Call Sign September 2011
Page 3
from the editor's desk
Olympic question...
being told that if it didn't work, not only would
he never drive a taxi again, but he could also
In 2002, after hearing that London was going to
end up in a wheelchair. Then, speaking to anoth-
bid for the 2012 Olympics, Call Sign's Australian
er driver about his back, that driver recommend-
correspondent David Gawthorn told this maga-
ed physiotherapy with someone he had been
zine of the Sydney experience for licensed taxi
using to help his back problem. Graham was in
drivers at their 2000 Games.
constant pain, unable to work or even walk
It was he that first warned this magazine of the
more than a few steps and his GP hinted that he
Olympic Route Network (ORN) that brought
might have had to learn to live with the situation.
Sydney's traffic to a virtual standstill, unless you
So ready to try anything, Graham went to the
were travelling in one of the Olympic Family's
Barking Physical Therapy Centre and saw
fleet of special luxury cars that just sailed through
Andy Apsey.
the jams. David then went on to say that Olympic
The nature of our job means that many cab
ticket holders were given free public transport
drivers are prone to back and general muscular
travel tickets for the day of travel and that virtu-
problems and since Andy's ad began appearing
ally destroyed the cab trade's involvement. After
in the mag, more DaC drivers have been going
all, with traffic stationary, who is going to use a
there - and now that includes me!
taxi to get to Stratford when they have a free tick-
I have suffered with back problems for years
et for the tube? David's two warnings have now
and while nothing compared to those Graham
Half a kilometre isn't too far for a fit person,
happened for London and the 7-minute Javelin
suffered, I have to always be ultra-careful when
but older fans won't be pleased and many may
train to Stratford from St Pancras will probably
bending to pick up something because it doesn't
not even be able to cope with that distance.
make the situation even more certain.
take much for my back to start playing up and
Bruce told the NZ cab trade how much of an
As for those few cabs that do get to the
for around two weeks I walk in a crooked line
important role they had to play and how in many
Games, we have been promised ranks `close-by'
with my body and legs seemingly facing differ-
cases they would be the first contact for people
for setting down and picking up, so at least that
ent directions. During those 2 weeks, a course of
arriving in the country for the World Cup and
will go some way to compensate although we
400ml Ibuprofen tablets generally cleared things
how important it was that they made the right
can see a huge number of spectators doing the
up. But on this latest occasion, nothing hap-
impression. In fact, it was `close-by' to a speech
`roader' from the Games to Stratford Station and
pened and after 6 weeks of suffering I decided
from London Mayor Boris Johnson telling us
vice-versa. At least a cab sharing operation may
to try Andy Aspen. I can now feel a real
how wonderful we were and how important we
bring in some funds.
improvement without the need for drugs.
were to be for the Game's success!
But those `close-by' ranks, how close is close-
I haven't really spoken to Andy about whether
Call Sign's question to the Mayor is how well
by? Well our friends at the New Zealand Taxi
his being blind helps because I'm sure he'd rather
we be will be treated at the Olympics? Will it
Federation recently told us of their equivalent to
be sighted, however I do believe that it means he
even be worth us working? Like Sydney, we have
our Olympic Games in terms of excitement and
feels and senses things that sighted people would
the ORNs to kill the traffic and Olympic specta-
that is the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which kicks
take much longer to find. The fact that he gives a
tors will be given free transportation. All we now
off on Friday 9 September when the host nation-
special price for DaC drivers of £20 per session
need is to hear that our set-down will be around
s' All Blacks face Tonga at Auckland's famous
(instead of £30) does make the treatment less
half a mile away and the pick up somewhere
Eden Park. The following day, England kick off
painful, but having now been several times, I'd
near Plaistow!
their pool game against Argentina at Dunedin's
go regardless of the price. Brian Rice suffered
Meanwhile to our NZ friends, I hope that
Otago Stadium. All 24 teams will be hoping to
for years with a shoulder problem that meant he
despite all the problems you have a successful
play in the Eden Park final on Sunday October
often needed help just to put his jacket on. Three
taxi World Cup and that ending as runners-up to
23.
sessions with Andy and Brian was cured!
England satisfies you!
But what, Call Sign readers are asking, does
Is he, as the caption says, Mr Miracle Man?
this have to do with our Olympics especially if
Rioters or robbers?
Probably not, but he's bloody good at what he
you are not a rugby fan? Well New Zealand's taxi
does. Graham Ellis would probably disagree with
There isn't much I can say about the recent riots
industry were promised taxi facilities that would
me and say that Mr Miracle Man is a rather apt
that hasn't already been said, so I'm just going to
allow them to get `close-by' the entrance to Eden
title! Either way, Andy's ad is in most issues of the
quote Paul Speed. Paul was working in a Soho
Park. Of course, the NZTF would be the first to
mag and if you have a physiotherapy problem, it
cinema on the worst night of the riots Monday
admit that the two events are a bit like chalk and
might be worth your while giving him a call...
8 August - and managed to get a taxi to take him
cheese, but almost 50,000 rugby fans will fill
home to north London afterwards. He usually
Eden Park to capacity and like our Olympic tick-
goes on the bus but admitted that he didn't think
Fixed price airports
et holders, they have to get there.
it would be too safe. He said via email that grab-
Now we hear that `close-by' to the Eden Park
bing the cab "...was the only concession to these
from the Cumberland?
entrance will involve walking up to half a kilo-
gangsters I would make. These are kids, not free-
The LTDF chatsite has often taken my name and
metre from the taxi drop-off point whereas bus
dom fighters. They are able to drygulch some
that of Call Sign in vain. I can live with that. But I
passengers will be taken right to the ground in
drunken fool alone in an alley or a school kid
certainly won't let it stop me congratulating the
fact buses have had a special parking facility
half their size, but facing armoured and eager
trade's latest organisation - the United Cabbies
built especially for the matches.
baton-holding boys as big as them with angry
Group - for organising fixed price airport runs from
Just like in 2005 when Call Sign was told
dogs? No way, the punks will stay well away"
the Cumberland Hotel. This hotel has rarely
about the possible 2012 Olympics coming to
Comparing the 1981 unrest with the events of
favoured the London taxi driver unless your name
London, NZ taxi drivers were also told that they
this August, Paul noted a huge difference
was Cumberland Willie or others whose monikers
had a vital role to play in welcoming Rugby
between the two. He said: "Riot is a word with
suggested an agreement with that hotel to the detri-
World Cup supporters to New Zealand and pro-
too noble a lineage for these guys. Violent rob-
ment of other drivers waiting on the rank.
viding transport for them while they were there.
bery is what it amounts to."
So if that now means we get all the taxi work,
Yet despite strong protests from Auckland's taxi
Me? I just wonder how many of these stupid
then well done UCG. It's a shame Cumberland
operators and the NZ Taxi Federation, they have
idiots actually believed that they were playing a
Willie isn't around to offer a comment!
been kicked in the teeth or as it's rugby, kicked
real life version of the video game Grand Theft
If any Call Sign readers take an F/P from the
into touch!
Auto, where rioting and thieving are portrayed as
Cumberland to an airport, perhaps you could let
Their equivalent to Lord Seb Coe is Aussie
this magazine know whether the porters are still
fun? There's not much else to add...
Bruce Barnard. He told the NZ trade that taxis
holding their hands out?
will need to move about 3000 people for each
Mr Miracle Man?
game, but that the drop-off points were as close
In the September 2009 issue of Call Sign, DaC
Alan Fisher
as they would be able to get because they
driver, Graham Ellis (S95) told how he had
callsignmag@aol.com
"didn't get on with buses!"
been facing a major operation on his back and
