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My God, what an edition the July
Call Sign was! Three people that I know or knew all
mentioned. Firstly there was Lou Gitlin, to whose family I
would like to pass on my sincere condolences. I met Lou on several
occasions out on the road and spoke to him on the radio, a really
lovely genuine man. Then there was Marie White who I knew from our Knowledge days. She was on the last of her last 28s when I joined the LTDA Knowledge School, which was run by a guy called Martin (I can't recall his surname), and a Knowledge boy who was on his 21s by the name of Bernie Silver. I don't think it's the same Bernie who is a member of the current circuit. Last but not least, Stanley Roth, who I first met on a 2-cab job in Hampstead when we were both on Mountview. In those days he ran a green petrol cab! That would have been back in around 1979 and even then he was expounding the benefits of alternative fuels to diesel. On the subject of the LTDA Knowledge School, one night a bald-headed guy turned up and sat in with us on our table to do call overs. He was obviously pretty good, but I never saw him again until I went for an appearance at the PCO a few months later and he was behind the desk! His name was Mr Shearne, an ex-sergeant and naturally he gave me my 21s - much to the disgust of the infamous Mr Finlay! Not that Mr Finlay put me back, he just laid on the Scottish accent a bit thicker than usual when I next saw him! Also at the school was Oscar James who played Tony Carpenter in the early episodes of Eastenders. Coincidentally, the opening scene of that soap featured an actor in a police uniform standing outside one of the houses where a guy had been found dead. I delivered that uniform to the BBC studios from Bearmans! As for me, at the end of October 2009 I got a detached retina and needed an urgent op at the beginning of November, with a second one in February to remove scar tissue where they had to laser up a hole in the retina. I then had a third op on July 14 to remove a cataract, which I was told was inevitable as a result of the first op! At the end of July I am going back to be tested for new glasses. There’s a point to me telling you about my eyes. It provides a |
A LOUSY MONTH IN CALL SIGN! Says on-line reader Howard Sales in Oz |
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 salutary lesson to which none of us are usually aware. As we get older, the vitreous jel in the eye becomes more fluid and some people may suffer floaters in the eye. One in 15000 will have a problem when the jel pulls away from the retina and can pull a hole into it. The result can be that the jel gets behind the retina, which then peels off like wet wallpaper. If this is not treated early enough, it can cause total blindness in that eye - and is not reversible. I was lucky in that a friend was concerned and made an appointment for me to see a specialist. By that time I was looking out of a slot that appeared to me to be about 1/4 inch wide at the top of the eye. I was told that that if left any longer, I would have lost the sight; as it was they said that they could only restore around 80% in that eye and I have been left with a slight distortion of sight - |
a horizontal line that appears to
have a dip in the middle! For me, running my own business and my wife able to stand in to do the office side of the work, it hasn't been too bad, but for a cab driver it would be devastating to have that amount of time off. I wasn't allowed to drive until after the second op in February but a London cabbie would also have to have a PCO eye test to see if he was fit to keep his licence. So, if anybody starts getting 'floaters', get it checked out straight away. I had it checked by a local optician and he missed the fact that the retina had developed a hole, so make sure that they are good - or go to a specialist. Best wishes to all from Oz.... Howard Sales (ex-A11) Queensland, Australia Ed’s note: Howard was DaC’s driver trainer for our second generation data terminals. He was also the guinea pig that tried out new software and tracked down drivers reported faults. He later emigrated to Australia where he opened a garage and now reads Call Sign on line... |
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WCDHCD FOUNDERS’ DAY CELEBRATION |
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It was 23 June 1654
that an Ordinance for the Regulation of Hackney Coachmen in
London was ordered by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell together
with his Council, to provide legislation for the formation of the
Fellowship of Master Hackney Coachmen. This was disbanded some
years later, but it is the history of that original fellowship upon
which The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers was
founded and on 23 June 2010, the Master, Michael Davies together
with his Wardens, Liverymen, Freemen of the Company and guests,
attended the Founders’ Day luncheon to celebrate at the Grade 1
listed Trinity House.Following a champagne reception and lunch, guest speaker Colonel Mike Russell gave an entertaining speech. This was an opportunity for many in the cab trade to take time out of a busy working week and it seems to have been enjoyed by everyone, including DaC Chairman and WCHCD Lower Warden. Brian Rice. Trinity House is a major maritime charity, which is wholly funded by its endowments. It spends around £3 million every year on the welfare of mariners, education and the training of future seafarers, promoting safety at sea and fulfilling its role as a Deep Sea Pilotage Authority. |
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