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Call Sign November 2011
Dial-a-Cab driver Peter Straiton (F31) took
£100 up for grabs in this month's...
this photo on his way into town recently
CALL SIGN CAPTION COMPETITION
and just to prove that his sense of humour
is as outrageous as that of most DaC dri-
vers, he offered it up for a caption compe-
tition! All Call Sign has done is to add the
one hundred smackers as the prize!
So if you would like the chance of winning
a very handy £100, send in your caption
either via email to callsignmag@aol.com or
post it to Call Sign, Dial-a-Cab House, 39/47
East Rod, London N1 6AH or you can just
leave it with security in Driver's Reception
clearly marked Call Sign caption contest.
For those of you that might have trouble
reading the sign on the door of the vehicle
being towed, it says Southwark Council
Parking Enforcement!
Entries must be in by Monday 14
November and the Editor's decision is final...
Last month's winner
Last month's competition drew 229
entries and many of them were very
amusing. The final two came down to Jim
came from Jim Rainbird. His caption to
Route Network, we're not moving!"
Rainbird (T25) and Brian Marcantonio
the photo that you can see again in the
Jim wins a handy £100. Try this month's
(R73). However, the most amusing entry
competition (above) and you could win
article it's a small world ask Mike Son
that also displayed a degree of topicality
was: "We don't care if this is the Olympic
the next £100...
london according to dave
Olympic Rat Racing!
cials, athletes and VIPs get to the games on time.
These lanes will penalise other road users, including
On your marks, get set and wait for the click.
London taxis. Is this the new frugality? You just keep
You've done all the training, you know the rules; it's
on spending?
every man for himself. One false start and you're
Some of the luxury car fleet will be stored in Hyde
out.
Park next to Park Lane, conveniently close to
No, this is not the 100 metre final at Stratford's
London's crème de la crème hotels such as the Four
Olympic Park Stadium; this is Green Park Station's
Seasons and Metropolitan, where many of the VIPs
rush-hour rat racing. The click you are waiting for is
and FIFA officials will stay. I expect some of the fleet
not the click of the starting gun, but the click of the
will be bullet-proof, with anti-missile devices to pro-
tube train doors as they open for you to squeeze in.
tect dodgy Russian VIPs on Interpol's hit-list!
You have positioned yourself as well as you can in
There is, however, one form of transport you can
the hope of the doors opening in front of you.
rely on, with the best safety record. You can sit back
You rush forward, avoiding eye contact and
in comfort, relax, stretch your legs, make a phone call
elbow your way in. You've made it! Once on board,
or watch the world go by or, if you are desperate,
a voice bellows out through the tannoy: "Move
put the world to rights with the driver - London's
along inside." The voice booms out a second time:
world-famous and best in the world taxis.
"Move along inside. This train is going nowhere
Speaking of hotspots, next year there will be a
But we never learn...
until the doors are properly closed." Finally we
sixty mile hotspot across London. The Olympic Lanes
move off.
cost approximately £25million to make sure the offi-
David Heath (ex-W27
It's hot and sweaty, no air-con and hardly an inch
to spare. This is the normal scenario for many pas-
sengers going to and from work across the capital.
Many feel quite sick and ill in the process. Where's
SFM Security Ltd
the Department of Health when you need them?
Well, they are alive and well and warmly ensconced
in chauffeur driven limousines, snug as bugs in rugs
and planning the next phase of cuts as they are fer-
The Metropolitan Police have
ried across the capital - along with other govern-
mental departments!
informed Transport for London that
This service is costing taxpayers while they are
as of 4 September 2011, SFM
packed like sardines in tube train carriages - over
Security Ltd had been accredited by
£8million. The government, clearly embarrassed by
Ministers swanning around in limousines, has said
the police and given powers to con-
the cost will be cut and has urged more use to be
trol and direct traffic and require
made of public transport.
the name and address of people in
Londoners have, of course, a good choice of
transport as well as the tube. There are the unregu-
connection with Road Traffic
lated rickshaws, Boris's bikes, buses and taxis. These
Accidents.
choices should be informed ones as to their safety
Staff from SFM Security Ltd will
and this is not being done. There are no two ways
about it. Riding a bicycle in London is dangerous.
be used at events where there are
Ask many cyclists - and my son is one and also a fan
agreed Traffic Management Plans Th
e jackets wil
of Boris bikes - what they think of cycle lanes. You
l say Traffic M
in place (eg the St Patrick's Day
will be told they are Mickey Mouse and not fit for
arshal
purpose compared to those in countries like the
Parade), will be wearing high-visibility clothing
Netherlands.
and will have the necessary badges and accreditation displayed.
The greatest danger to cyclists is being `doored' -
The badges will be credit card sized and similar to those worn by Security Industry
parked vehicles opening their doors causing the
Authority (SIA) accredited staff. The high-visibility clothing will be similar to that
cyclist to swerve into oncoming vehicles. There are
also a number of hotspots where cyclists are vulner-
shown in the photo but with Traffic Marshal on it.
able to getting crushed.
