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"I would like to say a very big ‘thank
you’ to those DaC guys who got me out of trouble recently," James
Crawford (M18) told Call Sign. So in our usual
nosey and intrusive way, we asked James what the thanks were for? "I was travelling southbound down Park Lane," he explained, "when I heard a strange noise from the engine. Suddenly and quite frighteningly, the steering went very heavy and I just about managed to steer the cab into South Street. I guessed immediately that it was a broken power steering belt and sure enough, when I looked, the belt had split apart," he continued. "Thankfully no other damage had occurred, so I called the AA and was told they would be with me in about an hour but that he was unlikely to have a taxi replacement belt on board. However, they would be happy to fit one if I could get it myself." So James thought he’d try to get a message put out on his DaC terminal asking if anyone had a spare belt? Within just five minutes Peter Douglas (C57) appeared on the scene offering two belts of differing sizes suitable for the TX1. A few minutes later, another three DaC drivers showed up to see if they could assist. Then, astonishingly, yet another driver buzzed in to say he was on his way! Also, while we were at the |
Camaraderie on Dial-a-Cab |
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 James and broken fanbelt. Amazed at how many drivers offered to help! |
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roadside, a couple of DaC drivers
had gone out of their way to specially cruise by to check me that I
was ok. When they saw everything was in hand, they carried on
working, but I was touched that so many fellow DaC men had showed
concern. So I had all the attention I needed to get me back on the
road!" Sounding genuinely moved, James told us that he had been on Dial-a-Cab for 15 years, "...and this incident endorses what I knew all along, they’re a great bunch of guys and gals and that DaC is a great company. After all, I bet not all radio circuits would have even put my message out!" "Nobody was sure what the belts cost to buy, so I gave Peter Douglas some money to cover the cost of replacing the belts and told him that any change left over should go towards the British Legion Fund. Only when the attending drivers were happy that I |
was alright and merely had to wait
for the AA to arrive, did they then go on their separate ways." James story continued on the following day when he took the cab to his garage, Just Diesels in SW2, where owner Lee Norrington checked everything out and made up an ‘emergency kit’ for him to keep in his cab comprising water hoses, spare light bulbs and those infamous rubber belts ... "all suitable for my TX1," James said with a broad smile. "It’s the sort of personal service Lee provides." Ending up, James told us: "Having been on DaC for fifteen years, I love it and this experience has shown me what Dial-a-Cab camaraderie is all about, even though it just confirmed what I already knew. So again I say a big thank you to everyone who helped me out on that dark December night." © Call Sign Magazine MMX |
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Ex-DaC driver’s brave battle |
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Call Sign recently
received a letter about the condition of former Dial-a-Cab
driver David Brown (ex-B13J). David used to drive the taxi of
another former DaC driver and CS correspondent, Ron Colman
(ex-J09). David now lives in Gorleston near Yarmouth and became well known in the trade as the only driver who had been allowed by the PCO to drive a licensed taxi following the amputation of a leg. Just a stump was left for a false leg to be fitted. Sadly though, complications set in and he later went back into hospital to have the remaining piece of leg also removed. Several years later, David again had to go into hospital and had his other leg removed. But now yet more complications that necessitate yet another operation for David to remove the final part of that second leg too and while that final amputation will hopefully stop further problems, because there are no stumps left on either leg, it will probably mean that David can’t have any false legs. According to David’s daughter Samantha, there has been no whining about his condition from her father, while Ron Colman says that even though David will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, |
 you can only stand back and admire his upbeat way of talking. "I really take my hat off to one of the bravest men I have ever had the honour of knowing," Ron told us. "He certainly joins the ranks of the very bravest - in this instance an ex-licensed DaC taxi driver." If you know David but have lost contact over the years and would like to say hello again, Call Sign would be happy to pass on any emails for him... |
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