Call Sign August 2012

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Olympics and demos…

whose sad death we reported on in the July issue at

By the time you read this, seven years of waiting,

the age of 100, we are republishing an article about

excitement and no little cursing will have gone and

her husband Lou from the March 2003 issue. In it,

the 2012 London Olympic Games will be upon us.

Lou told us about his work with the Radio Owner

But what about the taxi trade and - just as impor-

Drivers Association (RODA), the group that with-

tantly - the regular passengers that rely on us? The

in months led to the formation of ODRTS and Dial-

question is how we can even make going to work

a-Cab. Lou died in June 2003, just months after

worthwhile, because we have been well and truly

telling his story as the only person who was still left

screwed!

to do so. Those of you who just assumed that this

Call Sign has been writing about these games

trade exists because it’s here, well believe me it

since 2003 when we were told that London would

owes much to people such as Lou Dunn and his

be bidding against Paris, New York and Moscow to

story is well worth reading.

hold the 2012 Olympics. We have been for them

Last month, Peter Begley (K98) gave his views

and against them, depending on the next piece of

on what the best buy was between the Vito and the

information we received.

TX4. He also went on to look at the E7 - which

I really believe that LTPH Director, John Mason,

could come to London if the Conditions of Fitness

did his best in trying to get London’s licensed

are changed. It would be fair to say that he wasn’t

taxis the best deal under almost impossible cir-

French and we are British. And the British are gen-

impressed with the Peugeot taxi and within 24

cumstances. I doubt there was a chance for us

tlemen - aren’t we???

hours of the magazine being published, we received

getting into the Olympic Route Network and per-

If a DaC account user phones from a Games exit,

a response from Donald Pow of the E7 suppliers

haps if trade groups had read our 2003 issue

please try to cover it. The Games may possibly kill

Cab Direct. He has also offered Peter the opportu-

when we explained what had happened in those

us for a month, but lets try to keep something for

nity to test drive the E7 and hopefully the DaC dri-

Sydney 2000 Games, their initial response may

afterwards - mainly our reputation.

ver will take up the offer. The response is also inside

have been different.

this issue.

I share the UCG frustration and they are right in

DAC Credit Union

What else? Well John Addis (K97), whilst enquir-

saying that London is too important to just stop, but

Can I thank all those Dial-a-Cab members who do

ing about roadworks causing early closing at the

demos are never going to get more than just some

not belong to the Credit Union as their absence

Limehouse Link and huge disruptions to our

publicity. The time for warnings for what we would

means there is more money available for those of us

Canary Wharf service, has made an astounding dis-

do was before winning the bid in 2005 when the

wishing to partake of the excellent rates!

covery about the contractors who undertake those

UCG weren’t even born! Even as an in-house mag

There are now over 1000 members of what

repairs. Read Now that’s what we call a contract

Call Sign had already known about the ORNs for

Appleby and Wood accountant Terry

to see if you agree with us that it is just mind blow-

two years and if we weren’t given some sort of

MacPherson calls one of, if not THE best credit

ing!

assurances then, that’s when we should have issued

union in the country! That is somewhat better

As you’d expect, Nash’s Numbers is keeping

threats of disruption which in turn would have

than being the best in the cab trade or even the

you updated with all the Eurostar train times in

affected our ability to win the bid.

best in north London - the best in the country?

what will undoubtedly be the busiest ever time

If in 2005 LOCOG had been POCOG - in other

That’s like wow!

for the train. Alan Nash (A95) is amazing in that

words had Paris won the bid - things would have

Recently Linda and I decided that our 15 year +

he has been with us for the whole of my 15 or so

been different for our French equivalents. They may

old boiler should be replaced before it packs up on

years as editor and he keeps coming up with stuff

well have had a few drive-ins, but their trump card

Christmas Day in minus 5 degrees! British Gas gave

that taxi drivers find extremely useful. His web-

would have been the threat to stop the Games.

us details of an excellent repayment scheme which

site is also a boon and details of how to access it

How? Well, I was recently speaking to a Parisian dri-

they were proud of and quite rightly so, because it

is at the bottom of his page.

ver on French radio circuit G7 about the London

gave the borrower the option of paying back the

Last for a mention - although there is much more

Olympics. This was before I saw the sudden emer-

loan as quickly as you wanted with no penalty

inside the issue - is the story that made the nation-

gence of banned right and left turns in thorough-

attached. They told us how much extra we would

al press, radio and TV! Lee Pearce (J71) is the goal-

fares such as Baker Street and Kingsway and the clo-

have to pay and it seemed fair. But I thought I’d give

keeper for Combined Counties football team

sure of Great Cumberland Place. But there was the

our credit union a call just to see what they were

Wembley FC. Call Sign revealed a few months back

sop of being allowed to pick up passengers going

offering. The phone was answered by DACCU

that their sponsors, Budweiser, had bought in no

down Park Lane southbound, however, should they

Treasurer Brian Flanagan (T79) and I told him

less that former Spurs and Barcelona manager

dare to want to go north we do not have access to

how much I wanted. Even the nice British Gas sales-

Terry Venables as technical advisor! But that wasn’t

Achilles Way where we could have swung back up

man said that they couldn’t compete with the

the end because they have now brought in for their

towards Marble Arch. Buses can, but we are obvi-

DACCU rates and asked if he could join! Sadly the

FA Cup matches some former players that every

ously just honorary members of London’s transport

answer was no as you have to have a link to DaC.

football fan will know. David Seaman is Lee’s per-

system! The G7 driver’s view is that we are too soft

I had the forms by the next day - this was no com-

sonal goalkeeping coach, whilst actually playing for

and that even though the ORNs were untouchable,

plicated HP agreement form, just a straightforward

them will be Ray Parlour, Martin Keown, Graeme

we should have insisted on access to everywhere

few details and a signature. Absolutely brilliant!

Le Saux, Brian McBride and Argentinian superstar

that buses can go!

So for those of you who aren’t members

Claudio Caniggia! His closest friend is Diego

I told him about the three planned drive-ins of

because you haven’t seen the ad in every issue of

Maradona - say no more!

which at the time the second at Tower Bridge had

Call Sign, please don’t look for it now in case we

There is also a programme on ESPN called The

just completed and he laughed! He said that other

1000 members want to borrow more at DACCU’s

Wembley Dream beginning on August 2 at 10pm

than three days of inconvenience, the authorities

cheap rates...!

and it will follow the team’s progress in the Cup.

would just bite their lips and put up with it. I asked

what the French drivers would do? I saw his eyes in

This issue...

And finally...

my rear view mirror and could see that he was seri-

I hope you enjoy this issue of Call Sign. Last month

To all of you who are now on your holidays, have a

ous, but his answer still made me shudder.

we were snowed under with stories - so much so

great time. To those who are sitting at home watch-

“We would threaten to block the Olympic

that I had to shove an extra four pages on! But at the

ing the Games - a six pack close by with driving a

Lanes by parking our taxis there, taking out the

time of writing, things have slowed down - no doubt

taxi the last thing on your mind, enjoy. And to those

ignition keys and walking away so that the lanes

because many drivers are beginning their summer

braving the unknown and working through the

became unusable. We would not be afraid if we

holidays without a single thought for poor old Alan

London 2012 Olympic Games, I hope you strike

thought they were taking away our living!”

struggling to entertain those of you who are left!

gold. And dare I say something I never say, try and

Generally speaking, drive-ins just cause a few hours

Besides Addison Lee’s Judicial Review result, one

give priority to DaC’s account clients if they too are

inconvenience and rarely achieve much. That G7

interesting piece that could cause some controversy

brave enough to open up and need our help! With

driver’s view of what his fellow drivers would do

is Richard Potter’s (T51) article in which he sug-

much talk of legacies, one of being the most reliable

would probably have given us a chance of gaining a

gests splitting LTPH in half with us and PH going

isn’t a bad one!

bit more access - at least to be allowed to go every-

our separate ways and our half becoming privatised!

where that buses could. But of course it would

There is also a fascinating piece of radio taxi his-

Alan Fisher

never happen over here, mainly because they are

tory inside this issue. In memory of Millie Dunn,

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign August 2012

Page 4

reflections of the chairman

Olympics

for us, not just because of what is being suggested

I suppose my report would seem strange had I not

for taxis, but what is also on the agenda for the

mentioned the Olympics, even though by the time

Private Hire industry.

you read this we will be almost a week into the

I cannot emphasise enough how important it is

Games. However, as I write this, the Games are still

to put our view across to the Law Commission

a week away.

before they publish their findings, that is why the

I just hope you are all doing well and the traffic

three radio circuits are taking this so very seriously.

is not too bad, but at the moment we do not know

Not only are we submitting our view to the

what to expect. The plans of many commuters

Commission, but I am also extremely hopeful that

seem to be either to work from home or go away

there will be a united trade response from all inter-

on holiday. Will it be really quiet so far as work is

ested parties within our industry. I am totally confi-

concerned but with gridlocked traffic, or will it be

dent that all parties within our trade will have iden-

very busy and the traffic quiet? I hope it’s the latter

tical opinions regarding the document that has

but it could be a combination of both. No doubt as

been published.

you read this, you’ll have a pretty good idea what to

expect for the remainder of the Games.

Apps

You will also know whether we have been

Our IT department has now produced and built

allowed into the Zil lanes, something I very much

our own App, which is superior to anything cur-

doubt regardless of how much protesting was done

for 9th August.

rently on the market. The customer will be able to

prior to the Games. As I have stated on numerous

They have issued a 240 page document and

book ASAP taxis and also pre-book a taxi, some-

occasions, part of the deal for us to hold the Games

asked 73 questions; responses to the consultation

thing I understand is not available with other Apps

depended on the fact that officials and delegates

have now been extended to 10 September. What

at the moment.

could reach all the Olympic sites in a pre-deter-

they are aiming for is the same standard across the

Initially, we will trial the App with Credit Card

mined time. For this to be achieved, the roads have

to be clear of other users, hence the ZiL lanes.

country so that drivers and vehicles will be the same

customers and the current charges will apply, in

Prior to the Games, there has been so much neg-

in Plymouth as they are in Carlisle or Manchester or

other words the customer will pay for the service

ative publicity regarding this sporting occasion;

indeed any city in the country.

and not the driver. However, we will not launch it

what with the lack of security and coaches full of

The London Radio Circuits have also employed

until after the Olympics although some of us here

athletes getting lost etc so I must say that as I sit

the services of a lobbyist to further enforce our view

will be trialling the system.

here writing this, I am not particularly looking for-

to the Law Commission.

My biggest concern is that the App will work

ward to the period when the Games are being held.

Obviously I cannot pre-empt their findings,

well, but that drivers do not cover the work.

However, LOCOG and the ODA have had a logisti-

but I believe there is an overwhelmingly strong

Although the App might be a good product, if it is

cal nightmare on their hands and I will be interest-

case for London taxis to be ‘ring fenced’ and the

used by the public and a taxi does not arrive, then

ed to see how the event progresses. I just hope it all

status quo to remain.

the whole App will be castigated in the media.

goes well and there are not any unforeseen cir-

However, with Private Hire it is a different story.

Consequently, the success or failure of the DaC App

cumstances.

The Law Commission are considering allowing

will be in your hands!

them to use the word ‘taxi’ and ‘cab’, so that they

Law Commission

could quite legitimately use the phrase Pre booked

The Island

I have written in the past regarding ‘Reforming the

Taxi. As you can imagine, so far as I am concerned

Last month I informed you that a Dial-a-Cab client

Law of Taxi and Private Hire Services’ being con-

that is totally out of the question.

was in the process of moving their operation to the

ducted by the Law Commission.

They are also suggesting PH could have meters

Island and that they wanted a rolling rank similar to

This could have far reaching consequences for

with the individual operator setting their own tariff.

the one their new Canada Square neighbours had.

the Licensed Taxi industry, as the Law Commission

In addition, when a minicab driver is licensed by a

I wrote that implementation could be as early as

wish for a national standard for both taxis and pri-

particular local authority, he will then be free to

1st July, but I’ve now heard that the commence-

vate hire. They are currently going through a con-

work anywhere in the country! For instance, a mini-

ment date looks like being in September. You will

sultation process to see if it is feasible to introduce

cab driver could be licensed in Liverpool and then

of course be given details as soon as we know any-

a standard that would apply to the whole country.

come to London to work.

thing for certain.

I have had two meetings with solicitors from the

As you can see, the Law Commission’s sugges-

Brian Rice

Law Commission with a further meeting planned

tions could have some very serious consequences

Chairman, Dial-a-Cab

Spare DaC taxis

Drivers often ask about taxi garages where Dial-

a-Cab taxis are available for use while your cab

is off the road, so if you need a DaC-fitted termi-

nal try phoning one of the following garages for

availability…

For any non-fault accidents try either:

Chief Taxis: -------------------0800 055 6221

Cab Aid: -----------------------0800 028 3253

Overhauls or accident repairs:

Cricklewood Carriers: -----

0208 452 5461

KPM: --------------------------

0207 375 1179

Justcabs (formerly L&P):-- 0207 739 0210

Howard Kott of Justcabs is also happy to rent out a

DaC taxi if not being used as a loan cab

Call Sign August 2012

Page 5

Gay cabs hit London!

Call Sign doesn’t know how many gay drivers

spoiled by poor weather and a low turnout at

there are on Dial-a-Cab, although almost

the Soho parade. The event was said to have

undoubtedly there will be a proportionate num-

been poorly attended and just eight days before

ber. The reason this Society doesn’t know the

the big day, the organisers were told that

number is because nobody really cares nowa-

Westminster Council declined the permits

days. So we don’t suppose anyone will care

needed for the parade. Floats and vehicles were

no longer permitted and the parade was down-

much that London now has gay taxis as well -

graded to a march of about 15,000 rather than

but we bet they’ll make tourists look twice!

the 40,000 originally expected. Official celebra-

Canadian organisation Pride Toronto recent-

tions in Old Compton Street and Golden

ly unveiled a new London taxi advertising cam-

Square were cancelled with the main celebra-

paign to promote Toronto to gay Londoners as

tion venue at Trafalgar Square having its cele-

host city of WorldPride 2014. London recently

bratory events severely reduced. It was instruct-

handed over the mantle after Toronto beat

three adverts to run on the capital’s taxi fleet. It

ed to end at 6pm sharp or face a fine.

Stockholm to host the next WorldPride, having

includes the rainbow flag colours of Pride in a

Hopefully Toronto has a local council that

won the majority vote from leaders of gay and

glitter effect, a black studded cab mimicking

doesn’t compare to the meanies at Westminster,

lesbian organisations around the globe.

leather fetish wear and a bright pink cab with a

who were probably worried that closing streets

Advertising agency Crispin Porter &

fur effect, while the inside seat ads will say: If

to traffic would cost them in lost PCNs!

Bogusky, who in addition to Boulder, Miami,

you think this cab is gay, wait until you see

Los Angeles, Toronto and Gothenburg, also

Toronto in 2014!

Ron Yarborough

have an office in London’s York Way, designed

Sadly London’s finale as WorldPride host was

Call Sign Online

Loz’s keep fit classes

Dial-a-Cab’s Paul Taylor (M01) has reminded us about Phil Hewson - more commonly known in the cab

trade as Loz. Phil has been running keep tit classes for taxi drivers for over 30 years - the last fifteen of

them at the John Orwell Sports Centre in Tench Street, Wapping. Paul said:

“If you are thinking of trying to shed a few pounds and need to get fit after all those years stuck behind the

wheel, or even if you are already fit but need to find a new class, then this will be the one for you. Phil’s classes

are suitable for all ages and all levels of fitness abilities, regardless of your current fitness status. From the very fit

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The workout starts from a free standing position (there are no apparatus), consisting of exercises ranging from aerobics, muscular strength and stamina, reach-

ing every body part including those all-important lungs!

If you are a bit overweight and feel a bit shy or embarrassed about joining this type of class, then don’t be. There are no targets and there is

definitely no ‘peer pressure’. In fact it is a very warm and friendly atmosphere.

Loz’s classes are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, all starting at l.15. The added bonus is the price at just £5 per session. You can attend as many or

few times as you like to suit your work patterns and fitness levels, so if you are a beginner and you only fancy once a week, then that’s fine. You only have to

pay for the sessions you attend, so if you don’t attend, then you don’t pay. Just pay as you go. There are no membership fees and no contracts, but importantly

there is ample free parking so you don’t have to watch out for wardens!

I think £5 represents excellent value for money. If you are thinking of joining, come along and enjoy a week’s free trial from the Loz...”

Paul Taylor (M01

The Loz’s keep fit classes are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning at l.15 at the John Orwell Sports Centre, Tench Street, Wapping...

CallOver

SAVINGS!

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May’s Call Sign contained a small article on th

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launch of new magazine, CallOver, aimed at

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those on the Knowledge. But when a mes-

★ PLANTATION SHUTTERS

sage went out via driver’s terminals to say

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that there were some copies in the Dial-a-

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Cab driver’s reception and that if they knew

anyone on the Knowledge, this magazine wou

You are welcome to visit

be a useful tool for them, all the copies were snapped

our showroom at:

up before you could say leave on the left Northumberland Avenue!

Unit 8 Tripes Farm,

The magazine is now left at DaC every month, so if you have a son, daugh-

Chelsfield Lane,

ter or even a neighbour who is doing the KoL then keep a look out for

Orpington, Kent BR6 7RS

CallOver in Driver Reception and pass a copy along to them. CallOver is a

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Call Sign Online

Call Sign August 2012

Page 6

Jerry's World

“Yeah, Boris said there would be lots of people looking for cabs, he must ‘ave just forgotten to tell us how to reach them!”

ALPHA POWER PILL IS BACK

If there is one question we get asked more than any other, it’s whatever

If you would like to order the

happened to the amazing Alpha Power Pills. These pills are among the

amazing Alpha Pill, just go to

OnlyCabs.co.uk and click on the

most amazing things we have ever tested with numerous readers hav-

‘Order Page’. Or you can phone your

ing used them and telling Call Sign how happy they were with them.

order to Stephen Vale at Only Cabs

We began testing in 2005 and by 2007 it seemed that half the fleet were using them.

on 020 3239 6101.

The pills worked then just as they work now. The biggest problem is getting hold of them!

Just for August, Steve has held the

However, Call Sign has traced another supplier in Steve Vale and the first person to

price for DaC drivers at £14.95 -

order some was Dial-a-Cab Chairman Brian Rice, who uses them in his diesel car. He

incredibly the same price as it was all

ordered some via the website and received the pills two days later.

those years ago. However, it will then

For those who have never used the pills, they help to clear carbon that builds up in the

go up to £16.95 - still a bargain for

engine, with the result of better mpg. But far more importantly, they help to cut emis-

what you get.

sions and users of the pill can see the results in their wing mirror as the smoke from the

exhaust begins to clear. These were some of the comments from drivers the last time we

See the ad in this issue...

tested the Alpha Pill. Not all the drivers are still on DaC and we have just picked their

comments out at random.

“Better Emissions and Fuel Economy.” (J Bailey D47); “The Pill definitely works.”

Call Sign

(M.Barker G06); “I would definitely recommend Power Pill because of the smooth run-

August 2012

ning and the lack of visible smoke emissions from the very smoky TXII.” (J.Burt (E59);

Editor: Alan Fisher

“My cab definitely runs better since I’ve used Power Pill.” (G.Cluer (E66); “I am still wait-

Address: 39 - 47 East Rd, London N1 6AH

ing for the black smoke to reappear - I can’t quite believe it’s gone!” (T.Davidson J31); “I

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

am very pleased with the performance since using Power Pill. I shall continue using it and

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

buying it from JVBright.” (R.Francis L92); “Cab feels sharper and now has far less emis-

Website:-www.dac-callsign.co.uk

Printers: Premier Print Group

sions. On my last two smoke tests, the cab has struggled through, but since using Power

25 - 31 Violet Rd, London E3

Pill it fast-passed the test with a 1.45 reading.” (M.Harvey (E87); “Lower emissions and

Design: Aldan Publications

better mileage.” (B.Irving (N42); “The engine feels much more willing, with less noise

Tel: 07958 300 428

and in all aspects performs much better. I would recommend Power Pill to anyone

Email: dfdannyfresco@gmail.com

because of the results I have experienced for myself first hand. It is a good product that

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

delivers what it says, which is quite unusual these days.” (K Jackman B29); “Does every-

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

thing it claims!” (Divyesh Ruparelia V59)

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 7

TfL measures to help taxis during the Games

Following months

of the Olympic Route Network and its

Private Hire said: “The Games Lanes were a

of extensive dia-

impact on taxis and taxi passengers.

stipulated requirement of the host city con-

logue with taxi

Following the constructive dialogue, TfL has

tract with the International Olympic

driver

associa-

now enabled taxis to make important turns

Committee and we have been working with

tions, Transport

along the network, which other road users are

the LTDA, LCDC and Unite to review the

for London has

not permitted to make; reviewed all planned

restrictions that prevent taxis entering

announced that

restrictions on the nearside (kerbside) Games

Games Lanes and to make changes where

London’s licensed

Lanes and agreed to allow taxis to access a

possible and appropriate.

taxis will be able

number of these. These measures are in addi-

“We know that some drivers feel very

to access the ded-

tion to the opening of the dedicated lanes to

strongly that they should have full access

icated

Games

all traffic when possible, using 150 electronic

to all Games Lanes but this simply isn’t

John Mason: “We

Lanes at the fol-

variable message signs. They are reducing to

possible. We have worked hard to secure

have worked hard to

lowing key loca-

an absolute minimum the times the dedicated

as many concessions as possible and have

secure as many con-

tions:

Games Lanes will be in operation.

done everything we can to ensure that

cessions as possible.”

Park Lane

TfL has also taken on board the concerns

Games Lanes, which will be vital in getting

(southbound)

raised by taxi drivers with regards to

athletes and officials to venues on time,

from Culcross Street and South Street.

accessing nearside Games Lane in Park

are operating only when they have to. I

* Grosvenor Place (northbound) between

Lane, which, under the original proposals

would like to thank the taxi driver associ-

Wilton Street and Hyde Park Corner.

could have prevented drivers from picking

ations for their understanding and

* Vauxhall Bridge Road

(southbound)

up or setting down passengers along a part

patience and would ask drivers to now

between Bloomberg Street and Causton

of the network where there is likely to be

join all Londoners’ in getting behind the

Street.

significant demand for taxis.

games and making the most of opportuni-

* Vauxhall Bridge Road

(northbound)

John Mason, Director of London Taxi and

ties we are confident they will provide.”

between Drummond Gate and Rampayne

Street.

CX forecourt shut during Games?

* Gloucester Place (northbound) between

Dorset Square and Rossmore Road.

At the time of writing, it looks as though Network Rail will be closing the forecourt of

* Use of the M4 Olympic lane.

Charing Cross Station and the taxi rank during the Games. Also shut during the tenure

Through monthly Olympic liaison meet-

of the Olympics is platform 10 at Liverpool Street. The McDonalds rank remains open.

ings between TfL, the Olympic Delivery

St Pancras International will not just be open, but should be heaving with spectators

Authority and taxi driver associations, a

using the high-speed Olympic Javelin train to and from Stratford International and the

huge effort has been put into addressing

Olympic Park. This will have up to 12 trains per hour, transporting up to 12,000 spec-

the concerns of the taxi trade regarding

tators per hour.

the Games and in particular, the operation

Martin Cordell & Co.

ACCOUNTANTS

Does your accountant supply you with the following?

Over forty years of experience with the Licensed London Taxi Trade.

Processing of self-assessment returns.

Advice on trading as a Limited Company with its tax advantages and potential pitfalls.

Preparation of accounts.

Initial consultation dealing with loss of earnings claims (due to accidents on the road etc.)

Letters to banks, building societies

and other lenders.

Specialist in-house facilities to deal with Inland Revenue enquiry cases.

(This is expensive and time consuming. Ask your accountant how much he will charge should this

unpredictable event occur).

A three hundred and sixty five days a year service.

A ‘nightshift’

service.

Offices in North and East London.

First consultation free of charge.

Martin Cordell & Co . . . Do!

All for one yearly fee

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Front Office, First Floor, 9 Church Road, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4AS

www.martin-cordell.co.uk

Call Sign August 2012

Page 8

Perhaps the world-wide reputa-

tion for professionalism and inti-

mate knowledge of our city trav-

dac drivers

els ahead of us, because the

depth of trust - or even expectan-

cy - that the general public place

know

in London’s licensed taxi drivers

sometimes amazes … well, even

London taxi drivers!

everything!

Every driver has a story to tell

and judging by the experiences

suggested perhaps the Toyota MPV that was

Call Sign:

parked nearby, but it was the wrong colour, so

“A number of

related to Call Sign recently, Dial-

I asked him if he recalled any landmarks that

passengers had

a-Cab drivers get their fair share!

could give me a clue as to the location, but that

drifted out of the

idea also drew a blank.”

station to join

Jonathan Radcliffe (G09) was sitting in Pepys

With a giggle in his voice, Jonathan contin-

the queue for

St EC3 early one

ued with his tale. “The man then asked me how

non-radio taxis

morning, when

much it would cost to drive him around the

waiting on the

an Orthodox

streets looking for his car? Yes, I’m sure he was

rank, when a

Jewish

man

woman who was

serious! However, I politely explained the

calmly walked

part of a group

impracticality of that exercise! Eventually he

over to him and

of people moving toward the taxi rank sud-

politely asked

walked across the road to ask another taxi for

denly pointed in my direction. She then came

Jonathan where

the answer to finding his elusive motor car…”

over to me and in a strong European accent

he might have

Jonathan was still laughing at the recollec-

asked: ‘Do you only go to Bromley?’

parked his car?

tion of this person’s faith in the London taxi

“I explained to her that I was already booked

Apparently the

system as Call Sign walked off and came

and thought to myself ‘I know where you’re

Chasid had been late for a meeting and in the

across Adrian Landau (T14). He was waiting

going’ and that unwittingly, she knew my pas-

rush to make up time had not taken note of the

for his account passenger at the old Waterloo

sengers name! It’s lucky my passenger’s name

location where he had parked.

Eurostar terminal, with the passenger’s name

“I must have had a blank look on my face,

clearly written on the DaC nameboard and

wasn’t Paris or my laughter may well have

because this total stranger repeated the ques-

prominently displayed in the cab window. Like

frightened them back onto the train they had

tion as if I absolutely knew where he had left

Jonathan before him, Adrian was also laughing

alighted from!

his car,” a bemused Jonathan told Call Sign.

as he recounted his story of man’s inhumanity

“Assuming it to be a Volvo or people carrier, I

to man’s nervous system! He explained to

KPM and Cabvision

dispute settled

Eco City Vehicles / KPM have settled a legal dispute over Cabvision,

who are the suppliers of television services in the back of licensed

taxis. Cabvision had been a former subsidiary of KPM and the dis-

pute went back to the period of the reverse takeover by Pannal PLC

- who later became Eco City Vehicles. Court cases had been ongoing

since June 2006 before the settlement was announced. Eco said that

the settlement, which was not revealed, involved no cost to the

group. They did warn though that their cash position remained very

tight “following challenging conditions in 2011.”

The company’s revenue dropped by 10% in 2011 and it made a

loss of £2.2 million. Drivers were said to have been holding off buy-

ing a new cab before the newer model was launched.

The company added that it still has the “full support of its pension

scheme and its bank” but added that it continues to look at “other

funding options.”

Call Sign August 2012

Page 10

CONTACT CENTRE CHAT

Within Dial-a-Cab House we have invested

With Keith Cain

into a zone in the future, please take into

a considerable amount of time and effort

consideration what I have said and try

to strengthen the experience, profession-

booking into the zones you are close to

alism and the customer service skills of

rather than the ones you are furthest

our Managers, Team Leaders, Customer

from.

Service Representatives and Controllers.

Over recent months, we have started to see

This year especially, we are seeing that

a small minority of drivers trying to get out of

investment working to its full potential

doing local rides by offering silly delay times.

and have received far more compliments

I hasten to add it is a very small number, but

from clients and drivers than I have ever

nevertheless it is a process that makes our ser-

seen before. But those that work within

vice look ridiculous. You all know that being

DaC House are only but a few of the total

offered an as directed trip means one of the

workforce of the Society. You, the drivers,

following; it is a wait & return, it is going to a

are the main workforce and the service

destination within the same zone, it is going

you provide to our client is not only of

to the airport or it is a genuine as directed trip

great significance, but it forms a huge part

and we have no idea where the passenger

of the wheel that turns and makes this

wants to go. Within the contact centre, we

Society what it has become today.

fully understand why drivers do this, I hope

now have procedures in place to deal with

I have written many times about the service

you can all understand the knock-on effect it

drivers offering excessive delay arrival times.

drivers give our clients and recently I wrote

has within the contact centre and how ridicu-

When this happens, the controller is

about drivers booking into zones incorrectly.

lous it makes staff sound to customers when

notified and the driver is monitored by his

Drivers are choosing to book in when their

we are not telling them the facts as we see

GPS position. Controllers will contact the

actual position is nowhere near where they

them.

driver to explain his actions and if the dri-

are supposed to be. We all know why this is

This is also causing far more trips to be

ver has a record of doing this, a complaint

being done; it's because drivers think that if

rejected because the actual position the driver

is issued. Drivers doing this are only

they book in early by the time it takes to trav-

is in, with the best will in the world, means

thinking of their own circumstances and

el to get to the right location they will not

he/she cannot reach the pick-up address with-

giving absolutely no consideration to the

have to wait too long for a trip. When work

in the correct time. It also gives the rest of the

client.

was in abundance and the fleet size had not

fleet false information. When a driver is look-

When service is paramount, as it is to this

reduced by 35%, this way of working had no

ing to drop off into a zone or is looking for a

organisation, a drop in the service levels -

detriment whatsoever. Unfortunately, times

zone to book into, if they see a high number

albeit from a very few - does have a bigger

have changed and it is having very serious

of cabs booked in they look elsewhere or

impact to the rest of the Society. If we don’t all

issues with service. Our telephonists are pre-

head off in a different direction.

pull together in the future, then I dread to

sented on their screens with the number of

The biggest complaint we receive from

think what the outcome could be...

vehicles booked into a zone when they enter

clients, especially when we have difficulty

a booking into the system. They are all trained

in allocating a vehicle, is why there are no

Keith Cain

to view this time and unless the controllers

taxis within their area yet they can see

Contact Centre Manager

have instructed differently, they use this facili-

many of our fleet going past their office

ty as a tool to give the caller an estimated time

with ‘for hire’ lights on? When booking

Driver’s Operations Manager

of how long it will take a driver to arrive. This

works very well when drivers’ work the sys-

tem correctly. It is also used when passengers

call back to ask the status of their cab. While I

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

376 Strand, WC2

Heathrow

We Invite Dial-a-Cab drivers and their guests to our

Hydrogen

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

refuelling station

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

and go over the years, we are happy to be able to

Five Hydrogen TX4 taxis carrying VIPs to

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

the London Olympics will be able to fill

up at Heathrow with the launch of a

We are certain that you will be delighted

refuelling station to cater for the hydro-

gen fuel-cell black taxis. The cabs are on

a two-year trial and their first official job

is to transport dignitaries across London

to the Olympic Games.

The company behind the refuelling

station, Air Products, has won funding

from the Technology Strategy Board

(TSB) to upgrade the Heathrow site and

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

an additional planned site in central

London to meet car industry standards

Salieri Restaurant

for hydrogen refuelling.

376 Strand, WC2

The cabs are said to be around two

years away from production...

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

Call Sign August 2012

Page 11

The London Taxidrivers’ Fund for

Underprivileged Children in their 84th

anniversary year treated 250 deserving

DAC ON LTFUC 2012

children to a fun-filled day on another of

their legendary outings to Southend. As

always, Dial-a-Cab drivers were well rep-

resented and just as they always do, the

SOUTHEND TRIP

children had a wonderful time. The Fund

has carried thousands of needy children

on this trip over the years with each trip

A police outrider

seemingly better than the last!

explains how his

The drivers began arriving at Victoria

motorbike works to

Park at 7am, the sun was shining and the

two excited children

camaraderie was brilliant as they set

about decorating their Jubilee-themed

taxis whilst waiting for their special little

passengers. On hand to entertain the

children was the wonderful Miss

Ballooniverse, the Furry Tail Folk,

Crest Bear and Clown Jolly Jack, who

all did a marvellous job keeping them

amused. Also there to meet the children

and wave them on their way was the Lady

Mayoress of the City of London,

Elizabeth Wootton, the Lay Sheriff of the

City of London, Wendy Mead,

Four of the many

Councillor Mizan Chaudhury, office of

DaC drivers on the

the Chair of Council of Tower Hamlets

trip: L-R Ivan Sobell

and Michael Henderson-Begg CC, Clerk

(P69, Alan Yuchetel

to the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate

(L44), Adrian

Workers. As Mr Henderson-Begg was due

Landau (T14) and

to retire, the fund’s Hon Chair Susan

Angel presented him with a miniature

John Radcliffe (G09)

mounted model taxi and certificate mak-

ing him an Honorary member of the

Fund.

Breakfast was then provided by the

Victoria Park Café and at 10am the 110

taxi convoy set off with horns blowing!

The cabs looked wonderful being

adorned with red, white and blue

bunting and balloons as the children

waved their Union Jack flags! The many

Southend’s

Salvo

the

Clown,

Sarah

donated by Chris Smalley of Amscan

spectators lining the route waved and

(Snow White), Ruth and her two Pat-a-

International Ltd.

cheered the cabs on their way using hand

Dogs and the two face painters, Joanne

Radiocoms Systems Ltd kindly loaned

waving flags kindly donated by John and

and Sarah of Mr Crafty’s Kid’s parties

communication equipment and the

Mark of the House of Logos. Once again

for keeping the children amused while

Essex Police outriders then escorted

the City of London Police outriders

DJ, Dave Davies, was on hand to provide

the group of taxis out of Southend.

escorted the cabs along with the RAC and

his usual brilliant disco. In addition, Alan

Special thanks also goes to the anony-

St. John’s Ambulance.

and Sheila Jones of the Southend

mous donor for providing £25 to each

However, there was a sad delay at

Carnival Court brought along the

driver for their fuel and to ex-committee

Redbridge on the way to Southend fol-

Queen and two Princesses to meet the

member Larry Abrahams for coming

lowing a road traffic incident.

children.

out of retirement to give us his help.

Everyone at the LTFUC sends their sin-

The Fund were delighted to have the

To all the wonderful sponsors

cere condolences to the family

Mayor of Southend, Councillor Sally

whose donations help the Fund to

involved and best wishes for a speedy

Carr presenting prizes to the best deco-

make the outing possible and also to

recovery to the police outrider.

rated taxi, Steve Pulham, who in addi-

the many radio stations for their cov-

On arrival at sunny Southend, the

tion to holding the Terry Stapleton Rose

erage in the morning, the LTFUC have

group were given lunch at the Cliffs

Bowl for a year, also won and a voucher

asked Call Sign to send their sincere

Pavilion before the children were ferried

thanks.

down to Adventure Island in minibuses

from Vince White Taxis of Waltham

Abbey for a full engine service and front

Last, but not least, the Hon President,

provided by Brian Houssart MBE, Hon.

Hon Chair and Committee would like to

President of the Southend Taxi Charity

brake pads or a choice of £150 in cash!

The runner up was Marvin Houstin. He

give very special thanks to all the won-

Fund for Children. Walking around

derful drivers and helpers. They just

Adventure Island, you couldn’t miss the

gets the Peter Lucas Shield for a year and

could not make the outings happen with-

children’s laughing faces and hearing

a bottle of Champagne. The raffle prize

out them and the children, who have

their screams of delight as they went

winner was Dial-a-Cab’s Salvatore

such a memorable day, all know that.

from ride to ride whilst demolishing can-

Trupia (S89J) who grabbed an overnight

Many images of the day can be seen

dyfloss, donuts and ice creams at the

stay with breakfast for two at the

on the Fund website

same time!

Connaught Hotel in Mayfair!

www.ltfuc.org.uk. Remember, none

4.45pm it was back to the Cliffs

At 6pm the weary but happy children

walks so tall as he who stoops to help

Pavilion for a tea and disco and we thank

were each handed a stick of Southend

a child...

Rob and Tom of the Furry Tail Folk,

rock - donated by Southend’s Paul Van

Clown Jolly Jack, balloonist Tony

Looey - as they left. Foil ‘Taxi’ balloons

Our thanks to Raymond Levy for the

Hanscombe, Miss Ballooniverse,

on sticks were also given to each child

info...

Call Sign August 2012

Page 12

The case involves the arrest of a minicab dri-

Louie Christian (A48) has a legal background and an Honours

ver for touting. He claimed he had a booked

degree. He has sent Call Sign details of an article from Criminal

job for “Jenny.” He was then approached by

Law Weekly. It makes strange reading and also...

two licensing investigators who enquired if

he was a cab. The driver’s claim was that as

the two “passengers” were going to the same

place as “Jenny” therefore he assumed one of

them was Jenny. But the judge’s slant turned

A STRANGE CASE

the case upside down. The case was brought

under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847. It

A legal expert commented after the case:

states:

“The justices had apparently found as fact

Private hire vehicles - Whilst the offence

that at just after midnight, a booking had

under section 45 of the Town Police Clauses

been made for a person giving the name

Act 1847 ("If the proprietor of any car-

‘Jenny’ who wanted to be picked up outside

riage permits the same to be used as a

a particular cinema and to be taken to a par-

Hackney Carriage plying for hire within

ticular place, and that when the defendant

the prescribed distance without having

turned up outside the cinema at the appoint-

obtained a licence as aforesaid for such

ed time, he was approached by two females

carriage, or if any person standing, or

(the investigators) who just happened to

plying for hire with any carriage within

approached at the specified location by two

want to go to the exact same place.

the prescribed distance for which such

females (licensing investigators) who asked

Counsel for the local authority submitted

licence as aforesaid has not been previ-

him to take them to the same destination.

that this was a finding of fact that no reason-

ously obtained, every such person so

And where he did so without asking their

able bench could have reached. It seems

offending shall be liable to a penalty ...") is

name, it had been open to the magistrates to

abundantly plain that either the investigators

a strict liability offence, whether a particular

find that he had not been plying for hire:

had made the booking in order to test the dri-

vehicle is plying for hire is a matter of degree

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v. Arif

ver who turned up, or the entry of the book-

- the essence of "plying for hire" being solicit-

[2012] R.T.R. 261(20), Q.B.D. (Beatson J)

ing in the car hire company’s records had

ing or waiting to secure passengers without

(01/12/2011).

been made ex post facto. However, none of

any prior contract with them; where, there-

The matter was considered by the court of

this appears to have been investigated and his

fore, the driver of a private hire vehicle

appeal, but the appeal from the local author-

Lordship was not prepared to go behind the

attended a particular location to pick up a

ity was dismissed. Louie considered that the

findings of the magistrates.”

booking in the name of "Jenny" and to take

case was probably best regarded as a decision

As we said at the beginning, a strange

her to a particular destination, where he was

on its own.

case indeed..

Is it security or just cashing in on the Olympics?

TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AT STRATFORD STATION

CCTV enforcement vehicles and Civil

Dial-a-Cab’s PCN expert, Barrie Segal,

Enforcement Officers around Stratford

added that while licensed taxis are permitted

Station.

to stop on a bus stop to pick up a passenger,

Is it security or just cashing in on the

drivers should not wait there if on a DaC

Olympics? Call Sign readers will have their

booked trip or if asked to wait while passen-

own views.

gers go to an ATM etc...

EARLY TREATMENT MEANS SPEEDY RECOVERY

Treatment for pain & discomfort doesn’t have to be expensive

One way or another they are going

to get you!

The Centre offers fully qualified therapists in Physiotherapy,

The London Borough of Newham has

Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Remedial

said that camera enforcement in the area

Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherm, Massage Therapy,

around Stratford Station, including

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

Meridian Square and Great Eastern

Road, is being conducted and Penalty

Charge Notices (PCNs) will be issued by

Call us on 020 8507 8169

the borough to vehicles that are illegally

or mobile 07973 639 473 for an early appointment

stopped or waiting in areas where this is not

Email: andy@bptconline.co.uk or fax: 020 8507 9650

permitted. This includes taxis (and private

Out of hours enquiries welcome

hire vehicles) parked in the bus lane or

parked in the kiss and ride spaces and PHVs

(or other vehicles but not licensed taxis)

Barking Physical Therapy Centre

parked on the taxi rank.

90 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8SF

In addition to camera enforcement,

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9am till 8pm and Saturday 9am till 2pm

Newham will also be deploying mobile

www.bptconline.co.uk

Call Sign August 2012

Page 13

...or the advantage of your grandfather being Editor!

When Shelby, granddaughter of Call Sign

get them into the mag? Sorry Baggi, I will not

Editor Alan Fisher called to say that she was

be held to ransom and the answer is no!”

going to her School prom in Chigwell’s posh

So I told Shelby and she took it very well.

Woolston Manor and wondered “whether the

“Tell Poppa that I still love him and that he is

press would be there,” we knew what she

the best grandfather in the world and not to

meant - could Poppa get her photo into the

worry that this will probably be my first and

magazine. I called Alan immediately and told

last prom and that this dress cost a fortune and

him of the request...

that even if all my friends laugh at me, I

“Nope,” he replied immediately, “this is a seri-

respect his decision and that when I open my

ous magazine aimed at the drivers of Dial-a-

first patisserie, he can still have the first cake!”

Cab. No one but no one gets in just because

Gorgeous dress Shelby! And was that a tear I

they are related to the Editor, otherwise

saw in the Editor’s - sorry, I mean in Poppa’s

before you look round I’ll have a queue of

- eye...!

100 prim and proper young ladies telling me

Shelby and “Poppa” before she left for

that their father’s best friend knows someone

Baghwat Singh

who used to work with a taxi driver and can I

her prom

Call Sign Online

BERSEY AT

Just call me Zac!

SCIENCE MUSEUM

Dear Mr Editor

Who says electric taxis are new!

I’m Zachary Raphael, but you can call me Zac... if

I can call you Al! And who is this Paul Simon I

have to apologise to!

I was born to Nicole and Spencer Landau on 26

June 2012 at Watford General Hospital, weighing

in at a respectable 7lbs 4oz. My big sister Hannah,

who’s three and a half, fusses over me but it’s my

Grandparents Benita and Adrian Landau (T14)

and Mum’s mother, Grandma Valerie (and the late

David) Fishman who hardly allow me any peace at

all with a regular flow of cuddles and kisses.

Needless to say, my entire family is delighted at my

The Bersey

safe arrival. But hey, I had no doubts and was

A new exhibition at the Science Museum in

looking forward to seeing those people who kept patting me

Exhibition Road, SW7 shows that whilst we

when I wasn’t quite ready to make my first appearance!

in the London taxi trade may await with

Grandpa Ade has shown me how to ‘Sign On’ to the Dial-a-Cab terminal and promised I can

baited breath the introduction of the electric

taxi, the concept certainly isn’t new. In 1897,

work his cab as soon as my feet can reach the pedals! I’m off now to get some sleep…

Walter Bersey changed the concept of taxi

driving when he introduced 12 wood-built

You may not need us now, but cut us out for when you do!

Bersey taxis. These were not just electrically

propelled, but also the first taxis that no

longer required horses to pull them along.

Exhibition's curator Selina Hurley told

LOCKHOUSE SECURITY

Call Sign: "We think of electric cars as

something really futuristic, but they actually

go back much further than we think!”

All types of locks, opened, repaired and replaced

Around 75 of the Bersey cabs were even-

tually made and on one day's charge, which

10% discount on keys and locks for DaC drivers

they could get at a Lambeth charging station,

Transponders / chipped keys

they were able to cover around 30 miles. As

the top speed was 12mph, that was enough

On site key cutting services including taxis

for a shift and many would say the average

Locks replaced / fitted to insurance specifications (BS3621

speed in 2012 isn’t much more than that!

Walter Bersey's company went bust two

Burglary repairs / boarding up

years later after the cabbies still driving

Additional security / security upgrades

horse-driven vehicles began to worry and

demonstrate about their futures, claiming

Safes opened, repaired and serviced

that if the new electric taxis were too suc-

Grilles and security gates

cessful, who would want to get into their

Specialists in UPVC doors and windows / patio doors

old Hansom Cabs?

The Bersey cab features alongside sto-

Free estimates / no call out charge

ries about wind turbines and the now-

24hr service

rare incandescent light bulb at the

Climate Changing Stories exhibition,

which runs to 2014.

You can find us at:

For more information on the Climate

Changing Stories exhibition, visit:

8-10 The Arcade, Farnham Road, Harold Hill

sciencemuseum.org.uk.

Tel: 01708 371115

Call Sign August 2012

Page 14

Those Dial-a-Cab drivers whose working shift

covers the early evening until midnight will

NOW THAT’S WHAT WE

know what hassle is and has been caused by the

closure of the Limehouse Link at 10pm on

some evenings for what is usually described as

CALL A CONTRACT...

maintenance work. Those drivers will probably

agree that on other occasions when the Link

Limehouse Link company there for 30 years!

has closed two hours later at midnight, then the

inconvenience - whilst still considerable - is

that mean they can do as they like until 2030?

usually much more bearable.

Sounds like it!

But have you wondered why then, if the com-

This all began by me wondering why they

pany carrying out the maintenance can success-

went back to closing at 10 instead of midnight

fully do it from midnight, why they have to ever

when the later closing was so much better as

close it at ten? After all, the maintenance prob-

regards hold-ups. Perhaps, I also wondered,

ably takes the same time.

they didn’t actually need the two extra hours

Well one DaC driver asked Transport for

but took them anyway - justifying their work-

London under the Freedom of Information Act

load - whilst at the same time causing problems

to give him an answer and also queried who the

to all our Dockland account clients, including

company carrying out the maintenance was and

JPM and MS.

for how long was the contact they had been

I came to the conclusion that they were using

awarded?

a smaller workforce at the expense of everyone

John Addis (K97), the driver concerned,

else who lives and works in the surrounding

told Call Sign: “I was flabbergasted with the

areas. This regular extreme disruption does not

reply I received. They said that the Design Build

reflect well on the professional image of Canary

Finance Operate contract was awarded to Road

Wharf, TfL and ultimately, London. It does seem

Management Services (A13) plc by the

Company that maintains tunnel has

the contractors have the upper hand over the

Secretary of State on 12 April 2000 and that in

contract for 30 years

customers. But the final word must be to won-

March 2001, the contract had been extended to

der how on earth a building company can pos-

include Docklands roads, of which the

years up until April 2030. That means that RMS

sibly win a thirty year contract?”

Limehouse Link Tunnel forms a part. The part

have the responsibility to operate and maintain

Call Sign asked the Mayor’s office what they

that shocked me came at the end when they

the contract facilities - including Limehouse

thought of the contract, but they declined to

added that the period of the contract was for 30

Link Tunnel - throughout those 30 years! Does

comment...

LONDON UNFURLED

Part of 35 miles of Pericoli’s

Thames walk showing the Gherkin

Matteo Pericoli’s first UK exhibition

Matteo Pericoli was born in Milan, but moved to New York in 1995 where he worked as an architect. He found

fame with his 22ft fold-out drawing of Manhattan's skyline and in 2007 completed his amazing Skyline of the

World, a 397-foot-long panoramic mural for American Airlines' international terminal at New York’s JFK Airport.

Now he has a London exhibition showing till 2 Sept...

A 35-mile walk along the north and south banks of the Thames at the PM Gallery & House, Walpole

Park, Mattock Lane, Ealing.

Over two weeks in September 2009, Matteo Pericoli walked from Hammersmith Bridge to the O2

Arena and back again, examining the scene beside the Thames, taking 6,100 photographs and seeing off a pair

of shoes in the process! London Unfurled is the result of that walk and this is the first time that Pericoli’s origi-

nal London Unfurled drawings have been shown anywhere in the UK. The two resulting 11.5 metre drawings,

showing the city as seen from the north and south banks will each be unfurled around PM Gallery.

Filling the gallery with the architectural complexity of the riverside, the exhibition presents a

• Roadside repair

compelling profile of the city. Matteo Pericoli’s drawings are packed with buildings that will be

very familiar to Dial-a-Cab drivers. Contained within the pen-and-ink drawings are some 1,343 individual build-

• Roadside assistance

ings, 41 bridges, over 27,000 window panes and some 3,000 waves on the river

• Running repair recovery

The hardback book in concertina form, London Unfurled by Matteo Pericoli, with essays by Will Self

• Accident recovery

and Iain Sinclair, is published by Picador and priced £25. A new adapted version, London for Children,

has full colour illustrations and funny (if gruesome) facts about London and the river. That is published

• Pay as you go to membership

by Macmillan and priced at £14.99.

• Credit card taken at roadside

A digital companion to the print edition, the London Unfurled App for iPad enables people to scroll

seamlessly through the entire drawing, flipping from north to south, jumping from place to place,

zooming in on its extraordinary detail and sending favourite views to friends. An audio voiceover

from Matteo Pericoli also gives an insight into the creation of the drawings. The exhibition will

0845 094 5307

feature new material from both the London for Children book and the London Unfurled App for iPad.

The exhibition is open until 2 September and has free admission. Tues - Fri and Sun 1 - 5pm. Late

We make wheels turn

openings until 8pm on 3, 17 and 31 August. A free gallery tour led by Matteo Pericoli takes place on

so you can earn.

Sat Sept 1 at 2pm. Booking not necessary. More info on 020 8567 1227...

Call Sign August 2012

Page 15

Those nice people at Dial-a-Cab’s

Roman Way depot have passed

POINTING THE (ROMAN) WAY...

over a few words of wisdom -

Using your

well a few hundred wise words

finger to

actually - to Call Sign that could

close the

map facility

save drivers their time, some

could cause

stress and perhaps an unneces-

problems

sary journey to N7.

Unnecessary use of your index finger!

Now before this magazine gets inundated with

Then, when

emails questioning our sanity, let us explain

the

replace-

further. It seems that some of you prefer to use

ment

new

an index finger to operate the MDT keyboard

meter has been

and to ‘close’ the map facility. Yup, we’ve all

installed, do the

done it, but Roman Way’s technical staff have

same thing.

suggested it is better to use the black plastic

Power

up,

‘pointer’ to select items on the keyboard and

meter

on,

especially so when closing down the map

simple meter change from the same supplier,

meter stopped.

pages.

or a complete change of meter brand - for

If the printer shows a £2.40 receipt, then

We realise that some Call Sign readers have

example were you to change from Cygnus to

you’re up and running and can go back to

particularly nimble fingers and are able to

Viking or vice-versa or for any other meters

work. But if the printout shows a blank space

squeeze their digit finger into the top right-

that are available. But this tip is relevant if you

where the meter reading should be, it means

hand corner of the terminal screen, but the

are tempted to take advantage of the special

there is incompatibility with the new meter

MDT screen is calibrated with pin-point accu-

deals regularly offered by fare meter compa-

and you should ask the meter supplier to sort

racy to match the sharp end of the pointer and

nies.

it out because your first receipt shows it was

using your finger not only defeats the object of

Before you actually arrive at the meter

working with the old meter.

a ‘clean’ operation, it blows the calibrations

site, power up your MDT but do not sign in.

Roman Way has said that some drivers are

clean out of the window, leading to opera-

being fobbed off with excuses and being sent

tional problems with the terminal - including

Put the meter in the hired position and

move it to stopped. The MDT will automat-

to them, whereas they in turn have had to sug-

freezing. The pointers are readily available

gest that the drivers should return to the

from Roman Way or DaC’s driver reception.

ically print out a £2.40 receipt with the

meter company. This easy procedure could

time and date clearly showing. Leave the

save you a lot of time and stress…

Changing your meter

receipt sticking out as this shows your

The other piece of advice from our Roman

meter is ‘talking’ to the MDT. It’s an

Jamie Corum

Way technicians concerns the meter and any

exchange of information and means you

changes you may make. It may be by way of a

do not lose account trip meter readings.

Call Sign Online

CELEBRATION TIME FOR

VIKING TAXI METERS

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To celebrate the successful Dial-a-Cab testing of the Viking Taxi-Meter, Cricklewood Carriers Cab Co. Ltd as

the sole and exclusive agents of the new Viking Taxi Meter are delighted to announce a totally unique and

exclusive package to all of the Dial-a-Cab Drivers.

HIGH 5 ~

*5 Years Meter Hire*

*5 Years Full Maintenance Including All Tariff Changes*

*One Off Payment Of £500.00*

*Peace Of Mind Non Increasing Rental Price For 5 Years*

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Call

0 208 208 3600

CRICKLEWOOD CARRIERS CAB COMPANY— YOU’RE IN SAFE HANDS

Call Sign August 2012

Page 16

Call Sign readers interested in football will

know that Dial-a-Cab driver Lee Pearce (J71)

is not just a driver on this circuit, but also the

goalkeeper for Combined Counties Premier

Lee’s Wembley bring

league team Wembley - who play eight divi-

sions below the top flight English Premier

League.

Recent issues of this magazine revealed that

in the big guns!

thanks to sponsorship from Budweiser, for-

mer Barcelona, Tottenham and QPR manager

Terry Venables had been appointed as

Technical Director at the club. That in itself

was a pretty big shock but nothing compared

to the news Wembley Chairman Brian Gumm

later revealed - that Budweiser had tempted

six ex-international soccer legends to the club!

The six are former Arsenal and England

goalkeeper, David Seaman, ex-Arsenal and

England midfielder Ray Parlour, former

Arsenal and England defender Martin

Keown, ex-Chelsea, Blackburn, Southampton

and England defender/midfield player

Graeme Le Saux, USA and Fulham’s prolific

goalscorer Brian McBride and possibly the

biggest shock with the amazing signing of

Claudio Caniggia! For those that don’t know

of him, Caniggia - now aged 45 but still fit for

someone who used to run 100metres in

11seconds - played up front no less than 50

times for Argentina, including an amazing

Some of the legends: (L-R Graeme Le Saux, David Seaman, Terry Venables, Ray

three World Cup campaigns! He was a regular

Parlour and Claudio Caniggia...

for top Argentinian teams River Plate and Boca

Wembley in this season’s FA Cup - which

domestic cup tournament in a new ESPN TV

Juniors and also played for Dundee and

Glasgow Rangers in Scotland. One of his clos-

of course is sponsored by Budweiser. Their

programme, Dream On: The Journey of

first match is an extra preliminary round

Wembley FC. It begins at 10pm on August 2nd.

est friends is no less than Diego Maradona -

although in all honesty, we can’t see the Hand

tie on August 11.

Ray Parlour told Call Sign: “I've always

of God playing for Wembley!

Jason Warner, Global VP Budweiser, told

believed grassroots football is essential to the

The six players have been coaching

Call Sign: “As a long-standing supporter of

lifeblood of the game, so when I got the call

Wembley’s 34-player strong squad for

football at all levels, Budweiser is committed

asking if I would like to come out of retire-

some time now, with David Seaman specif-

to championing the magic of The FA Cup and

ment to help raise Wembley’s profile, I

ically coaching Lee Pearce (see cover pic).

its ability to create unique memories that play-

jumped at the chance. I'm also looking for-

“He has been absolutely brilliant,” Lee told

ers and communities will never forget. We are

ward to working with Terry Venables again

Call Sign. “Just when you think you know it

pleased to continue to support Wembley FC as

and helping a group of talented footballers

all, the supreme professional comes along and

they strive to achieve their dreams and we

achieve their dreams of playing in The FA Cup

shows that in reality you know very little. He

think their story will appeal to - and inspire -

and seeing how far they can go in the tourna-

has made an amazing difference to my ability

football fans around the world.”

ment.”

and my confidence and I now know far more

Budweiser has also joined up with Evan

Wembley’s FA Cup dream starts on 11

about goalkeeping than I did and ever

Weinstein, Co-Executive Producer of The

August when they are at home to Spartan

thought that I would know!”

Amazing Race and seven-time Emmy Award

South Midlands League Division

team

The legends have been brought in by

winner, to document Wembley FC's prepara-

Langford in the extra preliminary round with

Budweiser to see how far they can get

tion and progress through the world's oldest

the winners away to Uxbridge.

Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers

SAFE AND SKILLED DRIVING CHALLENGE

The WCHCD recently took part in a driving skills competition at

Regent’s Park Barracks. The taxi charity has an affiliation with 20th

Transport Squadron and this challenge day sees WCHCD members

pit their skills against those of the Squadron. This is the third annual

event, although this year the weather presented a bit more of a chal

lenge. Once again the Squadron had devised various tests, both

indoor and out. Eight teams took part, with one of the WCHCD

teams coming a close second to the Squadron. Events testing skills

included a streets navigation course, trailer reversing and taxi

manoeuvring, amongst several others.

Everyone enjoyed their day at the barracks and all the teams

learned some new skills and entered into the spirit of the day -

which included wearing Royal masks during a wheel changing

task! It was a very surreal experience to watch the Queen chang-

ing the wheel on a 4 x 4 vehicle!

The WCHC was delighted the event was able to go ahead as

the Squadron had been extremely busy with preparations for the

Olympics. A barbeque ended the enjoyable day in a sizzling way!

Call Sign August 2012

Page 17

Call Sign doesn’t usually comment on cur-

rent adverts in the magazine, but the one

from the London Taxi Company on this

Amazing deal on

issue’s back cover just seems so good at a time

when a number of Dial-a-Cab drivers will be

compulsorily looking to replace their 15-year

old taxi. The LTC four year deal could well be

the TX4 Euro!

the answer to many of those problems, while

at the same time giving drivers a brand new

At a time when many drivers have to give up their 15-year old taxis...

taxi at an affordable price - which appears to

us to make this deal cheaper than renting.

The answer to your

The deal is available on both TX4 Euro 5

problems? The new

models - Style and Elegance and is of

TX4 Euro 5

course available in both automatic and

manual.

The calculations below have been formulat-

ed based on the TX4 Euro 5 Elegance auto-

interested in what looks

to be a cracking deal at a

matic - which is the highest spec, so the cost

per week for the other three variants would, if

time when many need

some help, should contact

anything, be lower.

The very affordable weekly cost would

the

London

Taxi

Company dealership at

be £135. That allows for a deposit of £2000

and guarantees a £13,982 residual value

Brewery Road on 0207

700 0888 to either speak

after 4 years.

The price includes a FREE FOUR YEAR

or just hand it back and walk away! That deal

to their sales team or to

manufacturer's warranty with an option to

sounds as though it could be the answer to a

make an appointment. And also see insert

buy a FOUR YEAR Service Plan which

few drivers’ problems.

inside this issue for an extra special offer.

would work you out at just 99p a day!

The ad describes the offer as the deal the

Calculations are based on annual mileage

Then at the end of the term you can either

trade has been waiting for and it could be

of 30,000 mile per annum - 120,000 miles over

buy the cab, part-exchange it using any equity

that they are right! Any Dial-a-Cab driver

the four year agreement period.

Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers

Mayor at WCHCD Founder’s Day

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson, together with Deputy Mayor for Transport, Isabel Dedring, were special

guests at the recent WCHCD Founder’s Day lunch at the Fishmongers’ Hall, London Bridge.

WCHCD Master Eddie Crossley, together with his wife Maureen and his Wardens greeted guests to this

superb hall, where they enjoyed a champagne reception overlooking the river.

The Prime Warden of the Fishmongers Company, The Lord Phillimore, together with his Clerk, Nigel Cox,

greeted Mr Johnson on his arrival - and as is often the case, Boris arrived on his bike! He then joined other

guests for the lunch.

The WCHCD has a diverse membership, many of whom are working taxi drivers. All Liverymen

and Freemen of the Company earn their living through the taxi trade.

Eddie Crossley opened his speech by saying: “We celebrate Founder’s Day to commemorate our original

Fellowship set up in 1654 and then disbanded by Oliver Cromwell three years later. However, by an act of

Parliament in 1694, the first Hackney Carriages were licensed and we now as a trade celebrate 318 years of

continuous licensing. Over the past few years we have combined this celebration with the opportunity to

raise funds for our Charitable Trust. This fund enables us to support those drivers who face financial difficul-

ties due to long term illness or their families at a time of bereavement.

“The fund also allows us to support a number of the other trade charities such as The Fund for

Underprivileged Children and the annual outing to Worthing for the War Disabled. I am always amazed at the number of drivers who willingly

give so much of their time to participate in these and similar events. It demonstrates to me the pride and generosity of so many in our Trade.”

As part of his entertaining speech, the Mayor told guests: "Travelling by black cab is one of the great pleasures of London, both for residents and vis-

itors alike. They are as iconic as the red buses, Big Ben and Beefeaters. This is an historic year for London as we stage a summer like no other and I am

certain that, as always, cabbies will be ambassadors for this great city and help showcase the very best that we have to offer."

Event sponsors were Proximo Ltd and ComCab.

OPEN EVENING AT MADAM TUSSAUDS

Call Sign has been literally inundated to the point where we were thinking of throwing the mag’s

phone into the Thames! The reason was the hugely successful open evening put on by Merlin

Events to celebrate the amazing achievement of 250 years of Madam Tussauds! Of that time,

Madam T has been welcoming visitors to London for over one hundred of those years.

So as part of the celebrations, Madam Tussauds decided they would like to thank London’s

taxi drivers for the many passengers we deliver safely to their Marylebone Road premises, whilst

showing us together with up to four of family members and friends, why that is one of London's

top tourist attractions.

Madam Tussauds is filled with 14 exciting, interactive zones and the amazing Marvel Super

Heroes 4D movie experience, where not only do you see the action in 3D but you also feel it!

Madam T’s combines glitz and glamour with incredible history with over 300 wax figures -

including David Beckham, Lady Gaga, The Queen and many more.

So on behalf of all those drivers that took advantage of the offer, we thank Merlin Events and

Guess who Call Sign’s Danny Fresco met at

Madam Tussauds. That just leaves one question... So, who do you want to meet?

Madam T’s!

Call Sign August 2012

Page 18

On July 1st 1950, I applied for a taxi driver's

The last issue of Call Sign wrote of the sad death of Millie Dunn at

licence. I did the Knowledge by car, calling

the age of 100. As a tribute to both Millie and late husband Lou -

over with Harry Slowman, Monty

Corman, Maxie Green and my cousin

the founder of the Radio Owner Drivers Association and forerun-

Charlie Davis. I passed out on February

ner to Dial-a-Cab, we are reprinting a story from 10 years ago

20th 1951 when the flag fall was one shilling

which detailed the beginnings of RODA. What follows is a slice of

(5p). I worked for an owner-driver for 11

months before buying my first taxi, a Morris

radio taxi history...

Oxford (reg. JXD 828) from an old friend of

my wife’s.

It was towards the end of 1952 and I was

CALL SIGN LOOKS AT THE

having a tea break in Wilton Road, Victoria

with a few other drivers. We were discussing

the possibility of starting a radio taxi service

BEGINNING OF RODA…

for owner-drivers to compete with Lou Levy

of York Way Motors and The London

However, Pye had initiated bankruptcy pro-

General of Brixton. Both companies had

ceedings against us with Charlie Watson and

their own radio circuits, primarily for their

myself - the only directors left after the oth-

own fleets of cabs.

ers had resigned - having to swear affidavits

We later spoke to a large number of

as to the cause of the closure of the compa-

owner-drivers who seemed enthusiastic

ny. The end of RODA Taxis was complete…

about the idea. The prominent members

After RODA closed, there were still

of our organising committee consisted of

some drivers who wanted to continue

myself, George White, Mr Frewin, Charlie

with radio but not necessarily with the

Watson and a Mr Woods. Cyril Lumley

fledgling ODRTS, who were by now in

was appointed Secretary and it was

business. So Joe Stern and others called a

agreed to call the company RODA Taxis.

meeting at the ‘Rifle Range’ in Harewood

That stood for Radio Owner Drivers

Avenue behind Marylebone Station. It

Association.

was decided to set up an opposing cir-

cuit to ODRTS and to call it Radio Taxis

The Beginning of RODA Taxis…

(Southern) Ltd.

A meeting was called at The Barley Mow in

They leased a basement flat at ‘Highpoint’

Horseferry Road. The same pub would

in North Hill, Highgate and the new circuit

later be used several months later to house a

was soon to compete with ODRTS, becom-

meeting in connection with the setting up of

Lou Dunn on his visit to Dial-a-Cab in

ing known in the trade as Mountview. It

the formative ODRTS - later to become Dial-

March 2003

took its name from the phone number that

a-Cab. Around 120 drivers attended our

RODA had originally used and which they

meeting, of whom 98 agreed to come onto

We started operating at the beginning of

were now using - Mountview 3232. I joined

the circuit. Cab drivers being what they are,

Mountview as Baker 28, but only stayed for

January

1953 in preparation for the

only 39 turned up and they were fitted. A

Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Within

six weeks. I came off because I was disillu-

retired Public Carriage Officer, who was the

sioned with the attitude of the other drivers.

three months, unfounded rumours were

principal of the British Legion Taxi Drivers

spreading around the trade that work was

I continued as a non-radio driver until retir-

School in Harleyford Road, Kennington,

not being allocated fairly. This was untrue,

ing at the age of 88.

introduced us to his brother who was a

but because some members had now

My recent visit to Dial-a-Cab and the

director of Pye Telecom in Cambridge. They

refused to pay their subs, we were asked to

wonderful tour given to me by Brian Rice

agreed to install a radio transmitting station

attend a meeting with the directors of Pye to

increased the pride I feel at having been

at a site that we had obtained in Townsend

explain our difficulties and why we had not

in at the beginning and to see the amaz-

Yard, Highgate. Not to put too fine a point

paid them. They agreed to hold off for a lit-

ing progress made since then. But there

on the matter, it was an old Nissan hut! The

tle while longer...

will always be a part of me that is forev-

radio equipment was to be installed by

At this time, a number of other drivers

er RODA…

Imhoff Ltd of New Oxford St and fitted in

were collaborating to start their own cir-

Mildmay Grove.

cuit. One of those drivers was Bonnie

Lou Dunn

I became the first owner-driver to be fitted

Martyn, soon to be the Founder

Founder RODA Taxis

with the equipment. It was placed beneath

Chairman of ODRTS. They had appar-

the driver's seat. I had to take it up to the

ently approached Pye to negotiate the

PCO passing station in Lambeth Road, they

formation of a rival circuit…

passed the equipment and it was subse-

RODA called a meeting at the Bonnington

quently fitted to the other cabs. RODA was

Hotel in Southampton Row, where we tried

ready to roll.

to thrash out our difficulties. This was unsuc-

TAXI AIR

Our telephone number was Mountview

cessful. Meanwhile, Bonnie Martyn and his

3232 and the first call sign to be allocated

associates had called a meeting at Denison

was Baker 1, which was allocated to Mr

House in Vauxhall Bridge Road to launch

CONDITIONING

White. I was Baker 7. One of our members

the idea of their new circuit. This was attend-

• All makes and models serviced

was Joe Stem, who later became the

ed by a large number of drivers including

and repaired

Founder-Chairman of Radio Taxis

me. I offered the assets of RODA to form an

(Southern) Ltd and later still, their Life

amalgamation with ODRTS, but the offer

• Mobile service - we come to you!

President.

was turned down. Pye then decided to close

We operated under great difficulties

RODA down and removed our equipment.

because some of the members refused to

Call Mick Wheeler

pay their weekly subscriptions. These

…And the End

amounted to 15 shillings per week (75p). We

RODA attempted to continue and

on 020 8715 0079

had rented a small one-room office at 9

approached Hudson Electronics of Brixton

Torrington Place, where the drivers paid

Water Lane to provide us with the necessary

Covering London and the Home Counties

their subs and where we held our meetings.

equipment with which we could carry on.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 19

COMPLIANCE OFFICER’S REPORT

I would like to thank the meter companies

choosing to stop must only do so on an official

who have provided us with the test meters

rank of their choice. For a driver to stop on a

and we do not at this late stage in develop-

rank correctly he/she must have their meter in

ment envisage adding to the above list.

the For Hire mode and be available for hire at

all times as stipulated by Canary Wharf

Booking in

Management (CWM). Throughout the night

As you know, apart from early morning (7am

time period (9pm to 6am, each day including

until 10am) trips with an As Directed destina-

weekends) you must at all times be in the E14

tion can be local, wait and return, genuine as

postal zone before booking in to E14. Please

directed or apply to an airport trip. Please also

be aware that it is constantly monitored

remember that all ranks in the City, when in

operation, are physical and that you must be

Olympics

on them before booking in to obtain a queue

By the time you read this article, the Olympic

position.

Games will be well and truly underway. I hope

Over the past few weeks, I have received

the traffic congestion is not as bad as some of

Hello ladies & gents,

a small number of grumbles from some

us fear and that the workload during what is

members complaining of wrongful book-

generally the quietest month of the year is

Following on from my last article, I would like

ing-in at Canary Wharf, so I’d like to just

financially rewarding for you all.

to confirm that after final testing there are

remind you of the relevant procedure rules

seven taximeters that are now fully compatible

The Mayor is constantly reminding us that a

for booking-in that are in place for us all to

with the new Dial-a-Cab driver terminal. They

million visitors a day are coming to the capital,

follow and adhere to.

are listed below in alphabetical order.

so it’s just a shame that our job will be made so

* Cygnus

much harder. After all, we are looked upon

Canary Wharf

* Digitax

worldwide as a London Icon!

When a driver books into E14C between the

* Hale

hours of 6am and 9pm (Monday to Friday),

Be very lucky and don’t get too stressed!

* Mattig

he/she must be inside the four security entry

* Sheriff Ultima

points. Once inside, a driver will be permitted

Allan Evans

* Taxsim (Lucastronic)

to drive around the Canary Wharf area, but if

* Viking

DaC Compliance Officer

Sticking sliding doors on the Vito?

Tony Sam-Yorke (W95) recently asked Call Sign if any other MB Vito owners

on Dial-a-Cab were having or had previously had a problem with the vehicle’s

sliding doors. If so, he would like to hear from them. Tony’s mobile number is at

the end of this piece. Tony told the mag about his problem...

“It’s the offside passenger door; it frequently sticks in the ‘closed’ position

making it difficult to open from the inside. It is an intermittent fault, which

means I have to get out of the cab and open the door from the outside and

when I do that it works perfectly every time, yet trying to open the door from

the inside is nigh on impossible.

“I’ve been to several MB dealerships and left the cab with them all day for

testing, but no one has as yet been able to resolve this potentially dangerous

issue. The door lock might release perhaps twice in every ten attempts to

open it from the inside - something which I find to be embarrassing, danger-

ous for the passengers - and even myself - and it really doesn’t promote the

professional image I imagined when purchasing a Mercedes vehicle. I really

am at my wits end!”

If there are any Vito owners or operators out there who are experi-

encing similar grief, or even better, if you managed to resolve the

issue, please give Tony a call on 07939 098255.

Keith Reading

Professional Toastmaster

Master of Ceremonies

Tele: 01279 465 938

Mobile: 07774 860 374

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

Fellow of the Guild of

Professional Toastmasters

Call Sign August 2012

Page 20

Last month’s article fol-

In last month’s Call Sign, we posed a question.

lowed on from a shock

This month we ask it again...

report by Lancaster and

Royal Holloway Universities.

The results inferred that use

ARE ADDISON LEE

of a satnav while driving

can impair the user’s driving

ability.

PASSENGERS

An experiment using volunteers

showed drivers' performances being

affected when listening to satnav direc-

tions. When the volunteers were follow-

ing complicated satnav routes, they tend-

AT RISK?

ed to drive faster with more steering vari-

ations as well as being less likely to

notice pedestrians who might step out.

Although the tests showed that following

one simple instruction had no significant

impact on their driving, as soon as they

had to remember a compound instruc-

tion consisting of two sequential direc-

tions - a fairly common occurrence on

satnavs - a difference in driving ability

became very noticeable.

Although Dial-a-Cab drivers will

soon have a satnav incorporated into

their new terminals, it will only be

needed occasionally thanks to our

Knowledge of London. But in common

with most other private hire compa-

nies, Addison Lee drivers rely almost

entirely on satnavs. So again we must

ask how safe they are when it comes to

transporting passengers, because the

picture of an Addy Lee car from Twitter

doing a three point turn in Blackwall

Tunnel should send shivers through

any of their prospective passengers.

As we said at the beginning, it isn’t just

the Addy crew who are affected by satnavs.

The photo in this article taken by Steve

Sloane (C86) shows what can happen

when a PH vehicle turns sharp left from

Duke Street Hill into the part of Tooley

Street where the London Bridge Hospital

Watching his Satnav while turning left into Tooley St!

is. Watching his satnav stopped the driver

noticing that

concrete post

sticking up! All

we can say is

that passengers

will occasional-

ly save money

using private

hire, but they

stand to lose

much more if

the

drivers

behave

these two...

Dennis

Latchett

Call Sign

In case anyone had doubts about which company this

Addy Lee does a U-turn in Blackwall Tunnel

Online

lunatic drives for!

after losing Satnav Signal

Call Sign August 2012

Page 21

Rob Budden (ex-T87) had to leave Dial-a-

DVLA say Rob is fit to drive a minivan full of kids, but LTPH say...

Cab after being forced to hand in his taxi dri-

ver’s licence when suffering with a rapid heart-

beat whilst on holiday in New Zealand. He was

YOU CAN’T DRIVE A TAXI!

diagnosed as suffering from cardiac arrhyth-

to his licence. That allows him to drive, among

mia and eventually underwent a procedure to

other things, a minibus filled with passengers -

have an implantable cardioverter-defibrilla-

be they adults or children!

tor - known as an ICD - fitted.

So he went back to TfL who then told Rob

This is a small battery-powered electrical

that each case was treated on its merits and that

impulse generator that detects abnormal heart-

they would look at his case and get back to

beats and corrects them by automatically deliv-

him. That was some time ago and at the time of

ering a jolt of electricity. The actual procedure

publication, Rob had just heard that TfL had

is similar to that of fitting a heart pacemaker -

refused to re-licence him and told him that in

although some pacemakers are fitted on a tem-

any case it had expired and it was now too late.

porary basis, whereas an ICD is generally per-

Call Sign had written to TfL on two occasions

manent. It is fitted just below skin level and

to ask about Rob’s case, but we got no

considered by most in the medical world to be

response.

a very successful device that reverts any abnor-

He can drive a minibus filled with kids

Before his ICD, Rob only drove on a part-

mal beating back to normality.

but not drive his taxi

time basis and that was all he wanted to go

Rob told Call Sign that at the time of his

back to as it would have been enough to sup-

rapid heartbeat, he suddenly felt woozy as

So well, in fact, that Rob now visits the gym

plement his pension. Both he and we can’t

though he had overdone it with a bottle of

three times each week!

understand why, with both DVLA and St Barts

plonk! He also had a dull ache in a tricep, but

After St Barts hospital told him that in their

saying they have no problems anymore regard-

there was no heart attack.

view he was fit to drive a taxi again, Rob

ing his safe driving, TfL refuse to return his

He was told by London Taxis and Private

applied to LTPH. They told him that the DVLA

licence.

Hire that he had to hand his licence in - which

would not allow him to get his licence back, so

he did. In the meantime, he underwent an ICD

he asked Swansea why that was? They sur-

Dennis Latchett

procedure and ever since then has had no fur-

prised Rob by saying the opposite and that

ther problems and told us that he felt very well.

there was no reason why he couldn’t go back

Call Sign Online

Mayor Boris to US and Aussie athletes whose drivers got lost on their way to the Olympic village

“CHILL OUT!”

On Monday 16 July, with Olympic athletes

during a deployment to Afghanistan - drops

from around the world heading to London

the flame into the Olympic tower, everyone

for this city’s first Olympic Games in 64

who needed to be there will definitely have

years, Heathrow airport handled an amaz-

arrived. If they’re not, then Call Sign’s texters

ing 236,955 passengers to make it the

and tweeters will keep a sharp look out!

busiest day in the airport’s history and

The Mayor added that London and the UK’s

more than double the number that an

transport network was ready to welcome the

average ‘flyers’ day would normally have to

world during a visit to the London 2012

cope with.

Transport Coordination Centre (TCC).

All went well until Call Sign’s phone

started bleeping with text after text regard-

ing two coaches of US and Australian ath-

letes who had apparently got lost in an

attempt to negotiate their way to the

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

Olympic village in downtown Stratford.

By the time the third message came in,

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

the two coaches had been going in circles

variable bank interest rates?

for over three hours until Barry Spear’s

(Y16) text upped the ante and raised the

Well wonder no more! If you are a subscriber, journeyman or

time to four hours of wondering through

member of staff at Dial-a-Cab, then you qualify to join the

the London desert. Then Alex

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union. Any member of your family residing

Constantinou (N05) topped them all by

at your address also qualifies for membership!

telling Call Sign that the athletes had gone

missing seven hours after getting into the

Then if you are over 18, have been a member of the Credit Union for

coaches and that police had been called!

over 3 months and have established regular savings, you can borrow

It seems that the four hour texts were

up to 3 times your total savings…

pretty much on the ball, which left Mayor

Boris Johnson telling Call Sign: “There

The cost?

have been an awful lot of the world’s top

Just 1% per month on the outstanding balance (or APR of 12.7%).

athletes arriving at Heathrow and if just a

Loans can be paid back early AND there can be an annual dividend on your shares.

few got lost, then that’s not too bad and it

The question is: Can you afford NOT to be in it…?

will have given them more of an opportu-

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

nity to see even more of the city than they

might otherwise have done. Everyone

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

should chill out!”

Member’s funds protected up to limit set by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme

We have been assured that when Royal

DaC Credit Union Ltd, Peterley Business Centre, 472 Hackney Rd E2 9EQ

Marine Martyn Williams - who was

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

severely wounded in a road mine attack

Registration number 213263

Call Sign August 2012

Page 22

Keith Reading (W76) joined Dial-a-Cab in

1996 although he had been driving since 1979.

Then around six years ago his life changed

DaC toastmaster does

when he was about to get a toastmaster to offi-

ciate at his son’s wedding, but he wanted his

dad to do it! He enjoyed the experience so

first gay wedding

much that he decided to become a toastmas-

ter!

He completed the Guild of Professional

Followed by a mystery event at the Iraqi Embassy!

Toastmasters comprehensive training at its

academy, passed two written exams and satis-

fied observers whilst carrying out his duties at

numerous functions. He was then recom-

mended to the Guild for membership. As a

result he was invested as a Fellow of the pres-

tigious Guild of Toastmasters. Now Keith is

always in demand, but still offers DaC drivers

and staff a 10% discount if they use his ser-

vices.

He has officiated at many different types

of functions, but recently carried out his

first gay wedding and told Call Sign about it

- with the full permission of the happy

couple.

“A Toastmaster is asked

attend many different types

functions, which can be

diverse as attending a day-lon

Asian wedding, corporate di

ner and dance, retirement part

and of course wedding recep

tions. Within the scope of

eith with happy couple Brian and Steve

wedding reception, a civil cere

set pic: Keith outside Iraqi embassy

mony is also the norm.

Many hotels and other such

astmaster, I welcomed the guests

announced Singhs, Patels and Mucherghees

venues are licensed to hold

the occasion, introduced the head

etc, but announcing the Ali al Kabarhi and

weddings and generally the happy couple will

waiter and handed over to him.

Abdul Ahmed Al Mansouris of this world was a

continue their celebrations and wedding

There were a few subtle differences when

completely different kettle of fish! There were

breakfast within the same venue. With this in

the speeches were made, obviously there

also a fair share of His Royal Highness the

mind, I was not surprised to be asked to offici-

being no father of the bride speech. Instead

Prince of this and the Rt.Hon Lord of that etc.

ate at a civil partnership ceremony and recep-

Brian and Steve made a joint speech of wel-

I even had an Archbishop and Baroness. I’d

tion at The Pendley Manor Hotel in

come and thanks. They presented gifts to their

never heard of any of them, but hey, I’m only a

Hertfordshire.

two female supporters - best girls instead of

poor old taxi driver!

I met Brian and Steve a few weeks prior to

men. I then called on the best girls to propose

I then invited the guests outside so they

their special day and we had a chat about their

the toast to the happy couple and we conclud-

could witness the embassy’s name plaque

reception, their hopes and aspirations on how

ed that section with the cake cutting ceremony.

being unveiled and the ribbon cut. I then

the day was to go. As it was two guys getting

Before the dancing began, the best girls

requested the guests make their way to the

“married,” there were a few subtle changes to

unleashed a surprise 20-minute PowerPoint

first floor reception room for the opening

be made, but otherwise we decide to keep

slide show that saw the boys in their youth,

and ceremonial speeches.

close to standard procedures.

misspent youth and early adulthood right up

By now I’d given up trying to complete the

On the day, I was there bright and early to

to the present time. I have to say it was very

preparation of my preambles, so all the years

check arrangements with the banqueting man-

funny. This led nicely into their first dance, not

of giving the old flannel as a cab driver and the

ager and also to allow myself plenty of time to

a full blown waltz but more like a couple of

formal training I’d had as a Toastmaster came

prepare.

dads dancing. Then everyone joined in for

in very handy! I had to stand in front of 200

Guests began arriving and various introduc-

party time and the conclusion of my duties...”

guests and I don’t know how many photogra-

tions made. Once the registrars arrived, I sum-

Off to the Iraqi Embassy - but for what?

phers and completely wing it!

moned the happy couple into the ceremony

“Just a few weeks later, I was scheduled to

Speeches done, I invited the guests to return

room to complete the pre-partnership formal-

attend a function at the Iraqi Embassy in

to the ground floor dining room where a

ities. The ceremony progressed much the

Queensgate, but due to security I was told that

splendid buffet luncheon was served, after

same as you would expect, but instead of the

there would be a briefing on the day. I wasn’t

which the guests gradually departed. I was

vows, declarations and promises were made.

even allowed to see the guest list! So there I

invited to lunch and was served a plate with

Readings from friends were made and we were

was in the Embassy at 10.45 on the morning

copious quantities of rice, kebabs, various

even entertained by three young ladies who

and still completely blind. Once dressed, I was

meats and other delicacies of which I did not

sang a favourite song to the happy couple.

given a ten minute briefing of the running

have a clue what I was eating. Notwithstanding

Much to my surprise, one of the guys stood up

order and managed to grab another ten min-

that, it was absolutely delicious.

and joined in, singing to his partner! As luck

utes to prepare my preambles to the guest

Two very different events, but both very

would have it, they all had good voices and

speakers who turned out to be the Embassy

enjoyable. So with the job done, it was back

indeed it was very enjoyable.

Charge d’affaires, the Iraqi Foreign Minister

to the cab and few more hours behind the

After signing the register they preceded into

and our own Alistair Burt MP, Undersecretary

wheel - mainly because if I go home too

the gardens for a pre-breakfast drinks recep-

of State for the Middle East and North Africa.

early, the misses will only send me out

tion and of course the obligatory photographs

Before I could complete my preparations, I

again!”

after which I invited guests to take their places

was asked to take my place within the entrance

Keith Reading’s ad is in every issue of Call

in the dining room and formally announced

to announce the guests as they arrived. I’ve

Sign including his 10% off offer to DaC drivers

the entrance of the happy couple. As

attended many Asian weddings and

and staff.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 23

I read with interest Peter Begley’s article

DaC driver Peter Begley laid into the Peugeot E7 taxi in the July

regarding the Peugeot E7 taxi, which is pop-

issue, now Cab Direct Marketing Manager Donald Gow has asked

ular across 97% of the UK but not yet licensed

in London. As the supplier of this particular

for the right to reply...

vehicle, it may not surprise you that we dis-

agree with some of Peter’s first impressions.

That said, everyone is entitled to their

opinion and clearly Peter is very good at

expressing his. Whatever your point of view,

CALL SIGN’S

his piece is witty and amusing and it was nice

for a change to be at work reading something

that made me smile. So why not leave it at

that?

Well, precisely in fact because everyone is

E7 CRITICISM

entitled to their point of view - except in

London that is. If Peter doesn’t fancy an E7,

he doesn’t have to buy one. Yet already more

than 1,000 London cabbies - yes, active,

working London taxi drivers - have come for-

ward to say they would consider buying an

E7.

Now whatever your own views, who is

Peter at Call Sign or for that matter John at

TfL to tell other drivers (and fleet owners)

what to do with their hard earned dough? As

London’s largest trade organisation has con-

sistently argued: “If the driver who does the job

doesn’t think it can do the job, he won’t buy it;

if he does, then that should be his decision.”

So yes, the right to come to your own opin-

ion and make your own choice is the bottom

line. And don’t be fooled into thinking this

only matters to the growing swell of people

who already would like to buy an E7.

Competition is what drives quality up and

of having to compete with it?

Now that makes sense how?

prices down - and lord knows, the London

7. Numerous other major cities once had the

cab market needs competition.

Finally, seven E7 facts to leave you with:

‘turning circle’ rule. In each case, LTI / LTC said if

Actually, I sense that Peter’s point of view

1. In markets where cab drivers have the

this was changed, there would be accidents and

may not be so different from mine here after

choice

(that’s virtually everywhere except

cab drivers would not be able to work as normal.

all (though greatly more amusing is conced-

London), more choose the E7 than the TX4.

Nowhere has this proved to be true. It’s scare-

ed). If there were one or at best two bakers in

You’d think they have good reason for mak-

mongering, plain and simple, designed to pro-

the capital, my guess is bread would be less

ing that choice about their investment.

tect LTC’s key market - and it’s costing London

tasty and cost a heck of a lot more than it

2. The E7 auto is in fact available at

cab drivers millions of pounds every year.

already does. The London cabbie, however,

£27,495 on the road, compared with £33,995

has suffered just that for the last half century

for a TX4 and an auto E7 uses 22% less fuel

Perhaps you’d prefer to stay with the ‘icon’

and more. I’ve spoken to literally hundreds

in urban driving than a TX4.

- or maybe you like the prospect of an alter-

of London drivers over recent weeks and am

3. The E7 base vehicle, including body,

native that’s more modern, thousands of

yet to find anyone that reveres London Taxis

engine and gearbox, was designed and tested

pounds less expensive and saves you a small

China (LTC) as a shining example of manu-

as part of a dedicated,

600 million Euro

fortune on fuel. Either way, the nub of the

facturing and service excellence.

development programme. The TX4 marries

matter is that everyone will be better off if

Doubtless neither Cab Direct nor Peugeot

bodies from China with engines from Italy

we respect drivers’ right to choice, embrace

are perfect either, but at least free and open

and bits and bobs from elsewhere (someone

competition and let the market decide.

competition makes us survive on our own two

Donald Pow

might consider the offset foot peddles quaint,

feet, constantly striving to innovate with our

Marketing Manager, Cab Direct

but I’ve yet to find them!).

vehicles and keep prices affordable. More

PS To Peter - you’re more than welcome

4. E7 servicing is £100 - £150 at 12,000 mile

meaningful competition is the only thing that

to drive our vehicle anytime; like reading

service intervals (bit more for a major service).

will really make LTC do the same. By meaning-

Call Sign, the more people do it, the more

We can offer up-front service packages for

ful competition, I don’t mean rear-wheel Vitos.

they like it!

London drivers if that’s what the market

For years London groaned at the over-priced

wants.

TX; then, when a turning circle-adapted alter-

For a great deal in taxi tyres

5. With or without the E7, there is no sug-

native finally arrived, you got - a £42,000 vehi-

gestion of abandoning the Conditions of

cle!

Fitness. All of the key provisions relating to con-

TRY THE TIGER!

Now the Vito is a nice base vehicle (we

struction and safety will remain. Only one par-

offer one too - price from £35,595). Most dri-

ticular feature - created at the beginning of the

vers, however, prefer the E7, both for func-

last century for the earliest motorised cabs - is

tionality and price (from £25,495 manual and

in question. After all, rank handles are a thing

£27,495 auto). That, I think you will find, is

of the past but power-steering is here to stay!

something that will make LTC sit up and

6. Of 180 Vito drivers asked in a survey, no-

think. Why else would they follow us around

one uses the rear-wheel steer device fre-

the UK, begging local Councillors not to tryst

quently. If you could grant them one wish, it

with the evil E7 - just in case a local working

cab driver should happen to decide that’s

would be to have Mercedes’ axle put back the

way it was originally intended to be. So we

Tiger Tyres

actually how he’d like to spend his money?

Does anything tell you that if the E7 was as

have hundreds of cabbies driving around

472 Hackney Road, E2

bad as LTC employ people to say it is, they

London with thousands of pounds worth of

0207 729 5237

wouldn’t be half as scared as they clearly are

steering device they neither want not need.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 24

Former fireman Richard Potter and life behind the

List of priorities?

If you asked your next 25 passengers what the

biggest annoyance about their taxi experience

was, I bet all 25 would say it was the traffic. If

you asked the next 25 taxi drivers you met what

POTTERS WHEEL

was the biggest annoyance about their job at the

is really a business disguised as a public service.

moment, I bet they’d say the same!

Network Rail runs a national train service with

So the punters aren’t happy about the traffic

a large number of franchises as a business.

and nor are we! And what’s being done about

Would it not be better for us if LTPH was

it? Well from what I see, very little and I am far

split in two, separating us from PH and

from being a defeatist. But even I am beginning

taken over by a private company that would

to think that TfL simply don’t care. If you want

fight our corner and make us a priority

any evidence of how we have become so unim-

again, whilst answering to TfL in regard to

portant to TfL, take a look at London Bridge

complaints, lack of service etc. The compa-

station rank and how we have been shunted to

ny taking over LTPH would be entitled to

one side with the queue for ranking halved.

charge an annual licensing fee from each

And never mind about the passengers who

driver / garage or anyone else who makes a

now have to cross three lanes of moving buses

profit from the taxi trade and these funds

just to get to the rank, then take 15 minutes

would be recycled back to the trade to pay

just to get out of London Bridge Street! Yet 20

for admin and advertising etc. An authority

years ago we were given priority and the best

embrace and share the public’s enthusiasm? I

such as LTPH is good at compliance but

places to ply for hire, ranks were high profile

told her that if she had a couple of days free, I

what the trade lacks is direction. LTPH`s

and we were looked upon as being an impor-

might just be able to give her an answer!

neutrality is holding us back and we are los-

tant part of the transport network in London.

ing ground on big business.

Recently Unite called for a bus strike in

When is a business not

After all, LTPH do outsource much of their

support of bus workers getting an Olympic

services these days, so would things change

bonus. All the London radio stations reas-

a business?

very much? All I know is that we are losing an

sured the travelling public via their broad-

If using a bit of commonsense could be turned

enormous amount of work from punters who

casts that there was - albeit limited - a bus

into hard cash, Transport for London would

want a taxi but who won’t pay to sit in end-

service, the underground was running well

have gone broke by now! But it beggars the

less queues of traffic. And who can really

along with DLR and the riverboat services.

question: When does a licensing authority like

blame them.

And Boris bikes were for hire if you needed

LTPH become so small that the taxi trade in

one. No mention of taxis!

London would be better served by turning it

Richard Potter (T51)

Personally, I think TfL use us as a fall-back

into a business? TfL run London buses, which

so when all else fails, the taxi trade will get

people home. A good example of this was at

the time of the 7/7 bombings in 2005 when

Are electronic printers needed?

LU totally shut down and the streets were all

clear by 7pm.

But on a day-to-day basis, the wheels have

Call Sign has been told unofficially that LTPH are querying

really come off. The recently refurbished

whether taxis actually need to have a mandatory receipt printer

Canon Street station looks great, but what hap-

pened to the rank in Dowgate Hill? Are we

fitted.

becoming just an after-thought? Well one thing

Drivers say they rarely use them and that there are a myriad of receipt pads available -

that came out of the bus strike was that we

including, of course, Dial-a-Cab’s own pads - even though we have built-in printers fit-

learned there are 22 bus companies involved

ted to the terminal.

with London Buses. That’s 22 bus company

LTPH are now said to have sought legal advice after writing to meter suppliers, propri-

owners all trying to get their buses on the most

etors and printer manufacturers informing them that they are looking to make the printers

lucrative routes with their bus stops closest to

non-compulsory. There is also the possibility of a legal challenge from the manufacturers.

the exit from the stations. Ring a bell with

The result matters little to DaC drivers but could be of importance to non-radio drivers...

London Bridge? I can hear it now: “Don’t worry

about the taxi drivers, just stick them in the cor-

Jamie Corum

ner; they’ve had their day.” So along with John

Call Sign Online

Griffin donating £250k to Boris, what chance

do we have?

TfL’s “enthusiasm” for

THE ALPHA POWER PILL

taxis...?

One morning recently, I was travelling over

Now even better!

London Bridge southbound towards London

Helps cut the cost of diesel - and reduce Emissions!

Bridge Station and was hailed by a business

lady on the corner of Duke Street Hill. She was

OnlyCabs.co.uk are pleased to supply

complaining about the rank in general. She

Dial-a-Cab drivers with the amazing Alpha Pill

had walked down to the road because the exit

was so full with taxis and the waiting time

Order Today to take advantage of the special

unacceptable.. She went on to ask me why TfL

Dial-A-Cab August price of £14.95

had allowed this to happen as she thought we

still had an important part to play in surface

Go to www.OnlyCabs.co.uk

transport? She explained that she worked for a

market research company who had been can-

Or telephone your order to:

vassing people coming to London for the

Stephen Vale at Only Cabs 020 3239 6101

Olympics and on their list of priorities was to

take a ride in a London Taxi. So why didn’t TfL

Call Sign August 2012

Page 25

At a Champagne reception held

at Dial-a-Cab’s fourth floor

Boardroom on Friday 6 July, the

DaC long

latest staff inductees to DaC’s

long service register came along

to collect their certificates and

partake in some refreshment -

service awards

both liquid and solid!

These awards are held twice yearly and it

is a strange but true fact that the Society

tends to keep staff for a much longer peri-

od than most organisations of this nature.

If you ask many DaC employees why that

is, they’ll tell you that whilst they may have

the odd moan, generally speaking DaC is a

very good employer...

Forty years

The longest serving member was dispatch-

er and driver, Ivor Belkin (C97), whose

certificate read 40 years with a start date of

November 1971. There are no prizes for

unofficially dispatching, but Call Sign’s

files show Ivor first putting the head-

phones on in September 1961! However,

in those early days when voice dispatchers

were thin on the ground, Ivor was often

asked when out driving his cab if he could

cover as an emergency dispatcher. He

rarely said no and before being officially

employed by DaC, he had already been

coming in for 10 years!

Ivor also holds a place in DaC’s histo-

ry when on Saturday 29 April 1989, Ivor

(together with the late Lou Gitlin) was

dispatching on the day DaC went over

to data dispatch.

Sadly, due to an illness that he has since

recovered from, Ivor was unable to per-

sonally collect his certificate.

Fifteen years

There were four staff members celebrating

15 years with DaC. Pam Campbell joined

on 1 September 1997 and so in a few

weeks will have achieved 15 years’ contin-

uous service. Pam had been a Trainee

Account Manager but is now a fully-

fledged Account Manager with DaC’s

ground floor Administration department.

Also on fifteen years was David Seal,

who joined DaC in June

1997 as a

Customer Services Representative in what

was then called the Control Room. It later

became the Call Centre and is now the

Contact Centre! David was at the presenta-

tion to collect his certificate although he

has been very seriously ill. Happily David is

much better now and Call Sign hopes to

be able to tell the story of his battle against

Dana has been in Call Sign several times

Ten years

illness in our next issue.

over the years giving updates as to the plight

There were two DaC staff members celebrat-

Bernadene Barthley couldn’t attend to

of his friends and family at the hands of the

ing 10 years. Antoinette Gardner began her

collect her fifteen year certificate. She first

Sri Lankan government after many years of

time here on 8 October 2001 arriving as an

stepped into Brunswick House in June

bitter fighting for a Tamil homeland. At one

Accounts Manager and that is a position she

1997 as a Call Taker and is now a

point, both his mother and grandmother had

still holds within the Society’s Administration

Customer Services Representative on the

been posted as missing - often leading to bad

department.

evening shift.

news at that time. Then in our August 2009

Last, but certainly not least, is the person

Last of the fifteen year inductees was Les

issue, a jubilant Dana told us they had been

most drivers will be familiar with - Depot

found in a government internment camp

Hazelden who also arrived in June 1997.

Manager at DaC’s Roman Way fitting bay,

after he had lost contact for many months. An

Like David, Les has been an evening shift

Dana Thananjeyan. Dana started on 17

emotional Dana told us at the time: “Some

Customer Services Representative in the

September 2001 as Assistant Manager at our

might describe the conditions there as a form

Contact Centre for the whole period he

terminal fitting and software testing depot,

of concentration camp, but they are safe and

has been here. Les was also unable to

but is now in charge there.

that, for the time being, is paramount.”

attend.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 26

Electric taxi soon???

Two of the Metrocab E prototypes captured by Stan James (courtesy of TAXI)

When the Metrocab TTT finally

take eight hours, but the new vehicle is said to

said to drive just like a normal cab, but unlike

also take commercial charging when you can

the traditional engine is powered by a hydro-

bowed out of existence, many

find the point, and this would be a while-you-

gen fuel cell system that only emits water

Dial-a-Cab drivers felt sad claim-

wait job of around 40 minutes. However, also

vapour. The claim is that the taxi is capable of

ing it had been an excellent vehi-

built into the REEV is a petrol generator which

80mph with a 250-mile range. This cab is the

will not only drive the motors, but also

result of a partnership between Intelligent

cle to drive. The vehicle died on 3

recharge the battery at the end of its working

Energy, LTI, TRW Conekt and Lotus

March 2006 when bailiffs walked

range.

Engineering.

into Metrocab’s premises in

The Metrocab E is said to use two 35KW elec-

So it looks as though the biggest choice for

tric motors to power the front wheels, which in

drivers in the forthcoming years will be

Tamworth and took anything of

turn will produce

220NM of torque.

whether to go for electric or hydrogen.

value on behalf of the landlord.

Supporting as a range extending generator will

However, neither version are said to be ready

It was April 2004 amidst a fanfare that the

be a 400cc petrol powered Wankel rotary

yet and in all probability, two years seems a

new Metrocab company handed over their first

engine producing 50hp. The batteries will be

strong likelihood - and of course the Vito elec-

TTT since reforming, following Metrocab’s pre-

lithium polymer.

tric cab will be waiting!

vious administration in 2002 with the loss of

The new taxi, which has been developed by

Go to /wwwhttp://www.amsterdaminc.

100 jobs. The restructured company told Call

Frazer Nash and Lotus Cars, is said to be in line

tv/2009/04/01/tca-gaat-groen/ to see the TCA

Sign at the time that they were looking to build

with the Euro 5 TX4 so far as price is con-

electric cab...

five taxis a week as against the 100 vehicles a

cerned and already compliant with the London

month they had built at their peak, but even

Conditions of Fitness with tight front wheel

Alan Fisher

that number never materialised.

turning.

DaC driver and avowed Metrocab user,

The cab is still in its prototype stage, but

Keith White (A16), told Call Sign at the time

six of those are said to be virtually ready for

that he was very disappointed to hear the news

licensing by TfL and if successful will take

and said that in his view, the TTT was the best

to London’s streets under real life working

taxi ever produced for the London market and

conditions. If successful, the new Metrocab

that he would just have to keep his taxi for

E will undoubtedly be unaffected by any 15

ever!

year rule.

Now, in 2012, Keith still has that cab.

Back to Keith White who is also the proud

Circumstances have changed and forever now

owner of the first Metrocab prototype, Call

means 15 years - giving him another 4 years to

Sign asked him whether he fancied buying one

go. But when Call Sign told Keith that a new

of the electric prototypes when and if the new

electric taxi under the Metrocab banner had

E model takes off?

been spotted going out on test, he sounded

Keith just shrugged his shoulders and said

very interested and looked forward to hearing

that he liked the shape but thought it might be

more.

a tad more expensive than his original Metro!

The electric taxi was spotted by photog-

In Call Sign’s May 2009 issue, we ran an arti-

rapher Stan James on behalf of TAXI

cle under the heading New Electric Taxi is a

Newspaper, who were the first to hear that

Metrocab! In it we revealed that an electric cab

the long-touted vehicle was actually under-

had been unveiled in Amsterdam by Dutch taxi

going trials and Call Sign thanks LTDA

organisation TCA. The only difference between

General Secretary Steve McNamara, who

this one and the TCA model appears to be that

kindly gave us access to the photos.

the back-up motor was touted as being diesel,

The new Metrocab E is officially known as a

whilst the Metrocab E is a far more sensible

Range Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) and

petrol. However, the cabs bear a remarkable

said to have a range of between 70 and 100

similarity.

miles before the battery, which powers the

Also touted to be at a similar stage is the

vehicles electric motors, needs recharging.

London Taxi Company’s TX4H, a new emis-

Plugged into a home electric socket it would

sions-free version of the TX4. This vehicle is

Call Sign August 2012

Page 27

Addison Lee lose Judicial Review

Addison Lee has failed in its Judicial Review

in deciding how to manage the bus lanes to

against TfL to gain access to London's bus

mitigate congestion and that it had acted rea-

lanes. The court ordered John Griffin’s mini-

sonably in discriminating against minicabs.

cab firm to meet TfL's costs in defending the

In April, John Griffin ordered his drivers to

claim. Addy Lee had sought the judicial review

defy the law that banned them from using the

of the policy that allows licensed taxis, but not

bus lanes saying that he would pay the fines.

minicabs, to use London's bus lanes.

According to BikeBiz, the thought of minicabs

Mr Justice Burton described the reasoning

using bus and taxi lanes horrifies London's

behind TfL's policy as

“obvious and com-

attempt to mount a challenge to a London traf-

cyclists and they were delighted with the ver-

pelling.” He said:

fic regulation by turning it into a Euro-point.”

dict.

“There is to my mind a clear distinction

John Griffin said after the Review was

Dial-a-Cab Chairman Brian Rice told Call

between the need of black cabs (and their pas-

thrown out: “We are extremely disappointed

Sign that he was delighted by the result and

sengers and the public) for them to be in the

with the judgement. The current bus lane leg-

felt that putting any prejudices aside, it was

bus lanes by way of visibility and availability,

islation is anti-competitive and unfairly dis-

the only logical verdict.

and access to black cabs for those hailing a

criminates against millions of Londoners who

cruising taxi. I consider it makes entire good

use private hire vehicles every day. There is no

sense for black cabs to be travelling in bus

reason for black taxis to have a monopoly on

Views on life as seen through the

lanes. Minicabs just do not have the need to

bus lanes. We should either all be in or all be

eyes of David Kupler (Y74) at...

use the bus lane and black cabs do.”

out. We still believe that the current legislation

The Judge added that he was “wholly unper-

is a breach of the EU and UK law. You can't dis-

suaded” by Addison Lee's claim that TfL's bus

criminate between two types of taxis and we

Kupkake’s

lane policy affected the freedom of EU nation-

will continue to fight this injustice.”

als to establish themselves as minicab drivers

TfL argued that the regulations did not

and concluded that “...this has simply been the

engage EU law, that TfL had a broad discretion

Korner

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

The key to stress...

It is often stated that the key to a longer and healthier life is to

be stress-free. I try to the live this philosophy, but generally the

cause of stress is the Key itself.

Like most of us, keys have become a cause of instant stress.

Simple tasks such leaving the house brings apprehension; feel-

ing in pockets, searching the house for the key I had in my

hand all the time! There are keys for everything - front door,

Olympics and taxis

back door, car, taxi, wife’s car, garage or the bike lock - and

The first athlete arrivals made confusion

there are the keys we hold to our mums, the mother-in-law,

sisters, brothers and neighbours. Then there are the keys I

some games lanes activated and alive.

have to my allotment, the football club and even the keys to

TfL has no solution,

doors and locks I no longer have - but of which I’m too

as to how the cab trade will survive.

stressed to throw away!

Each and every one of them brings on a frantic search, with circa around £5 for

They've banned us from so many highways

a simple key, to telephone numbers for a specially cut one. Losing them just brings on more stress.

they've banned us from the bus lanes.

We have numeric keys to access our bank accounts, ATMs and credit cards, getting one of

No set down where the athletes will play,

these wrong can bring a whole avalanche of stress with access denied and ending up with new

or for those who visit the Games.

cards where we have to key in a new number to use the new cards. We even log on to our Dial-

a-Cab terminals at the start of our shift.

The task of working on a motor will generally come to a halt with cries of expletive anger when

No provision for handicapped punters

you don’t have the specialist star key spanner; in just putting together a piece of Swedish furni-

to get close to their chosen event.

ture, we are met with the dreaded Allen key (the one supplied snapping or burring at the edges).

Moved on by uniformed shunters,

That results in more stress with shouting and swearing as we search the garage (when we find

paid with money misspent.

that key) toolboxes and shelves for the right size Allen key.

Who invented the Allen key? Was there a kid in School called Allen Key who had some perverse

No thought for Taxi commuters

weird obsession of drawing up and designing a key in a sort of Masonic shape? Whoever he /she

nothing to do with these Games.

was they definitely added to my stress levels.

And the unavoidable ‘fare disputers’,

Even in writing this article, I don’t know how many keypads I used - but I at least felt unusually

with less than half a brain.

relaxed getting this stress of my chest!

Good service

No concern for a drop in our wages

A recent question was sent out on our Dial-a-Cab terminals asking what sort of service does

our frustration, our problems, our stress.

George the Electrician give.

No worry it will take for ages,

Regular Saturday drivers will often get a message about George being at the Warwick Avenue rank.

for London to pay for the mess!

George is now my first choice for all things electrical; over recent years he has sorted and fixed

problems with my meter fusing, speedo cable, alternator renewal and recently even made a call-

I fear for our future and prospects

out to my home to sort out an immobiliser! He goes about his work in a calm and friendly man-

for I care for the state of our trade.

ner, only using quality parts and his rates are reasonable. Based in Winchmore Hill and mobile, you

I have contempt for those who neglect...

can give him a call on 07950 750 882.

You won’t be disappointed and on a good day he will be supported by fellow DaC driver Reno,

and deny the mistakes they have made!

whose recycled jokes would give Frank Carson RIP a run for his money!

Kopyrlght Kupkake 2012

Call Sign August 2012

Page 28

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

And should we licence cyclists?

So here’s the thing; some time ago I was dri-

other seen a pedestrian knocked over by

ving along Brixton Road at 2am. It was fairly

some uncaring cyclist, especially when the

quiet, not much in the way of traffic or peo-

two-wheelers often take no regard at pedes-

ple around when suddenly in the distance I

trians crossings or at traffic lights.

noticed a guy dragging what I thought was a

One incident I saw was a young mother

sack across the road.

who was pushing her baby in a pushchair

As I got closer, I could see the sack was

across a pedestrian crossing, when a crazy

actually a woman and this fella was pulling

cyclist who was talking on his mobile, drove

her by her hair. She was screaming and shout-

straight into the pushchair. The mother fell to

ing out a few choice obscenities and to me it

the ground and the pushchair freewheeled

looked quite serious.

along the road. I managed to get out of the

As licensed London taxi drivers, we have

cab and stopped the pushchair. A passer-by

did chase the cyclist - who was trying to flee

sometimes been known as Knights of the

Road, so I got out of my cab and tried to lend

the incident - and caught him. He got a bit of

a pasting from the passer- by, who turned out

assistance to the ‘lady’.

to be an off duty Community Police Officer.

“Unhand that woman,” I shouted or

Reading in the papers and seeing televi-

To protect other road users and pedestri-

maybe something else, but much to my sur-

sion news items about those individuals

ans, there is a need for the licencing of cycles

prise the woman kicked her assailant, knock-

who have been mugged or injured in one

and legislation enforcing all cyclists to obey

ing him to the ground and then turned to me

way or another and bystanders who

the law.

and in a voice probably heard in neighbour-

either walked on or didn’t have the

Should we mind our own business? I don’t

ing Streatham, told me to “pi** off and mind

knowledge or the capacity to help, does

think so...

your own business!.” They then both

give me cause for concern about what

walked off into the Brixton Road moonlight

kind of selfish society we have become.

Mike Son

hand in hand. I walked back to my cab feel-

I’m sure that most Dial-a-Cab - and indeed

ing such an idiot. But was I?

non-radio - drivers have at some time or

DaC Special Projects

You spend years on the Knowledge to become a London taxi driver. So is it...

A Job for Life???

“Yes, I think it’s a pretty good job by and large,” Barry Mehrtens (Y81) told Call Sign referring to taxi-driving as

a regular form of employment. “There are few career opportunities nowadays that offer the prospect of a ‘job for

life’, the ability to get an income and the flexibility to choose your own hours. I have been able to see my children

grow up and if I wanted to attend their school events or whatever, I could do so and work around that particular

activity as the need dictated.

“Mind you, in 1977 when I started on Dial-a-Cab in the days of Peter Fennymore’s chairmanship, the pound

in your pocket went a lot further than it does today and it was busier work-wise than it is now. Yet however tough

it is, especially in this present economic climate, if you keep your head down, your nose clean and you pass the

regular medicals, there’s no fear of being laid-off, losing your job or have the spectre of being made redundant

hanging over you. And in these tough times, a job for life with the freedom to work as you please has got to be

something to be grateful for and I personally have never lost sight of that fact. I would hope that other drivers

feel the same way.”

Ending, Barry said: “I know it’s very hard when you have many commitments such as a mortgage, a young family to feed

and clothe and all the other things that can lead to the stresses we hear of, but I still think that given the nature of our job, being a licensed taxi driver in

London is something to treasure.”

With that, a broad smile spread across Barry’s face as he went out to look for his first fare of the day...

Former Dial-a-Cab driver, Bob Woodford, writes a regular column for Call Sign from his home in

Languedoc, France and his taxi somewhere in London…

CALL SIGN EN LA BELLE FRANCE

The message on my

SatNavs, this place is in Sussex nestled

hop into their minicabs to work the graveyard

voicemail from a panic

between the North and South Downs.

shift. No problem with these guys staying alert

stricken Call Sign

Gearing up for the Olympics is next on the

- just keep popping the pills boys!

Editor suggested that I

agenda and by the time you read this, you will

Hoping you all have a lucrative Olympics

needed to get my arti-

have received your TfL Drivers Handbook! It

period despite the potential traffic melt-

cle over by Monday

should be a best seller after a 7-year 'work in

down - I firmly believe that the best pick-

morning if I wanted to

progress'!

ings will be during those rate 2 and rate 3

be included - it was

Talking of the Olympics, while I was at the

periods - but hasn't it always been like

Sunday evening in a

tennis I heard that LOCOG will be marshalling

that?

village on the edge of Ashdown Forest - a

all of the ranks - be they Stratford, Wembley,

By the way - check out the typo in the

pie, a pint and a brief flicker of a phone sig-

Wimbledon or Weymouth! I wonder how

Drivers Handbook! Rate 2 starts at 8am?

nal after 3 days of relative obscurity!

much their staff is being paid? I did hear that

Wouldn’t that be worth coming back from the

Therapy after the long hours at Wimbledon

the LTDA marshals at £25 an hour were far too

beach for!

fortnight was a cottage on a Farm in High

expensive! Best to get people who know what

A bientot…

Hurtswood - just 35 miles from Marble Arch

they are doing then! Some security firm are

- but this could have been the Scottish

providing Wimbledon tennis marshals by all

Bob Woodford (Ex-P49)

Borders for the scenery, peace and tranquillity

accounts! Nightclub bouncers? Why not? They

Saint Genies de Fontedit,

on offer! To save you rushing for your

can marshal the ranks during the daytime then

Languedoc, France

Call Sign August 2012

Page 29

Bryan Fuller (G38) almost had an encounter

from the other side! He told Call Sign, his

voice still trembling as he recalled the eerie

THE PHANTOM SCREAM

noise: “There was a screeching sound like the

scream from a ghost! The high pitched whine

rose and fell with the engine speed,” he con-

tinued, not quite sweating with fear but hardly

laughing either! “As I accelerated, the scream-

ing reached fever pitch, but when I slowed

down, the noise subsided!

“I’d heard a faint whine during the previous

evening shift, but it seemed to fade as the night

wore on. So I intended getting it all checked

out when time permitted, especially in view of

my upcoming overhaul. Then, the following

night, the noise returned with a vengeance and

that’s when I started investigating in earnest.

“I checked the problem out with colleagues

who seemed certain it was a slack drive/fan belt

that was slipping as the engine revved up.

Someone suggested a silicone spray sold by

Halfords and it really did the trick. The tin of

spray fluid is made by lubricant specialist ‘3

in1’ and has good reviews on the internet. I’m

John Connor helped Bryan with his ghostly scream!

told that WD40 lube is also effective for loose

drive/fan belts that can sound like a scalded cat

“I asked my service dealer to change the

provides power for the steering and braking

as you rev up the engine.”

worn belt rather than simply adjust the old

systems, which would become less responsive.

Beginning to calm down, Bryan said: “I’m

one, as a matter of course, because it’s obvi-

He also pointed out that other engine units

also really grateful to DaC evening dispatcher

ously better to be safe than sorry and break

could produce similarly noisy symptoms.

John Connor (Y11) from the Call Centre, who

down in the middle of the night somewhere,

“A seized water pump or alternator or worn

took the time to check I was ok and advised me

so John Connor’s advice rang true,” he con-

bearings in those units might also give out

not to ignore the problem, generally making

cluded.

quite a shriek, so it is wise to have the problem

sure that I was safe and sorted. That was a real-

Call Sign then spoke to Sheldon Posner of

looked at by your regular service agent as soon

ly nice gesture which probably would not have

Cricklewood Carriers in NW2. He confirmed

as possible to avoid further damage.”.

happened at my previous circuit. I’ve been on

that a worn or loose drive belt would indeed

Cricklewood Carriers can be contacted

DaC nearly 7 years and it really is great like

squeal noisily adding that if the belt was to

on 020 8452 5461

that.

break it could have serious consequences as it

Florence Nightingale anniversary

But the WRONG CBE!

This unusual sight (see pic) was spotted by one of Call Sign’s roving reporters

and is significant because Florence Nightingale, for all the many accolades s

was awarded during her lifetime, was never granted a CBE!

Florence was named after the Italian city of her birth on May 12 1820. She

developed an interest in nursing, a profession of which her wealthy parents dis

approved because they felt it was below her status. Eventually they relented an

she went to Germany to train as a nurse.

At the outbreak of the Crimea War in 1854, reports of the desperate lack o

medical facilities for wounded soldiers, many of whom were dying from infec-

tions rather than from war wounds, led then War Minister, Sidney Herbert, t

ask Florence to oversee the care of those wounded in the war.

With a team of 38 nurses, she arrived at Scutari (Turkey) in November 1854

and immediately set about improving the conditions of the soldiers and sub-

stantially reduced their death rate by attention to hygiene conditions and gen-

eral cleanliness.

In 1860 she founded the Nightingale Training School of Nursing at St

Thomas’s Hospital, London and sent qualified nurses all over the U.K.

to introduce new ideas of care based on her nursing model.

Her many publications, including the influential ‘Notes on Nursing’ in 1860,

greatly increased people’s concerns and awareness of military health, hospital

planning and sanitation, many of which are relevant to this day.

In recognition of her many worthy achievements, Queen Victoria

bestowed on her the honour of the Order of Merit, but not a CBE as seen

in the photo.

Eventually bed-ridded, blind and in need of constant care herself, she

died at her South Street, Mayfair home on August 13th 1910.

Call Sign August 2012

Page 30

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at

cosy desk. What another load of drivel and

under-researched nonsense he managed to

Dial-a-Cab House

write about the Olympics in the July Call

or email us at

Sign. I would firstly like to remind him that

callsignmag@aol.com

as a nation we compete at the Olympics as

Great Britain and not England. That is the

same for all the wars we fight in, or does he

London. I keep hearing from Boris Johnson

Vito steering

believe that that is just England as well. It is

and Seb Coe that the Olympic lanes will

Dear Alan

only our sub-standard football team that

only use about 12% (?) of London main

I’d like to pass on this message to Peter

competes as England!

roads. My question is what percentage of

Begley (K98), author of TX4 or Vito: What

Secondly Tom, please take a look at the

main roads in East London will they use?

should I buy from the July Call Sign and

final medal table from the Beijing

What these people have not told residents

also to DaC drivers who may have been

Olympics. Who came fourth Tom? Correct,

is that around the Olympic site, nearly all

affected by the problem.

Great Britain and not England We finished

roads will be used for Olympic lanes! To get

I had exactly the same thing with the rear

in front of Australia with only the USA,

from the City and West End, where most of

steering on my Vito 113. I was fobbed off on

Russia and China finishing in front of us.

the officials will be staying, there are only a

seven or eight visits to the garage with dif-

Tom, why don't you call one of our medal

few roads which can be used: Aspen Way,

ferent excuses until I made an angry phone

winners from the Beijing Olympics and tell

East India Dock Road and Bow Road/fly-

call to Mercedes head office Complaints

them that you thought that they only won a

over. The reason for this is that the

Department. Then and as if by magic - liter-

minuscule number of medals! Try James

Blackwall Tunnel northern approach forms

ally within a few hours - I had a call from

DeGale, now that would be interesting. A

a barrier and the three roads mentioned are

KPM who put me on the exclusive waiting

minuscule amount of research may have

the only roads which cross this highway.

list for me to be fitted with a new compo-

done you some good, Tom.

Obviously, the Blackwall Tunnel northern

nent that is apparently connected to the

Tom's attack on Seb Coe is also unjust.

approach can also take you east, but having

cut-out switch and that fixed the problem

When the Olympics has been and gone, ask

to pass the Olympic site I would not rec-

immediately. However, I had to wait a

the young kids of East London what do they

ommend it. I suppose the Eastway and

month for the mysterious part to arrive in

think of the fantastic sports venue that has

Homerton Road could be used, but once

stock and it is obviously an expensive fix,

been left behind? Of course traffic will be

again these go past the Olympic site.

but my problems are now over.

bad during the Olympics, but I think the

Perhaps I should also mention Lea Bridge

A happy DaC Vito driver

cab trade is getting very close to winning a

Road as a way out of East London, but if the

Because of the nature of the signed let-

gold medal for moaning. The traffic is

Lea Valley centre is used for the Olympics

ter, we allowed the writer to keep his

always bad; we just have to get on with it.

together with all the other roads I have

identity hidden. We know who he is and

Let me remind you that we have had a deep

mentioned, then I do not think this road is

sadly for him, within 24 hours of having

recession and a credit crunch for the last 5

going to help. The next road to go east is

the work done and writing to Call Sign,

years. August is always quiet and this is an

Tottenham Hale and Forest Road.

the same steering problem returned to

opportunity to earn some good money and

Therefore, I would like to repeat my orig-

his Vito.

to showcase our trade as the best in the

inal question: What percentage of the roads

In the lengthy article, Peter Begley

world. I would rather be stuck in traffic

in East London will be affected by the

wrote of the Vito steering: “Then there is

with a fare than sat on a rank without one

Olympic lanes, particularly the roads men-

the Rear Wheel Steering that the Vito

in August. If the roads are busy going to the

tioned? I know it’s too late to do anything

uses to ensure it complies and passes

Olympic venues, advise your passengers to

about these lanes, but I feel that the

the conditions of fitness test. It plays up

use public transport and just drop them at

Olympic organisers should have been more

on a regular basis - on some days it can

the nearest station. You will still be earning

honest with the residents of East London as

go off 10 or more times. The real let

money.

we are probably the people who are going

down is that no one in the servicing

Please gents, we really need to make the

to be most affected……

department of the east-end selling deal-

most of this opportunity to showcase our

Russell Bamber (N27)

ership seems to know why and they still

country, our city and our trade. And finally

I asked the Mayor’s office, but other

find it acceptable to leave uninformed

gents, if you see someone stuck coming out

than trying to find an answer and that

customers sitting for hours in their

of Asda in Leytonstone on a Thursday night,

inconvenience would be kept to a mini-

waiting room. This is NOT the Mercedes

quaffing his brown ale and steak and kid-

mum, no real answer came and as you

way. It is, in my view, shockingly bad

ney pie while struggling to stop his dog try-

say Russell, I doubt it would have made

considering the money the Vito costs.”

ing to grab it, please give him a toot and tell

one iota of difference! ...Ed

Peter now adds: The mysterious

him to cheer up.

Mercedes Vito part the DaC driver

Colin Vincent (V62)

ID at Olympics

asked about to rectify the RWS is a soft-

Colin, thanks for the email but you have

Dear Alan

ware update to the Engine Control Unit

forgotten one thing; when Tom leaves

I see from page 6 of the Olympic Handbook

(part number 02729901). It is a warran-

ASDA, he runs back to Dalston in under

that we will have to carry our DVLA licence

ty item, but requires ordering, I can't

five minutes - a UK all-comers record!

to undertake Olympic work’

find out why as it seems no one will hold

My thanks to Tom as well - drivers may

Steve Thomas (N10)

their hands up. My understanding of

have a go at him, but his columns are

The security will be tight and any driver

ECU upgrades is that they are "plug and

never less than controversial while his

approaching an Olympic site for a pre-

play" so to speak, but not in this case.

skin has gotten even thicker in his older

ordered pick-up will have to be wearing

Call Sign thought it had the answer

age!...Ed

their badge, as well as carrying with

when our mystery driver had his part fit-

them a copy of their taxi driver and

ted by KPM, now we’re not so sure ...Ed

More Olympics...

DVLA licence. Your front and back iden-

Dear Editor

tifiers must be clearly displayed and you

Tom and the Olympics

With the Games now upon us, I wonder if

must also be able to prove (I assume

Dear Alan,

anybody involved with it would like to

from via your terminal) that you have a

Tom Whitbread must have plenty of time on

explain about the Olympic lanes and how

pre-booked trip from one of the desig-

his hands at the moment, sat behind his

they will affect the residents of East

nated pick-up points ...Ed

Call Sign August 2012

Page 31

Mailshot

Continued from page 30

Call Sign and E3

Taxis...

Hi Alan

Olympic cars

Thank you for your reply to my letter (May

Hi Alan

Call Sign). You were of course right that

I recently had a chat with an Olympic BMW

DaC was not a circuit that promoted cash

driver who told me that they are allowed to

work. I noticed that when I joined. When I

well. As you point out, it is the DaC

ferry guests around in the evening so long

said historically, I really meant all the cir-

Board that has allowed me the freedom

as the car is back at the Village by 11pm!

cuits. However, I do still think that the extra

to put out a magazine like Call Sign. I

She said she was a volunteer but got free

charges and the licensing of PH, with the

consider myself to be very lucky ...Ed

food. I’d have been more jealous except

reluctance to cover the cash work, was a

that I hate McDonald’s anyway!

major factor in the shift from us to them in

David Heath (Ex-W27)

the public’s choice of transport. Whether

How much???

I bet it comes in handy for a quick

the likes of Hailo will be able to redress the

Hi Alan

evening out with the wife in the west

balance is debatable.

Can I just ask; we now know that all RTG

end! ...Ed

What you are absolutely right in saying is

drivers are to receive £350 to have the chip

that RGT would never have printed such a

& pin or £500 if the screen goes in the back

letter as mine or in fact much of what you

too. I understand that Ascott Cab Co have

Joe Skeggs

publish. Your Editorship is one of the main

had most of their cabs fitted as they are

Dear Editor

reasons my partner (in the taxi sense) and I

being paid by Visa. So the question must

On behalf of myself and my family, I would

joined DaC. About eight years ago we

be... are we going to get anything?

like to thank Call Sign for the kind words

opened a garage (E3 Taxis). I often used to

Otherwise I’ll have to stop looking on eBay

of tribute from Brian Rice, Allan Evans and

read your magazine that had been left there

for stuff I can’t afford.

Tom Whitbread about my dad. He was a

special man and I know he will be missed

by DaC drivers using the garage. I was sur-

Mike Appleby (L73)

greatly by all who knew him.

prised and totally hooked on how you

Hi Mike, I hope you are well. It's the dif-

I am hoping you will be able to help me

allowed drivers to say exactly how they felt

ference between taking a system that

by sending three copies of the magazine for

about DaC - whether that was good or bad

many don’t want as against taking one

myself and my two sisters to keep.

- and you, the Chairman or another Board

that is. I've seen both and given the

Mrs Kristy Larkin

member would answer them. When we

choice, I'd rather not be in a position

Wickford, Essex

moved to bigger premises, we needed to

where if the passenger says it doesn't

No problem Kristy. The three Board

increase our customer base. Even though

work then I have to get into the back of

members’ sentiments were also

we were on RTG, we thought we would try

the cab with them. You don't do that

expressed on behalf of the many drivers

and advertise in your magazine. I phoned

with our system. That's worth £1000

that knew your dad - especially those

you and said we wanted to offer half price

over the years - never mind £500. I've

who regularly worked on EC5 ...Ed

servicing to DaC drivers on a promotional

also spoken to several of their drivers

basis. You offered us a free half page advert

who are already receiving requests

provided we offered a special deal to DaC

about how they can switch the TV off. I

Goodbye...

drivers. We never offered any promotion to

suppose the other option is to either

Dear Alan

join RTG or give up eBay! ...Ed

any other circuit - even RTG - which we

Nearly missed your article about my retire-

were still on. For the next year or so, we

ment after looking at the top of page 10 but

enjoyed free advertising and offered the

Korean editor?

not the bottom

(July Call Sign)!

half priced service. That is until we sold out

Dear Sir

Remarkably it wasn’t even the letters page

to the mechanic who promptly ended the

I have been reading your excellent maga-

but an article to myself! I am flattered.

promotion.

zine online for several years, but I wonder

Many, many thanks and I will still keep in

At that same time, we decided to trade up

whether you can help me. I would like to

touch by reading Call Sign. Nevertheless,

from our twelve year old Fairway after

edit a similar magazine for taxi drivers here

this is still a poignant time for me. Thank

you once again for the article and DaC for

600,000 miles on the same gearbox and

in Seoul. Our special city has a population

engine and buy a new cab. Much as I liked

of 10 million inhabitants, many of whom

the last 57 years.

Leon Singer (ex-D92)

the GPS on RTG, I considered that any cir-

use taxis - in fact a large proportion of

Retirement should be something to look

cuit which allowed an Editor to publish

South Koreans actually live in the capital. I

forward to, so enjoy it Leon ...Ed

such a great democratic trade magazine had

know many who have never been here

just got to be the one to join. So when you

think that we are a small backward country,

said in your answer that you don't stop me

but in fact we were the world's first city to

Feeling better...

saying whatever I want, but neither do you

introduce a mobile television service as

I am writing to thank the weekend staff and

stop Tom, believe me I wouldn't have it any

well as the first wireless broadband. It also

all the drivers who made enquiries as to

other way. Incidentally I’m not sure if you

has the world's fastest 100Mbit/s broadband

how I was after my recent operation. I

know, but E3 Taxis went bankrupt a few

network, while our Incheon Airport has

would like to thank them all...

weeks back. Two fortunate moves on our

been rated as the world’s best airport by

Ivor Belkin (C97)

part getting out of E3 and joining DaC...

Airports Council International. But we

Ivor has been the Saturday day shift dis-

Ian S Connelly (T21)

don’t have anything like Call Sign and I

patcher for forty years officially - and

Thanks for the letter Ian. I do remember

would like to change that. So when I come

unofficially since September 1961 when

your call and agreeing to your freebie ad

to London in September, is it possible that

he joined the young Lou Gitlin (who had

because it would help you set up the

I could meet up with you to discuss how I

arrived three years earlier in 1958). In

business in addition to helping out DaC

can begin the process?

those early days Ivor was “called in”

drivers - quite a number of whom asked

Kim So Choon

while driving his cab as an emergency

me about E3 at the time. Even though it

Seoul, Korea

dispatcher and is the reason his record

isn’t you any more, it was still sad to

No problem and I’m sure I can get some-

only shows 40 years rather than fifty!

hear that the garage had folded. Thanks

one to give you a tour of Dial-a-Cab at

Pleased you’re feeling better Ivor ...Ed

for your comments about Call Sign as

the same time ...Ed