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The Public
Carriage Office has given approval for the use of a new external
blind spot mirror to be fitted on London taxis. The Magnum
Frog-eye mirror is the first auxiliary clip-on mirror
of its type to be given official approval to be fitted to PCO
licensed vehicles. The Frog-eye, due to its larger size,
robustness and quality, has been attracting interest from
cabbies for some time, according to Magnum the company selling
them. "We’ve been selling the Frog-eye for some years now, and have always gained a lot of interest from Black Cab drivers who have been looking for a more effective means to see blind spots," says Sharon Hennessy – Magnums MD. "We finally submitted them to the PCO for approval and are extremely pleased they were accepted and gained so many positive comments about quality and the safety benefits they will provide." The Magnum Frog-eye is an auxiliary clip-on mirror, which is easily fitted to the existing wing |
BLIND SPOT MIRROR PASSED BY PCO Added safety is just a phone call away… |
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mirror. Made from
top quality German optical glass and using anti-glare
technology, the mirror is designed specifically to increase
vision and eliminate blind spots, therefore making driving safer
for passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The
benefits include easier parking, a complete view of the kerb, a
full wide-angle view, no distortion and the elimination of blind
spots. It is also very easy to install. |
of cab safety equipment
I’ve ever used. It beats any others I’ve tried hands down. It’s
also great on motorways and very useful for overtaking. I fully recommend the Frog-eye." Sharon Hennessy added: "It’s all about preventing accidents. We have been selling the Frog-eye to driving schools and instructors, mobility centres, the Highways Agency and various police forces for some years. Now we’re happy to be able to provide this potentially life saving mirror to the UK’s taxi drivers." Currently the Magnum Frog-eye is only available for the TX1, TX2 and TX4, but hopefully approval for the Fairway will soon be awarded as well. To contact Magnum, just call 020 8744 5230 or visit HERE |
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Richard Twitters to Tweet-a-Cab! |
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In the April Call Sign, we wrote of Dial-a-Cab
driver Richard Cudlip (V23) and his desire to see the
Twitter social networking facility used as a tool to assist
drivers in obtaining work. Richard has been on DaC since 2006
and admits to being a computer geek complete with his own blog
(HERE). Prior to driving a cab and
perhaps unsurprisingly, Richard had previously worked for
several IT companies. He told Call Sign that he had been using Twitter for some time and had been talking to other taxi drivers - both DaC and non-DaC - about how it could be a useful tool for cab drivers. He described Twitter as a free web-based service that allowed you to stay in contact with a group of people via short text messages. You send and receive messages via the web or text message, adding that most modern mobile phones could be used to access the Twitter service. He compared it to messages sent via driver’s Dial-a-Cab terminals, but potentially open to a much wider audience. His aim was to see whether groups of taxi drivers could become organised and, in the not too distant future, even be used to try and get work. Well that "not too distant future" appears to be now, because Richard has helped set up a "tweet-a-cab" service on his blogging site from a suggestion by a friend and says it will save potential Twitter passengers standing on the street waiting for a taxi. Tweetalondoncab began when several of his Twitter friends contacted Richard to see whether he |
 was
working. These calls were the beginning of Tweetalondoncab
becoming a business, a collection of around 30 drivers who all
got together via Twitter and now claim to have "hundreds of
followers."Richard admitted when interviewed recently by Sky News that his group of Twitterers hadn’t received many bookings, but he was hopeful that the message would eventually get out there and that those operating the system would benefit with extra work. How do they know there are no minicabs creeping in, because the drivers won’t necessarily meet? Richard explained that all those driving with tweetalondoncab would be accepted through other driver’s recommendations. As for customers, they get a taxi by sending a private Twitter message so that their location isn’t made public on the internet. When they get a reply, they then liaise directly with the driver – all of whom can also keep in touch with each other whilst out on the road, passing on traffic problems and general info. It doesn’t seem likely that the business side of it will make Richard rich, but if it gets more work, then that is a success story in itself. Richard had a dream and has made it come to fruition… |
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MND: Do you need advice? |
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| Following the
last issue of Call Sign in which we wrote of
Dial-a-Cab driver, Maurice Karter (W46) and his battle
with authority to get his wife Janet treated for the Motor
Neurone Disease that struck her down suddenly at the age of
53 (Can MND be defeated), we have received several emails
/ phone calls asking if we could put them in touch with Maurice. Janet receives treatment from Dr Geeta Shroff at her clinic in India where stem cell treatment is not only allowed, but is also used successfully. The treatment is not allowed in this country. Janet is slowly but surely showing a positive response to the MND and Maurice has told Call Sign that he has no problem with us giving out his personal contact details and that if he can be of help to anyone involved with someone suffering from this appalling muscle-wasting disease, please feel free to contact him. Because he spends much of his time with Janet in a clinic where signals are difficult, he cannot |
 Maurice and Janet with Dr Shroff always be contacted direct, but if you have trouble, leave your details and Maurice will be only too happy to call you back and pass on his experience. |
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