Mailshot and signals…
I’m proud of the Mailshot pages in Call Sign. They represent the ultimate in driver participation and give members an opportunity unavailable on any other radio circuit to air grievances or to ask questions. I have fought hard to maintain the freedom involved and over the years have also spoken to many account clients who see the magazine either via the mailing list, the Call Sign Online version or through a driver passing on his or her copy. The vast majority appreciate that it makes us more reliable because there are no underground rumblings. Everything is in the open.
   Some drivers ask whether I side with the BoM more than the drivers? The answer is that I side with whomever I think is right on any given subject, but if a driver cannot ask a civil question without being rude, then his point will fly out of my office window and whilst his letter may well be printed, he will not get any support from me. There is no excuse for rudeness. Yes, I know it has been on both sides, but rarely when a question has been asked in a polite fashion.
   If drivers ask the same question as one printed a few issues earlier and nothing has changed, then I will provide the answer based on the answer given at the time. If that makes me sound like an unelected Board member (another driver’s comment to me) then there isn’t much I can say. It’s not true, of course, but there are some out there who don’t listen to answers unless they asked the question.
   My problem of late is deciding whether some drivers know what to do with the freedom that the mag provides? I ask because recently, not content with the freedom to ask that question, some drivers seem to be unable to ask without being rude.
   I also drive a taxi and know what our signals have been like during very busy times. It has been an ongoing problem. I was also here 30+ years ago when voice signals were even worse with a fraction of the work, but I’ve seen at first hand what is now being done to try to improve the situation – and my belief is that combined with the latest upgrade (3.4.5), additional aerial sites and expertise from our San Diego "tweaker" Jim Moore during a recent visit to DaC House, the situation is improving. As I said in response to a letter last month, my own signals have been much better since having the upgrade - together with training myself to have patience when pushing buttons. No, they are still far from perfect, but they’re getting better. But regardless of the success or otherwise, I’m getting a bit peed off with having to ask for a response from Board members when passing over letters from

subscribers who seem to believe
that having been here for two
years or so, also means they can say whatever they like in whatever manner they like and to whomever they like.
   Well no more. Mailshot is a tool that I hope is helpful when you want an answer, but regardless of how frustrated you may feel because you have had a problem with your signals or anything else, if you want your letter published in its entirety, then please write it without being rude.
That doesn’t mean that you have to write like a fairy godmother. Drivers such as Steve Shaller (R75) are masters at the art of friendly sarcasm and I’d hate to see the demise of the occasional friendly dig, but that is a million miles away from the downright rudeness that has been creeping in of late – albeit from a small minority.
   Please remember that we are all members of the same Society and we all want it to succeed – and ALL means Board members too.
   Perhaps it might be worth pondering on the fact that however proud I say I am of the freedom Mailshot has, if it wasn’t for the fact that the Board allow it, it wouldn’t be here – and it’s no good denying that fact, because it’s true. Is there another radio circuit board or committee or just individual boss who allows this freedom? Of course not and that is worth bearing in mind the next time you consider an insult is the order of the day!

Fancy some T…?
You have to smile when reading the latest piece of anti-DaC literature plastered all around London’s taxi eateries by someone who supposedly thinks a lot of this Society. He even stuck his notice up in the DaC driver’s reception! In all fairness to the writer, who as you would expect was afraid to sign it, he is only trying to help DaC’s drivers whom he obviously doesn’t believe are sensible enough to help themselves.
   The open letter asks whether anyone who accepts a T attribute job (private hire) knows what they are doing and that they should immediately go to DaC House to take that particular attribute off their list. That’s fine and no one who doesn’t want to pick up a T attribute should do it. As the writer correctly states, you go to Driver Services and just ask. They’ll take it off for you

immediately. It’s no more difficult than saying you don’t want to pick up bicycles.
   But the stupidity of someone plastering these signs at taxi watering holes is exactly that – stupid! They infer that DaC drivers are unable to make up their own minds. I know that the last time I asked, there were around 20 drivers who stick to their guns and have never had the T attribute and according to Driver Services (at least at the time of writing) another 2 drivers have gone in and asked to have the T removed after reading the note.
   I’m down for T attributes and if it came to it, I’d cover one of our own accounts first. I don’t need this person to tell me what’s what. Had he had the balls to send it to Call Sign, it would have been printed and many more DaC drivers would have read it. It’s too late now because I’ve given whoever it is enough publicity and he obviously considers that the Granby Grill gives more publicity that I can.
   The only question remaining is whether our hero is also the same person who stuck the anti-DaC literature on the Waterloo Station walls for everyone to read or photocopied an incorrect terminal message sent to drivers and emailed it to TAXI newspaper where Stuart Pessok published it (just as I would have had it been the other way round).
   So as I also asked last month: If Mr Mystery Writer hates DaC that much, why doesn’t he go elsewhere? It isn’t compulsory to stay here. You stay because you want to…

And…
I so much wanted to make this page a light-hearted piece to fall in with the upcoming frivolities of the holiday season. Sadly, if you read the above two pieces you’ll see that I have failed miserably!
   Nevertheless, previous issues have wished all Call Sign’s Jewish readers a Happy New Year, Muslim drivers and staff a successful Ramadan and a happy Eid ul-Fitr and that only leaves me the pleasant task of wishing all Christian drivers a very merry Christmas.
   Sadly, I have been asked in a press release not to refer to it as Christmas, but as the holiday season. I’m pleased to say that my answer was the polite alternative to get stuffed!
   If you celebrate Christmas as a religious festival, I hope it gives you the peace you deserve. If it’s more of a fun-time, then I hope you enjoy it. If it’s an excuse to cash in before the work quietens down a bit, then good luck.
   If I’ve left anyone out, then sorry. But to everyone, have a great time!

Alan Fisher callsignmag@aol.com