TELL US...!
Why can't we be told about new accounts that are being opened or soon to be opened? And regarding code 77, is it three strikes and you're out? Nobody tells us anything beforehand. It's getting a bit like Com Cab!
Gordon Treacher (P73)
Brian Rice replies:
I really don't think there is a need to tell anyone about prospective new accounts, otherwise the supplier that is currently servicing the account would have the opportunity to salvage the business, not something that we would promote. Regarding Code 77, yes it is 'three strikes' - so you did know all the time! Three rejects were introduced before Christmas 1999, all members were notified and it has not been changed. If things do alter in the future, of course you will be informed. Things are getting like Com Cab? I'm not sure if that is a compliment or insult - but I can guess...

STRESS RELIEF?
With much talk about stress in recent Call Signs, may I suggest a remedy that can be found in most health food shops: It is called Ginco Bilbio and worth trying.
Gary Nathan (T75)
Before trying any new medication - natural or otherwise - always make sure you read the label first ... Ed

THANK YOU
I would like to convey my thanks to Dial-a Cab Driver Yankee 83 for kindly taking my mobile phone to your offices in Brunswick Place after I had left it in his cab. I have today sent £10 to the Motor Neurone Disease Charity on his behalf, after reading about Dial-a-Cab driver Bob Woodford running in the Sahara Marathon in aid of MND.
Janette McLeary ... via email
Y83 is Allan Evans ...Ed

FINAL YEAR DISSERTATION
I have recently completed the third year of my degree at University. As part of the final year of my course, I must complete a dissertation and although I have not chosen a title yet, I intend to look at some of the issues facing the taxi industry. To aid my research I feel that it may be necessary to subscribe to some of the trade press and would be grateful if you can provide me with details of your publication and how to subscribe. I would also be grateful if you could supply me with a back issue of the publication in order that I can evaluate how useful the publication will be in my research.
   Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide me with.
James Bunting ... via email
University of Teeside
I have posted a complimentary copy of Call Sign to you and while I cannot put you on our mailing list, you may be interested to know that an Internet version of Call Sign appears on-line every month. You can find it on www.taxicab.co.uk/dialacabmag. And good luck with the dissertation ... Ed

FIRST AID COURSE
My wife and I recently attended a two day First Aid Course organised by Mike Son and taught by Keith from the St Johns Ambulance Brigade (May Call Sign). I write to thank them for organising the course, we both got a lot out of it and would urge other drivers to have a go at it. Although serious, the course was not without humour.
   I think that all the people attending enjoyed it and may in future now be capable of helping a casualty, where perhaps they may not have been able to previously.
Eddie Pieper (C50)

...AND AGAIN
Many thanks to Michael Son for going to the trouble of arranging the First Aid Course at the Barbican Hotel in May. The facilitator was Keith Miller, who many of the regular drivers on the children's outing to Southend will know Keith from St. John's Ambulance. The title of the course was 'Lifesaver Plus' and this was a four day course which Keith condensed into two long Saturdays for us busy cab drivers! Having attended a first aid course, I still find it difficult to encourage others to do the same. But as health is a topic which is now often quoted in Call Sign by Allen Togwell and others, maybe there could be further courses held - always assuming Michael has the time!
   Going back to last year, young Bernie Silver (G8) asked if there could be a defibrillator at Brunswick House, to which Michael replied: "...on a practical note, learn first aid, you never know it may save a life". There was a charge made to those attending the course which included tea/coffee and sticky buns - not very healthy, but Michael assures me that DaC did make a contribution to the over-cost. DaC giving financial backing to first aid courses, then reducing member's subscriptions! Whatever next?
   There may be another course in the future for others who would like to try it, so watch Call Sign for details ...Ed

HERBERT SMITH
Thank you so much for printing the story of my great-grandfather Herbert Smith who died in 1950 (May Call Sign). We believe that he may have been the last Hansom cab driver in London, but even so, would love to hear from anyone who may have known him or of him. Thank you also for sending me the copy of Call Sign with the article. It was much appreciated.
Robin Smith
Derby
Roy Ellis, Officer in Charge at the PCO, told Call Sign:
I regret that I cannot assist with any information about Herbert Smith as our files are destroyed six years after an individual's death. Although we are not up to date with our weeding process, we do not have files going back 50 years. Doubtless you can imagine our storage problem if we were to keep all our files indefinitely. Unfortunately, you seldom know at the time which files will be interesting in the future! Although Herbert Smith being the last Hansom cab driver in London is a good story, I confess to having my doubts. The last horse cab was licensed on 2 September 1946 (ie 15 years after Herbert Smith apparently retired) and remained licensed until 3 April 1947 (when Herbert Smith would have been about 88). I suspect, therefore, that there were others, perhaps his son-in-law, who drove horse cabs after Mr Smith. I will, however, be interested if your article produces any further information.

MORE PARKING TICKET 'SCAMS'
I recently received a demand for £80 from Westminster City Council for a parking ticket I had never received. I've sent off my reply stating this and will only be too pleased to send you any further correspondence in your battle for fair play instead of 'fraud'.
   Talking of parking tickets, I recently had some repairs done to my old cab when the matter of parking tickets arose. The owner of the garage informed me that you should request a copy of the ticket and that if your tax disc serial number is not on it, then the parking ticket is invalid as "in all probability, the ticket has just been put through while you are driving past a warden or sitting in a jam!" Could this be the problem? As somebody has already written, the new computerised tickets don't leave copies. Are the wardens on commission for the number they issue and how many unsuspecting cabbies have paid up without a fight?
Colin Kennedy (T51)
Anyone in the same boat should let Call Sign have copies of any correspondence and they will all be passed on to Roy Martin (R42) who is currently dealing with the Fraud Squad ...Ed

T&G MOVING
Would Call Sign readers please note the new address for the TGWU Cab Trade section of: Transport House, 128 Theobalds Road, WC1X 8TN. Correspondence to Cab Trade News should also be sent to this address for now, but we will be looking at changing shortly to a box number.
   From June, the 1/230 Central London Branch will be changing their meetings from the third Tuesday of the month to the first. This starts on the 6th June at 6.45pm when the branch will be holding the Monty Schiman Literary Award presentation to the winners and presenting the outright winner with the Samuel Lewis cup which he or she will hold for two years. There are no meetings in August or January.
Eddie Lambert (V27)
1/230 TGWU
And a lovely looking building it is too...Ed

CODE 77: REPLY TO DAVID MARKS
In reply to Mr Marks (R22) letter in the May Call Sign, yes, I am very happy with Code 77 as it stands and it seems that the majority of drivers that I talk to (on nights) are of the same opinion. Maybe I don't get a job home every night, but let's not be greedy! Any job in your home direction is better than being sent 'as directed' in the opposite direction.
   Let's keep Code 77 as it is. That is the way the membership overwhelmingly voted at the AGM.
R.Connor (G96)

AND ANOTHER...
Something has to be done about Code 3 (ie Code 77). It is just not working for DaC and its' drivers. On several occasions I have waited for more than 30 minutes hoping to get a job and then, on arrival, get verbalised from the passenger who asks why the cab is so late - especially as the job is timed as being taken much earlier. I say scrap the 'going home' facility on Code 3 and bring back the old way - one hour and all it can offer you. The work will get covered. Come on, DaC Board, see the light. Other than that you are the dogs bol**cks...!
T.Goldsmith (R74)
With praise like that, who needs compliments! ...Ed

AND YET MORE...
This is in reply to Mr Marks letter (May Call Sign) regarding Code 77: As a dayman, this has finished any chance I had of a job going home. I live in Blackheath and whereas before I could take a London City Airport or Canary Wharf, now I don't get offered them anymore. At 5pm, I could sit all night waiting for a job going to SE3 or its back-up zones if I wasn't put out of my misery by being signed-off after an hour! The result is that yet another cab cannot take an account trip.
PS. Sorry about the handwriting, it's dreadful, isn't it!
C.Clark V25
I wouldn't say it was dreadful, Mr Clark, but in the end the only person I could get to read it was an expert in Mandarin! ...Ed

REMOVABLE LOGOS
Is there anything available to enable Metro drivers to have removable logos. I have personally never had any objections to carrying logos, but I have some valued private work that requires a plain cab and I know there are many drivers whose cab acts as their private car and who prefer a plain cab when out with their families. All of these drivers, like me, would I am sure be grateful of an opportunity to avail themselves of a yearly saving of £240 on their subs. If nothing exists, could the possibility be pursued?
David Brett (P93)
I have been told that at present there is nothing that sticks to a Metro. However, if anything does come along you can be sure that DaC will get it...Ed

CHINCHAT DOMAINS
In Vince Chin's Computer Chinchat column (May Call Sign), he wrote about registering domain names. He described the new WS domains (which I have now made use of) but only briefly mentioned 'auctions' and .co.uk or .com. I am interested in web sites and domain names. Could Vince give some advice please?
Steve Jackson (P38)
Your wish is our command. See this issues Computer Chinchat. If anybody answers to computer or Website questions, send it to Call Sign and Vince Chin will try to help ...Ed

MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE
I am writing to you on behalf of the East London Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association to invite yourself and Brian Rice to our next open meeting on the 18th May at 7.30pm in Loughton Union Hall, Loughton, Essex. I would be delighted if both of you could come as you have done more than anyone else to ensure that Bob Woodford made it out to Morocco and that as many people as possible knew about it. I would also like to thank you for your unstinting support of Bob and the excellent coverage that we have enjoyed in many issues of Call Sign. We will be mounting a small display of Bob's photos and press cuttings as well as the, now legendary, e-mails that have travelled back and forth over the last six months. Thank you once more.
Neil Crane
Vice Chair, Motor Neurone Disease Association
Thank you for your letter, Neal. I, in turn, would like to thank all the drivers who donated funds towards MND in memory of Paul Bishop who so tragically died from the disease in May 1999 ...Ed

OH WHAT A LOVELY EDITOR!!
I thought you would appreciate that someone loves you. Last night I picked up a passenger you had taken to a restaurant earlier in the evening. He works for that German bank in Great Winchester Street. Evidently you have carried him on a few occasions previously and given him a copy of Call Sign (nice PR). He told me what a nice person you were and what a good magazine you produce. I told him that we sometimes talk on the Internet and would he mind if I repeated the conversation to you. As you can see, he agreed. So Alan, I hope this posting makes your day. And don't blush...!
Peter Murphy (A35)
Did he not mention how good looking I was? ...Ed

COMPLAINTS COMMITTEES
In The Chairman's report (May Call Sign), he refers to the fact that Trevor Clarke is having difficulty enlisting members to sit on our complaints committee. The Chairman says this is because DaC members refuse to sit on the panel when they are approached. These members are selected, apparently, at random at the moment. The Board wants to change our current procedure. They have asked that 50 drivers put their names forward for regular seats on the committee. I thought it strange that after 27 years service I have never been asked to sit on a committee, not one. So I set out to do a straw pole of our drivers. I asked as many DaC drivers that I have come across, about thirty five, as to whether they have ever been asked to form a complaints committee. Time and time again the answer from these drivers is that they had never been approached, let alone served on the committee. These are drivers that have been on the circuit for, 8,10,15,20 and 30 years standing. I came across just two drivers who had sat on the committee. What is interesting is that one of these drivers had served 4 stints on the committee. This, clearly, is a statistical improbability and therefore, the random selection process is flawed in some way.
   The Chairman says that any member appearing before a regular committee would encounter a fairer system. That is NOT so. The reason for this is that by calling on regular members to attend, even with the best will in the world, and good intent on their part, they could become what is known as 'Case Hardened' and therefore become, unintentionally, more liable to convict and hand down a stiffer sentence.
   This system would never be sanctioned in the higher courts of law and for good reason. The syndrome of Case Hardening is well known to lawyers and psychologists. This is precisely the charged levelled at Magistrates. I urge members not to accept this change. It has served and protected us well for many years. Do not allow this change.
Maurice Haben (G17)
Tom Whitbread replies:
Yes, we have asked for fifty volunteer drivers to put their names forward to sit on a complaints committee, but at the time of writing (May 19) we have only had about 30 bother to put themselves out and write in. When out of 1600 subscribers, only this small amount bother to assist, it shows that what the Chairman wrote in his report was correct. By having 50 or so on a list, it would enable us to instruct them on how to read a log sheet and be fully conversant with Society and procedural rules. At present, we waste about one to one and a half hours each meeting helping committee members understand these points to allow them to make a fair judgement. The only reason a person ends up in front of a committee is due to them having more than one complaint lodged against them, or they have seriously endangered our accounts. This could be by their actions or failure over a long period to supply the service that would help us to retain the work for all of our subscribers.
   One reason that a subscriber may sit more than once on a committee is if, at the last minute, a member drops out. A replacement has to be found quickly and it usually is an arbitrator.

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