Call Sign August 2008 - Page 21 - TOM WHITBREAD ROBBER "CAUGHT" - DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK - Cash Machines

As the September 2007 issue of Call Sign reported, on a late August afternoon, a man walked into the Roman Way fitting bay passing by several drivers and fitters and went straight into Tom Whitbread’s office. Looking like any other driver, no one thought anything of it. Tom was in the office opposite, but mistakenly believed a fitter was with the man. Within 90 seconds the man had walked out again - with Tom’s wallet! By now Tom had sussed that something wasn’t right and went back to his office to check his jacket. He realised that the wallet had gone and went out into the estate with Steve Thomas. They ran down the road and grabbed the thief and accused him of stealing the wallet. He denied it and said he was just looking for a job. They phoned the police but he wriggled loose and escaped in his car roaring off down the private road passing the fitting bay on the way. As he reached the end, a lorry was unloading and blocked the road. He crashed into the tail bar, causing damage to his Mondeo	TOM WHITBREAD ROBBER "CAUGHT"
	*Tom and the staff at Roman Way* and then swung the car round to go the other way. "I got someone to put their car across the road to block it," said Tom, "but as the car got nearer, he pulled it back! The thief saw his chance and although crashing into the front of the car, which was still partially blocking his way, he managed to get through. He then attempted to run me over before turning into Roman Way! At the same time, police were entering from Mackenzie Road and chased him down the road, but lost him." Tom cancelled all his credit cards and waited for the police to return. The next morning, a postman	called Tom to say that he had found the wallet in Canning Town with all its contents – ie cards – intact. Ł80 in cash was missing. The postman had tracked Tom down via the Internet and a search engine. There were numerous entries from him – mainly from Call Sign. Tom had provided the police with a CCTV image of the crook. It was circulated and police in Canning Town recognised him and soon apprehended him. Then in July this year, Tom received a cheque for Ł80 with not a word of explanation. He eventually found out that this had come from a court, but no one would tell him what had happened! "Isn’t it ridiculous," Tom told Call Sign, "had I not phoned, I wouldn’t even have known what the money was for. I still haven’t been able to find out what happened to the thief. All I know is that if he comes back here, I won’t be giving him that job…!"

Every issue of Call Sign takes a look back at ODRTS history through the pages of the magazines of the time with a…

DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK

This issue takes a look at a report from ODRTS Company Secretary in 1971, Bill Browne.
From ODRTS News and Views, February 1971…

Cars on ODRTS?
A meeting has been held between representatives of the Board of Management and car-owning members of ODRTS who may be willing to participate in a pilot scheme for using cars on the circuit. Many ideas were presented and discussed. These were put on the agenda for next month’s Board meeting. A good deal of progress was made and more announcements will be made soon.

Subscriptions
Within the next few years, it will be necessary to re-equip the majority of our mobiles. We may decide to purchase equipment outright rather than hire-maintain them as at present. For this reason, plus the increases in wages and extra staff now employed, we are obliged as from April 1 1971 to raise the subscription rate to Ł12 per calendar month. We feel that this increase, less than 5p per day, in no way compares with the escalating cost of taxi operating today. It will, however, ensure the continuance and growth of our Society.

Obituary
With deep regret, we announce the untimely passing of Bert Frankford (ex D50). Bert joined ODRTS in March 1954 and ranked as one of our longest serving subscribers until September 1966 when, through ill health, he was forced to leave the circuit. In later years, he spent some time in hospital and after disposing of his own cab, was employed as a journeyman. On Saturday February 20 he was taken ill outside the Houses of Parliament, pulled his cab safely into the kerb and passed away. He was 57 years old and had been a taxi driver for 36 years. A representative of the Board of Management attended the funeral at Bushey Jewish Cemetery. We extend our condolences to his wife, daughter and family. Rest His Soul.

Cash Machines - No More PCNs?

Ok to stop between 10pm and Licensed taxis (and private hire cars with appropriate signage) will be allowed to stop on red routes, Mayor Boris Johnson has announced – the latest of his election pledges to taxi drivers that he has carried out. The scheme will be piloted for six months.
   From 10pm to 6am, any passenger needing to withdraw money to pay for their taxi journey can ask their driver to stop near a cash machine on red routes for up to five minutes. TfL will then consult drivers, passengers and local authorities to consider the overall effect of the policy. Outside of these hours, normal policing will be maintained.
   The Mayor has also asked TfL to consider improving card payment arrangements for taxis.
   He said: "As Mayor I want to make life easier for Londoners and this is just one of the ways that I will be doing so."
   If the pilot is successful, TfL will decide whether exemptions from stopping restrictions can be extended.

CALL SIGN COMMENT
In Call Sign’s March issue, we published the decision by Michael Nathan, an adjudicator appointed under Section 73(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1991. He allowed an appeal at a personal hearing from a taxi driver re a CCTV issued PCN. The driver claimed that the reason he stopped in a place where no stopping was allowed, was because it wasn’t until the end of the journey that the passenger realised he needed a cash machine. We are delighted to find that we have a Mayor who shows huge amounts of common sense…

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