CHAIRMEN PRESENTATION
The DaC ex-Chairmen's presentation was a great idea that was carried out to perfection, so congratulations to all who must have worked so hard behind the scenes to make the day seem so easy and relaxed for the guests. I look forward to the next event that Call Sign and Dial-a-Cab put on.
Rodney Lewis
Publisher, Taxi Globe

May I through the pages of Call Sign thank you, Alan, together with the Chairman and the Board of Dial-a-Cab for inviting me to the unveiling of the 'Scroll of Honour' which was dedicated to ODRTS chairmen both past and present. I felt very honoured to be present. It was, of course a very nostalgic occasion, meeting so many people that were once Jack's colleagues and whom I hadn't seen in years. Thank you once again...
Edna Taylor
Ilford

Thank you for inviting me to the unveiling of the Scroll of Honour of Chairmen past and present on Monday 10th July. As one of the founder members of ODRTS, Frank always had the well being of the Society close to his heart and naturally, I was really proud to be there on his behalf. It was such a pleasure to meet old friends again, Jack Taylor's wife Edna, Bonnie and Carol Martyn and many others who Frank and I had been acquainted with over the years. It was a piquant taste of the past and many memories came flooding back.
   The reception was so informal and friendly. I'm certain Alan, that everyone enjoyed an extremely pleasant afternoon. I know Frank would have loved to be there. Receiving the replica of the Scroll was a special part of the day for me, thank you so much for this thoughtful gesture.
Georgie Duncan
Andover, Hants

Barbara and I would like to say a very big thank you for our invitation to the very enjoyable function for the presentation of the plaques to past Chairmen or representatives of those now sadly deceased. We both had a wonderful time. It was great to meet up with some that I hadn't seen for many years.
   I think you would agree that had it not been for the dedicated work they and their respective BoM's did, the Society would not be what it is today. Once again, many thanks...
Jack Russell
North Harrow

I would like to pass on my grateful thanks to you and your team for the wonderful presentation that you invited me to on Monday July 10th. It was a momentous occasion and I am sure that all past Chairmen, those that are still with us and those who have passed on, would feel that they were memorably honoured. It was also a lovely gesture to present us with our own Scroll of Honour for which my family and I are deeply grateful.
   I know Phil would have been thrilled had he still been with us! I thank you once again Alan, most sincerely...
Faye Messias
Barkingside

Alan, what can I say. Both Carol and I had the most wonderful day at the plaque presentation. It is so wonderful to be remembered as I am sure all the other former Chairmen present at the HAC will testify to. And as for the trip to your Call Centre afterwards, I can only compare it to NASA headquarters in Houston. I am thrilled to have been a part of such a wonderful organisation.
Bonnie Martyn
Edgware, Middx

May I thank you as Editor of Call Sign and of course the Board of Management for the presentation at the HAC and the honour bestowed upon me. It was so nice to meet once again the present Board and all my old colleagues and believe it or not I served with almost all of them, including the young Bonnie Martin! Sadly as we know, there were some former Chairman who are no longer with us, so how nice to know that they were not forgotten. It was great to see the wives of my former colleagues, for I know that without their support over the years, things would have been much harder. As regards the senior or older gentleman that were there, it needs to be said that as they look so well, I wonder if they could let a young man like me into the secret of their youthful looks!
   As you know, I have always felt that anyone that serves on the Board of Management deserves to be appreciated. Your decision to inscribe the names of all previous Chairmen onto a plaque at Brunswick House is to be applauded. We all, on occasion, had to take decisions on behalf of the members, which at times were onerous and we always prayed that we were correct in our judgement.
   The greatest thrill is to see how the Society has progressed over the years due in no small measure to sacrifices that have been made by Boards of Management and especially the drivers, who showed so much loyalty in hard times and the respect they have shown not only to me, but to all those who have served the Society.
   I know the Society is in good hands with Brian and the team, and the excellent Call Sign magazine. Long may they prosper!
Aubrey Siteman
Barkingside

Thank you Alan so much on behalf of Sam and myself for a great day last Monday. The food was first class as were the presentations and it was so lovely to see the old faces again. I also enjoyed my visit to the control room afterwards (I don't care what they call it now - it's the control room to me!). Talk about 'state-of-the-art'. I would last about two minutes there - where's all the screaming and shouting! Seriously, I was very impressed with the whole day. Thanks again...
Martha Harris
Stanmore
Martha used to work in the Shirland Road control room after we moved from Kings Cross while husband Sam is Call Sign's historian ...Ed

AND JERY
How thoughtful of you to include me in the day that you so successfully organised in July. What can I say other than you, Linda and Barbara can certainly keep a secret! Thank you once again, Alan, I was very honoured and humbled.
Gerald Craig (C3)
To all the above and everyone who attended, I thank you all for your kind remarks. Can I also thank Jacqui Chart for assisting. Without her the day would have taken me three months to organise! And can I finally add that I considered it an honour to be amongst so many respected men and women who had done so much to put DaC where it is now...Ed

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS CAB?
I received a telephone call recently from an Alfred Hobbs of Taos, New Mexico advising me that he owns a 1935 Jones Low Loader, DGH 259, which he hopes to restore. He has an interesting story about his purchase of the cab, and would like to hear from anyone who may remember the cab or any of the people involved.
   He was living and working in Casablanca in 1957 when he came upon a group of 4 men and a woman who were trying to reach Rhodesia in the cab. They were towing a small trailer behind it. By the time they reached Morocco, they were having second thoughts and sold the cab to Mr.
   Hobbs. The following year, he and his wife travelled from Casablanca to Nigeria and across to Kenya. From there they travelled by sea to India and Pakistan where they stayed for some time before taking a ship to the U.S. Apparently, the Rhodesian expedition originated with Edward Flynn, announcing on BBC TV: "I've just bought a London taxi and I'm going to drive it to Rhodesia. Anyone want to come along?" I've no idea how he gained access to a BBC broadcast, which could probably make an interesting story in itself!
  From Mr. Hobbs come these names of former owners of the cab listed in the logbook: John Bolles (he accompanied Mr.Flynn on the trip), Ernest Powell and Peter Smith. Alfred Hobbs' e-mail address is alfredhobbs@hotmail.com
Merle Peirce
Rhode Island, USA
Merle Peirce is head of the Rhode Island Motor Museum as well as being Call Sign's reporter at the International section of the LVTA. If you do not have email but think you can help with the above query, send the info to Call Sign and we'll pass it on...Ed

THANK YOU FROM 'THE OTHER PLACE'
I want to thank your colleague, the driver of taxi plate number 95063. He took me from Horseferry Road to Devonshire Place and then onto the House of Lords on Tuesday July 4th at around noon. It was a 'gridlock' day but your driver knew all sorts of back street short cuts, which I would never have found. I am very grateful. During the next two days, I tried repeatedly to telephone Dial-a-Cab but all your numbers were very busy - perhaps early July is a time when you are short staffed.
   Could you please pass my renewed thanks to the driver concerned.
Lady Hylton
Radstock, Somerset

ROAD HUMPS
Dear Alan,
For your information I enclose a copy of a letter of mine that was printed in The Independent on Saturday 8 July 2000.
Laurence Kelvin (W88)

Dear Sir,
A strong environmental case against road humps is put forward by Barry Groves, [letter, 1st July]. There are other reasons why councils should proceed with caution before installing sleeping policemen. Often they are installed at the request of a small articulate and vocal minority who simply wish traffic to be diverted on to neighbours' streets. This causes congestion and pollution down the road and is a clear case of "not in my backyard" selfishness. Residents should also remember that after bumps are installed, there is soon an increase in burglaries because any police cars patrolling the streets will choose to cruise down roads without these impediments. Busy roads are also safer roads for local people, with more attacks and muggings taking place on quiet streets.
Laurence Kelvin
London W9

FINSBURY SQUARE RANK
I note that once again EC5 has been changed and of course, not for the benefit of the drivers. EC5 is an old fashioned and ridiculous zone that should have been abolished ever since the City had it's 'ring of steel' because of so-called terrorism. All you need do is to keep the system exactly as it is now, but fire out the trips from their correct zones ie 'trip in EC3 - non rejectable'. Don't tell me that anybody can get from City Road, Angel, EC1 to Upper Thames Street EC4 in ten minutes any time day or night. Stop EC5 now...
Max Arnold (D66)
I can only give my view as a driver, Max, and I like this system. As someone who has worked on EC5 for many years, I like the 'chance' that comes of being given the first job in from anywhere in the City. After all, are you telling me that every driver at the Angel would book into EC1? We all know that isn't the case otherwise you wouldn't get such a disproportionate number of drivers in EC2 when we were still using the back-up zones. Fortunately, your example doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I disagree that it would take more than ten minutes at night. What do others think? ... Ed

FLOWERS? NO THANKS!
I have just read with some amusement, the letter from R.A.Thomas (D59) (August Call Sign) regarding the flowers he received from the Society when he was off work through illness. What I found amusing was the marked difference between his treatment by the Society and mine. When I was diagnosed with cancer in February and was taken into hospital for an urgent operation, I kept the Society informed both by phone and in writing (to Driver's Services) as to what was going on and to let them know as soon as I could on a return to work date.
   I received not a word (let alone flowers) from the Society until I received a letter from Trevor Clarke, in effect asking me to turn in my equipment and bond and get off the circuit. I phoned Mr Clarke and he said he was acting on instructions from the BoM. I think it is an appalling way to treat the very people who keep this Society going, who, you should bear in mind, are NOT employees of the BoM or anyone else.
   I have a thick skin and was prepared to treat this matter with the contempt it deserved until I read the letter from Mr Thomas. Also my wife has been through a very traumatic time through my illness and Mr Clarke's letter was the last thing she needed and she took it badly (please do not send flowers now, that would only add insult to injury).
   I am back at work now, albeit for a limited period, but this matter has left a nasty taste in the mouth and I do not hold the Society in the same regard as I did.
   Gentlemen's circuit? Maybe in Mr Thomas's case - not in mine...
A.E.Knight (P35)
Brian Rice replies: Dear Mr Knight, I was extremely concerned when I read your letter and made some enquiries. The very least I can do is to apologise to both you and your wife. You will know from various letters that are published in Call Sign, that it is our policy to send either flowers or fruit to a member who is hospitalised. Although it is no consolation to you, unfortunately you slipped through the net. We received a letter from you on 2/2/00 stating that you were going into hospital, but unfortunately no-one acted on that information (although it will not happen again). The first contact you had from us was when Trevor Clarke contacted you because your account showed you were in arrears, that was a normal procedure and you were then returning to work. Although you and your wife were naturally upset, the only consolation I can offer you is that this incident has now been brought to my attention and hopefully in the future, other members that are unwell will not feel neglected. Once again my sincere apologies to both of you...

THANK YOU DIAL-A-CAB
After much soul-searching and deliberation I have now decided to resign from the Society. As I now work just two or three days a week, I find that it has now become financially unviable and as I am now looking at total retirement in the near future, I think it best, with much sadness, that I leave Dial-a-Cab. To Trevor Clarke, on the few occasions that I have had a query, you have always shown me patience and understanding and this has always been greatly appreciated. This also applies to the Admin Staff, Helen Corkerry in particular. Please convey my thanks to her. Can I also take this opportunity of wishing the Chairman, Officers, Board of Management, Staff and drivers continued success with a Society that I am sure will always progress. I wish you all many years of health and success with Dial-a-Cab.
Stuart Crader (E75)
And our best wishes to you Stuart, for a long and very happy retirement...Ed

THANK YOU CALL SIGN
May I thank you for the publicity given by Call Sign to my Ebook, Are You Free: Confessions of a Taxi Driver. Your welcome publicity has been incorporated on Zeus, the publisher's website. The Ebook has been nominated for an award in Munich, Germany when my Ebook goes up against its rivals. Perhaps that will give me the chance to meet you and Dial-a-Cab personally. Again I thank you for your help.
David Gawthorn
Melbourne, Australia

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