In the past few months, we have once again seen that dedicated group of taxi
drivers who always turn out for charity events. These drivers put the
pleasure of the handicapped or deprived children before their own needs and
I take my hat off to them. They are the drivers who get our trade such good
publicity in the newspapers and on television. When you see a long line of
taxis covered in balloons and streamers, weaving their way across London and
making their way to the coast or some other place of attraction, it makes
you feel proud to be associated with them.
Some years ago, I used to go on lots of these outings and I
thoroughly enjoyed them, regardless of whether the children were deaf,
confined to a wheelchair or came from a broken home. The majority of the
children, although handicapped, rarely complained about their disability -
unlike us. We get a knock on the leg and think it must be broken - quick,
get an ambulance!
The papers are so quick to print any problem that has occurred
within the taxi trade or private hire. If it is in the private hire realm,
they usually put it down to us anyway because it sounds more newsworthy! But
it's much harder to get them to print all those good things that this trade
is involved with. Bad news always sells more newspapers...
Whether you have helped on these trips, parties or special events,
I say well done, you are an asset to our trade. This includes drivers who
get sponsored for other charities away from the taxi trade, maybe for
hospitals, children's charities, medical research and any charity that is
not government funded.
I'm sure there are drivers out there who are now saying that
they've never seen an article by me that doesn't moan. Well this goes to
show that we all have two sides!
National Pride
On the Sunday July 20, I went to the Italian Church in
Clerkenwell Road to watch the annual procession that winds around the
surrounding streets. It is a pageant that I have tried to watch for over 50
years. It amazes me that we have people coming to England from all
over the world who hold their parades through the streets of London - there
is the Notting Hill Carnival, St Patrick's Day Procession and the Italian
Procession
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as well as many more. Yet we never see a St George's day parade to
celebrate our owncountry or Patron Saint. Is it because we are too lazy or
are we ashamed to be British? I think that we have a lot to be proud of,
whether it be our achievements or helping other nations against tyranny.
If you go to America, you will see their national flag on public
buildings and in front gardens, but if you put a flag up in England, you
will get a local councillor around within minutes. She will turn up in her
woolly socks, skirt covered in cat's hairs and Dilly Dream glasses! This is
to protest to you that it is not politically correct and you may offend the
illegal immigrants! It was good to see that during the World Cup, so many
cab drivers displayed the flag of St George, but they were told immediately
to remove them. I would agree with the ones that were blocking a clear
view through the windscreen, but little flags on aerials or sticking out of
the driver's ashtray, no way. (Editor's note: The PCO later changed their
minds after adverse publicity on various radio stations and allowed flags
for the period of the World Cup.)
We have Ken Livingston giving money towards the St Patrick's Day
parade, why can't he give money to support a day that promotes England? Then
perhaps the tourists would come to see it and get their friends and
relatives also to come for a holiday here. As much as they knock the Queen
and her family, it is a large attraction for overseas visitors who come to
see the palaces, changing of the guard and other attractions attached to our
royal family. It would be nice to be proud of our heritage and make it work
for us in gaining more taxi passengers.
The above part is my private life, the part below is my working
life...
Beating the System? I Don't Think So...
We still have drivers who think that they can beat the system and
not get caught. Well I have news for them; in the next few weeks they could
be receiving a letter from me. It is no good thinking that if you stop for a
few weeks that you will not get caught, I have got most of the evidence I
need, it is just a matter of doing the paperwork.
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We also have some drivers who are deliberately booking in
incorrectly to gain an advantage over their fellow drivers; to me this is so
low. We're all trying to earn a living from our system, but we have some
greedy drivers who want to steal work from others. There are rules set
in place by the Board - whether past or present - which are designed to make
sure the system runs smoothly.
In addition, trying to cut corners causes problems. Not only for
the Call Centre, but also for the DP department and Credit Control Managers.
Taking the wrong passenger can cause a clients invoice to be rejected
because the destinations have not been changed and they have then been
billed £100 for a very short trip, but £10 for a roader! So before you do
something silly, stop and ask yourself if you are you doing it correctly or
will you be getting a letter from that b*****d Whitbread!
Mobile Phones and Wheelchairs...
I'm glad to see a lot of drivers have heeded my warning about mobile
phones, but we still have some drivers thinking they are great at driving
with one hand. Remember that if you have an accident or get stopped by the
police for being on your mobile while a client is in your taxi, that is a
complaint against the Society's rules. So not only could you get points on
your licence, you could also be on your way to leaving Dial-a-Cab.
Finally, I have warned drivers about not using the ramps when
loading a wheelchair and possibly damaging your spine. Well, the safety
straps supplied with all taxis are there for a good reason - to stop the
wheelchair moving about when you are on the move. Once again we have drivers
who know better than the makers of taxis or the PCO and because of their
stupidity, passengers and their helpers have been injured. If this happens
in your taxi and we receive a complaint that the belts were not on
correctly, you will be receiving a complaint form for your explanation.
So please, let's give our clients the best possible service so that
we retain our work. Even if the other circuits are losing theirs, maybe with
our reputation as the best, they will come over to us.
Enjoy the rest of the summer... Tom Whitbread
DaC Complaints Dept |
