Page 21
Call Sign November 2011
LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE
with Tom Quigley (Y33)
endorse a different strategy to oppose their
aside) but still have congestion. Remember,
first ideal.
people are paying a Congestion Charge and
Take the Congestion Charge; originally
not an Emission Charge.
introduced I thought to reduce the number of
To drive home the point, if I go to our bath-
vehicles entering central London, giving the
room and there is a blockage in the WC, we
benefits of easier movement of traffic, thereby
have both congestion and an emission prob-
giving the added bonus of decreasing harmful
lem. However, if I clear the blockage and then
traffic emissions, better air quality, safer
use the WC but not open the window, my
Congestion?
pedestrian and cycling routes.
wife will tell you there is an emission problem!
In reality, this has been surpassed by those
But if I open the window but do not flush the
Emissions? Or
same ruling bodies to exempt in the region of
WC, we end up back where we started.
50 different vehicles from the congestion
If the ruling bodies cannot get this concept,
both...???
charge. There are even EEC incentives for spe-
then I think we are all in the proverbials...
I am totally confused as to what the main
cialist vehicle manufacturers to enter this mar-
TV ads... I need an
objective is as the end target of the whole pol-
ket. This number now, although more emis-
icy - without the obvious premise of money.
sion friendly, acts as an increase to conges-
ology!
There is no doubt that something has to be
tion.
done about the congestion and air quality in
To put it in real and basic terms - and I will
Long gone are the days of a simple advert
London, but for every alleged beneficial pro-
get very basic to highlight the point - if at a set
with the glorious Maureen Lipman (Queen
posal endorsed and passed by the ruling bod-
of traffic lights there are 5 of these vehicles, a
of the Taxi trade) as Beattie, dotingly in love
ies, it is then those same bodies who, along
Donkey, a bus, then a new emission friendly
with her grandson getting an ology.
with other larger companies, then seem to
taxi, you will have less emissions (donkey
Nowadays we cannot use real chimpanzees
playing pianos, although apparently cats and
dogs are ok look, I don't make the rules!
TDYCF Chairman Russell Poluck (T55) writes about the...
With the sophistication of the Guinness
adverts, to the incredible success of the meer-
cats (animated, not real) campaign to compare
Taxi Driver of the Year
the market.com, to the two that really puzzle
me.
The first is the ongoing saga of the BT fam-
Dinner and Dance
ily (really just an update of the Nescafe ads
featuring Sharon Maughan and Anthony
Head). This one has left me not sure if I need
Every year people ask me how the TDYCF was started. Well
the products available or the lifestyle and
in 1972, a group of taxi drivers decided to start the charity
workload to afford them! It stars the excellent
Kris Marshall and gorgeous Esther Hall as
after one of their friends, Joe Polski, passed away. This is also
Adam and Jane, plus Jane's two children from
the only charity that supports five other taxi charities.
a previous relationship.
Over the years, we have seen the licenced cab trade grow
It began with Adam, a single man with a
and so has the Charity. Although we do not run outings, for
nice flat and probably all the comforts and
over 38 years we have distributed in excess of £1million to
freedom (well jell) that goes with it. He meets
charities, hospitals, private homes and five of the taxi charities.
Jane and before you know it has had to take
Our yearly aim is to raise a substantial amount of money at our annual din-
a different job, move to a house while all the
time upgrading his BT package to unlimited
ner and dance - held this year on 3rd December 2011at the Holiday Inn
calls, broadband, laptops in his new family's
Kensington. The dinner dance is open to everyone, you do not have to be a
bedrooms and of course obviously increasing
taxi driver or even involved in the trade. To help us raise money, we sell raffle
his outgoings.
tickets at the dinner and at other various outlets. We also have tombola and
Further along the story, he is no longer liv-
an auction at the dinner.
ing at home permanently but having to work
The more money collected, the more we can hand over to the five taxi chari-
away to keep everyone in these home com-
ties that we support and who have always supported us at our annual event.
forts. A marriage plus child is on the way, the
broadband is not fast enough so he now has
They are the London Taxidrivers' Fund for Underprivileged Children, the
the infinity package - probably to run along-
London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled, the Albany Taxi Charity
side the infinite hours he is now working!
Fund for Children with Special Needs, the East London Cabbies charity and the
Next up is The M&S campaign. They have
Southend Fund for Underprivileged Children.
switched from Twiggy and Mylene Klass and
To support these charities, you will receive a reception drink, a 4
now have the delectable Charlotte Weston get-
course meal, 1/2 bottle of wine, tea /coffee and of course dancing to a
ting dressed to the tune Me and Mrs Jones. All
live band. The cost is just £62.50 per person.
this while her husband is waiting downstairs
If you would like to buy dinner dance tickets or help sell raffle tickets
in the bar area of an hotel. It's not really what
please, please phone us on 020 8952 1357.
she wears or what she tries on before her final
choice, I just sit there thinking how much
You will have a great time while at the same time help those less fortunate
clothing has she packed to go away? No sign
than ourselves.
of the size of the suitcase or even an inkling
Thank you...
as to excess baggage charges!
Russell Poluck MBE (T55)
Believe me; I don't think any `Taxi WAG'
Hon Chairman TDY Charity Fund
needs to be encouraged to pack more...
Remembering those less fortunate than ourselves
Tom Quigley (Y33)
