Addison Lee and bus lanes
Before the Mayoral election that saw Boris Johnson take over from Ken Livingstone, I was one of several DaC drivers who threw questions that affected us at Boris in a pre-election issue of Call Sign. One of the questions (I think it was from Stewart Lewis D20) asked Boris if he would allow minicabs to use bus lanes and he said no. Last month in the Evening Standard, the owner of Addison Lee cars said in an interview that he felt they should be allowed to use bus lanes otherwise they might reject offering their services during the Olympic month in 2012. Do you know if the Mayor has changed his mind?
Alex Constantinou (N05)
I asked Mayor Boris Johnson again and this is what he said: "I can confirm that I have no plans to allow private hire cars to use bus lanes." That sounds clear enough and if Mr Griffin reads Call Sign – and apparently he dislikes us because of our battle to get his fleet to finally replace their rear windscreen wipers – then he now knows as well …Ed

Sunset Strip
Re the April 2009 Call Sign Online, I particularly enjoyed the piece by Sunset Strip and look forward to hearing more from him! Incidentally, my ‘vehicle’ is a 1955 FX3!
John Freeston
Vice Chairman (American Section) London Vintage Taxi Association Pleased you enjoyed it John …Ed

The Gentleman’s Circuit?
Just perused the April edition of Call Sign and if I may, I’d like to proffer a reply to Barbara Poluck’s letter suggesting that the expression, the gentlemen's circuit is sexist. I'm amazed at how many people over the years have got it totally wrong.
   Before Political Correctness became a cancer on common sense and sexism a byword for paranoia, to refer to someone as a ‘gentleman’ would mean they were a person whose conduct conformed to a high standard of correct behaviour, manners, helpfulness and courteousness.
   Hence Dial-a-Cab, the Gentlemen’s Circuit - Gentleman as in an adjective and NOT as in gender.
Allen Togwell
Dial-a-Cab BoM

Hold Tight…
I recently read a Call Sign letter in which Richard Potter (T51) recommended the Hold Tight Garage in Dartford and I thought readers living that way might be interested in hearing of the service that I recently received there.
   Having been the owner of two TX2s and now a TX4, I have used two main dealers in central London (KPM and Coachline) but have not been impressed with the service or attitude of either of these garages. I live in Orpington and in the past if anything is needed to be done to the cab, I would drop it off in the early hours of Monday morning after working Sunday night, with my girlfriend picking me up. Then I’d get a train back up to London to collect the cab when it was ready. My TX4 was nearing is 50,000 service when I read Richard’s letter in Call Sign so I decided to try Hold Tight because if nothing else, the logistics of dropping off and collecting the cab would be much easier.
   On Tuesday 24th March I contacted Hold Tight and booked in my cab for service for Monday 6th April. On Saturday 28th March at about 4pm, I was on my way into work when my power steering belt snapped. I had the vehicle taken to Hold Tight and left a message in their answer machine explaining the situation. On the Monday morning they contacted me at 9.15am to say that they had replaced the belt! They also informed me that the front pads were dangerously low and should be replaced (the handbrake light had been coming on and off, which was apparently a warning sign and not as I thought another minor problem with the cab). It was agreed that as I did not work Monday or Tuesdays that they would keep the cab until late Wednesday to do the service there and then to save me coming back again the following week. There had also been a problem with the ignition system which Coachline had been unable to sort out. On Wednesday afternoon, I went to collect my cab and spoke to Lee, one of the owners. What a nice guy! He had done all the work and solved my ignition problem by replacing a part. He also informed me that I had a small leak in my radiator which needed replacing. Although it had already been replaced once, he explained that there was a new improved one which should be fitted. In addition, my rear brake shoes had only 2,000 miles left on them. I am on the list to have the new radiator fitted in a few weeks when the rear brakes would be sorted at the same time. Interestingly, when the vehicle was last serviced at Coachline, they explained my water loss as a loose hose! 
   Thanks to Richard, I have now found a garage that is not only more convenient for accessibility, but which appears to bend over backwards to get you back quickly on the road and are actually interested in solving issues with the cab and not fobbing you off with excuses. Once again thanks for the recommendation.
   Can I also take this opportunity to praise your efforts in producing Call Sign. I have no doubt this

Getting a Handel on Jimi…
Re the Handel Exhibition in the April Call Sign, I believe that Jimi Hendrix also lived at the same address (25 Brook Street) during his short life. I almost wrote tragic in that last sentence, but whilst his life was tragically cut short, I don’t believe his life was tragic… but stellar. As they say; those that burn the brightest also burn the shortest…
Eddie Lambert (V37)

Ken Freeborn’s 45 years…
It was great to read the article in the April Call Sign on Ken Freeborn’s 45 years as a taxi driver. We were both on the knowledge at the same time 1963/4 at Cooks garage and school in Huntsworth Mews. I do remember Ken and his Beardmore. I wonder if he remembers any of the other graduates from there? In fact I met one this morning - Georgie Hurst. I got my bill a couple of months after Ken - on 20th April 1964 to be exact. Any older drivers remember that date? It was the day BBC2 was due to start, but had to be postponed due to a fire at Battersea Power Station. The fire knocked out every streetlight, traffic light, theatre and cinema in the West End! It was utter chaos and that was the first night I went to work! I went down more one-way streets the wrong way than a bike rider does! Congratulations Ken…
Ray Sorene (A53)

SatNavs in taxis…
Once again I read an article decrying the display of SatNav’s in taxis. For the education of the Editor and of others who have older units or do not have a SatNav I, like the Editor, have had one for several years for use outside of town and until January of this year kept it out of sight until required. However the new unit I purchased in January has a feature, which I now find irreplaceable. The main benefit of this new feature is this; unlike many who enjoy the inane ramblings of daytime chat show radio hosts, I find them irritating. As most local radio stations have now taken this cheaper option of broadcasting and irregularly intersperse traffic updates, the latest feature of my Garmin SatNav, a lifetime’s subscription to Traffic Master, is a work of genius. I no longer have to rely on local radio, but can listen to what appeals to me. On two occasions since January I have been saved the irritation of being stuck in a jam and managed to get both passengers to their destinations earlier than would otherwise have been the case, as a result of timely notifications from my SatNav. Both passengers commented on the fact that my early change of route had been very welcome and both tipped well, which at the moment appears to be a rarity. So until somebody finds a way of providing me with up-to-date traffic information that doesn’t involve me having to listen to the ramblings of some bigoted chat show host, I will continue to display my SatNav but rely on the knowledge to get me around London, although if caught in darkest Edmonton it may well be in use.
Terry Lewis (C33)
Thanks for the letter Terry. This mag is always happy to publish driver’s views regardless of whether they agree with me or not! Sadly I’m afraid your story of two occasions that the SatNav has saved traffic probs since January does little to convince me. After all, you wrote to me in mid-April and if that is the alternative, then I still believe that we do far more damage to our name by displaying them than getting the occasional Traffic Master message. After all, this summer is going to see a huge increase of tourists from Europe who will be taking advantage of the weak pound. They will see your SatNav and the one in the Addison Lee car and assume we are all the same. That is something I for one do not want to see …Ed

Bishopsgate bus lane
Reading the April Call Sign and the article about Tony Guerrier’s (P48) bilk, it mentions the fact that following his father’s PCN some years previous for setting down at the Bishopsgate bus lane, ever since then we have been allowed to pick up and set down there. Is that true, as I hadn’t realised it?
Bill Kibble (K86)
It’s true Bill – assuming it hasn’t been changed back! However, after picking up or setting down, you must leave that particular bus lane as soon as it’s safe to do so …Ed

Tinted windows
The rear windscreens on Addison Lee cars seem to be getting darker and darker. So much so that the licenses on their new models cannot be seen through the glass. Can I have my taxi’s rear window tinted like theirs?
Bernie Silver (G08)
A TfL spokesperson told Call Sign: To answer the question about tinted windows, no specific dispensation has been given to anyone regarding the level of tint on the rear windows of private hire vehicles. But private hire vehicles have to be compliant with construction and use regulations for motor vehicles that allows for windows, which the driver cannot directly view the road through, to be tinted to this level. You will notice that even these vehicles have the front driver and passenger window and windscreen only tinted to a light level to meet with the relevant

Having a Twitter with Richard
I nearly didn't bother responding to Jon Winterburn’s piece in the April Call Sign, which gave his view on Twitter, as I didn't really want to get into a discussion with someone who openly admits to not having used the service and has no plans to. But I must point out a few things that have happened to me through Twitter. One is making contact with various people that have now become semi-regular customers. Not exactly high rollers, but in this climate any extra work is of course welcome. I've also taken a booking for a four-hour fashion shoot and no, not of me… the cab! The other exciting thing - for me anyway - is that I have made a really good contact at Wilton's Music Hall and am becoming involved in some of their fund raising activities. Just a couple of examples of how Twitter can connect you to people you would never otherwise have come across. And my point re Twitter is as much to do with how
technology will effect our trade as to what Twitter itself might do. So all in all, not bad for an uneducated, socially inadequate child!
Richard Cudlip (V23)
Jon was slightly concerned before the last issue went to press that his comments shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I assured him that the language he used wouldn’t offend anyone, but I may have lied a bit! …Ed

Tony Ellis and Marshalling
Just read your comments about Tony Ellis in the April Call Sign. I met him once on the-then Millennium Dome rank and as we were the only cabs there, we started chatting. It didn't take long before he accused me of brooming work at Orpington Station. Even though I did do some work there in those days, I had no recollection of what he was talking about. But he knew me and another family member who worked a green badge, so he had a way of gaining information. I asked him why he worked with the tout squad and he said "he got what he wanted out of it" - whatever that meant. He went on to tell me that he had recently been on holiday with them all!
   When I was on ComCab, I believe he was instrumental in getting Suburban drivers who were allocated work in E16 to come into E14 to cover the Credit Swiss account. Like you, Alan, I am an LTDA member but have always been wary of Tony Ellis’s motivation and true intentions because he is a yellow badge driver. Personally I believe he has created a culture that we are currently suffering from - that its ok for yellow badge drivers to do green badge work in a green badge area… which we know it’s not.
   He might be on the LTDA executive, but no one has ever explained what his remit is or what his motivations are and the way he goes about his business sometimes creates suspicion. I appreciate that he does do much good work on behalf of the taxi trade, however he gives me the impression that he wants a green badge. If he does, why doesn't he do the all-London Knowledge like the rest of us, rather than looking like he's earning brownie points to get one through the back door?
Richard Potter (T51)
Tony Ellis is involved with the new taxi marshalling service which covers Cranbourn Street, Liverpool Street and Cornhill plus a few suburban stations. As I said in my editorial, I don’t know him and have no probs other than the people behind it run a private clamping operation and I wasn’t sure whether the two mixed …Ed

DaC House
One thing that's been bugging me for a while now is why we don’t stick our phone number on the front of Dial-a-Cab house? Being in such a prominent location on the edge of the City, surely this could be beneficial in creating more work in these lean times?
Roland Brewer (M38)
You might be right Roland, but it would still be useless until every DaC driver had the stick-on phone number attached to his or her cab. It’s like a one-off ad on TV – totally useless unless viewers see it constantly. Driving past DaC House and seeing our number would only be beneficial if the person noticing it had already seen it many times on our taxis. Sorry if I sound a bit like a Board member on that, but I really believe it to be the case …Ed

PCO refunds?
I enjoyed your article in April’s Call Sign about the PCO going back to the Lambeth days; that’s where I did my Knowledge and it brought back many memories, but I thought I would let you know that the driver challenging PCO/TfL about the refund is not on his own. I have been challenging them for some time now to produce evidence that shows this reduced return to be legal, as of yet they have failed. I have also suggested to them that I will consider a legal challenge unless they can prove to me conclusively that they have the right to take this action. If you could inform Graham Rogers (Y31) he is not on his own it may give him some support.
Mike Pollington (K17)