Page 31
Call Sign October 2011
Going away on holiday should be a relaxing
Dana and the
and exciting time for all concerned. Yet for the
manager of Dial-a-Cab's Roman Way depot,
Dana Thananjeyan and his family, it was
anything but relaxing.
Barcelona Bandit!
"Exciting, yes," Dana told Call Sign, "but
you couldn't say the whole holiday was relax-
ing because I had my wallet stolen, which
needed the services of a police interpreter,
caused us a great deal of inconvenience to
which we got via the attending officers' mobile
put it mildly!"
phone to explain what had happened. The
Describing the events that led up to the
interpreter said that it wasn't such an unusual
theft, Dana told us: "We were on our way to
occurrence even at a motorway service station.
Valencia by road and stopped at a motorway
In fact, I got the impression that it happens
filling station on the outskirts of Barcelona for
fairly regularly. There was even some humour
fuel. I was at the rear of the car, filling the tank
in the situation with the phone being con-
and sent my wife Chentha to pay at the kiosk
stantly passed from one to the other so that we
by the top end of the forecourt, just like here
could all understand each other," Dana contin-
in the UK," he explained.
ued with a hint of a smile on his face!
"Our children were sitting happily in the
"We went to the British Consulate to report
back of the car," Dana continued, "when sud-
our stolen passports and amazingly, while we
denly our daughter Kamsi started shouting
were there, British TV station Channel 4 were
excitedly that someone had stolen my wallet
making a documentary and interviewed me
and was pointing towards a man running
on our loss. So there was an upside to this
away from our car at high speed. I dropped
unsavoury adventure and I may be on a small
the fuel nozzle and began chasing him, shout-
screen near you sometime soon!"
ing to the many people who were also on the
Dana and his family collected their new
forecourt to stop the runaway! They probably
passports the next day and were able to con-
didn't understand what I was saying or what
Dana and his passport to replace the
tinue the holiday journey. But learning their
had gone on as no one did anything to appre-
stolen one
lesson fairly quickly, they kept the car doors
hend the bandit. I rarely have reason to chase
locked whenever and wherever they stopped
DaC drivers at Roman Way, so I was probably
he believed to be a secure area, especially so
after that.
with their two girls still sitting in the car.
out of practise!"
Dana's lesson should also apply to DaC dri-
Suddenly the man appeared at the door of the
Dana had left his travel wallet containing
vers whenever you leave your cab, no matter
car, flung it open and reached inside to grab
Euros, UK passports, credit card, Dial-a-Cab
how briefly...
the wallet and ran off at Olympic speed!
clock-in card and several items of personal
"When the Spanish police arrived, there was
property in the central console of the car,
© Call Sign Magazine MMX1
something of a language problem and we
thinking it to be safe while they were in what
Gratitude???
Steve Bryant (Y41) is obviously the grateful sort of Dial-a-Cab driver and
wanted to emphasise that he wasn't complaining.
"Far from it," Steve told Call Sign! "Just because there are several big
signs saying licensed taxis only and just because Addison Lee are mini-
cabs, that doesn't mean that I'm complaining that they are taking up
space on OUR waiting area. Oh no, I'm just grateful that the two
PC running
Addison Lee minicabs left a tiny space for me, but unfortunately the edi-
tor has refused to published the few words I wanted to use as an
slowly?
expression of gratitude to the minicabs..."
Internet or email not working?
BLUE BOOK RUNS
Affordable home
Now in two new sizes from Taxi Trade Promotions
& business solutions
· Wired/wireless networks
As licensed London taxi drivers, we all have one very important thing in common in
· PC setups · iPods
order to get our licence we all did the Knowledge of London. Some older drivers may
· Digital photos
have forgotten most of the runs, but every single one of us remember that first run from
· Video · Music · Upgrades ·
Manor House to Gibson Square and can probably recite it just as we did when calling it
Buying advice · Training
over even though it's doubtful that any Knowledge boy was ever asked the run in that
form!
Call in Bob Crabtree
But the Knowledge is still there and Taxi Trade Promotions have now put out their
Wanstead-based
famous `Knowledge Point Blue Book Runs' in two simplified compact A6 or A5 size
World-renowned expert (really!)
booklet formats.
Showing the routes only, they have been designed to assist with revision and / or study
T: 020 8989 8196 M: 07516 157012
whilst on the move, at work, on holiday etc. We on Dial-a-Cab may not need them any-
Email: enquiries@bobcrabtree.co.uk
more, but many of us probably know someone who does and this is their chance to pick
one up whilst at the same time learning where Pentonville Prison is!
For all Windows/Mac problems
Knowledge Point Blue Book Runs are available from Taxi Trade Promotions, 431
Viruses or Trojans?
Caledonian Road N7
