the recent past. We face pressure from many different sides, both on the business side of things and the political front. I personally would have thought that when an issue comes to the fore from outside the trade, that the various bodies that are entrusted to look after the good of the trade should try and sing from the same hymn sheet and not try and score cheap points off each other. I am referring in particular to Brian Rice's comments (November Call Sign) about the Working Time Directive and the T&G. Mr Rice knows fully the union's position on this issue as he asked Mike Hedges about it at a meeting of the London Taxi Board. If he should want any further clarification, he should read November's edition of Cab Trade News where it is the front page story. If he then wants any further background to the WTD, he should read Allan Solomon's excellent articles that have appeared in the Taxi Globe this year.
   Following pressure from the T&G's sponsored MP's, the government have made a commitment that genuine self-employed drivers will not have to conform to the WTD, but as a trade we should not rubbish the WTD totally. As nearly all other occupations already fall into the scope of the WTD, many part time minicab / Private Hire drivers will find that their available working time will be seriously curtailed as the time spent at any other occupation will be taken into consideration.
Eddie Lambert (V27)
Branch Secretary, 1/ 230 Central London branch (T&G)
Brian Rice replies:
Dear Eddie, I would have thought that your anonymous correspondent's comments about me in CTN (Eavesdropper) as being "...the enemy within" was a pretty cheap point, don't you? And whose view do you consider I should accept as being "official" on the subject of the WTD - Mike Hedges, someone few outside the Taxi Board will have heard of, or the T&G General Secretary Bill Morris whose views on the subject were made very clear at the Bournemouth conference?

A SUGGESTION A MONTH?
Perhaps a page of each issue could be used as a suggestions box with a cash prize being given to the idea which is considered best and most practical. This should be open to all staff as well as drivers. If a winning idea is not implemented within 3 months then the chairman can be invited to explain why not. Judging can be done by a team consisting of yourself, the society secretary, a staff supervisor and a board member. Maybe the initial prize can go to the author of this suggestion...?
Laurence Kelvin (W88)
You can have any prize you wish provided you claim it by December 1st 1999...Ed

CHRISTMAS INCENTIVES
Having just read your Newsletter regarding the Christmas Incentive Bonus, I fail to see how it helps drivers such as myself who do mainly credit work month-in-month-out. I generally work between 8-10 hours per day and that is without having a break. I just can't see how I am going to benefit from the Incentive Scheme as I think I already do more credit work then the average driver. I can understand your logic in trying to encourage drivers who don't do as much credit work - but it doesn't help the drivers who cover vast amounts as a matter of 

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