Call Sign August 2010 - Page 3

Where have you all been? If you decide to go on your hols, why should I suffer! It’s bad enough having to go through the usual quietness on the road once the kids break up from school, but even that hasn’t been so bad this year. It’s just the trade in general and when you are looking for something to write about but nothing actually happens!
As usual, there have been many members of Dial-a-Cab who have taken part in charity events that involve running, walking and even climbing mountains. These are notable achievements that not only does Call Sign report on, but in many cases also sponsors. In fact I have no doubt that there isn’t a magazine in the cab trade that is involved in as much sponsorship as we are – and it’s something I am proud of. However, I’m talking about real news and there hasn’t been a lot of it. Of course, real news can be amusing as well as serious and whilst the news aspect may be missing, the two cases below made me smile...

Case 1
Just for a change, " Russell Wilson" of internet blog The Nissen Hut, has had a go at the magazine and me and at least given me something of a smile! Using a 10-year old photo of me nicked from Call Sign’s website, Mr Wilson begins by writing about those who speak from within ivory towers before mentioning me by name. He claims I have "...wrongfully accused both DC and TG as being co-authors of the Nissen Hut. Although he only uses their initials, the cab trade at large are well aware who the individuals are that are said to have reported Dial-a-Cab to the FSA and to not publish their full names to accompany his false accusation is a cowardly act of a desperate man and in my opinion has put paid to him having any credibility as a cab trade journalist!"
Well, one of the first requisites of a journalist is to give your name, so Mr Wilson’s credibility won’t stretch much further than mine! He / they / she / it (is that better???) also claims that DaC and I have some devious plan to manipulate the cab trade – apparently something I have been doing for years! He then proudly claims I’m not even close in my estimation as to who writes his blog, before accusing me of not having the balls to name the two drivers! Pots, kettles and a huge smile to that piece of lunacy! At least my name is at the bottom of every editorial I write. "Mr Wilson" slags off anyone who he / they / she / it doesn’t agree with, but never, ever uses a name. Sadly I had something of a summer cold and my laughter split my lip open!
We’re also asked why "...neither Fisher nor Dial-a-Cab have condemned the organisers of the recent demonstrations for their involvement with the ultra right wing EDL organisation?" Could that be because 99% of those drivers present had no political allegiance outside of the usual trade organisations? Mind you, as he / they / she / it is obviously scared to give their name, could it be that it is actually they who are the right wingers? Mind you, in their case it should probably be right whingers, because those who

criticise from behind closed curtains are usually whinging cowards anyway.
They then start on Dial-a-Cab’s Natalia Shalom (A34), who Call Sign is proud to have worked with to help expose the Nobu bullies before the rank was placed outside. According to The Wilsons – sounds better than he / they / she / it - Natalia was a "gift from heaven" for DaC before The Nissen Hut then went on to link the situation to Concierge. My split lip was stopping my laughing, but only after great difficulty!
They end by saying I had no hard evidence that those I accused were actually involved – something akin to the old detective movies where the culprit challenges the police to "prove it copper!"
Well I can’t, but at least everyone can see whom the accusation has come from. Can "Mr Wilson" say the same about the response? And by the way, the man I referred to as TG was never really a runner as the last I heard he wasn’t even in the trade having departed to learn the plumbing business. I just wanted to see if it drew any response. More in case 2...

Case 2
   On the same topic but from a different outlet; in the July issue of LCDC’s paper The Badge, under a banner of The Nissen Hut and using the same photo as the blog, former DaC driver Darryl Cox has written a piece about me and how I falsely accused him and another former DaC member of being behind The Nissen Hut. Mr Cox uses the same expression as TNH in saying I "didn’t have the balls" to name the pair rather than just use initials. Again Mr Cox makes absolutely no mention of the fact that TNH author uses no name whatsoever, but has no problem in criticising anyone it doesn’t like.
   Mr Cox then goes on to answer some of the points in my original article beginning by telling The Badge readers, indeed almost to the point of boasting, how he and Tony Gillam "..were indeed responsible for DaC being investigated by the FSA, an investigation that took ten weeks to complete." He even put ‘ten weeks’ in capitals as if to show the world how much it must have cost and called it "nonsense" that absolutely nothing untoward was discovered.
   His reasoning – and get this - because DaC didn’t expel him! Well, that well and truly split my lip open once again! TNH and other internet sites have often laid the claim that DaC gets rid of anyone they don’t like and yet here we have Darryl Cox, someone whose latter years with Dial-a-Cab were spent seemingly trying to bring the Society down, criticising the Society because it didn’t expel him! Well Mr Cox, correct me if I am wrong, but weren’t you completely within your rights to go to the FSA if you collected 100 signatures? Ok, so I also have a list on file of many of those 100 drivers who had no clue that you were using the petition to report DaC, but that’s another story. The question was always whether there was any logical reason why the two of you should ask the Financial Services Authority to

investigate DaC. The answer sticks out a mile. NO! So why did DaC allow you to stay? Well you broke no physical rules and moral rules don’t count. So let me repeat once again for the benefit of Darryl Cox, who obviously has something of a mental block on the subject. You lost! The FSA found absolutely nothing because there was nothing to find. DaC always play by the rules – some might even say too much because some businesses thrive on lies and deceit. But yes, you and Tony Gillam did cost the Society a lot of money, so your time wasn’t totally wasted.
   Darryl Cox then goes onto the subject of Tony Gillam. Unlike DC, TG was expelled but it had nothing to do with his part in going to the FSA, it was in connection with his failure to do 40 account rides month after month after month during the busy period prior to recession. In fact he did a total of 7 trips in six months and was put on complaint after being given several chances to increase his trip numbers. The complaints committee expelled him.
   Amazingly, Mr Cox says that TG was expelled "illegally" following "...a protracted court case once again costing members of DaC a huge amount of money." DC does seem to get a buzz when DaC have to waste money.
   He goes on to say: "...Mr Gillam won his case and DaC was forced to pay compensation."
   So as DC has opened up the matter, let me first correct him. It wasn’t a court case, it was an employment tribunal. But yes, DaC had to shell out. TG claimed he couldn’t do DaC work because he had a back problem so he preferred working at Heathrow (where I assume he refused luggage or any passenger that weighed over 10 stone) instead.
   The tribunal found that Mr Gillam was indeed capable of complying with the 40 trip rule, but also found that his back problem was a disability. They claimed that it would not have been unreasonable for the Society to disapply the 40 trip rule in his case, but added that they were satisfied Mr Gillam was not expelled because he was disabled. He was seeking compensation of £20,000 - £40,000. The Tribunal awarded him £2,500 for injury to his feelings – out of which he had to pay his own costs.
   I suppose that had it not been discovered that TG was working at Heathrow, DaC may well have given him some leeway on the 40 trips – although as it’s nothing to do with me, I can’t be sure of that. But I know a substantial number of drivers who tell me that DaC are very understanding when it comes to illness.
   Tony Gillam and his bad back then left the trade and I believe became a plumber. Is that easier on your back? No doubt Darryl Cox will let us know in a column somewhere or other!
   Also on that same page is yet another pop at Brian Rice from LCDC Chairman Grant Davis. If his words have as much credibility as Darryl Cox’s article on me, then that too is probably a load of dangly bits - and at this rate my split lip will never heal!

Alan Fisher (oh look! He’s not afraid to sign his name)!
callsignmag@aol.com