Call Sign October 2013

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

likes of Emil Savundra, who in 1966 was said

Call Sign advertising

to have milked thousands of pounds of

policy

motorists' money through his Fire, Auto and

Yes, most of you know my advertising policy

Marine Insurance Company, leaving them

for the mag; no online casino ads because

totally uninsured. He gave himself the prefix

there is the possibility that under-age persons

of Doctor.

could read it and use someone else’s credit

Many years later, Sir David brought down

card details - possibly a parent. No one can

another man with a prefix - Richard Nixon

tell me that it can’t be done because at least

when getting the former USA President to

one Dial-a-Cab driver tells me it has hap-

admit lying over Watergate.

pened to him.

Yet this was the same man who gave us the

Neither will I advertise club’s that have

Two Ronnies and the early foundations of

women (or men if it’s a gay establishment) in

Monty Python via John Cleese..

a state of undress in the ad. I’m not a prude,

Over many years, I never ever heard him

but I don’t think that type of graphic ad

say a bad word about this Society, his appre-

should be in a magazine that is delivered by

ciation of the skill needed to drive a taxi in

post and which could be opened by anyone

London obviously having left an indelible

in the household.

mark within him.

one cyclist and one door is worth doing.

So why is there a lap dancing club advertis-

His death is not a tragedy for Dial-a-Cab; it

The fact that it is not compulsory also

ing in this issue? Well, when the club - 23

is a tragedy for the world. I am just one per-

makes it worth doing (cab driver’s logic)! I

Paul Street - approached me, I told them of

son who is so sad to know that I will never be

personally won’t be doing it because I was

my policy and they said they wanted to con-

able to chat to him again...

sent the letter but no sticker! But if anyone at

tact our drivers via the magazine and would

the Mayor’s office would like to send me one

put just text into their ad. I looked at it and

then yes, I will put it into my cab.

Who is proofing the

had no problem with it, so it will be appear-

But as I’ve written here before, whilst there

ing regularly. But the policy has not changed.

is nothing wrong in ads proclaiming that we

proofer???

I just thought I’d save anyone asking...

should Think Bike, perhaps it would be just

Producing a monthly magazine such as Call

as good an idea for ads in cycling mags telling

Sign without a single error or typo is an aim

Bus lanes and

the two wheelers to Think Car...

that will probably never be achieved. The

only consolation I get when someone points

Addy Lee...

out a typo is that I also see them everywhere

David Frost

A recent Chairman’s Editorial in Addison

from the Daily Mirror to the Financial Times.

Lee’s Add Lib magazine having a pop at the

If you as a Dial-a-Cab driver were never lucky

But I feel proud that this mag takes mis-

black cab trade’s fares got me wondering

enough to pick up Sir David Frost on his

takes seriously and is proofed several times

about John Griffin’s minicab company and

David Paradine Productions account, then

before publication in that vain attempt at per-

the bus lanes review.

you may have missed an opportunity to chat

fection. Having said that, the role of Call Sign

I’m not sure if it’s me, but the result of

to a man whose knowledge of the world

proofer has long been the domain of my wife

their Judicial Review appeal against TfL to

around him was huge, yet who also had this

Linda, who regularly goes through each and

gain access to London's bus lanes seems to

amazing sense of humour and fun.

every page before publication.

have gone on forever.

I had many opportunities over the years to

However, Linda recently had a medical

I can understand a few days or even weeks

say hello, good evening and welcome to the

problem involving a fairly lengthy stay in hos-

- but why does it take months to get the

only man that I ever allowed to smoke a cigar

pital where her condition made it impossible

result? No doubt it will now appear before

(when it was allowed) in the back of my cab!

to proof the issue you are currently reading.

this issue comes out and make me look silly!

One thing always stood out for me - this was

As a result, if you find any major errors,

But I can put up with that if the result is the

one of the most famous people in the world,

please phone Linda and blame her!

right one...

yet someone who was always happy to chat

away about how our business was, what was

Alan Fisher

on the telly or even about DaC itself.

Cyclist stickers

This was the man who brought down the

Callsignmag@aol.com

By now you should all have had a letter from

the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, asking

if you would be prepared to affix a sticker to

the top right hand corner of the passenger’s

The Flower Mill

off side door warning them that there could

be cyclists overtaking the taxi and that they

Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings

should be aware of that possibility when exit-

ing the cab.

There can’t be many drivers who haven’t

Tel: 07854 738895

been sworn at by a cyclist after a near miss

from a passenger’s door, as though it were

you that opened it. However, there is little

Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk

doubt that opening the offside door can be

very dangerous to the cyclist - and even pass-

Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk

ing cars. It would also be very expensive for

the driver - even though he or she has done

Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties

nothing wrong.

I’ve had several drivers phoning to ask me

what I thought of the message and in all hon-

“It is at the edge of a petal that love waits”- William Carlos Williams

esty - whilst I doubt many passengers will

bother reading it - anything that saves even

Call Sign October 2013

Page 4

reflections of the chairman

3,000 submissions from all parties in an attempt

Work levels

to influence their findings, including one from

The holiday season is over and fortunately work

the London Radio Circuits. I believe the taxi

levels are increasing - perhaps not to the extent

trade in London will be ring fenced and still be

that we experienced five or six years ago, how-

responsible to TfL and the Mayor. Neither do I

ever the fleet is smaller as some Members have

believe that there will be any lowering of our

left in an attempt to reduce their overheads.

standards as London is a special case. However,

So we return to the same scenario as always

there could be some scenarios that whilst not

and that is coverage, especially in the West and

directly affecting our taxi trade, could have an

South West in the mornings. Therefore, if we

impact on us. It appears the Commission is in

wish to retain our account base, some of you will

have to put yourselves out a little in an attempt

favour of one standard nationally for the Private

Hire industry; that could mean that in London

to maintain service levels. As soon as it gets a lit-

tle busier or starts to rain, some Members sud-

they are removed from the jurisdiction of TfL

denly become very picky and choosy. I’m sorry,

and the Mayor and if the national standard that

but those days have gone! Every account and

may be required is less than we have at present

every trip is precious as there is so much more

in London, then that could prove to be detri-

competition out there in the market place than

mental to our trade. But I believe that is a topic

ever before. We have to also remember that much of that competition has

that TfL/the Mayor would be totally against because as I understand it, if

drivers working for a reduced rate compared to us!

there was a national standard then a Private Hire driver licensed in, say,

I get a daily report on trips that we have scrubbed the previous day and

Liverpool, could in fact work anywhere and that surely cannot be right.

I am continually astounded by the number of rejects on some trips and

It would also be possible for minicabs to be liveried, something which is

indeed, the type of trips we scrub. All trips are scrutinised to make sure

allowed outside of London and is an issue that I and the remainder of the

the Contact Centre has done everything possible to cover the work and in

now defunct Taxiboard fought very hard to resist in London years ago -

the main it does appear that they do everything they can, but if no-one

and with some success.

takes the trip then we do not have an alternative other than to scrub it. We

Any vehicle that displays signage stating something like Prior Bookings

then have the task of explaining the problem to the customer.

Only or verbiage to that effect, is merely stating to members of the pub-

I know most of you endeavour to cover the work, but there are still

lic that they are in the personal transport business. We think touting is

a sizeable percentage of our Members that need to up their game if we

bad now, so if exterior signage was allowed on minicabs in London, then

are to compete, it is so very disheartening for everyone when we see

that would prove to be extremely detrimental to our industry, of that I am

how some Members perform.

convinced.

I have just read Board Member’s contributions to Call Sign and I

However, the inquiry is on-going and there are some in our trade that

must say that I totally agree with Keith Cain’s sentiments regarding

will do their best to influence the Commission in their findings, which in

the attitude of some Members. We have to improve. I know the

turn will affect any draft bill.

above comments will raise criticism from some quarters but I

Brian Rice

believe they’re justified.

Chairman, Dial-a-Cab

Whilst moaning and criticising, I might as well add that some of you

appear to not have any regard for rules regarding run-ins. Once again we

are getting reports regarding Members run-ins and that a number of you

appear to be arriving with more on the meter than there should be.

These may well be some of the same Members that work for Apps

that operate with no run-ins and then appear to want and try to make

up that shortfall up by adding to our run-ins. Please be more vigilant

and play the game.

New drivers...

As work levels do increase, we also now need to increase the size of our

fleet in an attempt to maintain service levels and retain our account base.

Consequently, we have decided to offer free fitting for any new Members,

plus four weeks free subscriptions providing they are prepared to give

the Society a try for a minimum of twelve months.

Of course we will fit them with the new equipment and at £30per

week plus VAT, we are certainly very cost-effective compared to oth-

ers. So if you know of any good drivers that might be interested,

then please get them to telephone Shelagh on 020 7553 7200. As you

know, we now pay Members weekly so there should not be a prob-

lem with their cash flow.

Whilst we are on the subject of payments, if any of you that receive a

paper invoice from us have an e-mail address, please contact our Driver

Services department so that we can scrap your paper invoice and issue

you with an e-statement. It would make life so much easier for our

Finance Department as well as being so much easier for you to file.

Law Commission

It appears of late that whenever I look at a trade paper, there is some-

thing written about the on-going Law Commission report into the Taxi

and Private Hire trade. It seems that everything I read is doom and gloom

and that the end of the London Licensed taxi trade as we know it close

is at hand! That is a point of view that I do not agree with.

The Law Commission will publish their report later this year. I have

had three meetings with them and I understand they have received over

Call Sign October 2013

Page 5

Last month’s Call Sign revealed that TX4

production at Coventry was about to com-

Now it’s official...

mence again and on Wednesday 11 October,

the London Taxi Company’s Coventry facil-

ity was packed out with reporters and televi-

sion crews from around the world as that

production began officially with the first TX4

THE TX4 IS BACK!

off the line.

Also there to witness the event was Dr

Chairman Li Shufu

Vince Cable, the coalition’s Business

cuts the ribbon

Secretary and of course Geely Chairman, Li

with Vince Cable

Shufu, whose company purchased

to officially

Manganese Bronze from the administrators

reopen LTC

in February and who as a consequence, is

now the owner of The London Taxi Company.

Geely now plans to invest £150 million in

orders as well.”

LTC over the next five years in addition to sig-

He said that the com-

nificantly improving LTC's Coventry manufac-

pany were on target to

turing facility, which has also seen 65 new jobs

deliver over 200 vehi-

created at the plant making a total workforce

cles this month into

now of 170 including London salespersons.

London alone and that

They now intend building up to 10 new TX4s

they would be building

a day, five days a week - the first month’s pre-

an additional 75 vehi-

dicted production having already sold out!

cles this year on top of

It was also announced that the Company

the 424 they had origi-

are looking at some potential new produc-

nally planned.

tion sites in Britain - including in Coventry.

A delighted sounding

Li Shufu told those at the reopening: “We

Business

Secretary,

have created jobs, we have developed a

Vince Cable, told the

fresh supply chain with more focus on

invited guests: “After a

the UK and we have created a new busi-

period of worry and

ness that is fit for the future. But while

uncertainty for the

this moment is truly a milestone, it is only

workforce,

Geely

the beginning for us.”

Group's investment

Call Sign has obtained a full interview with

has secured the

Chairman Li inside this issue.

future of the iconic

Vice President of UK Operations, Peter

tations. Sales in London last month were

black cab company, protecting highly

Johansen, added: “I am delighted to report

51% higher than the previous year and we

skilled jobs in the Midlands and ensuring

that sales are already ahead of our expec-

have taken a record number of export

that London cabs continue to be made

here in Britain. It is also a clear demon-

stration of the success of the British car

industry, which has gone from strength to

PCNS: NO MORE LOOKING

strength even during tough economic

THE OTHER WAY!

times.”

The bottom line is that the TX4 is back and

ANPR cameras are searching for victims...

looks as though it means business!

A number of taxi drivers - not necessarily from Dial-a-Cab -

have often inferred that if you disregard a PCN or motor-

ing fine, then the issuing council will just forget about it.

Well that may have been the case at some time in the past,

but if it ever was then it certainly isn’t any longer, with

motorists being warned that they could face extortionate

bailiff charges - not to mention a damaged credit rating -

as councils realise that these funds represent an untapped

source of income.

Figures recently released by the Ministry of Justice

revealed that 1,132,776 motorists had debts registered against them at the Traffic

Enforcement Centre in Northampton last year.

Now motorists with those unpaid debts are being warned that bailiffs using unmarked vans and

number plate recognition technology are hunting cars with unsettled fines against them. But there are

also some cars that have changed ownership, but still have unpaid charges registered against them.

The London Motorists' Action Group held a meeting with the Commons Transport Select

Committee earlier this year and warned that bailiffs frequently and fraudulently demanded fees

that were far in excess of the permitted statutory levels. In addition, it was pointed out that once a

case was registered at the Traffic Enforcement Centre, the fine increased by 50 per cent, which

could take a standard £60 parking fine up to £90 before bailiff's fees, which often came to several

hundred pounds.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, an AA spokesperson voiced concern over the readiness of

councils to use bailiffs and added that it was disappointing that some mistakes are made, yet

councils seem to readily wash their hands of drivers trapped in a cycle of threats from debt collec-

tors and bailiffs.

“The fact that bailiffs are now swanning around like bounty hunters in vehicles with ANPR cam-

eras to find vehicles with outstanding warrants, is sinister.”

While we have no doubt that DaC drivers always pay their debts, perhaps we should pass the

message on... ANPR cameras are out there and working - especially if you are a bailiff...!

Call Sign October 2013

Page 6

Jery’s World

“I say chums; perhaps the answer to my electric taxi is to invent a longer lead?”

Drivers Query

6 month MOTs

We are now well into the new licensing system that replaced the previous one which taxi

drivers used to refer to as the annual overhaul. The new system involves two visits, six

months apart, to an MOT testing station in addition to a booked trip to one of the NSL

stations, currently working under the TfL auspices, for a check that some describe as a

mini-overhaul. Certainly it is nowhere near as thorough as the old one. But Call Sign has

had several phone calls from Dial-a-Cab drivers all asking the same question.

According to the MOT test certificate, under the heading of ‘additional information’ it

clearly says:

To preserve the anniversary of the expiry date, the earliest you can present

your vehicle for testing is... then adding a date which will be 12 months from

the one on the ‘pass’ certificate.

However, on the LTPH letter sent out to owner-drivers, it clearly says that your

taxi must pass two standard (class 4) MOTs per year. The first, no more than 14

• Roadside repair

days prior to the (NSL) licensing inspection, with the second 6 months on from

• Roadside assistance

the first date.

So the question we have been asked is how you can get a six month MOT when the

• Running repair recovery

earliest date appears to be 12 months ahead?

• Accident recovery

So we asked Simon Buggey, the Driver and Operator Policy Manager at London Taxi

• Pay as you go to membership

and Private Hire. He told Call Sign:

• Credit card taken at roadside

“The wording on the certificate only relates to preserving the expiry date. It

allows a motorist to get his car MOT’d in advance of the expiry date, but still

have the new certificate start on the date the old one expires. If you get the

vehicle MOT’d more than a month before its expiry date, you lose this privilege.

0845 094 5307

There is nothing to stop anyone getting additional MOTs at any time, so you can

We make wheels turn

go to an MOT testing station in six months and get another one for your taxi.”

So now you know. Our thanks to Simon Buggey...

so you can earn.

Call Sign October 2013

Page 7

London City airport has outlined

plans to double passenger num-

LCA expansion to

bers over the next 10 years.

They include increasing the

number of flights and taking

cost the taxi trade?

bigger aircraft. There will also

An aircraft taxi

be an aircraft taxi lane allowing

lane will help

more passenger jets to use the

increase LCA flight

numbers - but

single runway while helping to

who will be pay-

clear that runway much more

ing for it?

quickly than it does at present.

The expansion, said to cost around

£200million, would help to increase the

number of annual incoming and outgo-

ing flights from the current 70,000 up to

120,000 by 2023, with a doubling of pas-

senger numbers up to 6 million.

for the suggestion with the majority view

Anti-noise group, Stop City Airport, is

Call Sign

being that drivers are performing a ser-

opposed to the LCA expansion and is

vice at LCA and should not have to ask

October 2013

urging Newham Council to reject the

passengers to pay for getting a taxi.

Editor: Alan Fisher

planning application, citing their con-

Several suggested that as the majority

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

cern over aircraft noise and pollution.

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

of passengers from that airport arrive

As for licensed taxis, it appears that

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

with little more than a briefcase, they

LCA is hoping to recoup some of their

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

would simply walk around the corner

outlay by charging taxis a figure said

Printers: Premier Print Group

and hail an empty taxi that had set down

25 - 31 Violet Rd, London E3

to be around £3.50 for being allowed

and was leaving empty.

Design: Aldan Publications

to pick-up at the airport.

If any readers are regular users of

Tel: 07958 300 428

The plan is being passed to TfL for per-

London City Airport, please let Call

Email: deborahfresco@gmail.com

mission to allow drivers to pass the

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

Sign know whether a £3.50 charge

charge onto passengers. What passen-

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

would stop you using it or whether

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

gers will say to that is unknown; howev-

er Call Sign spoke to several regular LCA

you think passengers would be happy

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

users, none of whom had any sympathy

to pick up the tab...

Call Sign October 2013

Page 8

Yellow badges intimidate DaC Driver

Call Sign has never been afraid to enter the fray

while last night a male driver pulled up in

when it comes to suburban Yellow badge drivers

Canary Wharf to ‘find out’ what I thought

trying to take advantage of the vehicle we all drive

about Costa coffee and the Esso station park-

and using it in an attempt to convince the public

ing situation! He also asked me questions

that a taxi is a taxi. We also know that the majori-

about evading tax whilst on DaC. I suspected

ty of suburban drivers work in the way that their

that it was probably a 'set-up' and noticed that

licence dictates they should do, but there are a

he had his cab badge turned round other way.

minority that give them all a bad name.

The women who verbally threatened me is

Over the years, we have published reports from

probably trying to get some proof that I

Dial-a-Cab drivers on Yellow badges picking up

reported the YB parking issue to Esso. I actu-

outside of their area, but what we have never

ally have footage of the cab driving pulling up

come across is intimidation between the two

behind me last night and directly jumping out

fee. What's was so very odd about that?

groups - until now that is. We have allowed the

of his cab to talk to me.

In November 2012 while at the same E14

Dial-a-Cab driver concerned to remain anony-

My taxi association will be taking this

petrol station, I was subjected to a threat and

mous. What we will say is that the driver is female

issue further at some point since other

intimidation by the Yellow badge driver who

and that the two drivers she is specifically writing

Yellows are now getting involved with things.

was now accusing me of the harassment! I

of are also female. This is DaC driver’s story...:

The problem is all this because I overtook the

had mentioned some of the incidences

YB lady on a slip road in October last year

“Is it only Green Badge drivers that harass

of intimidation to a Green badge ComCab dri-

and this where things have progressed to.

and supposedly intimidate Yellow badge dri-

ver, since the Yellow badges contract for

I am currently logging all incidences that

vers, I asked myself?

ComCab and following that comment, I

Very recently, after a long shift working

received a more serious threat from the

occur between myself and the Yellow badge

for Dial-a-Cab, I turned up at the Esso petrol

Yellow badge driver. The threat, which was

drivers at the petrol station, however, it's now

station near Canary Wharf to grab a cup of

voiced to an acquaintance of mine and not to

a sensible idea to avoid the Canary Wharf

coffee, only to be confronted by two Yellow

my face, was along the lines of: “I'll knock that

petrol station altogether.

badge drivers who rapped aggressively on

woman all over the station if she contacts

That E14 Esso petrol station has now lost

the window of my taxi. I wound it down and

ComCab again!”

one customer owing to the congregating

was then accused of harassing one of them.

When I told my legal people about the

Yellow badge gang. How many more cus-

My crime was that I'd simply 'looked' at one

threat I'd received in Nov 2012, I was imme-

tomers are going to being intimidated in the

of the Yellow badge drivers whilst she was

diately told to inform the police about the

future?”

waiting at a set of traffic lights on the Canary

contents of the threat. A log was made with

If you have had any problems with Yellow badge

Wharf estate. The two female cabbies also

TfL about the threat of violence from the

drivers at the Canary Wharf Esso garage, please let

said that I was acting in an odd way when I

female cabbie, however I did stress to TfL that

Call Sign know...

was getting a coffee at the petrol station

I wouldn’t take action until the threat was

when I had just simply got out of my cab,

made directly to my face.

Ron Yarborough

walked to the coffee counter, came back and

More recently, Yellow badge lady

then sat in the taxi quietly drinking the cof-

drivers have been photographing my cab,

Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2013

Page 9

DaC Network Administrator Jon Winterburn enjoys playing the

latest computer games

GAMING WITH JON

iPad Board Games

For most people, the term ‘board game’ con-

jures up memories of mind-numbing hours

spent playing Monopoly or Scrabble with

the family, all those rainy afternoons of

squabbling and boredom. Those games were

simply exercises in luck and patience.

Modern games, on the other hand,

immerse the players in a world of strategy

and tactics, a world of deception and

intrigue. It has been said that we are living in

a golden age of board gaming, with hundreds

of extremely well thought-out games now

available. With the advent of so-called

Eurogames - strategic games which originat-

ed in Germany - board gaming is now so far

removed from the likes of Monopoly that you

costs a mere £4.99. So as you can see, board

dedicated iPad board games website.

wouldn’t recognize it. Some prime examples

gaming on your iPad is very affordable!

My favourite iPad board games website is

of the hundreds of these games are:

So now we’ve ascertained that modern

the aptly named www.ipadboardgames.org.

Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of

board gaming is fun and affordable on iPad,

Set up in 2010 by Londoner James Bruce,

Catan and Dominion.

how do you go about finding the best games?

iPadBoardGames.org is specifically focused

Whilst these games are often beautifully

If you’ve spent any amount of time on the

on the board games niche. There are literally

crafted, well designed and a joy to play,

App Store, you’ll know what it’s like trying to

hundreds of reviews here, as well as com-

there are a couple of reasons which put

find the right game or app. There are quite

ments and ratings from players in the com-

potential players off. Many of the more

simply too many variants of the same game

munity. I’ve even written a few of those

popular games retail for anything

available and unfortunately. many of these

reviews! Before parting with your cash on a

between £35 and £70. Secondly, if you

are poor quality. Don’t take chances with

board game, look it up on this website. You’ll

don’t have other like-minded people to

your hard-earned cash. Don’t fall into the

be glad you did!

play with, there’s not a lot of point in buy-

trap of downloading

‘freemium’ games,

ing them.

which will require multiple cash injections

Jon Winterburn

This is where technology comes in. Many

(aka In-App purchases) to have any chance of

of the more popular board games are now

winning the game. Instead, read reviews on a

DaC Network Administrator

available to play on iPad and more are being

added all the time. Playing on the iPad opens

a whole world of games to solitary and even

reluctant players. In fact, if you’ve never

played some of these games before because

the rules are off-putting, learning them on

your iPad is so much easier. The game engine

will handle all of the scoring and set-up of

games for you, leaving you free to get your

teeth into some enjoyable gaming. Most have

excellent tutorials or walkthroughs, making

short work of getting the rules across. If you

want to play against other people, the major-

ity of board games now tie in to the Apple

Game Center, allowing you to play against

your friends or other players around the

world.

One other point to consider is that the

majority of board games which have evolved

onto the iPad platform are considerably

cheaper than their physical counterparts. For

example, a physical copy of Ticket To Ride

Europe retails for £39.99. The iPad edition

Call Sign October 2013

Page 10

Tom Whitbread looks back at his early days...

The Butterboy and the IRA

I was still pretty much a but-

had been four occasions when I’d just passed a location by just minutes

terboy when this incident hap-

when a bomb went off. I was becoming very worried that my chances

pened. My passenger had asked

were being cut down and the next one could have my name on it.

to be dropped at Soho Square

As I reached Shaftsbury and Rupert Street, a punter’s hand shot up

and I was fighting my way

and I was off to Kensington - again through heavy traffic - but at least I

through the evening rush hour

was going away from the Soho area, which was about to grind to a halt.

traffic from the City to West End,

But my guardian angel must have been taking the night off because as

my passenger alighted at the Derry and Toms store, a couple ran up to

happily listening to music with-

my taxi in all their finery and asked to be taken to a restaurant in Frith

out allowing the heavy traffic to

Street, Soho!

upset me.

But that’s why people use licensed taxis - somehow we get people to

So I was in a good mood,

their destinations regardless of any circumstances attempting to stop us.

watching pedestrians scurrying

We eventually arrived at Frith Street and drove towards Soho Square -

back and forth checking shop

yes, you could do that as well! As we headed towards the restaurant, two

windows for bargains or just trying to dodge traffic whilst crossing the

police officers were standing in the road by Bateman Street with their

roads. Nowhere in my mind could I imagine what was going to happen

hands out. I stopped and they told me I couldn’t get any further due to

in the next 30 minutes.

a bomb explosion. I said that it was surely some youngsters who had

Back then you could still turn left from Oxford Street into Soho Street

started the fire? After all, I had been there at the time.

and as I turned left again into Soho Square, my passenger asked me to

The police officers escorted me to the restaurant, waited while I

stop briefly while he picked up a few things. I sat there just glancing at

got paid off and then escorted me into Soho Square where I was

life going on around me, especially towards a group of youths laughing

introduced to some well-dressed plain clothed police officers. They

behind cars parked against the central area. They seemed to be relieving

were from a squad that dealt with terrorist activity as well as the

their bladders against the boot of one car exactly adjacent to my taxi and

IRA bombings and questioned me before telling me to report to

laughing as though this was a jolly jape.

West End Central police station the next afternoon - this was after

It was then I noticed a flame on the roadway under the car boot.

I had tried to convince them that it was not a bomb. They said they

I yelled at my returning passenger to get back into the taxi quickly.

believed it had been a bottle of white spirit made into a Molotov

He looked at me as though I was mad!

Cocktail, as they had found another one under a different car fur-

“Those kids have set a car on fire,” I screamed at him, “get back in

ther round the Square and ready to be lit.

quick!”

The car I had seen was totally burnt out and had also destroyed

He jumped back in and I drove quickly to the other side of the square

parked cars alongside it. It was then I decided that I would never buy a

and within those few seconds the flames had grown into a roaring bon-

two door car again. The speed the fire had taken hold and exploded the

fire. As I applied the brakes, the car’s petrol tank exploded and the boot

petrol tank meant that no one in the back seats would have had a chance

of the car shot open.

of getting out alive.

The passenger paid me off and I made a quick exit down Greek Street

The next day I spent 3 hours at West End Central, answering ques-

as fire engines raced out of their station in Shaftsbury Avenue.

tions and completing statements. All those hours of lost work and no

Everything was happening so quickly, but this was a time when London

money educated me into keeping my mouth shut. You may consider that

was on high alert due to IRA bomb attacks. In the previous month, there

to be not very British, but it was my neck on the line had I been request-

ed to go to court and all my details were splashed out - including to the

defendants!

TfL ranks update

Those days of driving around with IRA bombs going off everywhere

were awful. It was also at this time that my wife and I decided to go and

visit the Ideal Home Exhibition, even though we knew it was a worry-

New taxi rank at Regent Street

ing time to go out. We were on the upper level of a bus and had just

A new taxi rank has been appointed in Regent Street. The

passed a corner on which there was a rubbish bin. After we passed it, we

rank is for eight taxis and operates between 00:00 and

heard a dull thud and felt a rush of wind blow against us. It was a bomb

and once again I had been lucky. However, another Dial-a-Cab driver - a

04:00. The rank, which is on the western side of Regent

good friend of mine - was just passing the corner with his child, who

Street, starts just to the south of the junction with Heddon

received nasty leg injuries as they were thrown backwards. Luckily it was

Street and is in the bus lane, but operates when the bus

not fatal, but it was too close.

lanes is not operation and has been marked out.

Whilst you are out working, you should always be aware of what is hap-

pening around you. You never know, it could just save your life...

North Greenwich Station taxi rank

Tom Whitbread

The essential works at North Greenwich Station have now

finished and the taxi rank has reopened.

DaC Board member

During those works, the rank was remarked and drivers

should use both lanes when the rank is busy.

Keith Reading

New taxi rank at Vigo Street

Professional Toastmaster

Master of Ceremonies

A new taxi rank for 2 taxis has been appointed in Vigo

Street. The rank is outside the Burberry shop and oper-

Tele: 01279 465 938

ates 24 hours a day.

Mobile: 07774 860 374

Kenwood House and Tobacco Dock

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

And finally, thank you to all of the drivers who supported and

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

worked at the recent events at Kenwood House and Tobacco

Dock. The feedback received has all been very positive..

Fellow of the Guild of

Professional Toastmasters

Transport for London

Call Sign October 2013

Page 12

Call Sign has discovered that

two Dial-a-Cab drivers have

Two DaC drivers

been road testing what many

believe will be the future vehi-

cle of the licensed taxi trade,

on TX4H

the TX5H - the H standing for

Hydrogen.

We have promised not to reveal the names

of the drivers or anything about the testing

program, however we did speak to one of the

two drivers and asked him whether it drove

in any way like the old milk floats, as some

rumours had suggested?

The DaC driver told us: “Nope, I can

assure you that it is nothing like a milk

float! There are currently two of us on the

Hydrogen taxis and they drive beautifully

because they are so quiet when they start,

with very little vibration.”

With that, the brief interview ended as the

driver was told that he shouldn’t yet be

speaking to the press as these were purely

prototypes. But they certainly sound nothing

like milk floats

Running on Hydrogen

CAN YOU SING???

Garry’s Year

Are you a licenced taxi driver who can sing? The Taxi

Driver of the Year Charity Fund has been asked to find

the best singers in the taxi trade, so if the answer is yes

would you please be kind enough to get in touch with

one of the TDOYCF contact numbers below.

Please also remember to book your tickets for the TDOYCF’s dinner/

dance on 30th November 2013. For more info, phone or email TDOY-

CF Hon Chairman, Russell Poluck MBE (T55).

Phone/ Fax: 020 8952 1357 / Mobile: 07850 056 765

Email:brussella@talk21.com

TIGER

off with this

advert

Garry, Sasha, Shane and Karen

It has certainly been an eventful six months for Dial-a-

TAXI TYRE SPECIALIST

Cab’s newest Board member, Garry White.

On 3 February at the Honorary Artillery Company bar-

STOCKISTS OF MICHELIN, AUSTONE AND

racks on City Road, he was elected onto the BoM, replac-

REMOULDS FOR ALL FX AND TX TAXIS.

ing Allen Togwell by a single vote.

HI FLY / BARUMS AND CONTINENTALS

Then on 25 August, Garry’s eldest daughter, Sasha,

FOR THE VITO TAXI

tied the knot with fiancé Shane to go from Sasha

White to Sasha Huntley.

FRONT PADS FITTED FOR TX1 & TX2

The wedding took place at Northern Ireland’s

£40 AND TX4

£45 INCLUSIVE VAT

Clandeboye Lodge Hotel in Bangor, County Down.

Proud dad Garry told Call Sign:

NEW VALVES AND BALANCING ON ALL TYRES

“We had a great time with family and friends who

had all travelled to Belfast for the Bank Holiday

WE ALSO DO LASER TRACKING AND PUNCTURES

weekend. It was then onto Bangor for the wedding

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with guests travelling from all over - some even as

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“It was quite an emotional time for Karen and

myself as Sasha’s mum and dad, but it was such a

call now 020 7729 5237

brilliant occasion and yes, my father of the bride

Unit 14 Peterley Business Centre

speech went well!”

Our best wishes to the happy couple...

472 Hackney Road, London E2 9EQ

Call Sign October 2013

Page 13

Dial-a-Cab driver Lee Pearce (J71) is the

Dial-a-Cab’s Lee Pearce…

goalkeeper for Evo Stick Southern Division

One

(Central) football team North

BACK ON THE F.A.CUP TRAIL

Greenford United. While Call Sign often

gives updates of how the team is going in the

league and their ongoing battle to reach the

Ryman League, there is one part of Lee’s sea-

son that we tend to enjoy more than any

other - the F.A.Cup.

While Premier and Championship teams

have several months yet before entering the

competition, teams such as North Greenford

United are beginning theirs now and what

NGU didn’t want was one of the ‘big boys’ at

this stage - Ryman Premier league teams -

who would be looking to get though the first

few qualifying rounds at least. This being the

first qualifying round, NGU were hoping to

get a lower league team to kick off their

F.A.Cup and at the very least, a home draw.

When Ryman Premier Harrow Borough’s

name came out the hat, NGU were hoping

their name wouldn’t follow - but it did! So

on 14 September, the team made the short

DaC's Lee Pearce practicing - just in case!

trip to Harrow as huge underdogs and as the

90 minutes ticked by, it looked as though this

football. Like the first game, it was Harrow

Sure enough, with an hour on the clock,

season’s F.A.Cup was already to become a dis-

who again started best, forcing Lee Pearce

Liam Hind scored the equaliser with a stun-

tant memory.

into immediate action - especially one save

ning thirty yard drive and soon after, Danny

First, centre back Mike Dart was sent off

after 15 minutes that came right out of the

Bennell made it 2 - 1 to NGU to take them

for a tough looking challenge on Harrow’s

top drawer. But Harrow still went forward

into the second qualifying round and just 12

Simeon Akinola and with the extra man

and it was no surprise when they took the

matches away from a Wembley final!

advantage, Harrow pushed forward putting

lead midway through the first half through

After the match, Lee - who captained the

Lee Pearce under constant pressure. With

Rhys Murrell-Williamson.

team for both games - told Call Sign: “We

just seconds of injury time left, Harrow were

Then into the second half, NGU manag-

deserved the victory. We never gave up

2 - 1 in front, then Greenford defender

er - former Chelsea and Southampton leg-

even when we were 2 - 1 down and with

Danny Bennell found the ball at his feet and

end Neil Shipperley - made what turned

just 10 men in the first match. That says a

put it into the net to give the team a replay.

out to be a match-changing double substi-

lot about the spirit in this team. If we can

It was just three days later when the replay

tution when bringing on Danny Bennell

take that into the league as well, this could

took place - no resting time in non-league

and Liam Hind.

be a really good season for us…”

London Taxidrivers’ Fund for Underprivileged Children

Guests at Run for your Wife - The movie!

In honour of the London Taxidrivers’ Fund for

and the LTFUC would like to thank Ray Cooney and

Underprivileged Children, the team behind

his team for making us his charity for the night and

‘Run for your Wife’ hosted a gala screening

donating £1,000 from the film’s proceeds. We

“...to toast the cabbies dedication to our

would also like to thank the Stratford Picture House

roads and their exceptional charitable

for the venue and also Abundant Ltd who first

endeavours.”

contacted us with the idea.

The London Taxidrivers’ Fund for

Thanks also go to all the taxi drivers and their respec-

Underprivileged Children and guests were

tive partners who turned up on the night to support us.

recently invited to a charity screening at the

Middle four on the front row: Emma

Malcolm Shaffron

Stratford Picture House of the new movie Run for

Barton, Kellie Shirley, Ray Cooney and

LTFUC Honorary Secretary

your Wife. The film stars Danny Dyer, Sarah

Vicki Michelle

Harding, Denise Van Outen, Neil Morrissey,

Kellie Shirley, Christopher Biggins, Lionel Blair

and many other famous names from Cliff Richard

THE ALPHA POWER PILL

to Su Pollard to Dennis Waterman. Every other

face leaves you saying: “Was that really him/her!”

Now even better!

And it probably was!

The idea originated when writer and producer

Helps cut the cost of diesel - and reduce Emissions!

Ray Cooney and his team, along with executive

producer Vicki Michelle, decided to make a film

OnlyCabs.co.uk are pleased to supply

of the original 1970 play and turn it into a charity

Dial-a-Cab drivers with the amazing Alpha Pill

night for the children’s fund. The Fund was intro-

duced to them both along with Emma Barton

and Kellie Shirley.

Order Today to take advantage of the special price of £16.95

For those who never saw the stage production,

the story centres on a London taxi driver who lives

Go to www.OnlyCabs.co.uk or scan your smartphone

a double life being married to two different

on the ad code

women. The film is full of hilarious mishaps and

misunderstandings as John Smith (Danny Dyer)

Or telephone your order to:

tries with the help of his friend Gary Gardner (Neil

Stephen Vale at Only Cabs 020 3239 6101

Morrissey) to have his cake and eat it!

It comes highly recommended for a good laugh

Call Sign October 2013

Page 14

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of

As we get ever-closer to the 100 year anniversary of the start of

the start of World War One and I am cur-

WW1 hostilities, Call Sign’s Bob Woodford is asking readers to help

rently researching and writing a London

War Tour to offer tourists and Londoners

him create...

alike in 2014. So Call Sign readers...help! In

the spirit of Lord Horatio Herbert

Kitchener: “This London Tour Guide needs

you!”

As you would expect of a panoramic

Bob’s War Tour

War Tour of London, it will include build-

ings with surviving bomb damaged pot

holes - and that’s where I seek your help.

I have quite a list already - so don’t send

me the obvious such as the plinth of the

Sphinx of Cleopatra’s Needle, which was

the result of shrapnel hitting it after a gas

main was ruptured in a WW1 Zeppelin raid.

The driver of a passing tram was killed

instantly in that explosion.

Incidentally, does anyone remember the

Nevill Arms in Stoke Newington? That pub

is a private residence now - on the corner of

Nevill Road and Osterley Road - but the very

first bomb to fall in London from a Zeppelin

raid landed in the beer garden on 30 May

1915. Fortunately, nobody was supping a

light ale at the time!

I also have the damage to the walls of the

Victoria & Albert Museum - plus slightly

lesser damage to the Science Museum in

Exhibition Road - as a result of a Blitz raid in

WW2. Likewise, the clearly visible pot holes

on the wall of St. Clement Danes Church -

Can you help Bob find war examples for a tour? This one is at Aldwych…

plus the bomb damaged wall in Mansell

Street on the corner of Prescott Street, as a

dotes and stories? If yes, please email me

ing plaque. But before you get up in arms

result of enemy Blitz airstrikes.

at: rob@blackcabheritagetours.co.uk.

about it, you have to realise that the symbol

What I need are similar examples to

I have already been reminded of RAF

was still an intriguing sign from the east long

the above, because I know I will have

Hornchurch by the Call Sign Editor, which

before Hitler appropriated it!

missed some - particularly in parts of

was strategically located in ‘bomb alley’. Alan

As a start, can anyone confirm that

London away from the centre.

tells me the site is now a private housing

Upminster tube station once had a

Also - and probably aimed at older read-

estate, having closed in the 1960s and he

Swastika motif displayed within the floor

ers - any other quirky information relative to

also revealed that he has an Anderson

tile pattern in the ticket office?

both conflicts. The sort of anecdotal materi-

bomb shelter at the end of his garden!

It would be great to hear from you!

al I’m looking for are public air raid shelter

How about this one? Where in London

signs still visible as in the one in Lord North

can you visibly see a Swastika? Well the next

Bob Woodford

Street - or the Emergency water supply

time you are heading round Aldwych, check

sign painted on a wall on the Albert

out the wall of India House to find a reveal-

Call Sign Online

Embankment near the junction of Black

Prince Road - the water was held in White

Hart Dock.

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

I would also like to hear of any war stories

handed down - similar to the one regarding

the direct hit on the public bomb shelter in

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

Kennington Park. This was a grisly story

variable bank interest rates?

involving a Lambeth Council ‘cover up’ as

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

the shelter was hit by a 50lb bomb. Some

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

bodies were pulled out, but eventually the

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

remains were covered in lime and no official

at your address also qualifies for membership!

death toll was announced at the time. The

remainder still lie unidentified beneath the

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

park.

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

I have one such story of my own that was

up to 3 times your total savings…

told to me by a neighbour where I grew up

The cost?

in Lambeth. One day during WW2, a Nazi

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

paratrooper was shot down and landed on

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

the council estate near the Oval Cricket

Ground. He was badly injured and about to

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

take a further bashing as all the women-folk

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

headed towards him with pots and pans aim-

ing to finish him off. And they would have

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

done had it not been for a quick thinking

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

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

ARP Warden who managed to protect him

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

until emergency services arrived!

Registration number 213263

So do you have any more quirky anec-

Call Sign October 2013

Page 15

In response to Barry Spear’s (Y16) question

DaC driver Barry Spear (Y16) has asked a question in this issue

regarding how many requests for Vito taxis

about Vito numbers. The answer is longer than the usual Mailshot

we’ve received, I can report that there were

reply so Control Centre Manager Keith Cain has answered it here...

2,500 requests for a Vito between

September 2012 and 31 August 2013, which is

not quite as many as Barry estimated

(between 5 - 10,000). What was interesting to

Vito Numbers

note were the number of requests received for

TX taxis, which amounted to

14,918.

Unfortunately, we do not have figures for

occasions when a client requires a Vito and

because the controllers were unable to cover

the trip, we cancelled and re-dispatched it to

the rest of the fleet. These trips when re-dis-

patched, have to have the attribute removed

and more often is the case that two taxis are

sent in because of the number of passengers

travelling.

As for the DaC Board creating a two tier sys-

tem, well I have to say we actually have a three

tier system because there is an attribute for

Metrocabs as well. It's not the Board creating

different tiers, it's the designers and manufac-

decisions are made working to worst case sce-

bookings. We worked then to allocating to the

tures of the vehicles that give drivers the

choice to purchase.

narios because over the years they have found

closest cab and the same scenario applied

themselves in the same situation as the day

then as to how it does now. The first booking

But it is the Board’s responsibility to recog-

before.

called was the furthest away from the booked

nise that drivers do make a choice as to what

vehicle they buy and if there is something dif-

Their focus must be to offer the client the

time and the driver who took the trip had to

ferent that vehicle can offer a passenger over

best possible service and I like to think that

adjust his run in and in some cases wait with-

members feel the same because no matter

out the meter on. It is exactly the same to this

another, then surely it's all about trying to

meet customer demands. This is not some-

what you say about this Society, it was drivers

day.

thing new either, as I’m sure Barry can

that started it and it was the service drivers

Like Barry, other drivers have spoken to

gave that got us to where we are today. I hate

Controllers giving the same views and they

remember when taxis were first fitted with

to say it, but that is not always the case now.

have adjusted the lead times, especially in

seat belts. There was a huge demand by cus-

tomers to supply those cabs and the only way

Where once upon a time the majority of mem-

some zones during the morning period

to differentiate between vehicles was to use

bers worked that way, it has changed to the

between 6 and 10am. It was agreed to reduce

the attributes.

minority working this way and the majority

the lead times in certain zones but on the

If the Nissan NV200 comes into production

doing only what suits them. Drivers seem to

understanding that if we experienced prob-

and can offer something different to other

be far less Society-focused than ever before,

lems of cabs arriving late, the lead time would

cabs, then the Board will have to reconsider

which could be a recipe for disaster.

be reset. This has been done a few times and

the attributes to match the vehicle.

But what I will never understand is why

unless a driver works during these times, they

With regard to lead times, I can see Barry is

a member of this Society would be pre-

wouldn’t notice the changes.

making a point using his own personal per-

pared to accept a trip via an App on their

Coverage for the rest of the day with the

spective. But what he is not aware of is how

phone, run to the pick-up with the meter

lead times set as they are is very good and it is

long the pre-booking trips can take to be cov-

off, be prepared to wait for up to five min-

rare that we have any significant coverage

ered at times. Recently we have seen some

utes before starting the meter and then pay

problems.

busy mornings and trips have taken up to 45

10% for the privilege! Yet, when undertak-

There was also a situation recently which I

minutes to an hour to cover and that is with

ing a Dial-a-Cab trip, they are not prepared

think sums it all up. A trip in SW11 going to E1

increased run-ins, large premiums offered and

to give any free time whatsoever, knowing

took 45 minutes to allocate to a driver. It had

with the destination unmasked. If every pre-

full well our trip will return far more to

the destination showing, the run in had been

booking in every area was accepted promptly

them. That beggars belief in my book.

increased and a £20 premium was added! The

without being rejected too many times, then I

I do understand that when work drops off,

driver who took the trip was 20 minutes away

would agree that lead times could be reduced,

drivers have to look to wherever they can to

and prepared to run to give a service. While

although probably not by as much as a third.

earn a living, but when the work picks up as it

the trip was being constantly rejected, a cash

Now if all trips were made non-

is starting to do now, then surely it's all about

trip in SW11 fired in and was also being reject-

rejectable, I’d be the first to suggest reduc-

taking work that returns the higher yield.

ed. The decision was taken to unmask the

ing them. But as long as drivers have the

All the lead times set for every zone have

cash trip, which I hasten to add went to LAP.

choice to reject, then you need lead times

been in place since the introduction of our

Do I really need to explain what happened

to be longer rather than shorter.

computerised dispatch system. I am fully

next? It was taken immediately from a driver

Lead times are only griped about when the

aware that as fare tariffs increase, the run in

who arrived in 10 minutes. The cost of both

driver is on top of the trip, but the same dri-

amount will cover less distance, but it all

trips could not have been that far apart but I’ll

vers never say a word when lead times work in

comes down to meeting the client’s request of

let you all decide who received the best possi-

their favour to give them longer to reach the

having a vehicle outside their address when

ble service and why…

pick-up. When drivers offer an opinion, they

they want it. Without seeming to harp on

are giving it with hindsight, but Controllers do

about the early days, when we dispatched

not have that luxury, they have to pre-empt

work by voice there had to be a lead time

Keith Cain

and guess what the situation will be. Their

when the dispatcher began allocating his pre-

DaC Control Centre Manager

Call Sign October 2013

Page 16

Every issue of Call Sign takes a look back at ODRTS history through the pages of the

magazines of the time with a flashback

DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK

This issue harks back to a 1957 issue of the ODRTS bimonthly Newsletter...

ODRTS NEWSLETTER, December 1957

Mr Martyn controversy

ODRTS Chairman, Mr Bonnie Martyn, has resigned and is going to Bermuda to help introduce two-way radio, something of

which he knows much about…

However, there are some that claim he should not leave us at this time, but should they not put themselves in his position

before deciding? It is surely an honour for our organisation that another country knows of our success. Mr Martyn’s drive

and initiative were recognised in London in 1952 when the ODRTS was founded and he was made Chairman. Many consider

him responsible for the sound position of our organisation. It is sad that some now should castigate him for leaving.

Mr and Mrs Martin leave for Bermuda on the Queen Mary on December 28 and surely all at ODRTS will join us in wishing

them God-speed and a Merry Christmas.

Frank Duncan,

ODRTS Treasurer

Letter from Mr Calcott

I learn from the Pentonville Road office that our Chairman, Mr Martyn, is resigning with deep reluctance and going abroad

and that some fellow drivers are castigating him for his decision. Under these circumstances I feel compelled to write and

express my deep regard for him.

I would like to thank him for the untiring work and effort he so generously gave to the London taxi trade. I confess I have

often wondered how he had so much patience and energy to do all the things that he has so admirably done for us all in the

radio world. I realise only too well what a task he undertook in 1952, having myself been associated with the cab trade since

1924 and I venture to tell you, old boy, that without your guidance and good counsel, the ODRTS Ltd would in my humble opin-

ion have been a complete and utter flop.

I don’t doubt that the anxiety, worry and forthright insults that he has secured and borne on his shoulders would have bro-

ken the hearts of many a man made of less sterner stuff. Yes, there are many of us on the circuit who hold Mr Bonnie Martyn

in high esteem and readily appreciate all he has done for us, if that is a comfort to him as I am sure it must be.

I would personally like to wish him good luck, good fortune, good health and may God bless him.

R.W.Calcott,

Black 17

Call Sign October 2013

Page 17

Being the owner of a taxi plated on 1st March

Richard Potter looks at Taxi MOTs and asks: Are they...

meant that due to the new TfL regulations, my

second MOT would be due on 1st September.

As in March, I booked the taxi into a local MOT

RAISING OR LOWERING

station and of course it failed. Thinking

back, the garage I previously used had forecast

that my cab would fail on the usual things like

STANDARDS???

track rod ends displaying too much play and

the discs being too thin.

Well six months later it passed on the discs

Richard asks: Have MOTs lowered the

again, even though the TfL examiner had com-

standard?

mented on the state of them as well and even

the MOT at a time that suited me. In some

though at the TfL part of the process, there

ways, I was pleased that I hadn't needed to

was not much he could have done.

replace the front discs unnecessarily and incur

an extra cost and I was pleased the taxi garage

found some issues that kept the standard and

Views on life as seen through the

safety of the taxi up to a level I would expect.

eyes of David Kupler (Y74) at...

What I was not so happy about was that it

appears standards have lowered. Maybe it was

a one off. Maybe there are drivers and fleet

Kupkake’s

At the September MOT, the cab failed on

owners out there who looked forward to a

four separate track rods - not because they had

lowering of standards to keep costs down. It

too much play in them, but because the plas-

was well known in the trade that if you were a

tic covers had split thus letting in dirt. There

musher and got a taxi garage to do your over-

was also a tyre that had a thread of less

haul, the standard was set much higher. So

Korner

than 1.6mm.

there was me previously moaning about taxi

So should I be pleased that my discs are very

garages, now heaping them with praise. Guess

thin? Or that the ball joints needed replacing,

you can’t win!

even though there was very little wrong with

So what should I do next time? I want the

them? I took my taxi into a taxi garage to get

taxi to be passed at a reasonable standard

the work done to pass the MOT. I think it`s

without feeling let down by the garage.

sensible to do that rather than leave it at the

Well how about taking the cab to a taxi

non-taxi garage; after all taxis are specialist

garage which does its own MOTs. But I

vehicles. The garage gave it a once over and

thought the standard of all MOTs was

said it needed a new shock absorber and a

meant to be the same?

lower track rod arm, on top of the MOT failing

I don't know whether MOT centres that are

I don’t like bikes!

issues. They also checked a banging coming

not used to dealing with the trade really want

I can't understand this obsession with bikes

from the rear of the cab when loaded with a

to be involved with us, but I suppose they are

when many of ‘em just go and do as they

number of passengers.

not allowed to turn you away. Some people

like!

After getting the cab back, the banging noise

also look upon MOT stations as being vested

I almost hit one every night

had clearly gone meaning the MOT station had

interests because they, in theory at least, create

Whist others are angry and ready to fight!

missed that and the lower track rod arm. But

work for themselves by failing vehicles. But

hold on! Wasn’t the change to MOTs from

there are so many test stations, so if someone

I wish there was a better plan

overhauls meant to be a good thing for the

was not happy they’d just go elsewhere.

to educate the cyclist clan.

trade and not a lowering of standards?

Mushers, though, tend to be a loyal bunch and

Or better still there should be a ban

We had all said we felt harshly treated by

regularly moving from one taxi garage to

unless they passed a test!

some taxi garages that were often over-zealous

another can sometimes make things worse.

All dressed in black they wobble along

on getting parts changed because the taxi

Taxi MOTs are here to stay, but the jury is

ear phones in as they listen to songs,

might fail. So are we better or worse off? Well I

definitely still out on whether it will have long-

I know for sure that it’s so wrong

was pleased that the MOT only cost me £27.50

term benefits for the taxi trade. Let’s hope

for them not to have bright lights!

with a free retest and that I only had to take it

so...!

round the corner from my house, meaning no

Don't even mention the Rickshaw scum

Richard Potter

time off the road.

I've no idea where they come from.

I was also pleased that I could easily book

Call Sign Online

Blocking roads as they wait for their prey

Drunks and others who think it’s OK,

not caring at all how much they pay

to ride with those miscreants night and day.

We’re told we need to show some grace

for all the cyclists that spit in our face.

asaptrades

They tear along as if in a race

With no regard shown at all for our space.

ELECTRICAL

Too often we hear one has died

when a cyclist overtakes along the inside,

as a lorry turns the cyclist has tried

Electrical Installations - Fault Finding & Repairs

to get in front and failed to survive.

Boris wants to expand this trend

www.asaptrades.com

he's got the dosh just to spend

on more blue lines for his cycling friends...

When oh when will it ever end?

0203 130 6798

Kopyright Kupkake 2013

Call Sign October 2013

Page 18

HE DOESN’T

LOOK THAT OLD!

Gerry's new

licence is dated

from January

Gerry Tobin (L32) has only been on Dial-a-

1900!

Cab since June 1993 - a mere twenty years -

because quite honestly we had assumed he

was old enough to have been at the first

ODRTS driver’s meeting at Great Portland

Street’s Albany Tavern in June 1953.

But LTPH said

In fact, we even wondered whether Gerry

they didn’t know

was at the amazing 1951 launch of Lew Levy’s

the answer but

York Way Radio Cabs, when they held their

wished Gerry well

ultra-swish dinner at Mayfair’s Empress Club

in his future cab-

in 1951 - the same Empress Club that just

bing. But just to

one week earlier had seen Hollywood stars

make sure they

Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh

covered all eventu-

join another star who was later to become a

Alf Smith.

alities, his latest Taxi Driver Licensing

regular DaC user from her Knightsbridge

What’s that? You want to know why some-

Renewal Form (see photo) arrived recently giv-

apartment, Ava Gardner.

one who has been around that long is still

ing the licence validation date as from 1

Crikey! Call Sign’s lay out man, Danny,

driving? Well we asked London Taxis and

January 1900.

even wondered why - trying to be as subtle as

Private Hire, because if anyone might know

Responding to Call Sign’s question as to

he could - it was that in 1948, Gerry wasn’t

it would be the organisation that Gerry

whether he had any retirement plans, Gerry

used to test out the first radio in a taxi by

would have known better as the Public

was definite in his answer - before February

Marconi, who instead asked Stratford cabbie

Carriage Office some 65 years ago.

2086...!

DaC drivers ‘thumbs up’ to new size PowerPills

Well, looks like it’s a ‘thumbs up’ for the

I had an

new size Alpha PowerPill with feedback

interesting

from Dial-a-Cab drivers all being positive.

question

Drivers also seem to like the new ‘Zip Lock’

from one

packaging in addition to telling me how

DaC driver.

much more convenient the new 35 litre

He said that

PowerPills are to use.

he used the

One comment - similar to many others -

pills but

read: “I love the zip lock and no more lost

always filled

pills. With my big hands, it was fiddly break-

up at his

ing the old packaging to get at the pills. A

local

good move! I always top up with 30 / 40

garage,

Now at the garage, a PowerPill (blue dye

litres so one new shaped pill, instead of

which was around a mile from his home. He

pill) is put in the filler tube and clear fuel

breaking the old one in half, is great for me.”

asked if switching the cab off for the night

pours over and dissolves it, turning all the

For those that don’t know, a pack of 10

within minutes of filling up and using a pill

new fuel blue. So now we have a tank full of

large Pills conditioned 700 litres, now a box

affected the taxi’s performance?

the same colour fuel ready to be used. This

of 20 smaller pills covers the same 700litres.

The simple answer is no, it makes

cycle just goes on and on. I hope that clears

But even with the small half-size, there is

absolutely no difference to the pills perfor-

the matter up.

still one thing that stops the Alpha PowerPill

mance. Let’s imagine that PowerPills dyed the

Always here to help...

from working - forgetting to put them in!

fuel blue, so when we go to fill up, the fuel

I’m sure we have all been at the pump fill-

already coming out of the injectors going

Steve Vale

ing up and suddenly realised that the

into the engine and detonating is blue.

Alpha PowerPill

PowerPills are still in the glove box!

Another DaC driver suggested that a

small but high viz label be stuck near the

TAXI DRIVER OF THE YEAR

filler as a reminder and as a test, labels

will be sent out with all new orders. But

Annual dinner and dance

what do you think? The benefits of

There are still tickets available for the Taxi Driver of the Year Charity annual dinner and dance

using Alpha PowerPills have been testi-

It takes place on 30th November 2013 at the

fied to in Call Sign many times, but how

Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road SW7

do we remind ourselves to put them in?

The price: £62.50 per person (includes welcome drink at reception, 4-course meal, half a bot-

Please, if you have a suggestion then

tle of wine per person and tea/coffee. Tea/coffee/Danish pastries will also be served later).

call me on 020 3239 6101 or email

Dancing to a live band!

steve@OnlyCabs.co.uk.

We have arranged a special deal if you would like to stay at the hotel overnight. For more

There’s a free box of PowerPills for

information please call (phone/ fax) 020 8952 1357 or mobile 07850 056 765

the best suggestion, but keep them

clean as we’ve already thought of all

All money raised is split between the five taxi charities...

the rude ones!!

Russell Poluck MBE (T55), TDoY Charity Fund Hon Chairman

Call Sign October 2013

Page 19

I've only driven one TX2 (not my own)

Another true story from Geoff Levene

in the last eighteen months after years on

the Fairway and TX1 and I don't suppose

I BLAME THE TX2...

it breaks down any more than the other

cabs I've had. I thought the problem with

early ‘seventies. After crawling through the

the timing belt had ended when the last

traffic, we arrived with five minutes to

FX4R was buried with a wooden stake

spare and the grand sum of £5 on the

through its heart, but like Dracula, it has

clock. He gave me a fiver, then another

risen from the grave.

one and then a third. Fifteen pounds for a

And what about those drive belt pul-

five pound job! That's like getting £180 for

leys? The first one broke and snapped the

going to the airport!

belt as I was going at about 5MPH, so the

Or the man I took to Broadcasting House.

fact I had virtually no brakes or steering

£19 on the meter, he hands me a £20 note

wasn't too much of a problem! And on a

and asked for ten pence back. Why?

lovely Sunday morning in Abbotsbury

But my favourite was in the late ‘eight-

Road I wondered where the awful noise

ies when the City was awash with money.

was coming from. Then the cab ground to

I was taking a man to London Bridge and

a halt. That was number two. But that's

heard him on his early mobile.

not what I'm referring to...

“Hello darling...I think they're going

Our esteemed Editor rightly pointed out

to sign. It's going to be a thirty day

some time ago that tipping is becoming

So what's all this got to do with the

consultancy at £1000 a day. If it goes

less common, with even Americans being

TX2? Passengers used to pay through the

through, we can get that house.”

reluctant to bung. How different to those

luggage door window. They gave you a

Two thoughts went through my head.

British films of the ‘thirties.

note, you gave them the change and that

Crikey, that's big, BIG money... and I think

Out of a cab would step Robert Donat

bit of contact encouraged them to tip. But

he's going to legal me off!

in top hat, tails and a white silk scarf.

that tray where the partition used to be

We got to the Station with £7.60 on the

“How much is that cabbie,” he would

means they can scoop up all the coins -

meter. A tenner comes through the near-

ask the moustachioed stereo-typical

even the

5pences

- and be gone. Of

side window, £2.40 goes back into his hand

course, in TV Soapland, nobody asks for

and he starts to walk away. But for some

Cockney?

“That'll be a shillin' sir, if you'll be so

change! And talking of Soaps, I'm a bit

reason, he looks back and I smile and raise

worried about Streetcars the ‘Taxi’ firm

my eyebrows. And he knew I'd heard. So he

kind.”

“Here you are driver and there's

in Coronation Street. They haven’t had a

gave me the forty pence back!

call for weeks!

He didn't hear me say “Gor Blimey

thruppence for yourself.”

“Gor Blimey Guv'nor, you're a real

We've all got tales of tipping or other-

Guv'nor, you’re a real gent and no

wise. Like the chap I took to Wembley one

mistake...”

gent and no mistake.” says the old boy

before driving off into the fog.

evening for a vital World Cup game in the

Geoff Levene (W32)

Call Sign October 2013

Page 20

ALL WHITE WITH GARRY...

the various cash marshalling functions /

Pick up locations

parties we get asked to cover by our top

When doing a credit ride and you find you're

clients.

not able to park outside or be seen easily by

the client, please use your parked button to

Selling cheap

advise dispatch of your location. This saves

There still seem to be some Dial-a-Cab drivers

unnecessary calls between client and dispatch

that don't understand the damage it does the

and of course queries on POB cost

Society when displaying logos of app-based

booking systems on liveried DaC taxis.

Long Serving Member

Apps have come into the taxi trade selling your

Allan Evans and I attended the funeral of John

services cheaply. You've studied to do your

Ward (D63) at Southend crematorium on Friday

Knowledge of London at great lengths, only to

6th September. John was a long standing mem-

work like a private hire driver, making the app

ber of the Society, who will be sadly missed by his

company money at the driver’s expense!

family and friends in the cab trade. RIP...

Hello ladies and gents

Some drivers are apparently prepared to

Be lucky.

As the work picks up from now till

run for free, wait for free and then give up 10%

Christmas, I do hope you give Dial-a-Cab

of the fare + tip if given! Customers will use

your best service in covering the work

the service, but who are the silly ones - them

Garry White

offered to you through your terminal, or

or the drivers doing the work?

DaC Board Member

UP, UP AND AWAY

With Tony Osborn (S45)..

“Who would have thought that erecting

air again! I can tell you that there was a

Tony nearly

marquees could give me so many free air

danger of me feeling touch and go as to

left something

flights,” Tony Osborn (S45) suggested

whether I left something unpleasant

unpleasant

when he met Call Sign recently...

behind in the plane!

behind after a

“In a life before taxis, I erected tents

“Another time, while at Biggin Hill and

touch and go

and marquees all over southern England,

putting up a marquee, I was invited to ride in a

manoeuvre!

some fairly small and some really big

helicopter and we buzzed large areas of Kent

ones!” Tony stretched his arms wide

and London. It really is amazing to see land-

two individual

apart to emphasise his point.

marks from the air that we are more familiar

beds fully

“And when people walk into them, they

with from down at ground level. Everything

made up. I

just do not realise the work that goes into

takes on a totally different viewpoint.

was intro-

putting them up. There’s the safety side,

“Funnily enough, while driving my Dial-

duced to the

especially so they don’t collapse on top of

a-Cab taxi, I had taken a passenger to the

pilot before

them, being strong enough to support

private side of Luton Airport and after he

bidding

lighting - sometimes heavy chandeliers -

spoke to security, I was given special per-

farewell to the

and level flooring so guests do not trip

mission to drive right up to the aircraft. I

passenger. Those Learjet people really

over wobbly chunks of wood!” Tony burst

casually remarked to the passenger that it

know how to make an executive airplane!”

out laughing as he continued.

was a nice airplane and he agreed - adding

Tony ended his tale with the only apt

“At bigger events, it can take several

that it was his! Then to my amazement he

expression he could think of. “Yep, the

weeks to erect those huge versions, espe-

invited me aboard! There were executive

only way is…up!”

cially an event with such a high profile as

style seats for the very few passengers and

the Royal International Air Tattoo,

which is held annually at RAF Fairford in

Gloucestershire.

“Returning there on a regular basis,

you get to know the people involved in

Hungry?

the show and I was lucky enough to be

invited to be a passenger on several

Nellie’s waiting!

flights during practice runs around the

airfield. Mind you, I chickened out when I

20% off the bill when you show your badge

knew the pilot was likely to do a loop the

loop,” Tony told us giggling!

Great pastas, chicken, steaks, fish and roasts!

“One particularly memorable flight was

a circuit including a touch and go

Nellie's Restaurant

manoeuvre when the pilot comes in to

12-13 Greville Street, EC1N 8SB

land, barely makes contact with the

ground before opening the throttles and

takes off again to complete another cir-

Show your badge and it’s 20% o

cuit. I think they call it kissing the run-

way. That move takes your breath

Open 9.30 am to 12 pm

away… when whoosh, you’re up in the

Free parking from 6.30 pm

Call Sign October 2013

Page 21

CALL SIGN TALKS TO...

GEELY CHAIRMAN LI SHUFU

Li Shufu is fifty years

Li Shufu: It will retain

old, the Chairman

its iconic design and

and also founder of

be more light weight,

what is now the sec-

with improved relia-

ond largest private

bility and driveability;

automobile manu-

will also have

facturer in China,

improved fuel effi-

Geely

Holding

ciency and be a green

Group - an organi-

solution. These are

sation we in the taxi

the success factors for

trade just know as

the next generation of

Geely. Perhaps more

black taxis.

importantly to UK

taxi drivers, Li Shufu

Call Sign: We notice

was the man who

that KPM have been

took

Manganese

reinstated as main ser-

Bronze out of

vice agents. As Eco

administration at a

City Vehicles, they

reported cost

are surely the biggest

£11.4million and guaranteed the contin-

and have agreed the right business plan

competitors to Geely UK with their sales

uation of what many recognise as the

for its future.

of the Mercedes Vito. Was that done as a

London taxi icon. Call Sign spoke to Li

business judgement or just to help dri-

Shufu...

Call Sign: Geely appear to be very suc-

vers?

cessful at exporting the TX4 with coun-

Call Sign: Thank you for speaking to Call

Li Shufu: It is not unusual in the UK for

tries as far away as Azerbaijan and Saudi.

Sign Mr Li and can we start with taxis.

car dealerships to hold more than one

Indeed, the September Call Sign report-

Although Geely already owned 20 per-

ed on the “home” sale of 500 TX4s to the

franchise. KPM have been the service

cent of Manganese Bronze Holdings from

ancient Chinese capital of Nanjing in

agent for The London Taxi Company for

a 2006 deal, what made you decide to

time for next year’s youth Olympics, after

many years and there has been no

buy the other 80 percent from the admin-

Mayor Ji Jianye saw the cab at last year’s

change in this relationship. We are

istrators last year and at what point fol-

lowing administration did you decide

London Olympics. Are we slowly heading

focussed on ensuring that all of our ser-

towards a time when all TX4s will be

that the TX4 was worth saving?

vice agents provide excellent servicing

built at the Shanghai factory and the

and parts to our customers.

Li Shufu: We were attracted by:-

export tally will then also include the UK?

History of the company and the car, its

Li Shufu: We will always keep the pro-

Call Sign: Can we end with a non-taxi

iconic design, which is part of London

duction capability in UK for its expertise

question. Around three years ago, you

culture, and the professional taxi culture

and unique taxi culture here in the UK,

behind it.

bought the Volvo brand from the Ford

but use our Chinese factory to build left-

We are a responsible owner, serious in

Motor Company for a reported

hand drive vehicles for the Far East mar-

business and we are taking an optimistic

US$1.8billion and set yourself a domestic

ket. We will develop more synergy with

view about the future prospects for the

Chinese Volvo sales market target of

the group and leverage the advantages

London Taxi Company.

2000,000 vehicles by 2015 - all built in a

between the two manufacturing sites.

Being able to leverage within the group

Chinese Volvo factory. How is that pro-

and use our investment to put The

Call Sign: Is it true that the 500 TX4s sent

gressing and do you think that the

London Taxi Company back on track and

to Nanjing are to be converted to run on

Chinese government’s plan for all

for a better future.

natural gas and how do you see the

Chinese home car sales to be built in

progress to lower emissions for the

China is a workable idea?

Call Sign: Soon after the MBH deal went

London version? Are we heading towards

through, you were quoted as saying that

Li Shufu: We aim to make China the sec-

a time when the London TX4 will not rely

Geely was a “long-term and committed

ond home market for Volvo. Localised

on diesel?

investor and we believe the illustrious

R&D, sourcing and manufacturing are

Li Shufu: Nanjing vehicles run on petrol

past of the London black cab can be

crucial for Volvo’s success in China. We

not diesel. You can switch easily between

matched by a successful and healthy

have strong momentum for Volvo in

petrol and LPG to reduce fuel costs.

future.” Some have wondered whether

China during the first half of this year and

Green solutions are the right direction

the plan is to build up the company again

for all vehicles including taxis. We are

we are confident for future prospects.

and then sell it for a quick profit. Do you

working on the light-weight and new

The nature of the automotive industry

still stand by your ‘long term’ quote?

powertrain options for the London Taxi.

means that that localisation is the best

Li Shufu: Yes. We are a responsible

This is in the best interests of this com-

way for development in a large market

owner and strategic investor in The

pany and London as well.

like China.

London Taxi Company. We want to build

The London Taxi Company into a global

Call Sign: In the shorter term, what do

business and have no intention of selling

you see as the next development for

Call Sign: Thank you for your time

it. We have a strong belief in its future

the TX4?

Mr Li...

Call Sign October 2013

Page 22

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

On the underground full of dust, dirt and a

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

variety of smells, someone will always be eat-

fish and birds etc that will eat food on the go.

ing. Then there are the young boys, girls, city

But us? I’m sorry to say that the human race

gents or ladies who it seems believe that food

has gone backwards in our concept of this

has to be eaten while walking.

evolution. Never has a time been more appro-

I am of a certain age in that as far as I am

priate for us to take time out, to sit down and

concerned, all food should be eaten sitting

have a proper break. There are infinitely more

down, preferably with cutlery. The only

open spaces in our parks, cafés and endless

exception to this is at the seaside with a por-

numbers of restaurants together with more

tion of fish and chips with, of course, a little

free time to enjoy the experience of eating.

wooden fork! We’ll skip the newspaper wrap-

The takeaway chains of our choice will sup-

ping...

ply us with plastic cutlery, serviettes and

Talk ain’t cheap...

everything else to enjoy the package of their

There’s a saying that says ‘talk is cheap’. Well,

food. Supermarkets do the same; all we have

as I look at my regular outgoings to talk, it

Food on the go...

to do is to take time out to eat it, but it seems

doesn’t seem that cheap to me!

Like the rest of you, I have watched endless

we cannot be bothered to do that.

There’s a landline phone costing circa £15

numbers of wildlife programmes; we watch

How often do we pass by a perspective

a month sitting in hall and only used to reject

animals, mammals and all creatures great and

good fare because they are eating a kebab,

PPI claims. The average mobile package, with

small living their lives in water, air, jungles,

burger or some other takeaway? Then a

all strings attached, costs another £30. Plus, if

farms and even in our domestic homes as

passenger will get into your taxi and

you add on the other family member’s

pets. And like us, they all survive on what they

almost like a magician, pull out a sandwich

phones, even though I don’t pay them, the

eat.

or some other fast food item, generally

wife’s is £20, two sons starting at £30, then we

But somehow we, as the supposed supe-

with a lovely smell to stink the cab out!

are looking at start-up costs of over £120 to

rior species, seem to have lost all concept

Our industry is full of drivers moaning

talk to one another and obviously everyone

of when, where and how to eat.

that it’s dead, yet are too busy to stop for

else. Then having paid out all this money to

We watch various species in fascination on

lunch as they scoff and drive at the same

talk, what do we do? We text... because it’s

the screen as they eat - just as they have always

time - highly unprofessional looking. We

cheaper!

done. If they are a bird of prey or a leopard in

have all met the type; as soon as they stop

Where’s my taxi...!

the jungle, they will catch their food and go to

at a rank, they get out and all the com-

Tom Quigley

find a place of rest to relax and enjoy their

pressed, undigested food is relieved. You

bounty. Then there are certain species such as

can but hope you are upwind of them!

Call Sign Online

Look out...

There’s a courteous flasher about!

Regular readers may recall an item in Call Sign from October 2010 headed Crash for

Cash. It detailed how extortionate claims were being made after an apparently simple

contact had occurred between vehicles. Yet they had then escalated into a major claim

for extensive vehicle damage and personal injury such as whiplash and a course of phys-

iotherapy! However, all that actually might have happened would have been a simple

5mph nudge!

One year later, Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher went to court to fight a third

party claim against him over an alleged accident that never actually happened

- not to save himself money, because he had a protected maximum no claim

bonus, but because he felt annoyed by another motorist inferring that there

had been a collision between the two when there hadn’t even been a slight

touch! Alan won the case.

Now a recent news item has warned of a new development known as Flash for

Cash, where an apparently courteous motorist travelling on a main road, flashes

another vehicle that is waiting patiently in a side road to join traffic on the major road,

but then promptly and deliberately bumps the rear of the very vehicle that they have

just allowed to join the major road! The major road driver then claims that the minor

road car pulled out without looking and a tiny collision occurs. But the result is a huge claim and ‘read-

ies’ in the pocket because being flashed does not give you the right to pull out.

The resultant insurance claim is of course hyped up and as the vehicle exiting the minor road is deemed to be at fault because due care should have

been taken to ensure the road ahead was safe to join, the ‘innocent’ driver could have quite a problem explaining what really happened.

Drivers operating these scams are careful who they pick to crash into; executive cars, those with personalised number plates, lone

women drivers or those with children, where there is every probability that the victim’s vehicle is insured and a decent sized claim will

be met, not to mention the resultant intimidation of the errant driver if the opportunity arises.

The insurance companies estimate this current trend is costing in the region of £400million a year, reflected of course, in ever higher insurance pre-

miums to motorists. However, there is also the suggestion that insurance companies are themselves putting in gigantic claims to other insurance com-

panies even though the motorist may have put in a modest claim and the vehicle repairers keep their own costs to a minimum. So it could be that the

insurance companies are playing the very game they so readily decry.

When involved in an accident, try always to take photographs of any damage to either vehicle. One recent trend has been to fit security cameras

into taxis in order to substantiate or refute insurance claims.

An article in the July Call Sign identified the benefits of a Novus CCTV camera in your taxi, including cheaper insurance and of course,

indisputable proof on the severity or otherwise of any accident you may be involved in. Passed by TfL for taxis, you can get more infor-

mation on Novus with no obligation by contacting Jason, James or Aimee on 0208 515 7827.

Alan Green

Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2013

Page 23

“In Israel, everybody is in the IDF - the Israel

As we head towards the anniversary of the start of WW1, Call Sign

Defence Force. There is no choice,” Sid

Nathan (K88) told Call Sign. “So at 18 years of

continues with its series on DaC drivers who have seen military

age I was conscripted into the army like so

action. Previous issues have covered Europe and the Falklands. This

many before me - and to the present day, you

month sees Israel and Sid Nathan (K88)...

are proud to serve your country.

I did my three months basic training before

being sent off on a driving course that involved

cars, lorries, trucks and an assortment of other

vehicles, always with the possibility of war in

DAC WAR HEROES

mind and the use to which those skills could be

usefully employed in the service of my country

From tank driver to taxi driver

and to save life.

“During my National Service time, I was

Sid had to drive Moshe Dayan

assigned for a day to drive General Moshe

to Judea

Dayan - he of the black eye patch - to a new

residential settlement called Lachish in the

lowlands of the Judean Hills. He was due to

and one that I shall not forget.

give the inhabitants a speech of encourage-

“I’m sure most people remember

ment to help raise their morale. I was driving a

Chaim Topol, who played Tevye in

large American Studebaker car and was told to

Fiddler on the Roof. Well he was

drive very carefully and slowly, so as not to gen-

ten places in the queue behind me

erate any dust as we rolled

when we signed up! Much later, he

along the desert tracks because

returned as a member of an enter-

if Dayan had got his uniform

tainment troupe that visited many

dirty because of me, I would be

communal settlements (kibbutzim)

in the ‘slammer’ for much longe

around southern Israel and I was

than I would like! So I drove lik

assigned to be their driver. Once,

we were on ice! It was good pra

while en route to a kibbutz, we were

tice for driving a taxi in London!

ambushed and machine gun bullets

“During the journey, we chatte

were flying everywhere. It was prob-

and he asked about my family.

ably my war driving training kicking

must have done a reasonable j

in that helped to save us as I flew

because I didn’t get into any tro

down into a Wadi (valley) at great

ble! Neither did I ask for his e

speed and roared up the other side

patch as a souvenir!

out of harm’s way. Thankfully,

“One time, while out on a training march in

nobody was hurt and we survived to

the desert, we were told in no uncertain terms

entertain again!”

that we should not drink from our water bot-

“During my military career, I saw

tles until we had reached our destination,

The air inside the tank was filled with smoke

some truly terrible things, so if I have one wish,

which was many kilometres away. Our sergeant

and acid fumes and the only way I survived was

it would be that we will not have any more

checked the full water bottles before we left

to push open the lid at the top of the tank and

wars...”

our barracks and off we trekked. But the heat

gulp in air before quickly sliding back into the

from the baking sun was too much and many

driving seat to control the vehicle and make a

of us took a swig from the bottles, even though

hasty retreat. That’s what saved me, gasping for

we had been told otherwise. So, nearing our

air as best I could. It was a very tense moment

MMX111

destination we filled the water bottles with

desert sand, which of course sank to the bot-

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

tom of the bottle and brought the water level

up to the neck of the stopper. When we

reached our objective, the officer checked our

bottles again to see the water levels which

LOCKHOUSE SECURITY

were, of course, right up to the mark. I’ll never

know whether they guessed what we had done

or if they decided to let it go. I’m just pleased

All types of locks, opened, repaired and replaced

they didn’t force us to drink it all and to then

10% discount on keys and locks for DaC drivers

turn it upside down so the sand came out.

Transponders / chipped keys

“On another occasion I was on a patrol deep

On site key cutting services including taxis

in the Negev Desert when we came across an

Locks replaced / fitted to insurance specifications (BS3621

elderly Bedouin man and his wife, shepherd-

ing two heavily laden donkeys. We suspected

Burglary repairs / boarding up

armaments or bombs, so we stopped them to

Additional security / security upgrades

check. The man begged for mercy while we

Safes opened, repaired and serviced

thoroughly checked out their cargo on the

Grilles and security gates

donkeys and their personal bags, but found

nothing sinister so we let them go on their way.

Specialists in UPVC doors and windows / patio doors

They were very grateful, waving goodbye, and

Free estimates / no call out charge

we were able to relax having done our job.

24hr service

As a reservist, I was called up again dur-

ing the Suez Crisis of 1956. I was driving a

Sherman tank in the Sinai Desert near Abu

You can find us at:

Ageila when we were ambushed and came

8-10 The Arcade, Farnham Road, Harold Hill

under heavy attack with shells hitting us

Tel: 01708 371115

from all directions.

Call Sign October 2013

Page 24

Call Sign’s Stephen Berndes (R14) says..

IT’S A CABBY’S LIFE!

The London taxi trade can rightly feel a tingle

took our usual sojourn to Lithuania to spend

of shadenfreude given the embarrassing plight

two weeks away from the stresses of London

of our esteemed superior, the hapless Sir

Town, while staying at my wife’s parent’s farm

Peter Hendy.

in Trakai - a picturesque part of the Eastern

It has widely been accepted that the

European country.

Olympics were deemed a success, but the taxi

The farm nestles among pine forests and

trade was decimated by the way visitors were

natural lakes in a regional park, providing

manipulated with free travel on the Transport

amazing vistas from every window and vantage

Commissioner’s pet modes of transport -

point.

buses and the underground. Then there was

There were also pigs, cows, horses, goats,

apply to me... where the bloody hell is the

the ‘thoughtful’ Freedom Pass tagged onto all

chickens, dogs, cats, a combine harvester and

wood!

Olympic-goers tickets.

tractor there to feed the curiosity of our chil-

But I digress; we ordered svyturys (a popu-

There were proclamations from Sir Hendy

dren. We spent time foraging for wild mush-

lar Lithuanian beer) and sat outside gazing at

et al that it would be foolish for we taxi drivers

rooms and blue berries in the forest, swim-

the castle while slowly sinking into a comatose

to take a holiday and miss out on the once-in-

ming in the natural lakes and eating all that

state.

a-lifetime opportunity to fill our boots with

was produced on the farm. An Enid Blyton

“Why don’t we sell up, our kids love it

lucre. And then the blanket coverage on all

time was had by all.

here,” I said. “Look how excited our boy

media outlets began; warning everyone not to

On entering our favourite restaurant over-

gets on the combine harvester!”

take vehicles into London!

looking Trakai Castle, we saw a cardboard box

My wife retorted that the machinery would

That had the desired effect, turning London

with scribbling in Lithuanian prominently

have to be maintained.

into a ghost town. A death blow was the result.

positioned on the bar, which read

“But they love the animals,” I replied.

Restaurants and Theatreland were deserted -

Arbatpinigiai mano vestuvems. I asked my wife

“Yes,” said she rather irritatingly, “but are

and so were our cabs!

what that meant in English and she said it was

you going to feed them!”

Tube train and bus drivers were awarded a

Tips for my wedding.

“But the land,” I responded with what

bonus for doing their job. Sir Hendy was

Clever emotional blackmail we thought. I

remained of my confidence, “our kids can

awarded £319,000 for doing his job. Was his

mused whether I should try such a cunning

run around in safety.”

fragrant lady friend awarded for doing her job?

trick to increase my wad in the cab, although

“That land has to be worked,” she rather

I understand Sir Hendy is known to be a

an impending wedding might not seem believ-

droned before using her trump card. “And

good egg, so perhaps he can soften when mak-

able from such an old buffer. Perhaps Tips for

don’t forget the winters are minus 27

ing decisions that directly affect the taxi

divorce could pull at my passenger’s heart-

degrees!”

trade...

strings and add some reality, considering all

Naaah! Perhaps life wasn’t so bad driving

Arbatpinigiai mano vestuvems - which

those hours in the cab trying to eke out a liv-

around in my metal coffin...

means ‘where’s me tip!’

ing at night while our partners are playing

Stephen Berndes

1st August; the wife and I plus the children

away. Although, touch wood, that doesn’t

Call Sign Online

Steve Shaller was on DaC for many years before finally entering semi-retirement in Spain. He has written many

articles for Call Sign and has now put finger to keyboard again to write about...

CYCLISTS AND LONDON STREETS...

It’s been a long hot summer here in Spain. The garden is dry through lack

of cyclists, when in fact it is they that need

of rain, the car is dusty, the mosquitoes are having a field day buzzing

to be educated.

around my ankles and the ink is running out of my biro. Just as well I am

Their financial contribution to the upkeep of the

writing this on my word processor.

roads are zero, yet they expect so much for noth-

Nothing, however, can stop me reading Call Sign on line. Very much

ing. Not unlike so many people in today’s society.

in the news and one of the main topics written in recent issues, involves

In the meantime, our roads get smaller at the

the unfortunate deaths of cyclists on London's streets.

expense of cycle lanes while our road tax gets

Like the editor, I too have very little love for cyclists, especially

bigger.

those who treat the Highway Code with contempt and believe it

Steve Shaller (Ex-F34J )

is there only for motorised vehicles.

When a vehicle, irrespective of size, has an accident with a cyclist, it

is invariably assumed that it is the driver of the vehicle that is at fault. In

many cases it may be - but not in all.

No doubt there will be many more cyclists dying on our roads before

the politicians do anything constructive to alleviate these tragic incidents.

Whether you drive a taxi, car, motor bike or lorry, the one thing that

we all have in common is that we all undertook a driving test to con-

firm our proficiency on the road. The same cannot be said of cyclists.

The blame for these cyclist’s deaths lay with the many politi-

cians who put their popularity and careers before the lives of

those whom they profess to represent. They dare not intro-

duce laws to govern cyclists for fear that it may cost them

valuable votes.

Many years ago, the Cycling Proficiency Test was a test given by Royal Society for the Prevention

of Accidents (ROSPA), which served as a minimum recommended standard for cycling on British Roads. It

has now been superseded by the National Standards for Cycle Training also known as Bikeablity.

These Government schemes are recommended, but not compulsory, and therein lays the problem. It is

ludicrous that anyone can jump on a Boris bike without head protection, some form of insurance, an eye

or proficiency test or without having been asked questions on the Highway Code. Yet they can jump

onto the bike and wobble all the way along the highway, in and out of the traffic.

It’s rich when we motorists are told that we must educate ourselves to the needs and safety

Call Sign October 2013

Page 25

DaC driver Sean Farrell (B39) looks at trade history from a different angle

The Brethren of the Whip

Wary of Lady Waring...

Lady Waring was

the cabdriver, John Atkins, what he

There was then another cabman in

always using cabs.

claimed and she left the court to get some

court that same day. George Ager

She was a very

money - but she did not return. The case

claimed £1 18s 2d for two days hire.

busy woman and

was adjourned until the following Friday

Pattison, also representing Ager, stated

would be on the

and still Lady Waring was not present. As

that he was in fact owed £2 0s 6d but had

go from 9:30am to

Atkins stood up to give his case, Waring

not brought the earlier claim to the court

7:30pm.

She

rushed into court and told her solicitor

within the required seven days.

would

travel

that she was willing to settle up with

Lady Waring eventually returned to

around London

Atkins. The two parties retired to a sepa-

court, reluctantly paying the fine for

using the same dri-

rate room and Atkins later returned to the

bilking Atkins. Even more reluctantly

ver all day. She

court - minus Lady Waring.

she later paid what she owed Ager as

would have been quite popular with the

“Where is she,” enquired the magistrate?

well as his costs.

cab trade in 1900 - if only she paid her

“Playing about outside,” replied Atkins’

The following month Lady Waring was

fares!

solicitor, Mr Pattinson. The warrant offi-

back before the same magistrate. She was

The first cabman to raise her ire was

cer stated that she’d gone to get change,

remanded for having obtained goods by

Frederick Roberts. On May 23rd he had

the same excuse she had given previously.

deception. At her subsequent trial it was

taken her to various locations in Covent

This led Pattison to remark: “She has

found that her bank account held 2d,

Garden and to Gresham Street, before

been getting change all week!”

instead of the £10,000 she claimed. She

returning her back home to 48 Upper

Atkins gave his evidence without Lady

owed money for her lodgings, 45 cheques

Bedford Place. She offered him 1s 6d (7

Waring being present. He had driven her

had bounced and she was not even a

p) but he demanded an extra 1s 2d (6p).

around London for

41/2

hours and

Lady!

Roberts summonsed her for the outstand-

charged her 10s 8d. Waring only offered

Gertrude Waring, a seamstress from

ing amount and gave the magistrate his

to pay him 8s 6d. He said that he would

Bayswater and recently released from a

version of events. Lady Waring replied

take that on account but Lady Waring flew

mental asylum without being declared

that Roberts was “half-boozed, screwed

into a rage.

sane, was found not guilty of the theft of

and insulting…” She denied even getting

“Unconditionally, unconditionally,”

jewels as the prosecutor had apparently

out of the cab at all in Gresham Street.

had an intimate relationship with her and

she demanded while damn you was her

Roberts replied he had waited 10 minutes

must have realised she was as mad as the

reply when Atkins refused to agree to her

there.

proverbial hatter...!

terms. The magistrate found for Atkins

“Oh you shocking liar,” replied Lady

and ordered her to pay the 10s 8d plus

Waring, “You ought to be prosecuted

Sean Farrell (B39)

13s costs. But the day was not quite over

for perjury. You are a dreadful man. I

for Lady Waring...

Call Sign Online

am a teetotaller and he was drunk.”

Roberts denied that he’d had too much to

drink - but not that he’d had some drink.

The magistrate advised that for 5s (25p)

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

each, they could have the ground mea-

sured. Lady Waring slammed her two half-

crowns onto the table.

376 Strand, WC2

“Yes I will have it measured for the

fun of the thing. I hate to be bullied by

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

these fellows.”

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

As it was the time and not the distance

that was in dispute, the magistrate sug-

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

gested that time flies rapidly when two

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

women are talking to each other.

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

“That may apply to some ladies, but I

am like lightning,” the lady responded.

The magistrate then pointed out that

We are certain that you will be delighted

she could not be seen as quick as she

claimed, she again reiterated her light-

ning speed claiming:

“I make them all come out to me -

even bank clerks!”

When he stopped laughing, the magis-

trate suggested she did not waste her

money having the ground measured and

that she should just pay Roberts. This she

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

did and was fined 8s (40p) costs and had

Salieri Restaurant

to pay Roberts 5s (25p) for his loss of

earnings.

376 Strand, WC2

Two months later, in August 1900, Lady

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

Waring was back in court again. Before

the case came to court, she agreed to pay

Call Sign October 2013

Page 26

Most Dial-a-Cab drivers are aware of the

scams involved when being sent emails

from people you know but which just give a

website. By clicking on it, you are risking

the contents of your mailbox. Other emails

“Scam and a half!”

claim you are the beneficiary of a ridicu-

lously obscene amount - perhaps akin to

several £million or more. Eventually, after a

friendly exchange, you will be required to

give out your bank details to have the

money transferred into. That will usually be

the last time you see your own savings, let

alone the £millions!

There are also been many begging letters,

usually from a sad lady in Africa with an

incurable disease who needs a donation in

order to feed her children. She should con-

sider selling her PC perhaps! But these beg-

ging letters have now taken on a new look.

They are apparently sent by people you

know. As an example, Call Sign’s Bob

Woodford recently sent this email to the

Editor. Needless to say it wasn’t Bob, but it

had his email address on it. He “wrote;”

“I'm writing this with tears in my eyes,

my family and I came

over here to Manil

Philippines, for a shor

vacation. Unfortunately

Bob Woodford (inset) hasn't even been to the Philippines!

we were mugged at th

promise to refund it in full

order in your store and would like to know

park of the hotel wher

as soon as I return. Let me

if you ship to the Philippines. Do you have

we stayed, all cash and

now if you can be of any

credit card facilities? Get back to me with

credit cards were stolen

ssistance.

your website. I will await your prompt

from us but luckily we

still have our passports

Asking for the amount in $

response.”

somewhat confirmed what

‘Eric’ didn’t mention the email that claims

with us.

we already knew. It was a scam and no

you have won the Canadian lottery first

We've been to the Embassy and the

doubt once anyone pays into the account

prize of $10million even though you never

police here but they're not helping issues

they will send details of, your bank details

bought a ticket! Send them your bank

at all and our flight leaves in few hours

will become known and suddenly shrink. As

details anyway and they’ll pay it in! Honest!

from now, but we're having problems

Bob Woodford put it; this is a scam and a

We think you get our drift. And beware of

settling the hotel bills and the hotel man-

half and he was now never going to the

anything to do with the Philippines...

ager won't let us leave until we settle

Philippines on holiday!

them. Well, I really need your financial

Perhaps Bob knows “Eric Anderson”

Michael Toomey

assistance please. Let me know if you

can help us out? Am freaked out at the

who wrote to Call Sign: “I want to place an

Call Sign Online

moment.” Robert

For a brief moment, we wondered if it

could be genuine, after all, it came from

Bob - until we looked at the email address

and noticed a slight difference. Then just

one day on and another email arrived from

a different driver. Because we couldn’t con-

tact this driver, we are keeping his name

secret.

“I really hope you get this fast. I could

EARLY TREATMENT MEANS SPEEDY RECOVERY

not inform anyone about our trip,

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

because it was impromptu. We had to be

in the Philippines for a tour. The pro-

gram was successful, but our journey

The Centre offers fully qualified therapists in Physiotherapy,

has turned sour. We misplaced our wal-

Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Remedial

let and cell phone on our way back to the

Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherm, Massage Therapy,

hotel we lodge in after we went for some

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

sightseeing. The wallet contained all the

valuables we had. Now our passport is

Call us on 020 8507 8169

in custody of the hotel management

pending when we make payment.

or mobile 07973 639 473 for an early appointment

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

I am sorry if I am inconveniencing

you, but I have only very few people to

Out of hours enquiries welcome

run to now. I will be indeed very grateful

if I can get a short term loan from you

Barking Physical Therapy Centre

($1,950). This will enable me to sort our

90 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8SF

hotel bills and get my sorry self back

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

home. I will really appreciate whatever

www.bptconline.co.uk

you can afford in assisting me with. I

Call Sign October 2013

Page 27

Most Dial-a-Cab drivers will know of G4S - not

surprising, perhaps, as they are the largest secu-

rity company in the world. They have also prob-

Does honesty pay???

ably lost more money in the last 12-month peri-

od than any other security company has ever

Don’t ask DaC’s Paul Charters because you may

managed to do before.

It made a name by being given the London

not like the answer..

2012 security contract, only to announce before

the Games that they couldn’t provide enough

coverage, resulting in the British army having to

go in to make up the difference. That alone

resulted in G4S suffering a £70million loss in

addition to a further

£18million that they

claimed was due to charitable donations, exter-

nal fees and sponsorship costs.

Then in July, an audit discovered that the

global security firm had been overcharging for

electronic tagging of UK criminals, for which it

had a contract.

In order to help balance their books and cut

the debt, G4S has announced plans for a new

shares issue and says it will sell off some divi-

sions. But nowhere do their problems mention

Dial-a-Cab driver Paul Charters (J08) helping

them to recoup some of their losses! Yet Paul’s

story seems to suggest that G4S will be looking

to recoup funds from any source!

The original incident between Paul’s taxi

and a G4S security van occurred on 30

G4S are said to have lost £70million on London 2012. Is that why Paul 'copped' it?

January at Canary Wharf outside a DaC

meeting around two weeks later with the same

comfortably completed in 30 minutes.

account client’s premises, when the two

vehicles touched. Both Paul and the female

G4S driver.

“That,” alleged Paul, “always assumes that the

G4S driver agreed that there had been no

It was 10 July and Paul immediately recog-

damage actually exists in the first place.”

damage. Paul has been a London taxi dri-

nised the driver of the G4S vehicle parked out-

As with most small claims, insurance companies

ver for 22 years with not one fault accident

side the JPM building. He asked the driver why

will find it easier just to pay out than spend

in that time. But Paul told Call Sign that had

she had claimed there was damage caused by

man-hours investigating a case that would cost

there been even a minimal amount of dam-

the taxi when there patently wasn’t. The driver

them more than the actual claim. But where

age, he would have held his hands up

swore - but not at Paul. She said she couldn't

does that leave the driver and his no claims

because he believes in being honest.

believe the company had done that after she had

bonus? Probably in the same position that Paul

Then on 24 June, Paul received notification of

told G4S in her report of a touch, but had added

found himself.

a £240 claim for damage to one of their security

there was no damage.

In the end, Paul decided to pay the £240

vehicles by G4S. It also happened to be the date

Another two weeks on (25 July) and insur-

and get a letter from the insurance company

his insurance renewal came through. That was

ance company WNS informed Paul they had

to guarantee that his no claim bonus would

followed several days later by a notification from

paid out after he had expressly asked them not

be unaffected.

his insurance company of a £500 ‘late reporting’

to, because he was prepared to fight the case

“I couldn’t see what else I could do,” a disap-

fine, which after Paul complained, was dropped

and even pay for his own defence. WNS’ only

pointed Paul told Call Sign, “other than to just

£200 before finally being cancelled when

response was that Paul could reimburse them in

put it down to experience. Hopefully that expe-

Paul told the insurance company about a chance

order to save his no claims.

rience might help another Dial-a-Cab driver

On 26 July this year, an independent garage

avoid a similar occurrence.

told Paul after being shown photos of the

“Some time after, I was told unofficially by

alleged G4S damage, that there was no evidence

someone at the insurance company that I

in the security company’s pics to prove damage

should have just denied being involved and

to the van’s T-bar. G4S had submitted a claim for

then I wouldn’t have had to pay. But I was

a replacement T-bar cap at £30. According to

always brought up to tell the truth. Sadly in life,

Paul, two can be bought for £10.92. There was

not everyone follows that mantra...”

also a claim for 2 hours 40 mins labour when

Jamie Corum

the independent garage said the work should be

Call Sign Online

THE CALL SIGN INTERNET LIBRARY

Want to look up something in

an old issue of Call Sign?

Don’t want to spend hours looking through old issues?

There is a simple answer - the Call Sign Internet Library!

Log on to www.dac-callsign.co.uk or on to www.dac-callsi

Then either browse through every issue of Call Sign since

1998 by using the Search facility or type in a clue and let

our search engine do the rest…

If you want to read each complete issue with ads et al, you can now do that as

well. Since May 2006, Call Sign has also gone online in a PDF version. Just click

the PDF logo. No search facility for that though!

There are also issues from 1967, 1977 and 1987 as a reminder of the old days!

Happy searching!

THE CALL SIGN INTERNET LIBRARY

Call Sign October 2013

Page 28

Worshipful Company of

MAGICAL TAXI TOUR

n 20 September, a hundred licensed London taxis made their way to Canary Wharf for the 20th anniversary of the Children's

Magical Taxi Tour to Disneyland Paris.

The trip is funded via various charity events such as the Company’s Christmas Gala Ball, which raised around £2500, together with substantial

donations from both within and outside of the trade.

Added together, it meant that around 200 children, many of whom suffer with life-threatening illnesses and along with their carers,

parents and a team of medics, got to go on a memorable weekend to the Disneyland Resort theme park in Paris.

Many of the volunteer drivers and organisers were from Dial-a-Cab, but in this case that comes second to the brilliant job they all do as the

children have the weekend of their lives.

And so it was that following the traditional ‘Big Breakfast’ at Canary Wharf's East Wintergarden, the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Roger

Gifford praised the work of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers and then cut the red ribbon to send the convoy off for that

amazing weekend with Mickey Mouse and friends - and judging by the smiles on the faces of the 200 children on their return, it was exactly

that... amazing!

DaC driver and former Master of the Company, Jim Rainbird (T55) told Call Sign:

“It was an absolutely brilliant weekend. The children’s smiles said it all and made all the work involved worth it. It’s also just amazing

to think that this is the twentieth Disney trip.”

Just look at the photos and you will see what Jim means...

Photos: Sandie Goodwin

Call Sign October 2013

Page 30

COMPLIANCE OFFICER’S REPORT

Our run-ins are there to help you arrive on

per cent premium to do so on other trips car-

time, but please remember that the maxi-

ried out for App organisations (and while

mum should not be above £4.20 at the

showing our door logos), yet push the

booked time or on arrival when on an ASAP

boundaries on genuine DaC trips that offer

trip. The run-ins are captured on all trips and

you, the members, so much more.

appear on in-house reports, but more impor-

As I said at the beginning, there is an awful

tantly, they are shown on client’s invoices.

lot of competition out there and we need to

Showing amounts that exceed the agreed

show that cheapest is rarely the best, so

sum causes a major problem, especially if the

please play your part.

figure is excessive.

Society logos

So please can I remind you once again

Finally, can I please remind you that it is a

that you must adjust the meter according-

procedure rule that the Society door logos

ly and if the figure on the meter is higher

must be shown at all times. It is the Dial-a-

than the permitted run-in amount, then

Cab branding, many people recognise it and

reducing the final fare at the end of the

together with the members that are carrying

Ladies & Gents,

trip is an obvious no-no and the only cor-

the ‘superside’ ads, they are both there for a

rect way is to restart the meter.

reason - to be seen out there in the work

Can I also impress on you that the arrival

Providing a service...

place and to generate additional work.

button must be pressed outside the pick-up

I have mentioned many times previously that

I have to say it yet again; there is now so

location and not half a mile away if you reach

in a hugely competitive market such as ours,

much competition and we must all do our bit

it is imperative that we provide a service that

the £4.20 at that point. I’m sure you get my

to help keep our share in a demanding and

drift and that I do not have to spell it out.

is second to none.

cost conscious market place. Our service is

There are services out there that now offer

This is a cause for concern and will be moni-

still the best but we continually have to prove

a cheap comparison at the expense of the dri-

tored very closely by the Control Centre in

it!

vers, but if you compare what we at Dial-a-

what we hope will be a busy run-up to the

Be very lucky and drive safely...

Cab offer as an overall package for driver and

festive season.

client, you are certainly not comparing

It really does seem so strange that drivers

Allan Evans

apples with apples.

are happy to have no-run ins and pay a ten

DaC Compliance Officer

Airport taxi

TX4 hits Australia!

fiddle...

Dozens of special-edition TX4

*That’s Dulles Airport

‘black’ taxis are set to roll onto

Australian roads - but they won't

Washington DC!

be black!

The first distinctive consign-

Other than about the actual taxi, Call

ment of London-style cabs, all

Sign doesn’t usually report on other

painted white, arrived at

countries individual taxi business, but this

Fremantle port recently having

story caught our attention because going

been imported from the Geely

back to the early days of London taxi

factory in Shanghai, China. They

radio circuits, some drivers suspected that

are now set to be trialled in Oz

there was too much risk of hanky panky!

over the coming months in a

But those suspicions were some 40 years

bid to convince local authorities

ago and probably untrue anyway - cer-

around the country to purchase

tainly on Dial-a-Cab.

fleets of the world’s most famous

But now in 2013, a former manager of

purpose-built taxi.

a taxi company serving Dulles

Evan Simeon, chief executive of the Australian London Taxi Company, which

International Airport outside Washington

imported the vehicles, said they were in negotiations with various states to see where the

DC, has been sentenced to a year in

cabs would be trialled.

prison for taking bribes from cabbies

“When you have a look at the majority of taxis in Australia, they are converted sedan cars

wanting to work at the airport.

which were not built to be cabs and so are not fit for purpose. We will do our due diligence

Arthur Boulette was sentenced to the

- as will the Australian States and hopefully these taxis will be out on the road somewhere

twelve months after pleading guilty to

soon.”

accepting $106,000 in bribes from drivers

These TX4s include beefed-up air conditioning, bigger batteries and radiators, together

who wanted to work on the potentially

with larger alternators. They have been in use in the Middle East for several years.

lucrative airport routes.

In a report into the Victoria State taxi industry, it was recommended London-style black

Boulette was general manager, over-

cabs be allowed to operate in the State, with the government suggesting it might give 50

seeing some 700 cabbies for Dulles Taxi

taxi permit holders a subsidy of A$20,000 each to buy one.

Systems, one of three contractors that

Meanwhile, the Western Australia government is about to embark on a four-year trial of

has a deal with the airport authority to

purpose-built taxis in Perth, with expressions of interest from vehicle companies having

operate cabs at Dulles under the

closed last month.

Washington Flyer name.

“I am going to presume that some of those taxis on the wharf are destined for Perth and

Cabbies looking for a contract to work

let us presume some of them go elsewhere too,” Olwyn Williams, head of the WA Taxi

Dulles paid bribes of $2,000 to $7,000.

Council said.

Boulette said he turned down bribes for

It has certainly been an astonishing year for Geely and the London Taxi Company...

years before acquiescing starting in 2009.

Call Sign October 2013

Page 31

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at Dial-

finances as we are paying Members every

week instead of fortnightly and I can

a-Cab House

assure you that payments to Members far

or email us at

exceed income from subscriptions. I can

callsignmag@aol.com

also assure you there was only one rea-

son we did it, much to the dismay of the

Weekly payments

Finance department, and that is because

Dear Editor,

we felt it was of benefit to Members!

I write to ask who benefits from the decision

saying that security had refused to accept

Regarding the roller bond, as you

to pay credits weekly instead of over a

know it was originally introduced to

their licenses and suggested that they go

longer period. I can see why the Society

finance payments to Members and it is

“over the road to the post office,” I

haven’t heard of rudeness before. I sus-

benefits from subscriptions being collected

popular with Members as a way of saving

pect you went on a bad day when their

more frequently and the effect

for January and July and yes, even holi-

wives/partners had forgotten to pack

this has upon the cash flow, but where is the

days. You would be very surprised at

their yoghurt with their crisps and sand-

benefit to the actual driver and majority

how many Members actually pay more

wich! ...Ed

share owner? In my case, the downside is a

than the minimum amount into their

cluttered inbox, the need to print off more

roller bond, but I suppose we could abol-

often and in particular the daunting

ish it and have an equipment bond that

Dream Villas

prospect of being in debt to the Society

would only be repaid to Members when

Hello Call Sign

more often than not over these particular

they leave!

My husband is Charlie Goddard (B49). He

Jon, it was lovely to see you the other

has been a member of Dial-a-Cab for many

week, although under very sad circum-

months. Aside from which, if the Society can

years and I always read his copy of Call Sign

stances. Anyway, I hope you will think

afford to pay drivers weekly, why is the roller

with great interest, so I thought I would

my answer is coherent enough and that I

bond still stuck at £1000, instead of say

write to you following our holiday in Florida

have

‘assuaged’ any misgivings you

£250? For my part, going back to monthly

in July/August. I have often seen the Dial-a-

might have had!

payments allowed for time off for holidays

Dream ad for their ‘Dream Villas’ in Call

and low rates of credit work to even them-

Sign so this year we decided to rent the 4-

selves out - although I would settle for a

Palestra and

bedroomed villa for 3 weeks for our family

subs sabbatical for August next year out of

holiday.

profits! A coherent answer might assuage my

licensing

We booked the villa in January 2013 and

misgivings...

Hi Alan

Bob Heath (Ex-F44) and his wife Jacqui

Jon Tremlett (Y32)

I still find it hard to believe the story I’m

could not have been more helpful. They

Brian Rice replies: Jon, you have been

sending to Call Sign because it is just so

took care of the car hire for us and sorted

around long enough to remember the

ludicrous. My taxi driver’s licence was due

out any queries that we had, both prior to

unprofessional way in which Dial-a-Cab

to expire and I had the completed form and

and during the holiday.

used to pay Members; some were paid

rather expensive cheque ready to post. But I

The 4-bedroomed villa exceeded all our

weekly, others fortnightly and some

was passing Palestra at Blackfriars and as it

expectations! We had our own pool and a

monthly, some were paid by BACS into

was coming up to a Bank Holiday weekend,

games room for our 7 year old grandson

their bank account while some were

it made more sense to quickly drop it off

that included a full sized pool table! The

even paid by cheque which they then

rather than to risk the post. So I stopped,

villa was equipped with everything you

cashed at a nominated bank. As you can

went in and told security that I just wanted

could wish for - I do not think there was any-

imagine, it was a nightmare but over the

to drop my completed application off.

thing overlooked. The cleanliness and main-

years and step by step, we tidied the sys-

You’d have thought I had insulted them

tenance of the villa was first class - it was

tem up so that everyone was paid fort-

and their families because of the sheer rude-

everything we could have wished for and

nightly by BACS. There were complaints

ness in their responses to me. Had they just

more. It was also very close to the Disney

from some Members and even a petition

said they were sorry, but they couldn’t

Parks with great access to supermarkets,

by other Members to go to weekly pay-

accept it for whatever reason, then I would

shopping malls etc and also some very good

ments. We persevered with the fortnight-

have had to accept that. But no; they let me

restaurants. My husband, myself, my daugh-

ly payments in an attempt to streamline

know in no uncertain terms that they would-

ter and her partner and most of all, our 7

our Finance department and with some

n’t accept my envelope, that I had no right

year old grandson Charlie, really did have

success. I can assure you, Jon, it would be

being there or daring to ask them to accept

the dream holiday. It was a real wrench to

better for the Finance department to

it.

leave the beautiful villa and come home and

retain the status quo as they would only

Is it stupid or is it stupid that we are con-

we all hope to go back again someday.

be doing two payment runs a month

trolled from a nice looking, multi-storey

I cannot recommend Dial-a-Dream highly

instead of four!

office block in the City who send us

enough - the work they do for sick children

There was just one reason why we

reminders to renew our licenses, but who

is extraordinary and if you are considering a

decided to go back to weekly payments

won’t accept them when we want to drop

villa holiday in Florida, please look at the

and that was to ease any cash flow prob-

them off personally with the obvious safety

advert which runs in Call Sign each

lems Members might have. Our Finance

factor attached! They seem to consider it

month. Having experienced the dream first

department was against it as it obviously

safer for us to post it with the possibility of

hand, I would urge anyone to choose one of

entailed more work for them. But we are

it going astray.

these villas for your holiday experience.

also very keen to promote the use of

I really thought that the old days of ‘them’

Barbara Goddard (Mrs B49)

credit cards and felt that by paying

and ‘us’ had gone. Obviously I was wrong...

Thanks for taking the time to write

Members weekly, it might encourage

Mark Tiller (K90)

Barbara. The last I heard, there were

them to cover more credit card work as

Dems the rules Mark! However, while it

three villas available for renting - a two

they would be paid quicker!

certainly isn’t ‘them’ and ‘us’ anymore,

bedroom (+2 bathrooms), four bedroom

So Jon, you are not correct when you

there are some decisions that seem

(+2 bathrooms) and a six bedroom (+5

say weekly payments will benefit the

rather silly and this is one of them.

bathrooms) villa. All are close to the

Society because subs are collected more

However, while Call Sign has had several

Disneyland theme park, golf courses and

frequently, it is more of a burden on our

complaints from drivers in recent years

restaurants etc. These beautiful homes

Call Sign October 2013

Page 32

Mailshot

tuities, but that he had explained to them

continued from page 31

that these were needed in order to encour-

age drivers to give the high standard clients

are owned outright by the Dial-a-Dream

they currently get. The obvious reasons

charity, which originated many years

clients mention it is because they can see

ago at the offices of DaC by Tom

other circuits / apps now offering free pick-

Whitbread and Bob Heath after a group

ups, free waiting and no gratuities etc. But

of children were heard to have been

getting out on the cab gives you a different

badly let down by another charity.

have suggested we get rid of the station

perspective of how things are out on the

Dial-a-Dream makes wishes come true

and theatre charges to make us more

road. I wonder what the BoM would think if

for children with life-threatening illness-

competitive! Enough said! As for the rest

they sat on any rank for any length of time,

es and when not being utilised by the

of your letter, you should also see the

even when you are booked into a zone at

charity, the three villas are rented out at

Chairman’s response to Richard

number one for over 30 minutes and still

very reasonable and competitive rates.

Barford’s letter below ...Ed

not get offered a job.

They advertise in every issue of Call Sign

So once again I say that the waiting time

but as you are already on this page (!!!)

and tips should be removed as well as the

then to make an inquiry about renting

Hailo and DaC

surcharge we charge for stations and the-

one of the villas, call Jacqui now on 020-

Dear Call Sign

atres. We are supposed to be the number

8530-5589 and she will give you any

Just read Brian Rice’s article with regards to

one circuit, but things have changed - espe-

details you may want. I’ve heard they are

tendering in the September Call Sign. DaC

cially when you get Hailo and now another

nothing less than fabulous

…Ed

are in a very difficult position due to Hailo

taxi circuit offering no run-ins, no gratuities

and I agree with Alan Fisher’s Editorial,

and free waiting times - so you are left just

Hailo is not good for our trade. I must be

New terminals

sitting there. I know some drivers say we

honest and say that like most drivers I have

shouldn’t drop the charges I have men-

Dear Alan

downloaded it, but you soon get to realise

My poor ears can't take much more of the

tioned above, but if you don’t get work, you

you don't get that many decent trips on it. I

can’t save. One idea which I also don’t think

bleeping from our new state of the art

worked one particular Sunday where I had

machine! Do I really need to know every

will go down well is to offer discounts to

completed five Hailo jobs for £30 - an aver-

account clients who guarantee to spend a

time when the signal drops and returns? Yet

age of £6 a job and on top of that I had to

the main sound I'm interested in is when

minimum amount. Perhaps we could offer

give Hailo £3. What's that all about!

them 5 percent off their service’s charge?

there is a job and that is so quiet I normally

People say that HAILO is winning work

find I'm booked off unless I happen to be

I don’t profess to have a business mind,

back from Addison Lee. I disagree. When I

but any sort of offer to encourage more use

looking directly at the screen. I know there

tried it out, the majority of the jobs were

is a volume control, but you need to keep it

of accounts, could mean we would get more

local, so of course it makes sense to order a

work...

high so that you have half a chance of hear-

Hailo taxi rather than an A/L with their min-

ing a job. And it's hit or miss when you do a

Ivor Belkin (C97)

imum fare of £11 as oppose to £5 with

Thanks Ivor, see the letter below and

cash or account ride; the computer can't tell

Hailo.

your meter is on so POB will not work or

Brian Rice’s view in response to Richard

I remember writing an article once before

Barford ...Ed

you can find you’re being offered a job

saying how hard it must be for DaC’s sales

when miles out of the zone with a cash fare

team and with the new apps, it’s probably

on board. I'm sure that with time this will all

Why???

even harder. But I think we have to listen to

be sorted out, but it's a shame more testing

Why is it I never get a job with a premium?

our customers. It's ok saying what we want,

wasn't done. I’m sure most drivers won’t

Why is it when I pick up from a theatre or

but if they’re not prepared to pay for that

worry about a few things not being quite

station it says this account does not carry a

service then we won't have any customers.

right at the start, but not to be able to hear

surcharge? Why is it my TX4 engine blew up

I'm sure that when work is busy, Hailo can-

the jobs is the big problem. Hopefully, it's

not once, but twice? Can you answer or

not and will not be able to cover their work.

only a software thing and can be sorted. I

agree with me that I’m just bloody unlucky!

We cannot offer our clients a no run- in,

must say that the screen is now much better

On a more serious note; I read the

especially during the mornings as work will

in sunlight.

Chairman’s report re accounts now request-

just not get covered, that is the reality. What

One thing I can’t understand is why my

ing no run-ins and a free five minutes wait-

I propose is going back to our clients and

O2 phone seems to have a much better cov-

ing before engaging the meter.

saying that when we pick up at the account

erage than our system. Between South

Unfortunately, in the present economic cli-

address, we will only start the meter at the

Woodford and Chingford there is no recep-

mate they call the tune so we have to make

pre-booked time or when we have been

tion in a distance of about 3miles - not that

best of a bad deal. Hopefully we will not go

informed via Advise Arrival that the passen-

I need it there - but I have to sign off early or

down that road, but if we have to then it

ger is coming down on an ASAP. We could

press the off button, which can clear the

should apply to ASAP trips only and only

also reduce our lead times for the city to 10

data and I would then have to go back to

from the account address.

minutes and I would say to 5 minutes in

Roman Way.

Hailo, as I understand it, do not accept

Canary Wharf. At least this gives them some-

Steven Bryant (Y41)

bookings so why should we? It isn’t our fault

thing to think about. I don't think we can

Steven, read Brian Rice’s reply to Richard

that management at banks are totally inept

just sit back and say take it or leave it, espe-

Barford’s letter re signals. As for the vol-

and unprofessional. If they really knew what

cially as the way work is now. Yes, we might

ume, I have been told that the next

they were doing why did they need bailouts

lose £1.80 on every job that we do, but sure-

upgrade will include a volume control

that we have paid for once and now have got

ly it would be better to do that than lose our

for trip offers. Hope that makes your

to pay again?

two largest accounts, especially as I assume

ears feel better ...Ed

Stephen Field (F68)

they are both at the Wharf! I personally am

Hi Stephen, Have you thought that your

waiting longer on DaC to receive a job, so

Discounts...

woes may be nothing to do with luck, but

surely it's better to lose £1.80 than having to

Dear Alan

just that no one likes you! Naaah! You

wait longer for jobs. I'm sure statistically we

The Chairman said in his September Call

aren’t too bad so yes, it’s just bad luck

arrive at our pick up destination on average

Sign article that some of our clients are mak-

combined with good coverage! In addi-

7 minutes before pick up and with jobs with

ing demands of us such as no run-ins or gra-

tion, I’ve lost count at how many drivers

a 15 minute lead time it could even be

Call Sign October 2013

Page 33

Mailshot

encounter a problem is when a DaC liv-

continued from page 32

eried taxi does a cheap App ride, the cus-

tomer then believes if a driver is pre-

longer.

pared to run for nothing, wait five min-

Work is getting harder and quieter; for

utes for nothing for the App ride, why

those cab drivers that work in the Chelsea

won't he do that when he is working for

area, I'm sure they would have noticed the

DaC - it's the same driver and the same

16 seater pick-up coaches (GoGutsi) cruis-

cab?

ing along the kings road and picking up

Richard, I am also a little confused you

viable to remain on the circuit, this could be

clients. Look at their website to see the com-

the final straw.

state: I used to take a customer of ours

petitive prices that they charge!

to the airport every 2/3 weeks; he used

I am in no way an apologist for Hailo; we

I still find it frustrating that we cannot offer

both agree that their pricing structure

to go home every Friday. In August, after

our clients a fixed price taxi to the airport. I

driving around for about an hour with-

undermines the trade. My point is that we

know a few months back GetTaxi got a men-

should not go down the Hailo route, as this

out a job, I saw the customer getting into

tion in The Sun newspaper for offering this

a minicab going to the airport! I would

would be unfair to the driver and be detri-

service, wouldn't it have been nice if Dial-a-

mental to service levels as it would make

rather have a fixed price job going to

Cab had been given that free publicity. I

the airport than having to drive round

street work more attractive vis-à-vis the

used to take a customer of ours to the air-

empty for an hour!

port every 2/3 weeks; he used to go home

How did you manage that? Anyway, we

Mick Kennedy (M30)

every Friday. In August, after driving around

Hi Mick, you are agreeing with Brian Rice

won't dwell on that. But as you know,

for about an hour without a job, I saw the

when customers are going further afield

then when he argues that once you give

customer getting into a minicab going to the

they tend not to use a radio circuit or one

away gratuities etc then you will never

airport! I would rather have a fixed price job

of the Apps, they revert to the cheaper

get them back. Eventually you have noth-

going to the airport than having to drive

minicab. But I can get you fixed price

ing else to give and clients will start on

round

empty

for

hour!

minicab work to Heathrow. How about

the price. And that probably is the case.

I've just had the new terminal fitted, let me

London Wall to Heathrow for £36? Mind

As for your example, it really is an

just say one thing, I'm heading up to

you, if you wish to travel in an E class

extreme one - albeit the one most drivers

Scotland as by the sounds of it you’re able to

Mercedes, then that is an extra £3 - fancy

give me! The chances of you struggling

get a signal up there because you’re certain-

that? No, neither would I!

through traffic for ten minutes and still

ly not able to do that in London! I hope

Finally the signals. I am very disap-

having to wait another five before sett

things improve on that front, as losing the

pointed with the signals we receive from

ing the meter on isn’t likely to happen

signal is very frustrating, but I have faith that

O2; our biggest complaint from Members

too often.

the problem will be addressed very soon...

in the past was signals and I really

However, even though Brian has given

Richard Barford (R39)

believed that when we went to O2 every-

his view, the question still remains -

Brian Rice replies: I can't disagree with

thing would be resolved. However, I have

what if the only way to retain a huge

much of what you say, Richard, however

been in contact with the other two cir-

account is to get rid of gratuities or run-

there are one or two points! Starting the

cuits and they are experiencing exactly

ins or even both! I wouldn’t be surprised

meter at the pre-booked time? What

the same problems as us with O2 and we

to see one or both of the other circuits

about ASAP's? If the meter is started

are endeavouring to approach O2 from a

offer that in their tenders. Do we go all-

when the ‘passenger coming down’ mes-

united front.

out to retain the account or let it go as a

sage is received as you suggest and they

I would like to assure you that our IT

matter of principle? I have two points of

are on Aspect, that could be within sec-

department are doing everything they

view. The first one is that we do whatev-

onds, so ASAPs will become dearer than

can to address the problem. As a layman,

er we have to do in order to keep the

pre-booked trips and more clients will

I believe it might be something to do with

account and then there’s my second

start to pre-book, causing drivers to wait

O2 upgrading to 4G. We have tried many

point; after keeping the account, would I

even longer with no meter on. But the

avenues in an attempt to resolve our

want to cover a trip with no run-in, no

driver still has to run the same distance

problems, including altering timings on

gratuity, free waiting time and God

to get there?

our host computer and introducing new

knows what else? ...Ed

Reducing lead times on the

firmware on the test modems. Resolving

Island? Most of the work from there is

ASAP at night from the Rolling Ranks;

the signal issue is our number one main

Hailo and goodbye...

Members know where the work is com-

priority. I hope the signal was better in

Hi Alan

ing from so run-ins should be negligible

Scotland, Richard...!

I was on the point of the Kings Cross rank; a

anyway. I do not agree with scrapping

male passenger walked-up and gave me a

run-ins because the customer should pay

Don’t go down the

destination in Whitehall. When we got there

for a service and not the driver. If run-ins

he got out, said thank you and casually

are scrapped, then we will lose accounts

Hailo route...

walked off without paying as if he did it on a

through bad service and it will not really

Hi Alan

regular basis. I called after him and he

be bad service, it will be because the

No run in, five minutes free waiting time, no

promptly returned to the cab. He then paid

Member is not getting the right return

gratuities! So imagine that you have booked

me off and apologised saying that he was in

for his labours!

into a zone and waited 30 minutes to be

his “Hailo’ mode.” Later that same day I was

If the Apps cannot supply a taxi, then

offered a job, then you struggle through the

on the point of Marylebone Station when I

that's tough on the cash customer - try

traffic for 10 minutes to get to the pick-up

was hailed by the doorman at the Landmark

again later! Try telling an account cus-

point, then you are expected to wait anoth-

Hotel. Technically I was hired, so I set the

tomer we do not have a taxi available; it's

er 5 minutes before setting your meter. A

meter in motion as I pulled off the rank and

a totally different story. The Apps offer a

total of 45 minutes before earning a penny

swung around towards the hotel. But I was

cheap economy service at the driver’s

and paying annual subs of £1872 for the

delayed getting to the hotel door due to a

expense, whilst the radio circuits offer a

privilege! Would any job offered under these

bus and other traffic in the immediate area.

Business or Club Class service at the cus-

conditions be rejectable without penalty?

I finally arrived at the hotel, the doorman

tomer’s expense. The customer should

Would anyone accept them? I know that a

put the lady’s luggage into the cab and then

pay a little extra for that. Where we

lot of drivers are wondering whether it is

she got in but immediately asked in a curt

Call Sign October 2013

Page 34

Mailshot

continued from page 33

their problem and it is up to the rest of the

drivers who have done the full Knowledge

voice when I had started the meter? There

to sort that one out. My question however

was £3 showing and she suddenly bundled

refers to the

‘99’ zones on our circuit.

her suitcase back into the doorman’s arms

According to our own rules, they are physi-

and got out of the cab again mumbling

cal zones and we have to be in them, which

something about you don’t get this with

would usually mean that we are not within

Hailo! I decided that her decision to exit my

the MPD. Any thoughts on that?

taxi saved me from inviting her to get anoth-

On a similar vein, a Bishops Stortford cab

trying to find their way to the M4. Like

most things in life, you get what you pay

er cab. By now of course I had lost my point

driver recently set down a fare at neigh-

position on the rank and was also £3 worse

bouring Stansted Airport. As he was leaving

for ...Ed

off! If the travelling public want a profes-

the airport, he was pulled over by the police

sional, reliable taxi service they had better

and asked why he was not wearing a seat

Flashback column

start realising they can expect to pay the

belt. The driver explained that as a Hackney

Hi Alan,

appropriate rate!

Carriage driver he was exempt whilst work-

I was somewhat stunned to read Flashback

Alan Green (E52)

ing. The policeman replied that as he was

in September's Call Sign. I can't believe its 33

I must be honest and say that I wouldn’t

licensed for East Herts and the airport was

years since Johnny Thwaites' death! I well

have put my meter on until I got there in

in Uttlesford, he could not be said to be at

remember picking him up in the 1970's - in

case the passenger changed their mind

work as he was outside his area. Result was

Florence Street N1 if memory serves - to take

for whatever reason and I would then

three points on his licence.

him to work. He was a real character and Alf

have booked myself off the DaC zone I

Sean Farrell (B39)

Townsend’s article reminded me of

was in. But the main point shows the

Hi Sean, an interesting letter. I believe

Johnny's despatching

all those famous

damage that Hailo has already caused by

that Yellow badges are allowed to pick up

names he used and woe betide anyone giv-

making drivers work at cut price rates.

outside of their sector providing they are

ing a false position. Even Alf Townsend's

They now expect us all to do it.

IN their sector when accepting a trip. As

name itself made me think. Having enjoyed

Amazingly, their poor coverage doesn’t

for our zones, you can be in a back-up

his columns for years, I often wondered if

seem to have made too much difference

zone providing you can reach the fur-

our paths would cross, maybe on a multi-

to them. Passengers don’t moan when

thest part of the primary zone within 15

cab job, but he left DaC before they ever did.

they get a cab coming to pick them up at

minutes. But outside of the Met, you

Multi-cab jobs themselves are a rarity - when

their front door charging even less than

could only pick up a radio job.

were you last given a choice of jobs? Neither

Addy Lee ...Ed

As for seatbelts, we are supposed to

do I recognise most drivers these days.

wear them when not working - not work-

Perhaps there is a higher turnover of drivers

Battle of the batteries 1

ing including any time when you are out

than in the old days.

Hi Alan

of your area and out of radio control,

The Flashback column does stir those lit-

Just read the letter from David Lessman

even travelling to and from your home.

tle grey cells...

(D19) in the September Call Sign, but I'm

In theory, you could be in Dundee and

Alasdair Kay (C47)

afraid his battery life record of six years and

with the new terminal be booked into

Pleased you enjoyed it Alasdair. Johnny

two months is beatable. I had to change

NN99, but according to LTPH you would

Thwaites certainly was a one-off, espe-

mine after six years and four months! Surely

be out of your licensing area and unless

cially considering his amazing knowl-

that is unbeatable? Keep up the good work

you had a passenger, would need to wear

edge of London streets and that he had

sir...

your seatbelt

never driven a cab in his life! ...Ed

Alan drew (L33)

Thanks Alan, er, surely no one can beat

Heathrow trips...

Vito numbers

that! Who am I kidding! ...Ed

Alan

Dear Alan

I have been told that there is a company

How excited was I to see in the September

Battle of the batteries 2

called London Airport Transport that is

Call Sign the number of trips undertaken in

under-cutting everyone. Heathrow trips

the first three weeks of July by Vitos. It may

Hi Alan

Re David Lessman’s

(D19) letter in

have dried up...

have been hot then, but July is quiet overall

David Heath (Ex-W27)

so can a Board Member tell we poor drivers

September’s Mailshot in which he said he

beat your taxi’s battery life of almost five

Hi David, this summer must have been a

that don’t own a Vito how many trips are

brilliant one to live in Brighton! As for

requested annually for this vehicle? I esti-

years with one lasting six years and two

months; well I still have my original TX4 bat-

London Airport Transport, put that into

mate the figure as being between five and

Google and 1001 companies come up all

ten thousand and by having a Vito attribute,

tery after six years, six months and two days!

Is this a record?

offering cheap prices with their own

the Board has created a two-tier system. The

chart where you can enter details of your

Vito taxi is already covered by the 6 seater

Terry Meares (M63)

This is Dial-a-Cab mate! There will always

pick-up point, destination and calendar. I

attribute, so why do they need their own

put in Islington to Heathrow (T1) for a

one and as I understand from one Board

be someone who beats it! What I’m look-

ing for is someone who still has a

Monday and the average price was

Member that there are no attributes left to

between £40 and £50 depending on

allocate one for the Nissan NV200 when

Beardmore with its original battery and

the bag the cab came in! ...Ed

which car I wanted. So no, I don’t think

that vehicle finally comes out. If the Board is

that if this new company exists, it would

happy with this two-tier system, perhaps we

make any difference to the licensed taxi

could have a two-tier system for subscrip-

business. They’d be competing against

tions to make it fairer for non-Vito drivers.

Hackney Carriage

other minicab companies because those

My next gripe is one I’ve moaned about

rules

using us do so because they want a taxi

before regarding lead times being too long.

Hi Alan,

and not a minicab. Nowadays, very few

In reply to a previous letter in the December

I've read in back issues of Call Sign that

minicab outfits bother comparing their

2010 Call Sign, Keith Cain stated that lead

Yellow badges have to be in their own licens-

prices to ours. However, I still hear

times would be monitored and changed

ing area to be allowed to pick up a radio job.

reports of minicab drivers not turning

when needed; well in nearly three years I

How ComCab and Mountview police this is

up and if they do arrive, getting lost in

haven’t seen them change once. With three

Call Sign October 2013

Page 35

Mailshot

continued from page 34

was one of our earliest account holders. I

told him I'd seen him play football (he was a

meter rises in that time and a further down-

good player) at Ilford FC in about 1962 for

turn in work, waiting time before starting

what was known as the ''Showbiz XI'' , and

the meter has increased, so drivers spend

after fifty years of a career of the very highest

more of their time earning nothing. I believe

profile, not only did he remember the game

lead times should be reduced by a third

but named the team! I told him he'd missed

across the board, perhaps for a trial period

a trick with a memory like that and that he

and I’m sure coverage would improve.

vers for ever and a day! Obviously you want

should have done the knowledge!

Barry Spear (Y16)

RIP Sir David.

to focus on the safety of cyclists because it

See Keith Cain’s response on page 15 of

is your particular obsession right now, but

John Addis (K97)

this issue ...Ed

it is not just about the safety of cyclists; it is

I agree John and had already written a

also about the safety of pedestrians, other

piece on my Editorial page ...Ed

motorists and the financial impact of a door

Stansted set-down

being smashed by an oncoming vehicle to

Hello Alan

Taxi stickers

the taxi driver concerned who has to foot

Lucky for me I got a Stansted Airport from

Hello Alan

the bill and lose a considerable chunk of his

town recently but hadn't been there for a

I received my ‘think bike’ sticker from the

No Claim Bonus. All because of an ignorant

while and couldn’t find anywhere to drop

Mayor’s office. There is now only one win-

and selfish passenger, of which there are

my passenger off. So I had to use the

dow left in my cab before every single one

many.

Express drop off, for which they charge you

has a message of some kind on it! So I won-

Forgive me, but I am a little bit sceptical

£2. Are they for real, as the free drop off is 2

der what that last one will be? Perhaps it

as to the effectiveness of a little sign on the

miles away and you have to get a coach

could be one to say that passengers should-

door suggesting to passengers that it might

back! How long before they start charging at

n’t forget their belongings as there are no

be a good idea if they think about bikes

LAP?

police stations left open in which the cabbie

before they launch themselves out of the

Also, having dropped off at LCA in the

can deposit lost property!

offside of a taxi, which is what they usually

morning recently, the marshal approached

Jon Robinson (E88)

do in their haste to get to wherever it is

me and asked if I would do an Excel East job

So long as you aren’t being sarrcy Jon!

for him. Funny in that he never offers me the

they are going. In my experience, passen-

...Ed

gers do not take any notice whatsoever of

same option when I get on point! This is the

second time I have been approached when

the multiplicity of signs that already exist in

And a sticker letter to

dropping off, as the last time was a credit

your average London taxi.

card to E14. I was always under the impres-

Now here's the controversial bit. My sug-

the Mayor...

sion that at LCA, the point cab takes the first

gestion and challenge to you, Mr Mayor, is

Hi Alan

job but obviously not. Never again and this

to start licensing more manufacturers of

I thought you might like to share the letter

probably explains why the rank moves so

taxis with sliding doors and over a period

I sent to Mayor Boris Johnson about the

slowly. Could it be a perk if your face fits!

of time make it a compulsory element of

door stickers re cyclists. It would be inter-

Richard Potter (T51)

the Conditions of Fitness that all new taxis

esting to see what other drivers think...

It was Gary Cox (O46) who first pointed

have sliding doors. That includes those

Clarence Ishmael (R54)

out the charge for setting down passen-

manufactured by The London Taxi

This is the letter Clarence sent to the

gers at Stansted and as that was back in

Company.

Mayor ...Ed

the March Call Sign, it looks as though it

This may not go down too well with the

Dear Boris.

is permanent ...Ed

traditionalists, but some of us have to actu-

I don't suppose there will be a blind bit of

ally attempt to inhabit the real world and

notice taken of this email, however I feel

David Frost

not get too hung up on the dim and distant

compelled to respond to your letter dated

Hi Al

past of early 19th century London. Only

13th September 2013 regarding the safety

I was saddened to hear of David Frost's pass-

then will we enact any meaningful change

of cyclists when passengers open taxi

ing. I picked him up at his Kensington High

where safety is concerned.

doors.

Street office a couple of years ago and took

I have been driving now for 18 years and

Yours Sincerely

him to his house in Carlyle Square. He was

Clarence Ishmael

this is a perennial problem that has been a

a great fan of DaC and said he believed he

thorn in the backside of all London taxi dri-

Licensed London Taxi Driver

FUEL PRICES TO FALL?

According to Brian Madderson, Chairman of the Petrol Retailers’ Association, with the calming down of immediate

threats in Syria, fuel prices may begin to fall - albeit fairly slowly.

Mr Madderson told Call Sign:

“The sudden price hike in both Brent crude oil and UK wholesale fuel prices has thankfully receded as the likelihood of

US and UK intervention in Syria subsides. This once again demonstrates the volatility of the UK’s road fuels market as

traders and speculators cause instability in prices. However, wholesale prices increased so quickly during August and early

September, that pump prices did not reflect the full scale of the changes. Therefore, whilst fuel prices will fall, the Petrol

Retailers’ Association believe the reduction will happen gradually over the next few weeks.

“In addition to the recent geo-political events, demand for petrol across the UK continues to wane as motorists cut

back on non-essential journeys and drivers opt for better performing diesel engines.

“On the other hand, demand for diesel is rising and this, together with seasonal increases for heating oil

which comes from the same middle distillate in the refining process, is likely to limit the price reduction of

diesel at the forecourt. Sadly that might not be what Dial-a-Cab drivers want to hear.

“However, it is important to remember that the geo-political tensions in the Middle East have certainly not been settled

and any new disruptions could immediately impact oil prices again with consequent pressures on UK inflation rates. The Monetary Policy Committee

needs to tread warily.”