Page 31
Call Sign August 2011
Minicab Scam??
The last time we spoke to Dial-a-Cab driver
Malcolm Levan (F24), he was donating an
old taximeter to the London Vintage Taxi
Association. But this time he sounded
"I gave her the registration number of the
extremely annoyed when he phoned Call
Temple Fortune car and asked if she would
Sign to tell us about what he perceived as a
mind checking that this "cab" was actually
private hire "scam."
licensed and after a few seconds she came
"I was driving along Old Street," Malcolm
back to tell me that it wasn't registered as a
told us, "when I pulled alongside what
PHV yet it carried that ad for a PHV compa-
appeared to be an out-of-town people mover
ny. Why would it do that other than to try to
with a `TAXI' sign on its roof. That in itself
infer that it was a cab yet according to LTPH
wouldn't be unusual, but in this case the TAXI
it definitely wasn't. And so far as I can tell,
sign was lit. I told the driver and he switched
there is nothing in law to stop any car putting
it off. Then for several seconds I thought noth-
a minicab ad on its rear window. It definitely
ing else of it until he was in front of me and I
sounds like a scam to me and as it gets busier
could see that in fact he had no out-of-town
out there I can see more and more private cars
plate, but actually had a private hire roundel
putting minicab ads on their rear windows to
in the rear windscreen."
give prospective passengers the impression
Malcolm then made a note of the car's reg-
that they are licensed minicabs and that the
istration number and took a photo of the vehi-
passenger they are waiting for hasn't arrived,
cle, even though it was from the rear and sent
so anyone asking them will jump into their car
both to London Taxi and Private Hire.
in the mistaken and dangerous belief that they
Malcolm continued his story: "Then a few
Malcolm Levan on his last Call Sign
are getting into a licensed PHV even though
days later I was in Temple Fortune when I saw
appearance when he donated an old
it would have been illegal anyway to just get
another people mover, this one had a minicab
meter to the LVTA
in. It's the perception that is important and I
ad in the back window but I couldn't see any
hope that any DaC driver that spots any exam-
PH roundel. However, the screen had heavily
glass. So I phoned LTPH and spoke to Hailey
ples of the two pretend cabs that I saw will
tinted glass, so I presumed that I had missed
Sturgeon, who had dealt with my previous
make a note and report them..."
it and that it was in fact beneath the darkened
Old Street query.
Call Sign book review... Call Sign book review... Call Sign book review
BLACK CAB WISDOM
Knowledge from the back seat
Forgetting the fact that some out there do not like being referred to as black cab drivers, because that's what the
world refers to us as, I doubt that many in our trade will object to the added word `wisdom' after all, there isn't
much that we don't know!
Around two years ago, London licensed taxi driver Mark Solomon began asking his passengers for their favourite
quotes or proverbs, his reasoning being purely personal at first in that he felt he needed more purpose and direction.
His new idea must have helped, because many of his passengers with nothing in common to Mark other than riding in the back
of his taxi seemed to get a purpose and direction from the chat and listening to other's quotes.
Black Cab Wisdom Knowledge from the Back Seat (Summersdale £5.99) is filled with Mark's collected quotes, in fact Mark is still out
there earning a living and no doubt adding to his collection!
Some of his collected quotes include one from former WBA World Heavyweight Champion no doubt some time before his bout with
Wladimir Klitschko David Haye: Set the bar twice as high as you ever think you can achieve, then if you only go half way you would have
achieved a great deal.
Another nice one comes from a company CEO whose favourite quote could be relevant to a radio taxi driver's predicament: The road to suc-
cess is filled with many tempting parking spaces! Perhaps Call Sign's favourite quote comes from a Mongolian passenger called just BB which
seems to show the difference between licensed taxi drivers with their hard-won knowledge and our minicab competitors with their ability to
fill in a form. BB says: Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors.
This hardback is filled with quotes and is never less than an interesting, yet easy read. Well done Mark...
Black Cab Wisdom: Knowledge from the Back Seat is available from all good bookshops and internet sellers or from the publishers,
Summersdale, on 01243 771 107
Win a Toastmaster competition RESULT!
We called last month's competition the strangest in Call Sign history, but nevertheless those few that entered it who were mak-
ing a function obviously disagreed, because hiring a toastmaster doesn't come cheap! One Dial-a-Cab driver even entered with
no planned function, offering to donate the prize of the services of Fellow of the Guild of Professional Toastmasters Keith
Reading to the LTFUC!
But after looking at the caption entries to the photo of Keith with Brian Rice, we've taken a chance that there
are no calls of "fix," because the winning entry was selected as Board member Allan Evans! His winning entry was:
"All the Chairman asked for was toast at the early morning Board meeting!"
All other entrants have won a £25 discount voucher from Keith if they use his services at their function in addition to the
existing 10% discount that he offers all our drivers and staff (see ad). So well done to Allan, who will be using Keith's toast-
mastering skills to celebrate his 60th birthday in March.
"All th
e ch
asked fo airman
Keith Reading is a Fellow of the Guild of Professional Toastmasters and is both confident and qualified to assist you in
r was to
the planning and running of your event. He has the experience and sensitivity to provide the correct level of attentive ser-
as
at the e
arly mor t
vice whatever the occasion. Knowing that your function or event will be looked after by your Toastmaster will allow you,
nin
Board m
eeting!" g
as host/hostess to give your full attention to your family, friends and guests and more importantly, enjoy the occasion,
stress free. See the ad in every issue for Keith's contact details...
