Call Sign July 2014

Call Sign July 2014

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Hailo

Is Camden Council mad?

As you’d expect, when Call Sign closes for its one

Inside this issue of Call Sign, we have confirmed

month hiatus, the world virtually collapses around

that Camden Council’s “experiment” of shutting

us with shocks and demos and certainly no short-

Warren Street to stop taxi drivers avoiding the con-

age of material to write about! Of course, by the

gestion of Euston/Marylebone Roads and to pre-

time we return I can hardly print lots of news that

serve the safety of pedestrians using the rat run,

you’ve already read while Linda and I were sun-

has now been made permanent. We had discov-

ning ourselves in sunny Suffolk! But Hailo using

ered that when the scheme was originally mooted

private hire - well I could hardly ignore that!

some 18 months ago, only 15 residents were in

It all blew up following an LCDC tweet where

favour, while others - residents and commercial

those receiving it were advised to delete the Hailo

enterprises alike - saw inconvenience to accessing

App because it claimed that Russell Hall had

their properties, a drop in passing trade to shops

applied for a PH licence. The tweet was passed

and the difficulty of services such as waste dispos-

over to me so many times from drivers who knew

al and recycling agencies being able to service the

I didn’t do Twitter, that I was almost tempted to

affected roads. When a public consultation was

briefly switch my phone off. But I didn’t.

launched, just 84 responses were received. But

Soon after, we heard that someone had broken

Camden closed it anyway.

a window at Hailo’s Southwark office and scrawled

But compared to their latest brainwave, Warren

the word ‘Judas’ in paint. Anger against Russell

Street’s closure is a total nothing - they now want

Hall was almost at fever pitch and something had

to shut Tottenham Court Road to all traffic except

to be done, so Hailo Chairman Ron Zeghibe sent

buses until 7pm and make Gower Street two-way!

I’ve no doubt that Russell Hall would have been

out his open letter to the trade telling anyone pre-

That could also pose problems when southbound

100% against the current suggestion but had to do

pared to listen that drivers were losing their liveli-

whatever he was told. I have been told by someone

traffic reaches Princes Circus at the junction of

hoods because passengers were moving to apps

Shaftesbury Avenue and High Holborn because

who knows him well that he has earned over £1mil-

that didn’t offer both taxis AND cars as an option.

lion so far and for a taxi driver that represents huge

that could become pedestrianised with some pret-

He wrote of taking unpopular decisions.

bucks. His only alternative was to resign as a matter

ty flowers put in!

My first thought was why drivers were sur-

of principle and lose far more than any driver who

Astonishingly, Camden Council uses the reason

prised. I published a piece in the May Call Sign

just deleted the app would. It will also be interesting

that Tottenham Court Road currently suffers with

that said Hailo in New York was about to use

to see how many taxi drivers take up the Hailo offer

narrow pavements, a lack of public spaces and

cars as well as cabs. I had also heard that

to drive an executive car. Radio Taxis tried it but the

poor air quality. Well the ‘narrow’ pavements look

Chicago was doing the same and confirmed it

money wasn’t good enough. That will also be the

quite wide to me. Lack of public spaces - it’s a

to all the drivers that phoned me to ask if I’d

case here.

shopping area, not a park! As for air quality, what

made a mistake! It was no real shock to me any-

There is apparently another app in development

the hell does Camden think closing TCR is going to

way because I knew it would happen as soon as

said to be about to compete against Hailo, but

do to the area? We’ll all need smog masks!

Hailo London announced they were going to

where all profits are reinvested into the app and

According to the Mayor of London’s office, over

chase corporate work and in reality become a

perhaps Russell could have been invited to help

25,000 people have died because of air pollution

radio circuit.

with that. The question is how much is principle

in London since he came into office six years ago.

They would then discover that very few corpo-

worth and how many drivers out of the 26,000 of

So how will forcing even more traffic into Gower

rates want just taxis and that even though some

us would put that principle against another million

Street and the surrounding areas help? The head-

drivers (including me) didn’t like Concierge when

smackers, knowing the money meant you wouldn’t

ing sounds about right. Is Camden Council mad?

it was first invented by Dial-a-Cab’s IT department

have to work in your taxi again? I can’t honestly say

There is a public consultation taking place and if

some ten years ago, I could see then that it was the

I’d have done any differently, although I like to

you care about the future, then take part.

only way to get large accounts - and we did! The

think I would.

Go to www.camden.gov.uk/westendproject

only reason we are now finding it difficult to keep

But my views on Hailo have never changed - dri-

and let them know what you think, but the con-

them all is because ten years on, the rest of the

vers were queuing up to join a business that forced

sultation closes on July 18...

market has finally caught up and many now have

them to work cheap, taking money off them and giv-

their own versions of Concierge.

ing it to an ex-minicab proprietor and his two entre-

Call Sign apology

I think most of us realise that PH aren’t going

preneurial friends. I’ve had lots of letters over the

In the last issue of Call Sign we published details

away and rather ironically, at the time of the LCDC

past two years saying that drivers pay subs to DaC so

of a weekend event at Upminster (We are FSTVL).

tweet, their newspaper, The Badge, published an

what’s the difference if they pay their 10 percent to

It sounded like there would be much work there

appeal from Steve Wright, Chairman of the

Ron Zeghibe and co? Well, the main difference is

and when TfL passed over details saying taxis

Licensed Private Hire Car Association in which

that all the subs money goes back to Dial-a-Cab and

would be needed, we were happy to pass them

he issued a warning about the dangers of Uber. In

is then re-used on technology or new terminals or

over to DaC drivers even though the event was out-

fact, had there been a June issue I probably would

anything connected to a Society that we all own.

side of the usual area. I spent several hours at

have published his letter too.

Hailo’s money - using you as cheap labour - goes to

Costa Coffee in Upminster and was delighted to

So no, the news doesn’t really surprise me

the three businessmen.

see Dial-a-Cab taxis among the Yellow Badges.

because without corporate work Ron Zeghibe and

Now they want to earn even more and using cars

One told me he was doing well just going from the

Caspar Woolley won’t make enough money to

will undoubtedly get them extra work and profit,

station to the airfield where the festival took place.

make their system pay. Russell’s backing down on

but drivers will have to give away even more because

Then late in the evening, there was a taxi rank at

his original ‘never using minicabs’ did upset me,

prices have to compete against their PH “partners.”

the event with passengers going all over the show.

but I don’t think for a second the decision was his,

Their Hailo for Business brochure offers fixed

However, the following day, several DaC drivers

although he was the one taking all the flack - no

prices to airports so when they offer £45 or so

phoned to ask if I knew that there was also a mini-

doubt something his paycheck includes!

from Cabot Square to Heathrow, will there be lots

So let’s get a few things straight. I don’t and

of taxi drivers profiting? Will pigs fly? Will Jay

cab rank there for the going home rush. As that is

illegal, I never considered the possibility of TfL

never have believed that Russell Hall, Gary

Bregman leave?

Jackson and Terry Runham were anything other

So because principles have now gone out of the

allowing a minicab rank. But the licensing author-

than three taxi drivers whose names were used to

window, if Hailo gets through this and keeps

ity used the excuse that there must be a phone

forward Hailo to the world. After all, one of the

enough taxi drivers to continue as a dual system,

somewhere at the airfield and as such they would

three entrepreneurs behind Hailo - Jay Bregman -

here is another Call Sign forecast: Within

provide a temporary licence using a tent as the

ran an online minicab business before moving over

months, Hailo will attempt to force pressure on the

operating hub! I don’t blame Addison Lee for tak-

to taxis and this magazine has mentioned that fact

Mayor’s office asking that minicabs are allowed to

ing advantage, but I do blame TfL for misleading

several times, so why the shock? I’ve also said that

use bus lanes - always assuming the Addison Lee’s

me and I will look very carefully at future events

Messrs Zeghibe, Woolley and Bregman had one aim

appeal fails. But of course, whatever we think of AL,

passed over to me by TfL...

and that was to make money - after all, that’s what

they are at least legitimate opposition. I always

they do. In reality we’re all out there trying to earn

assumed that even if disagreeing with their meth-

Alan Fisher

money while the rumour mill suggests that

ods, that at least Hailo was one of us. Yep, I admit I

Bregman could be on his way to greener pastures.

was wrong!

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign July 2014

Page 4

reflections of the chairman

It seems as though no sooner the

allowed to operate until a verdict was

reached by a High Court judge.

Editor misses an issue of Call Sign,

What did TfL do? They granted the licence

than a whole host of news stories

and when there was uproar from not just the

break involving the Taxi industry.

Taxi trade but also the Private Hire industry,

Initially, we had the story regarding Hailo

they decided to pass the buck to a High

where they announced they were also going

Court judge, the difference being that Uber

into the market to supply cars. This led to a

can still operate until the judge reaches a

howl of protest from within the taxi industry

decision, which will probably not be until

because many felt they had been misled by

the end of the year. Even if the judge finds in

the three taxi drivers who would have any-

our favour, which I am not convinced that he

one prepared to listen, believe they were the

will, Uber can then appeal and the process

founders of Hailo. Hailo’s premises were

will drag on and on and in the meantime

attacked and vandalised and graffiti was

Uber will still be operating.

scrawled onto the building. Whilst I can

In my view, TfL were not brave enough

understand the feelings of some, I don’t

to make the correct decision of not grant-

believe we can possibly condone that type of

ing a licence. I would like to think that it

to onlookers that TfL were an easy touch and

behaviour.

had nothing to do with the fact that Uber

would allow almost anything illegal regard-

As soon as Hailo announced they were

is backed by Google and Goldman Sachs.

ing ground transport in London to prosper.

going to offer Hailo Business in an attempt

The taxi trade quite rightly organised a

Consequently, an American company

to win business from the three radio circuits,

demonstration against TfL, stating that the

called Uber that had started out in San

I just knew they would have to change their

licensing authority were not fit for purpose

Francisco, sought an Operator’s licence in

philosophy. They have now said they are

and that TfL were not carrying out their

London. I remember reading at the time that

going to supply the corporate customer with

obligations correctly. However, TfL and Uber

Uber claimed TfL were the easiest and most

both cars and taxis. So if the corporate is

somehow changed the theme of the demon-

co-operative authority in the world to deal

already using taxis - which I assume they are

stration from being against TfL to being

with!

- then Hailo will only be taking that work

against Uber, which was not correct

What Uber were endeavouring to do was

from the three existing radio circuits and

although quite clever. The Taxi trade was

have a trip ordered by a member of the pub-

completing that work a lot cheaper than the

portrayed as resisting progress and every

lic via their App appear on a Private Hire dri-

client is currently paying due to no run-ins

interview I saw or heard began by why they

ver’s phone without a record of the trip

and free waiting time etc with all of that com-

were resisting Uber. The demonstration was

being kept by the Private Hire operator.

ing at the driver’s expense. They will force

very well attended by the trade, but due to

Neither were they in a position to give an

down the price of a taxi, but of course the

the way the theme of the demonstration was

advanced quote for the trip if required, both

driver will be paying.

manipulated, the publicity Uber received

of which are required by legislation. In addi-

I’m sure you can understand why the

was enormous. Members of the public that

tion, the driver’s smartphone would record

three radio circuits have now banned the

had never heard of Uber suddenly became

the time and distance and produce a journey

use of Hailo; how can any of those circuits

aware of the name and exactly what they did.

cost at the end of the trip, the driver’s

be seen to be operating at Hailo prices? If

So whilst I totally agreed with the demo due

mobile phone then becoming a device for

any of our logo’d taxis are seen to be picking

to the lack of enforcement by TfL, I was

recording time and distance - something

up and operating at Hailo prices, then cus-

somewhat aggrieved at the way in which TfL

that to most people is a meter (although not

tomers will expect exactly the same price (at

and Uber out manoeuvred the Taxi trade.

to TfL). It is illegal to have a meter in a mini-

the drivers expense) when they are picking

Hopefully, we have all learned something

cab. When Uber sought an Operator’s

up on behalf of the radio circuit.

from this.

Licence, they should have been refused by

The three taxi drivers have been accused

TfL due to the above reasons, Uber would

Brian Rice

of being hypocrites; I do not subscribe to

then have had to take TfL to court. However,

that theory and genuinely believe that

Chairman

in the meantime Uber would not have been

when they first started they had every

Dial-a-Cab

granted a licence and would not have been

intention of putting all their trips into

Licensed Taxis. However, as time pro-

gressed the three American owners decid-

ed they were going to allow cars on the

The Flower Mill

App so they could go after corporate busi-

ness and the three taxi drivers were

Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings

absolutely powerless to do anything, which

goes some way to show the type of influ-

ence they had over the business - absolute-

ly none. The only sin the three taxi drivers

Tel: 07854 738895

were guilty of was being gullible and naïve.

Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk

Demo against TfL

I have been writing for years in Call Sign

about how ineffective TfL are and how they

Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk

are just not enforcing legislation. All you

nightmen know that touting has reached

pandemic proportions at almost every pub-

Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties

lic venue in London. TfL then allowed a taxi

App to introduce a minimum fare, but to

charge more than the metered fare is, in my

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

view, illegal. Consequently, it could appear

Call Sign July 2014

Page 5

Taxi demo stops London

Charing Cross Road completely blocked southbound by taxis

charge of UK operations. Jo Bertram told

we lose and tails we lose!

he promised taxi demo on 11 June

that organisers had warned was going

anyone prepared to listen that not only did

Leon Daniels, MD at TfL’s Surface

Uber pay “all the taxes they should be paying”

Transport admitted that the taxi trade did not

to block London, did exactly that.

Although good natured in the main,

in the UK - even though the company is reg-

agree with his decision of whether the Uber

its underlying point of accusing Transport

istered in the Netherlands - but that on the

app was a taximeter and called the demo

for London of capitulating to corporate busi-

day of the demo, there was an increase over

pointless, inconveniencing London as well as

ness rather than looking after the world’s

the previous Wednesday of their app being

damaging the economy. He claimed that TfL

finest and most respected taxi service, was

downloaded, of

850%. The Evening

didn’t think the app Uber use was a taximeter

made throughout the day by drivers being

Standard reveled in the unsubstantiated fig-

and that the rules had not kept up with tech-

interviewed on various media outlets and the

ure but missed the story on the same day of

nology. So they referred it to the High Court.

LTDA General Secretary, Steve McNamara,

the two white mice who swam the Atlantic

Dial-a-Cab Chairman Brian Rice, who

possibly becoming one of the most recognis-

and back in a record 47 mins - shaving 850%

went on the demo, has gone on record sever-

able faces on TV having appeared on every-

off the previous record for a white mouse!

al times over the past few months in criticising

thing throughout the week!

TfL is seeking a High Court ruling on

TfL for allowing apps to get away with things

For once, the taxi trade was united in its

whether the use of an app that does the same

taxis would never be allowed to do. He com-

condemnation of TfL and by inference, of

as a meter is legal. However, drivers were

pared TfL to the old PCO whom he said

Mayor Boris Johnson for what Unite called

united in asking why TfL didn’t just say to

would never have allowed apps to get away

a capitulation to Uber, aligning that to its

Uber that they were using a meter and there-

with so much.

multi-billion dollar backing from companies

fore were breaking the rules. If they didn’t

Although no arrests were made in the

including Google and Goldman Sachs.

then agree, then they could go to court and

peaceful demo, Steve McNamara was handed

Although the trade bodies emphasised that

pay the

£100,000 approximate costs!

a Section 14 order under the Public Order Act,

the demo was against TfL, most still linked it

Although the result won’t be available for a

which would have meant him carrying the

with Uber - whose CEO, Travis Kalanick,

few months, if Uber win then the trade suf-

can if trouble occurred. It never did and taxis

was filmed referring to taxi drivers as

fers but if the court decides that it IS a meter,

got their point across.

a***holes. Also in the media spotlight was a

then it seems probably that the cost will be

Just to add fuel to the taxi drivers com-

young lady from Uber who claimed to be in

added to our licence renewals anyway. Heads

plaint, Call Sign was shown an online

instruction from Uber to its’ drivers which

clearly states: “Enter the fare as per the

meter.” Some would say that it’s only TfL

who can’t see what is plainly in front of

London and the

them...

Alan Fisher

Tour de France

Call Sign

The Tour de France hits London on Monday 7 July and all roads involved in the race

July 2014

Editor: Alan Fisher

will be fully closed to ensure the safety of riders and spectators.

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

The large number of road closures will affect the boroughs of Redbridge, Waltham Forest,

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark and the City and

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

although most of the streets on and near the race route in London will be open that morning

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

until 10:00, they will then be closed until at least 18:00. Parking restrictions will also be in place.

Printers: Premier Print Group

Vehicles (including taxis and buses) will not be able to cross the route while the road clo-

25 - 31 Violet Rd, London E3

sures are in place, though local access will be maintained for as long as possible. Access for

Design: Aldan Publications

emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times and pedestrian access to properties will

Tel: 07958 300 428

not be affected.

Email: deborahfresco@gmail.com

Key strategic roads will remain open all day, including the Rotherhithe and Blackwall

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

Tunnels. However, the road closures will result in displaced traffic and make other parts of

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

London busier than usual.

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 6

Jery’s World

“I fink we’ve got more chance of winning the World Cup that your lot ‘ave of gettin’ sumfing right!”

USING THIRD PARTY APPS

For those that may have not received the letter from Chairman Brian Rice regarding third

party apps, Call Sign is reprinting it here...

During the last few years, the Taxi Trade in London has changed dramatically with the introduction of third party

Apps. Throughout this period, Dial-a-Cab has taken the view that the Apps, particularly Hailo, have focused more

on the cash side of the market rather than the corporate side. So the Board of Management took the decision

that Members could have the Hailo App providing they did not display their logo. We also prohibited our

Members from having hardware installed in their taxi from another App supplier.

However, the situation has now changed with the recent announcement by Hailo that they will be entering the business sector in an

attempt to sign corporate clients on an account basis. This will, of course, be in direct competition with Dial-a-Cab and a situation that

the BoM cannot ignore. We couldn’t possibly condone liveried Dial-a-Cab taxis picking up on behalf of Hailo, as this without doubt,

would be prejudicial to the Society. This situation will cause confusion to our clients and also raise the question as to why Dial-a-Cab

cannot operate under the same terms as Hailo, which in our view is detrimental to the driver.

We, the Board, realise that we are unable to dictate that you do not subscribe to a third

party App. But what we can say is that you only use one; you either use the Hailo App or

remain a Member of Dial-a- Cab. But you cannot do both.

TAXI AIR

Consequently, as from Monday, 9 June 2014, any Member or Journeyman that

endeavours to use or advertise any App other than Dial-a-Cab’s will become the

subject of a complaint.

CONDITIONING

As I am sure you can appreciate and fully understand, the Board cannot possibly tolerate

All makes and models

this latest situation whereby your account clients are being actively canvassed by a com-

petitor. Therefore it is imperative the above is adhered to so that we may endeavour to

serviced and repaired

stem the damage that has been done to the Radio Taxi circuits by the introduction of

Mobile service - we

third party Apps, which will be exacerbated even further as they attempt to enter the

come to you!

corporate sector.

To conclude, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you in advance for your co-

Call Mick Wheeler on

operation in this matter.

020 8715 0079

Brian Rice

Chairman,

Covering London

Dial-a-Cab

and the Home Counties

Call Sign July 2014

Page 7

The late Marie White was a former Dial-a-Cab

Board Member and held the distinction of being,

in 1978, London’s very first lady cab driver when

A DaC lady’s view of

breaking into the ‘ranks’ of a previously all-male

profession. She did the Knowledge and went

through the system like everyone else and came

out the other end… with a Green ‘All London’

male taxi drivers!

badge.

So you’d be forgiven for thinking that after

flow and grinning broadly!

all this time and with equality of the sexes

“My own experience has been that the general

gaining momentum almost weekly, the sight

public are absolutely fine about having a female

of a licenced female cab driver would be

driver, and in fact many out-of-town visitors are

nothing new.

unaware there are so many of ‘us’ now. When

However, while Call Sign was making a rou-

questioned, I often say ‘we are trying to break the

tine pit-stop at our Roman Way depot, it was

mould, but have got a bit of a way to go yet!”

refreshing to see female DaC driver Jackie Hill

Jackie continued.

(S34) offering a view on what it’s like to be dri-

“But it’s a great job, especially if you are a

ving a cab around the streets of London and the

mum with kids at school. If you live fairly central

reaction she attracts from members of the public

then you can get in a few hours’ work in between

and male cab drivers alike! She explained her

the school day and be back home in time for the

views to Call Sign…

children. And, of course, it’s great for financial

“Is it different for us women, or just worse,”

independence too,” she added, almost as an

Jackie mused. “I’m often asked by passengers

afterthought.

what it’s like to be a female London taxi driver. In

“So ladies and gents, if you know of a female

respect of being a driver, I’m sure I can speak for

who is thinking of doing the Knowledge, tell her

us all when I say it is definitely something you get

to get started. It’s great to be your own boss, to

used to, keeping those eyes in the back of your

call your own hours and if you need a bit of space

head wide open at all times and especially keep-

from those indoors, get out on the cab for a

DaC's Jackie Hill is proud of being a

ing a sharp look-out for the boy racers looking to

while until it is safe to return home!

score points! Even now, after more than eight

taxi driver

“So, be lucky all of you, and the next time you

years of driving a cab, I sometimes give a side-

kitchen! It really is comical to see some of you

come face to face with a female driver, just

ways glance at other drivers and frequently catch

male drivers react in this way. As for me, I have

remember, we have had to work just as hard as

the males laughing into their phones or over the

become immune to what other drivers think and

you guys, going out on our bikes in all weathers

steering wheel,” she confided.

just get on with my work. But what makes me

to get our Badges without any special favours,

“Hey fellas, wake up and smell the coffee, this

really laugh is when the PHV drivers start giggling

just the determination to make it!”

is the 21st century! Our bras have been burnt and

With that, Jackie got back into her taxi and

as I pull up alongside them on the road. But it is

we’re also allowed to vote, remember? If they’re

drove off - but not before displaying a glint of

obvious to me - and my passengers too - who has

not laughing, the look on some of those drivers

pride in her eyes that said she was proud of being

done the hard work and doesn’t need to rely on

is clearly telling me to get off home to my pots

a licensed London taxi driver...

that satnav stuck to their windscreen to find

and pans and that a woman’s place is in the

Buckingham Palace!” By now Jackie was in full

Alan Green, Call Sign Online

Call Sign July 2014

Page 8

While we all recognise that

there is a small element of dan-

DaC driver mugged

ger when at work in the taxi,

most of us soon learn to adapt

our work to nullify as much of

outside his house!

that as possible. The opening in

the partition is small and keep-

bag, got out of the cab and walked towards

my front door. I then saw two men come

ing the front doors locked is as

from behind my cab. They had their faces

good a protection as we are

covered but I could see that they were Afro-

likely to get. Incidents of drivers

Caribbean.

They grabbed and pushed me to the floor

being robbed are very small

with one of them sitting on me and putting his

compared to private hire.

gloved hands over my nose and mouth. I

However, there comes a time of

found it very difficult to breathe. The other

assailant grabbed the strap of my watch and

the day when you finish your

was pulling my arm so much that I thought my

day’s work and have to get out.

shoulder was going to pop out of its socket.

Brian With (Y84) came up against that

They then grabbed my bag and ran off.

problem. He told Call Sign what happened...

Police were called, but the thieves were

“On 21 May at 1am, I arrived home in

long gone. I lost my night’s takings, my

Woodford Green, parked outside my house,

Badge, Bill and iPhone, as well as my

took a few minutes to put my stuff into my

Brian was mugged outside his home

glasses.

The Police told my wife that Redbridge

John Vigus is DaC’s parking expert and the person that

Council had housed a large number of prob-

lem families in the Broadmead Estate and

fights to appeal our PCNs. He also writes for Call Sign and

they were being called there on an average of

is clarifying the successful victory a driver gained himself...

ten times each night!

The attack on me was obviously planned as

I usually get home around that time. My next

Beating PCNs:

door neighbour’s daughter was woken by the

noise and told Police that she heard a car

door slam and drive off in a hurry. I know I

What to remember...

will not get any of my possessions back but I

want to warn any cab drivers who live in the

The driver was Steve Albasini (V02) and he had written to

vicinity of Broadmead Estate to be very care-

Call Sign for assistance after reading about two incidents

ful when getting home at night.

where DaC drivers had been caught via CCTV after stopping

I am getting a CCTV camera installed out-

on zigzag lines, yet won their appeals.

side my house and have also purchased a

On one appeal, the driver pointed out that he had stopped for

body alarm for £12.50, which I have been

eleven seconds in Waterloo Road to pick up a lady coming out of

told is a good deterrent.

the station with a heavy case. That driver - Editor Alan Fisher -

So to all Dial-a-Cab drivers and any others

pointed out in his appeal that buses were pulling up at the stop

reading this; please be very careful when get-

and often a third bus would have to stop on zigzags so why could-

ting home at night!”

n’t he as a licensed taxi driver also do so.

The second driver was Sid Nathan (K88) whose passengers opened the door in traffic outside St

Pauls when the traffic suddenly cleared leaving Sid in full view of the CCTV cameras. DaC’s park-

ing expert at the time, Barrie Segal, gave Sid the advice he needed to appeal and both drivers

won those appeals...

Steve Albasini had been spotted by CCTV on a zigzag in Waterloo Road waiting for the lights to

change when suddenly his passengers opened the cab door and got out. As the whole of the sec-

tion of road is closely watched by cameras, a PCN dropped through Steve’s letter box soon after.

Steve appealed to the council and lost but when taking it to the Adjudicator, he was successful.

After reading articles about all three cases, John Vigus called the magazine to explain a few rele-

vant points that may not be as clear cut as we think. He told us:

“I’d like to clarify one point raised in Alan Fisher’s appeal when he pointed out that buses were

stopping within the zig zag crossing controlled area. The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian

Crossing Regulations 1997 (section 22 1 b) gives an exemption to local buses as follows:

Vehicles must not stop in a controlled area except:-

If the vehicle is a public service vehicle being used;

(i) in the provision of a local service; or

(ii) to carry passengers for hire or reward at separate fares (i.e. each passenger pays his own fare

and boards or alights independently of the others but does not include an excursion or tour) and

the vehicle, having proceeded past the crossing to which the controlled area relates, is waiting in

that area in order to take up or set down passengers.

The exemption also applies to any vehicle if stopped while waiting to turn left or right. So it is no

good moaning that buses 'get away with it' because they have the exemption.”

When I pointed John Vigus’s comments to the Editor, his only comment was that fortunately

Lambeth Council must know even less about their own regulations than he did! But he also asked

where that left cab sharing schemes where each taxi passenger pays separately? He always was a

bit of a pain!

Dennis Latchett

Call Sign Online

Call Sign July 2014

Page 9

Dial-a-Cab driver Alec Wilkey (W83) isn’t

just a nine-year veteran of this circuit, but

JOHNNY COYLE

also a very respected trainer in the world of

professional boxing. His latest success came

CROWNED PRIZEFIGHTER

via 20 year old Johnny Coyle (6-0-1) who

took home the Prizefighter Welterweight

trophy along with the

£32,000 winner’s

CHAMPION!

purse after a sensational night of boxing at a

Another success for DaC trainer Alec Wilkey

sweltering York Hall in London’s Bethnal

Green.

Coyle and the 7 other fighters in the

knockout tournament showcased their

skills live on Sky Sports with another of

Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport’s

Prizefighter tournaments providing the

first-class entertainment that it has

become renowned for.

The exciting format of the one-night tour-

nament, which consists of

3x3 minute

rounds, has four quarter-final bouts, the win-

ners proceeding to the semi-finals and then

the final if victorious.

Alec Wilkey’s Stanford le-Hope southpaw,

Johnny Coyle, was rated as a 20/1 outsider to

take the championship, but used his boxing

skills to beat experienced Welshman Jason

Cook (30-6-1) on points and then scored a

DaC trainer Alec Wilkey (right) holds up his victorious boxer Johnny Coyle with

narrow victory over Sam Eggington in the

help from Derek Grainger. Promoter Eddie Hearne is on the right

semi-final. This set up a showdown with tour-

nament favourite Paddy Gallagher after he

champion after getting the decision with

in her home country of Greece on the Gods

stopped Marc Douglas in the other semi-

the judges scoring 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26

of War show promoted by Stelios Politis.

final bout.

respectively.

The

37 year-old outpointed Slovakian

The raucous York Hall crowd came alive

Alec Wilkey told Call Sign:

“Johnny

Claudia Ferenci 60-53 in her 7th fight as a

time and again throughout the bouts roaring

fought really well and I’m proud of him

professional over the six rounds as she con-

the fighters on and this was the case once

because he went in as the rank outsider

tinued her journey towards a World Title.

again as we reached the final. And it was

and was up against some really tough

The Master, as she is known, fights and

Johnny Coyle who produced the outstanding

opponents. But although the bouts were

trains in London under the tutelage of Alec

final performance by flooring his man twice

close, he came through. And he will keep

Wilkey and sold over 200 tickets to support-

in the first round, both times with right

on improving...”

ers who witnessed a part of Greek boxing his-

hooks. Johnny showed his punch variation

Alec also made some European history

tory at Athens Dais Arena.

and boxing skills as well as the ability to stand

when another of his fighters, Greek Super-

David Wilkey

and trade against his strong punching

Featherweight female boxer Areti

Irishman opponent.

Mastrodouka (7-0) was declared the winner

Call Sign Online

A proud Johnny Coyle was crowned

in the first ever professional bout to be held

Taxis face Tottenham

VITO: FREE

REAR-STEERING

Court Road ban

Camden Council have unveiled plans to

turn Tottenham Court Road into a

UPGRADE?

buses only road until 7pm each night and

forcing everyone else - including taxis -

into the new two-way Gower Street.

ercedes-Benz Vans are offering

The Council are looking to complete

a free upgrade for the rear-

their plans to coincide with the arrival

wheel steer system on all the

of Crossrail. The claim is that the

Euro 5 Vito taxis that seem to

new interchange will make Tottenham

have had so many problems.

Court Road station busier than

The company say they have improved both

Heathrow.

the near side and off side actuators together

The current TCR northbound

with the electronic control unit responsible

one-way system will become

for their operation. Testing is expected to be

two-way, but cars, lorries and

completed by August and drivers will then be

vans will be banned between

invited to visit their local Mercedes-Benz

8am and 7pm.

commercial vehicle dealer to have the parts

The Labour run council say that TCR suffers from

fitted.

traffic congestion, narrow pavements, poor air quality and a lack of public spaces,

An MBV spokesperson said that they had

adding that the proposed measures would make it a much safer area. However, those travelling

worked tirelessly to ensure that Vito Taxis

southbound down Gower Street will face a further problem with Princes Circus (junction of

have remained safe and roadworthy.

Shaftesbury Ave and High Holborn) being closed and replaced with a new public open space.

The free upgrade will only be applica-

Completion would be tied in to the Crossrail opening in 2018.

ble to cabs that have been fully main-

A consultation is taking place and if you would like to be part of it, send your views to

tained by an approved MB service deal-

www.camden.gov.uk/westendproject before July 18.

er and which have covered fewer than

See Editorial on page 3...

150,000 miles.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 10

Well I want

Ron Zeghibe, Caspar Woolley and Jay Bregman...

to start by

saying that I

Hailo: Is it all about a

am leaving

Dial-a-Cab

return on their investment?

because the

Chairman

sensus of opinion from the London taxi trade

ty, whilst providing a sound level of service

did not

that TfL have a long term ambition to merge

the public appreciates - and you know who

phone me to

private hire and taxis into one system as is the

that is.

case in most other European capital cities. So

wish me

what would be the need to have a dual system

Congestion Charge

happy birthday - nor did he

It had been a well-kept secret and it doesn't

if a taxi company supplied both? It may not

send me a cake. Only kidding,

have occurred to him either, but we have

really affect us, but from the 1st June the con-

gestion charge went up by £1.50 to £11.50. It’s

everything to lose, PH has everything to gain

but if it’s good enough for

and he is playing straight into TfL`s hands.

been a long time coming, but finally TfL has

Manchester City’s YaYa Toure!

created enough congestion to justify putting

In his statement, Mr Zeghibe goes on to say

up the CC. You only have to look at the delib-

So welcome back to what you

that “...every free thinking driver knows that

erate way the lights phase at Exhibition Road

you've got to be in it to win it. Passengers

can expect from Premiership

and Cromwell Road southbound and at

want a choice and if we don't give them what

footballers, now that Queens

Canon Street Road with The Highway east-

they want, they will take their money to the

bound to see that many delays are unnecessary.

Park Rangers are back in the big

car apps.”

Don't forget that if the congestion charge real-

So far as I know, if the public book a

time...

ly worked without some kind of intervention

taxi then that's what they should get - not

from Victoria Street, there would be no need to

Hailo problems

a PH car. Like I said, it looks like these

put the charge up. It falls in nicely with TfL`s

On a more serious note, by the time you read

people don't care if the London taxi trade

plans to spend £millions on improving junc-

this the police would have left Great Suffolk

lives or dies, just so long as they get a

tions and road layouts to speed up traffic out-

Street, the graffiti will have been cleaned off

return on their investment.

side of the congestion charge zone. Personally,

the wall and everyone at DaC would have

As I write, there has been a huge backlash

on the run up to the opening of Cross Rail, I

taken off their ‘told you so’ T-shirts. Are we

against Hailo with drivers peeling stickers off

can only see the traffic jams getting worse.

all disappointed at Hailo applying for a PH

their taxis, buying themselves out of their liv-

Need I say any more?

operator’s licence? Very much so. Are we sur-

ery contracts and leaving complaints from the

Speaking of The Highway, I was recently

prised? Not at all...

public about an even worst level of coverage.

driving my taxi along there with a tipper

What I find most ridiculous is that in a state-

And then there is Uber - while TfL bury

truck a cigarette paper away from my

ment to Hailo drivers, the app Chairman Ron

their heads in the sands. I picked up a punter

rear bumper! The aggressive way those peo-

Zeghibe said: “Drivers like you are losing

recently who was paying by credit card. He

ple drive reminds me of a film I saw when I

their livelihoods because passengers are mov-

was using DaC for the first time because he

was a kid. Hell Drivers was a 1957 film star-

ing to apps that don't offer taxis as an option.”

was using a non-PIN credit card from the

ring Stanley Baker, Sid James, Sean

Well as far as I know, you don't need a PH

USA. He told me that Hailo don't take USA

Connery and Patrick McGoohan. It was

operator’s licence to supply taxis to PH com-

swipe credit cards and allegedly Visa don't

about tipper truck drivers racing around the

panies, as DaC have been doing this for many

authorise Uber payments by card in the US,

streets and being paid by the trip. It’s a great

years. What he is not telling you is that if a

so he has lost confidence in them. But DaC

film and really worth a re-run. It proves that

punter wants a Hailo taxi and there is not one

does take US swipe cards, so here he was.

very little has changed over the years.

available, Hailo will dispatch that job to a pri-

What's the point of having all the modern

vate hire car, which is something completely

technology if the passenger can’t pay for the

Richard Potter (T51)

different. It may not have occurred to Mr

journey? There is only one London taxi com-

Zeghibe, but there has been a general con-

pany, silently keeping its counsel and digni-

Call Sign Online

Call Sign’s Bob Woodford takes a look at how we are apparently

EMBRACING SOCIAL MEDIA...

I am guessing that most of Call Sign's read-

balanced by some good humour -

ership is now embracing the social network

plus some key information for

media phenomenon. I have to admit it took

working cab drivers with regards to

me a long while to start riding this train -

updates on traffic issues, marshalled

but our web designer at www.blackcab-

ranks and notice of planned events.

heritagetours.co.uk recently told me in no

So given all the pros and cons, I

uncertain terms that both the Company

am in favour of it and if you have

and we as individual Guides needed to

not yet taken the plunge then go

have a Twitter presence (Facebook now

for it - I believe that it can only

less so it seems).

enhance your working life In effect

Believe me I'm all for embracing technology - even though my pre-

you are 'managing a community'

ferred subject is history. But even I, as a 59-year old male, was reluctant

and can choose to follow whoever you like - quite handy if you want to

to start with Twitter - until about 3 months ago.

keep up to date with what's going on gossip-wise within the cab trade,

I was told at a recent seminar held at the City Business Library that for

national or local news or even your favourite football team.

business purposes it would be a 'slow burner' - but eventually it would pay

Give it a go if you haven't already - but while you are at it please fol-

off. Indeed it has in some respects. BCHT recently needed 50 black only in

low me @black_cabs or @cabbie_walks.

colour TX cabs for a corporate event on a bank holiday Monday - and my

The picture recently formed part of a Tweet and shows the fleet

regular Tweets leading up to the event (coupled with an Ad in Call Sign

of cabs that gathered for a corporate event in May in Whitehall

courtesy of the Editor) started to gain responses and allowed me to build

Place - thanks to the power of Twitter.

up a new list of 'associates' that could be called on for future events.

Bob Woodford

Oh yes, there is quite a lot of nonsense being mouthed off within the

Call Sign Online

allowed 140 characters per text by certain individuals, but this is equally

Call Sign July 2014

Page 12

Camden Council has made the Warren Street closure permanent,

Help LTFUC

previously claiming it was being used as a ‘rat run’ by taxi drivers

that could damage the environment as well as pose a danger to

and the kids

pedestrians. So Call Sign asked Camden Council a simple question...

HOW MANY INJURIES

Fancy a

AT WARREN STREET?

run to

If you read the last issue

of Call Sign, you will

have seen an article from

Camden Council claim-

Southend?

ing that their experimen-

tal closure of Warren

Street had proved suc-

cessful and was now per-

manent. Bollards placed

across the middle of the

street just to the east of

Fitzroy Street forced traf-

fic down Whitfield Street

Now permanent even though the reasons have been

and back into the one

disproved

way system of Grafton

n Thursday 10th

Way and Maple Street.

July 2014, The

So Call Sign decided to ask Camden Council an obvious question: How many pedes-

trians had been injured by traffic in Warren Street for the 12 months prior to Camden

London Taxidrivers’

Council closing it and how many have been injured since the closure? If the figures

Fund for

were that bad then we’d be forced to agree with the closure. Council Traffic Engineer

Underprivileged Children will

Raymond Cheng gave us an answer...

“Regarding the number of pedestrians that have been injured by traffic in Warren

once again be going on their

Street in the 12 months prior to the road closure of Warren Street, according to the col-

legendary outing to

lision records held by the Council (up to December 2013), there were no collisions

Southend-on-Sea, giving 300

resulting in injury to a pedestrian 12 months prior to the closure of Warren Street.

‘special needs’ and underpriv-

There was one minor collision involving a pedestrian with a vehicle which occurred on

3rd October 2013 at Warren Street’s junction with Tottenham Court Road. This was due

ileged children a fun-packed

to a pedestrian crossing Warren Street who was struck by a vehicle travelling the

day out at the seaside.

wrong way along Warren Street. Additional signs showing one-way on Warren Street

They are currently looking for

were placed after the closure was implemented in order to reinforce the message to

drivers. We are now also looking into putting in place no entry signs on Warren Street

volunteers and would welcome

at its junction with Whitfield Street facing east.”

any Dial-a-Cab drivers to join

In other words, the bollards are not assisting safety and actually caused the only accident

them.

after being put up when a driver assumed they meant you had to go back the way you came!

As well as giving a great deal

But the closure is now permanent regardless of what anyone thinks and even though Call

Sign has disproved Camden’s story of that ‘rat run’ compromising safety, in doing so we have

of pleasure to so many children,

also shown that Camden’s overtures of being ‘green’ are little short of ludicrous because they

you will also have a brilliant day

are now forcing all vehicles into the main road traffic jams with its sad side effect of even more

with prizes given for the best

emissions - and they then threaten to shut Tottenham Court Road to all traffic except buses!

Emissions? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

decorated taxis and also to the

driver wearing the best fancy

Dennis Latchett

dress!

Call Sign Online

Without volunteers there are

no outings, so if you would like

to help with the children’s trip to

Southend on 10 July, contact the

LTFUC Driver’s Liaison, Steve Bell

on 07811 508772.

You can also enter your details

at www.ltfuc.org.uk on the vol-

unteer page of the LTFUC web-

site

Remember the Fund’s

motto: None walks so tall as

he who stoops to help a

child..

Call Sign July 2014

Page 13

Think

Another true story from Geoff Levene

Frank

Sinatra

FRANK SINATRA

and what

springs to

mind?

GOES TO KILBURN!

Malibu?

he stepped out into the fresh air, he got to

Palm

B.B.Evans store and bought some curtain

Springs?

material before moving on to Lyons cafeteria

Las

where he has my favourite from those days, a

‘milk and dash’ - or a latte as it’s now known

Vegas? New York (New York)?

- and an iced bun. The State was cinema

Sammy and Dean? Kilburn High

number three, but Frank gave up before he

Road! Did I just say Kilburn High

got to number four - the Essoldo, which is

now the Marriott Hotel.

Road!

After the show, he went to Nat's Fish Shop

Yes Kilburn High Road! He was there on the

for a portion of rock 'n chips, which he ate in

21st June 1953 appearing at the Gaumont

the back of the car as it whisked him back to

State because as well as being a huge cinema,

Park Lane.

it also hosted the biggest names in music from

Django Reinhardt through to Black Sabbath

So that was one celeb in an unlikely place.

What about two unlikely celebs together...

along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie,

The Beatles and even Marilyn Monroe.

One evening back in the seventies, I had to

pick up at the Garrick Club. My passenger

So for all of you

Dial-a-Cab drivers that are

wondering what Frank did on that day in the

was then DaC account holder Robin Day, the

fearsome TV interviewer. He was with a lady -

few hours before going on stage; well, he

came out of the Dorchester and asked his

I won't say who it was but I'll give you a few

Before going on stage, Frank looked

clues. She was a beautiful blonde actress who

driver to just take him to Baker Street

around Kilburn (apparently)!

Station from where he was “gonna take the

still turns heads in her seventh decade. She

later.

played a monstrous character in a long run-

Toobe.”

There were lots of little shops along there;

ning sitcom featuring three women and is

Actually, he could have taken the Number

butchers, bakers, greengrocers and on the

noted for her charity work.

16 bus all the way but he would have needed

left was yet another cinema - the grotty old

So we got to Robin's flat in Eaton Square

to cross Park Lane to catch it. In those days

Grange. But Frank was getting thirsty and

at about 11pm and I expected him to ask

as I remember from my childhood, all traffic

popped into Biddy Mulligan's pub. His foot-

if I could take the lady home, but no, they

in Park Lane used what is basically today's

steps were muffled by the sawdust and he

both went in.

southbound lane. It all changed when the

noticed ruddy-faced men staring morosely

Of course, it was probably entirely innocent -

Hyde Park underpass was built and what was

into glasses of black liquid. He approached

and he was not yet married anyway. Perhaps he

formerly the East Carriage Drive of Hyde Park

the Irish barman:

was going to show her his well-known collec-

became the northbound lane.

“Set ‘em up Joe. I'll have a vodka marti-

tion of Millwall FC programmes! As I say, an

So Frank got out at Kilburn Station. If he

ni on the rocks.”

unlikely couple. Now if it had been her and

had turned sharp left, he would have passed

The barman narrowed his eyes: “We don't

Frank, that would have been really interesting...

my old barber, whose guvnor would one day

serve that nancy-boy Yankee stuff. Do you

give evidence at the trial of murderer James

want a point or half a point of Guinness?”

Geoff Levene (W32)

Hanratty, one of the last people to be hung

Half an hour later and slightly swaying as

in the UK. Next door he might have admired

Call Sign Online

the boats for sale at Raymond Way's premis-

es and then he could have popped into

Foxley's Record Shop where my older

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

brother and my late Father-in-law bought

their classical 78 rpm records.

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

But he turned right and found himself by the

variable bank interest rates?

Envoy Cinema, which showed films that were

not on general release. It later became a Classic

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

Cinema and is now a petrol station

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

and where I was to trap my first job 18 years

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

at your address also qualifies for membership!

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

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

Airport taxi demo

up to 3 times your total savings…

une 11 not only saw a huge demo in

The cost?

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

Central London, but many Heathrow-

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

based drivers did their bit as well by

driving between Hammersmith Broadway

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

and the Hogarth roundabout. So much

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

congestion was caused that the police

had to be called in to sort it out!

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

Like London, they also finished their

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

demo at 3pm and returned to the feeder

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

park...

Registration number 213263

Call Sign July 2014

Page 14

In this series commemorating the 100th anniversary later this month of the start of WW1, we have

featured both past and present DaC drivers and their stories. This one tells of the selfless bravery of

James McCarthy BEM - brother of DaC’s John McCarthy (L29)...

DAC WAR HEROES

John McCarthy told us of his brother's

James McCarthy after being presented with his BEM

bravery

aircraft gunners, the aircraft itself was accidentally hit by the

Every mother’s worst fear…

gunnery team on the ground and my hero brother Jimmy was

So far in this series, we have featured heroes that survived the con-

killed.

flicts of both world wars in which they were involved and played

“My wife Patsy and I have family memorabilia and have done

a significant part. Many found it difficult to return to normality in

some documentary research; we have his BEM and various

peacetime and rarely spoke of the horrors of battle, probably not

telegrams about pensions, funeral expenses claims and the list of

even many years later. But they were able to return to Civvy Street

his personal effects left in his locker back at his barracks on that

and continue to enjoy life with their families. Not every combatant

fateful day.

- or every family - was so lucky. War can be very cruel...

“It’s hard to imagine how much it must have saddened my par-

John McCarthy (L29) told Call Sign of his elder brother’s

ents, but the telegram that really cuts like a knife is the one that

story of remarkable bravery and selfless heroism.

starts: ‘We regret to inform you.’ That must surely be every moth-

“My big brother, Leading Aircraftman James John McCarthy,

er’s worst fear when her son goes to war. I remember very little of

was born in London in 1921 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force

the events I’ve recounted because I was only seven years old when

Volunteer Reserve in the early stages of WW2. He was later sent

Jimmy was killed. Yet, knowing how I feel now and so proud of my

to Canada to complete his Navigator’s training. But it was here, in

brother’s brave deed, my Ma must have been distraught beyond

England, that my brother Jimmy earned his British Empire Medal.

belief when that telegram arrived.

It was about lunchtime on the 8th March 1942 when a Miles

“Jimmy’s name is inscribed in a book in St Clement Danes,

Master aircraft crash landed on the tarmac near a hangar at

the RAF church in Strand and he was ‘Gazetted’ in the London

the-then RAF Station Heston and immediately burst into

Gazette on December 1st 1942 in recognition of his bravery

flames with the pilot still trapped inside the cockpit.

award in saving another person’s life. Soon after, he lost his

“My brother Jim was standing nearby and witnessed the incident

own life aged just 22 years old.”

first hand. Despite the intensity of the fire and without regard for

As John finished telling us about Jimmy, we couldn’t help but

his own safety, Jimmy rushed toward the burning aircraft in an

see the look of pride in his older brother spreading steadily across

attempt to rescue the injured pilot. All he was wearing at the time

John’s face...

was his tunic, which he hastily pulled over his head as his only

Alan Green (E52)

protection and approached the stricken aircraft. Only when his

uniform caught fire from the intense heat, his hair singed and his

scalp burned did he retreat from the scene.

“I believe there were other personnel close by who also

Keith Reading

attempted to pull the pilot out of the craft, but were forced back

Professional Toastmaster

due to the extreme heat and flames. Jimmy then grabbed a fire-

Master of Ceremonies

man’s asbestos headpiece which was nearby, donned the kit and

returned to the inferno - this time succeeding in getting the pilot

Tele: 01279 465 938

out and clear of the wreckage. He must have been aware that the

Mobile: 07774 860 374

petrol tank could explode at any moment, but he got stuck in

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

there just the same. Anyway, Jimmy did it. Sadly, the pilot died of

his injuries two days later. But in recognition of his heroic actions

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

on that day, my brother was presented with his BEM at

Buckingham Palace, accompanied by my parents and other family

Fellow of the Guild of

members.

Professional Toastmasters

“Then, on August 15th 1943, while Jim was airborne in an air-

craft that was towing a marker for target practice used by anti-

Call Sign July 2014

Page 15

On 2nd May 2014, 80 taxis - including several

from Dial-a-Cab - with 160 veterans began

arriving at The Railway Club in Harwich ready

LTBAWD return to

to board a ferry for the overnight sailing to

Hook of Holland for a five day trip to the

Netherlands. The committee of The London

Dutch battlegrounds

Taxi Benevolent Association for War

Disabled would like to thank Fiona and the

club staff for all their hard work on the day.

On arrival at the Dutch quayside, they were

met by The Dutch National Police, passport

control was quickly dealt with and soon they

were on their way to the National War

Museum at Overloon, which was around 110

miles from Hook of Holland. The police escort

held traffic back on the motorway so that

nobody could overtake the convoy!

Inside the museum, the group looked at the

vast number of military vehicles and equipment

and also heard of the tank battle that took place

in the area. The museum is located in a large

park which is also the site of the

Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery

and some of the veterans and drivers visited the

site. Then it was back to their hotel, The

Vets at the Oosterbeek service

Papendal in Arnhem.

At 3.30pm, the four taxis with eight of the

tion of the committee!

The next morning after breakfast, the vets in

veterans on board formed up with The Royal

The following morning was time to return

their taxi convoy left with its police escort to

British Legion to begin the two mile journey

home, but first a small presentation was made

make their way to Oosterbeek

through the streets of the town. The taxis con-

to the Dutch Police in thanks for their help and

Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery for

sisted of Red, White, Blue and one with the

then it was back to Hook of Holland and the

a British Military Service that was conducted by

Union flag motif on the bonnet. LTBAWD

ferry. During the return trip, the Captain

The Royal British Legion (Holland Branch). It

thanks go to Long Lane Taxis for allowing

slowed the ferry so that they could hold a short

lasted for an hour beginning with The

them to use that vehicle in the parade and

service of remembrance, read by Rev George

Pipes and Drums of the Dutch Royal British

thanks also to the drivers Ian Gray, Steve

Parsons and a wreath of poppies was thrown

Legion. The congregation was welcomed by Mr

Painter, John Harris and Derek Leone for

over the side.

J.P. Gebben; Captain Ray Waller made an

agreeing to give up their time and assist in tak-

The President, Vice Chairman, Officers and

introduction; Mr Robin Ammerlaan read the

ing part in the parade. It was very moving to

Committee of The London Taxi Benevolent

poignant poem In Flanders Fields and prayers

see small children handing small bunches of

Association for War Disabled have asked Call

were conducted by Reverand Canon

flowers to the vets, while the adults

Sign to thank all the veterans who

Geoffrey Allen. After the sounding of the Last

present thanked the vets for what they did for

collected donations in stations. Also thanks to

Post, the silence and reveille, the exhortation

the people of The Netherlands. All too soon

Bernie Waterson and Camberfield Taxis and

was given:

their part in the parade ended and it was time

of course the 80 drivers, without whom the

They shall not grow old, as we are left to

to return to the hotel.

LTBAWD could not undertake outings like this.

grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor

After dinner, singer Matt Cutler enter-

Gratitude also goes to paramedics (John and

the years condemn. At the going down of

tained, followed by a talent show organised by

Elizabeth Stubbs and Gary and Penny

the sun, and in the morning We will

Janet Hodgeson. A number of vets participat-

Extence), to Kenny (spanners) Flemwell and

remember them.

ed in singing and telling stories and jokes. Then

his breakdown team, all the garages that

Mr Gebben, accompanied by two children,

allowed drivers to take rented taxis on the trip,

Committee members were called onto the

then placed a wreath on behalf of the people of

stage to be presented to everybody in the

National Dutch Police and Stena Line for their

the Netherlands. All the local children are taken

room. They then proceeded to sing, which

assistance.

to the cemetery each year where they each look

almost cleared the room but assistance from

Call Sign thanks LTBAWD PRO Derek

after a headstone and leave a bunch of flowers.

Matt Cutler saved the evening - and the reputa-

Leone Hon for the information...

They are taught of the sacrifice these men paid

for their freedom. The vets then placed wreaths

in remembrance on behalf of the Royal Navy,

Caption Contest Winner

Army and the RAF. LTBAWD Vice Chairman

Gary Belsey placed a wreath on behalf of the

The winner of the May

War Disabled charity and a large number of vet-

Call Sign photo caption

erans then placed their own personal tributes.

contest was Gary

Then it was back to the taxis for the short trip

Heath (W42). Gary

to Arnhem where the group boarded a cruise

picks up a cheque for

boat for a 6 hour trip on The Rhine after which

£100 for his caption to

the police escort took them back to the

Papendal to prepare for the next day, which

the photo of David

would be one to remember...

Lessman (D19) and

two furry friends:

It was Monday morning at 11am and apart

from four taxis that were scheduled to be in

David gives his

the parade, everyone else travelled in coaches

approval as he test

to the town of Wageningen for the Dutch

drives the new sporty

Liberation celebrations and parade.

Zimmer frame...

Wageningen normally has a population of

30,000 - on this day it swelled to around

200,000.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 16

COMPLIANCE WITH GARRY

Hello Ladies & Gents

Run-ins

Please be mindful when running into an

Trade matters

account job to check your meter and only

The taxi trade worldwide is going through

have the allowed run-in amount on arrival, or

unprecedented changes brought on by the

if on a pre-booked trip to have no more than

app market with big money wanting to invest

the maximum amount at the pre-booked

in car booking platforms ie Uber and Lyft to

time.

challenge the traditional licensed taxi trade.

DaC offer

London is seen as a city with the best taxi ser-

You would have received a letter last month

vice in the world and if they can achieve their

updating Members of the state of play as to

foothold in London, I believe it will give them

where we’re at. I do hope this situation of

the platform they desire to start going into

third parties wanting buy DaC is resolved

the corporate taxi market.

sooner rather than later and then you the

Transport for London

Members getting to vote on which way you

want the Society to go in the future.

The lack of willingness by TfL to enforce the

rules/law over immediate hirings with meters

World Cup

only being allowed in taxis and not private hire

At the time of writing this article, England

vehicles, has allowed Uber to use an iPhone to

Hailo

have begun to make their way home after fail-

calculate the fare with time and distance trav-

It was decided by the Board that as of 9th

ing to claim a single point following their first

elled while at peak times introduce surge pric-

June and as they have now introduced Hailo

two games. Had they got through, the coun-

ing, something the travelling customer isn’t

Business, putting them indirect competition

try would have been in the middle of a feel-

always aware of until the journeys ends and is

with Dial-a-Cab, taking work from Hailo in a

good factor. I sincerely hope that the current

then charged for as they have already pre-

DaC liveried taxi is no longer allowed. I do

busy street work continues even though the

lodged credit/debit card details.

hope you understand our position and act

team failed. If your team isn’t England but are

This has galvanised the trade organisations in

accordingly, as otherwise complaints will be

still in the tournament, I wish them well.

a way I haven’t seen before in holding a demo

issued.

Drive carefully and be lucky...

on 11th June over Transport for London’s inept

Thanks in advance for your co-operation as

I know it’s tough going out there at the

Garry White

way of dealing with these matters! As a working

moment.

DaC Compliance Officer

driver, I was proud to attend it...

Touts tout the cops!

If you spend your working

life as a minicab tout, then

who’s the one person you

don’t try to pick up? Right

first time - plain clothed

police officers from the Met

police Cab Enforcement

Unit!

But that’s what minicab tout Konor

Ali tried to do. As a reward for his stu-

pidity, he was fined £700 and disquali-

fied for 12 months, but with an

address in England’s Lane NW3 we

doubt that he will starve!

It was back in September 2013 when

Ali touted plain clothes police officers

from the CEU on Camden High Street.

When the officers identified them-

selves, he attempted to drive off,

almost running over an officer and col-

liding with an unmarked police vehicle

- hence a dangerous driving charge in

addition to that of touting. He was

subsequently detained and arrested.

Ali appeared at Highbury Corner

Magistrates Court on 5 June and was

found guilty of touting for hire, pos-

sessing no insurance and also danger-

ous driving.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 17

Admiral Multicar Insurance is currently

running a series of TV ads and it took us back

ADMIRAL: WE DON’T

to 2012. That was when Call Sign received

several calls from Dial-a-Cab drivers com-

plaining that following an earlier series of ads

TRUST TAXI DRIVERS!

from Admiral proclaiming their cut price car

insurance, they had applied and when it

came to being asked what they did for a living

decision “despicable” and said that they

and replying that they were part of the finest

would fight it.

taxi driving service in the world - probably

We don’t know the result of the claim, but

the world’s only truly professional taxi dri-

compared to the Admiral statement that was

vers - they were informed that Admiral would

akin to calling London taxi drivers dishonest,

not insure them!

Call Sign phoned Admiral to ask whether

Perhaps the Admiral phone reps in

their no taxi drivers policy had changed? And

Cardiff were unaware that we don’t use

it has!

our cars as taxis and that our safety record

Call Sign readers will undoubtedly be

No thank you!

at work is second to none. But when

delighted to know that Admiral now insure

pointed out, it made no difference to

in the process. The car driver admitted liabil-

your car but will not allow you third party

Admiral - they just weren’t interested in

ity to DaC’s TX4 driver - although many often

coverage for any other car you drive other

London taxi drivers when in their cars.

do that and later change their mind when it

than your own. If you weren’t a London taxi

And needless to say they won’t insure

comes to filling in the claim form. However,

driver then you could do that with their bless-

your taxi!

another passing taxi driver in a Vito was right

ing, but just as they don’t trust you to tell the

Then we come up-to-date and 2014. A Dial-

behind and offered our driver his name as a

truth, they don’t trust you with someone

a-Cab taxi was hit by a private car at Hyde

witness, making it what should have been a

else’s car.

Park Corner. The incident was fairly minor

fairly straight-forward claim. At least that’s

May we humbly suggest that the next

although a substantial amount of damage

how it should have been - until Admiral

time Admiral offer you a deal, you tell

occurred to both vehicles when the car, dri-

declined to accept the taxi driver witness

them where they can place it!

ving in the offside lane of the southbound

because they claimed “we all stuck together!”

roundabout carriageway, suddenly decided

The result was that the non-fault acci-

that it wanted to turn left into Piccadilly and

dent had to be passed over to the regular

Michael Toomey

cut straight across three lanes, hitting the taxi

insurance company, who called Admiral’s

Call Sign Online

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 an historic

Mr Harry Benjamin then got up and said it was our own fault for being in this position; we had

meeting that some older drivers may

been too apathetic and divided. He continued that in 1965, 13 prosecutions were instituted against

mini-cabs for illegal plying for hire. He said we should press home an attack now and not accept a brush

have heard of but few, if any, were

off.

at - the meeting that saw a group of

The press were then let in to hear Mr P.Healey from Orpington who has been in consultation with

drivers leave the T&G and start the

his MP, Mr Eric Lubbock, who is most interested and believes we have a strong case. Mr Healey and his

LTDA in 1967

wife were up all night sending 750 recorded delivery letters to every M.P and a complaint against the

From ODRTS News Magazine, May 1967

Home Secretary (Mr Roy Jenkins) has been lodged with the Ombudsman. Mr Healey then read out

many letters and received tumultuous applause. The press were then asked to leave.

LICENSED TAXI DRIVERS

The treasurer Mr Stanley Stone, then appealed for funds and collected £437 l0s and 2 dollars,

ASSOCIATION IS BORN

On Sunday 23rd April a mass meeting was

which coupled with the balance of Mr Healey’s own personal collection, totalled £456. Mr Bill D`Arcy

called at St Pancras Town Hall by the 12,000

then spoke and told of the committee’s decision to give the meeting with the Home Secretary on the

group. This initially was working as a ginger

following day, a chance. However, if negative, then they would go ahead with the formation of an asso-

group within the TGWU. The chairman was Mr

ciation of licensed cab drivers. This suggestion was greeted with roof-raising applause.

Bill D`Arcy (A19) who opened the meeting and

As we now know, it was negative and so has been born the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association.

introduced the committee individually. He

Joe Toff (B4), Editor, ODRTS News Magazine

thanked the police for their co-operation on the

day of the lobbying and Mr Sam Cooper who

lent us £50 for the use of the hall.

The first speaker was Mr Harry Kaufman

who thanked both ODRTS and Radio Taxis

(South) for their help. He said this committee

was also concerned about the trades` internal

disease as well as its external one. He slated the

asaptrades

union for little or no action and accused the

men for continuing their bad practices; airport

men, radio men who jam their systems, men

ELECTRICAL

answering a Rank telephone call and not turn-

ing up to do the job. He said we wanted some

say in the cab’s production, we need a PRO and

Electrical Installations - Fault Finding & Repairs

stressed the fact that we are treated as second

class citizens. Mr Kaufman received an ovation.

The next speaker was Mr Joe Bloom who

www.asaptrades.com

didn’t want to break away from the union. He

wanted militant action against mushes that did

not join the union. He was not given a very

warm reception and has since retracted the

0203 130 6798

statement and apologised.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 18

Dial-a-Cab driver Tony Arnold

(F03) is coming up to 30 years

with the Society and is certainly

Tony Arnold and

no stranger to Call Sign, having

been involved in some of our

most unusual stories.

the ranker!

The one that comes to mind first was in

2002 when he drove a TX2 from Beijing

(China) to Trafalgar Square with two Chinese

students who had won the trip in a competi-

tion. That trip was filmed and shown on the

CCTV channel in China over 15 weeks, with

Tony becoming something of a cult hero.

Along the way, Tony drove his taxi

through Outer Mongolia, Russia and the

Arctic Circle. Then he continued via much

of Europe from Finland down to London!

A few years on and Tony was off again, this

time taking his TX2 to Nigeria and Ghana

where he taught the locals how real taxi dri-

vers operate and left them with what both

African governments had agreed was a hugely

improved service. Amongst other places, Tony

has also visited Melbourne in Australia, where

once again he showed the Oz ‘cabby blokes’

how real taxi drivers operate!

Tony is incredibly proud of being a

London taxi driver and of the way the

Tony in Beijing's Tiannamen Square publicising his taxi trip to London in 2002

London taxi trade always tries to behave to

a much higher standard than the opposi-

shame to a trade that Tony has spent so

baby. I saw that the RTG cab sitting on the rank

tion. That is one of the reasons why we are

much time promoting. Tony takes up the

had no for hire light on and I assumed he was

siding with Tony and his TX4 against a

story...

either waiting for someone or taking a short

Radio Taxis Group driver who was recent-

“I was in Marylebone High Street having just

break. So I stopped for the passengers. They

ly involved in a ‘showdown’ with Tony -

passed the rank outside Waitrose. Some 10 or

boarded the taxi and we moved off. I had just

one that we consider brought unnecessary

so feet beyond it were a couple with a young

turned right into Weymouth Street when the

RTG taxi squeezed past and cut in front forc-

ing me to break sharply while hoping that the

Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers

baby was safely secured.

Then this red-faced and fairly elderly driver

WCHCD Election Court at Guildhall

let out a tirade of abuse that included my par-

ents, whilst all the time my young clients and

On 22nd May, the WCHCD

their thankfully safe baby were looking and lis-

held their annual Election

tening from within the cab, no doubt finding it

Court Lunch. Graham

hard to believe that this was a licensed taxi dri-

ver. But they had seen nothing yet because I

Woodhouse, Company

Master, together with his

was just about to say - without using his rather

Wardens, members of the

basic language - that he didn’t have his for hire

sign on so how was I supposed to know that

Court of Assistants and the

he was working, when this supposed ‘gentle-

newly qualified Cab Guide

man of the road’ suddenly spat into my face

Course students, enjoyed

lunch in the private members

before reversing against the Weymouth Street

one-way system, obviously assuming - quite

dining room at Guildhall.

correctly - that I wouldn’t pursue him.

Prior to lunch, the

My passengers were obviously afraid that I

Election Court had been

might follow the RTG driver and pleaded with

held and the Master read

me to continue the journey. I assured them

out some of the wonderful thank-you letters he had

that there was no way I would attempt to catch

received from guests at the recent Royal Charter Presentation and celebration. These

him and tried to explain that they had wit-

included a letter from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, thanking the WCHCD

nessed just one driver out of a total of 25,000

warmly for the gift of a painting for their young son Prince George, which had

professionals and that very few out of that total

been presented to Prince Charles during the ceremony in April.

would have behaved like that, even if they had

Graham Woodhouse was presiding over his final full WCHCD Court meeting as

a genuine complaint.

Master before handing over office to the new Master in September, Malcolm Paice.

His Wardens during his year will be Colin Evans as Upper Warden, Alan Roughan as

I know things haven’t been that good of

Renter Warden and Dave Cannell as Lower Warden. After the meeting two new

late, but is there any excuse for that driver’s

Freemen were sworn in, Steve Bilham and Bob Oddy.

behaviour of swearing out loudly in front of

Graham was also delighted to be presenting the successful Cab Guide Course can-

passengers, spitting at a fellow driver and then

didates with their Badges and Certificates. All of them had enjoyed the course and

reversing the wrong way down a one-way

were looking forward to using their new skills in the near future. Graham is one of the

street? I would be the first to agree that had he

tutors of the course and has managed to combine his duties as Master with still run-

had his for hire sign on, there is no way I

ning the course thanks to the team he has to assist him. The next Cab Guide course

would have stopped for those passengers.

begins on 1 September. See the ad on page 20...

What have we become...?”

Call Sign July 2014

Page 19

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

ethren of the Whip

Cab drivers getting the sack...

1851, John

Prosecutors for the Sack Protection Society

out shortly after the Mitchell case. There

Leary, a cabman of

then estimated that lost or stolen sacks were

had been a case in the summer of 1865 in

5 Brook Green Lane

costing millers and corn dealers £20,000 -

which Messrs Hadleys, of the City Flour

in Hammersmith,

£30,000 a year and the chief culprits were said

Mills in Upper Thames Street were prose-

was up before the

to be cabmen! Kollen was fined 10s for being

cuted for having over a 1000 sacks belong-

magistrates charged

in possession of a sack.

ing to other members of the society, a soci-

with theft. He had

In November of that same year, Walter

ety to which Messrs Hadley & Co were sub-

found an empty sack

Mitchell was up before the magistrates, again

scribers. It would appear that if they could

in a yard and kept

at Mansion House and the Sack Protection

not prevent their own members stealing

hold of it. It was

Society was once again the prosecutor.

thousands of sacks from each other - there

Mitchell said he had picked up the sack and

later found to be

was little point in going after a cabman

had not known who it belonged to. Mr

outside his house

using a sack to keep his legs warm.

Carden, a magistrate who was generally sym-

and he admitted that he had picked it up.

It appears that after this period, cab drivers

pathetic to cab drivers, said that people in

Prosecutors were, believe it or not, The

could give their bodies a little molecule pro-

unlawful possession of a sack always told that

Association for the Prevention of Sack

tection from the cold without risking a fine.

story. Mitchell was luckier than Kollen and was

Stealing. They claimed that lost or stolen

fined 2s 6d plus costs.

sacks cost the industry many thousands of

Sean Farrell

The Sack Protection Society, despite its

pounds each year and not only were they

numerous victories, appears to have died

Call Sign Online

used to hold goods, but those in dirty trades

used them as aprons to keep their own

clothes clean, while cabmen used them as

Selling the TDYCF charity single

leggings to prevent the cold getting to them!

The court was informed that the name of

Chairman of the Taxi Driver of the Year

the owner of the sack was emblazoned in sev-

Charity Fund, Dial-a-Cab’s Russell Poluck

eral places, but Leary said he was illiterate.

MBE (T55), has asked Call Sign to thank

The magistrate, Mr Beadon (Beadon Road

some of the young helpers who have been

W6 is named after him) said that if Leary was

helping to sell the Fund’s charity CD by The

honestly disposed, he would have shown the

London Cabbies, We’ll Take You There. All

sack to the first person he met or to a police-

man, either of whom would have told him

proceeds go to the five trade charities.

where the sack came from - it actually

“I would like to thank, Emma, Matt, Sam, Ross and

belonged to a miller in Isleworth.

Ethan for helping us to sell the charity CD at Paddington

Station. They all worked very hard and did very well. The

The Association for the Prevention of

more we sell, the more money the five taxi charities that

Sack Stealing had wanted a heftier fine to

TDYCF support will receive at our annual dinner dance.”

act as a deterrent to other cabmen, but a

You can still buy a copy at the Dial-a-Cab driver’s recept

semblance of common sense prevailed and

Go to:

Leary was fined 2s 6d with 2s costs.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/well-take-you-there/id833516296?i=833516481&ignmpt=uo%3D4

The Association for the Prevention of Sack

Russell also added that the 2014 Taxi Driver of the Year Dinner and Dance will take place

Stealing was not alone in its endeavour to save

on 6th December at a new venue: The Holiday Inn Regents Park at Carburton Street W1.

sacks. Around 1845, The Sack Protection

See page 21 for details.

Society was formed by a group of millers in

London and the Home Counties. They

employed a professional sack collector who

would enter mills, delivering sacks if that mill

was a member of the society and taking away

the sacks of other society members for later

delivery.

Each sack was said to be worth 3s and all

would have the name of the owner both on

the outside and the inside. But once a miller’s

sack was used to carry anything else, then that

sack could never be used to carry flour again.

In 1860 The Sack Protection Society prose-

cuted what they referred to as “... a batch of

people, in various grades of life, some of them

cabmen.” The Times does not mention how

many of the batch there were, or how many

were found guilty for having a sack without a

legal excuse. Each of them was fined 5s plus

costs. The paper also reported that in aggra-

vated cases, the court could impose a prison

sentence of two months.

A cabman, James Kollen, was up before the

magistrates at Mansion House in March 1865.

Call Sign July 2014

Page 20

Oh no... not another piece about the state of the cab trade!

WELL YES THERE IS!

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

So the Trafalgar Square demonstration with drivers raising their total dissatisfaction with the activities -

or perhaps I should say lack of them - from Transport for London is now over. What the response will

be from TfL and their lack of any proactive leadership was unknown at the time of writing.

What they should be doing is to protect the transport needs of London’s citizens in addition to the

business interests of our iconic London taxi industry which is respected the world over, against the

unregulated technologies that are being introduced in an effort to take revenue from unsuspected mem-

bers of the public who just want to use a safe and secure vehicle to take them to their destination. TfL’s

lack of action is unforgivable.

The lack of control of the likes of Uber and its obvious meter gadget, car sharing apps and

many others, is a dangerous direction that TfL are taking.

As a Taxi and Private Hire Licencing Authority, TfL must realise that because of their apparent laissez-faire attitude, they will be putting

members of the public at risk.

I have to say that although several trade associations claim to represent the taxi industry, this is one of the first times for many years

that there appears to be some unity.

For years I have been banging on that all taxi drivers should join one organisation that protects the interests of the whole

trade, which should include drivers, manufactures, suppliers, support services, radio circuits etc, and dare I say it, the

Licencing Authority!

Back in the day, some may remember the London Taxi Board, which was a well-respected trade organisation. However, for one rea-

son or another, members representing their various interests began to leave - often for what appeared to be rather minor political rea-

sons - after which time the Taxi Board disbanded.

If there was one unified body that was in existence now with one sole purpose and that was to protect our trade, I do not believe the

trade would be in the dire straits it is in now.

Nonetheless, I do commend those who are trying to safeguard the future of our trade...

Mike Son

DaC Board Member

THE CALL SIGN

INTERNET LIBRARY

Call Sign often gets drivers

asking how they can get onto

our online library because

they have only just gone on

the internet. Astonishingly, our online

department headed by Vince Chin has kept this magazine’s web-

site going since 1998 - by far the longest of any trade magazine

including the one that is apparently read by more drivers than any

other! Even though the last time we looked, CS had over 8000

online readers, never mind hard copy readers!

So, you want to look up something in the latest issue or in an

old issue of Call Sign.

Go to www.dac-callsign.co.uk or o www.dac-callsign.c

Then either browse through every issue of Call Sign since 1998

by using the Search facility at the top left of the page, type a clue

and let our search engine do the rest. Or go straight to the issue

you want.

If you want to read each complete issue with ads, you can do

that because since the May 2006 issue, you just need to click on

the PDF logo under the issue you want to see. No search facility

for that, but if you know the page then go to it, press CTRL F and

a box will appear. Just type in the word and the text you are look-

ing for on that page and it will be highlighted.

If you just want to see the latest issue, just click on the year,

then the month or click on the PDF sign at the end of the intro-

duction. There are also issues from 1967, 1977 and 1987 as a

reminder of the old days!

But beware, looking back at old issues can be addictive!

Call Sign July 2014

Page 21

Hailo: The

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

last word?

Is it the

‘embattled’ or

‘beleaguered’ Russell

It’s a cabby’s life

Hall? Actually there are a

number of descriptive

words that I should

whether he was still on Hailo, he sheepishly

and which we later regret. My excruciating faux

refrain from using for reasons of decency. Perhaps

admitted he was and when I said there was a prin-

pas moment came when I picked up Lady

we’ll stop at ‘holed up’ in his bunker at Somerset

ciple there, he just shrugged his shoulders.

Antonia Fraser with her husband Harold

House as he says rather pathetically: “It wasn’t me

Alarmingly, another driver I spoke with actually

Pinter from a street in Holland Park.

that applied for the private hire licence...”

bragged that he was cleaning up! With selfish,

I had just read Antonia Fraser’s book, The

He has been duplicitous on every long-winded

greedy individuals like these who obviously do

Gunpowder Plot. What I knew and had read

missive he has put out; a discredited figure that

not have the taxi trade at heart, it will inevitably

about Harold I didn’t like. He appeared to be

continues to refer to himself as a ‘founder’ but

allow outside forces to destabilise us.

portrayed as a conceited, arrogant man of let-

who seemingly makes no company decisions.

Ok, I am playing devil’s advocate here, but

ters. There was a gap in their conversation and

His yank boss, Ron Zeghibe, has produced an

maybe it’s time to do some introspective navel

I rudely steamed in saying rather provocatively:

app that focuses on taxi street work - the bedrock

gazing ourselves. Our Concierge platform looks

“I liked your book on the gunpowder plot Lady

of our very existence. I suspect that what Ron

to some suspiciously like a minicab fourth emer-

Fraser, but Harold Pinter plays with pregnant

Zeghibe really thinks is that Uber have a superior

gency service. We also do the minicab reject work.

pauses I don’t really understand.”

and more lucrative business model, so to com-

Yes, admittedly it may have been and still be a

After a fairly long pause, Harold Pinter apolo-

pete they now have to supply cars and limos.

valuable asset, but isn’t retaining -respect a valu-

gised for my ignorance. I changed my opinion

Like many of you, I have now seen liveried

able commodity too? As I said, just playing devil’s

of him after that encounter!

Hailo yellow taxis with ‘Hailo scabs’ emblazoned

advocate.

on the rear window. I thought at the time this was

Books

going too far, but having consorted with the

Taxi demo

I recently read an extract from Richard

Oxford English dictionary, is ‘scab’ really too

The taxi demonstration on

11th June that

Littlejohn’s book, Littlejohn’s Lost World, in

far?

brought central London to a standstill has now

the Mail. Likewise, Rod Liddle’s book Selfish

Scab: A derogatory word meaning a person

passed and I see its success - the number of TV,

Whining Monkeys had extracts in the Sunday

who refuses to strike or join a trade union or

radio and news crews with helicopters being pre-

Times. Both books are a social history of their

who takes the place of a striking worker.

sent guaranteed that - as having been the most

times from infancy to the present and look like

Now I am not so sure! Incongruously, our

important stand our trade could have done

good reads. I ordered them at the local library

views are aligned with Licenced Taxi and Private

against the weak ineptitude of Transport of

paying 60p each to reserve. That’s good value...

Hire who describe apps that circumvent the law

London. Interesting times...

as cowboy cab apps akin to hi-tech touts.

On the London Bridge taxi rank I recently

Crassness?

noticed a clean taxi with the driver frantically jab-

I am sure we all say crass things to the luminar-

Stephen Berndes

bing his smart phone. When I questioned

ies of the day who invade our personal fiefdom

Call Sign Online

TDOY Dinner and Dance

‘Remembering those less fortunate than ourselves’

The Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund presents their Annual Dinner and Dance on Saturday 6th December 2014

at a NEW venue: The Holiday Inn Regents Park, Carburton Street, W1.

Reception begins at 6.15pm with dinner at 6.45pm followed by dancing to a live band. The cost of tickets is £65 per person and

includes a 4-course meal with half a bottle of wine per person.

With your support, The Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund is able to make substantial donations to the taxi trade charities that support them.

Don’t miss one of the year’s great nights. Great food and great company! It will prove to be an enjoyable and memorable occasion for all.

For tickets, please send completed form and cheque made out to T.D.Y.C.F to:

Russell Poluck MBE, TDYCF Hon Chairman, 5 St Brides Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 6BT

RSVP by 1st November

PLEASE PRINT

Name:

Title:

Company (if applicable):

Address:

Tel:

Email:

Number of tickets:

Dietary requirements:

Veg

□ Fish

□ Meat

□

Dress smart

For further information, contact Russell Poluck: 07850 056 765 • Tel/fax 020 8952 1357

Registered with the Charities Commission No: 1000761

Call Sign July 2014

Page 22

When Donald Dacas (P76) was

summoned to the head of

Donald and the

Liverpool Street Station rank by

the late night taxi marshal to

take a credit card trip, little did

disappearing chip...

he realise that the journey

would end with Donald destroy-

tleman’s credit card!” Donald was now laugh-

ing the passengers bank card!

ing heartily at the memory!

“When the taxi marshal asked if I would

The passenger’s electronic chip was still

take a credit card trip, I jumped at the oppor-

firmly inside Donald’s PED and he prepared

tunity and promptly moved to the front of the

himself for a verbal assault from the passen-

rank ahead of all the other cabs waiting to

ger, but the passenger said that it was a well-

take on passengers,” Donald told Call Sign.

used card and he realised it wasn’t Donald’s

“The marshal had recognised my Dial-a-Cab

fault.

door logos and called me forward,” Donald

“I did feel slightly uncomfortable that it

continued.

should have happened in my cab,” Donald

“With the old style terminal, we used to be

added, “but that’s life I guess. It has certainly

never happened before to me, but I’d bet

able to authorise the trip at the beginning of

supermarkets, shops and fuel stations have

the journey, but nowadays it is cleared at the

end of the trip - and that’s when my problems

had the odd jammed card,” Donald mused.

Fortunately, the passenger had another

began. We had reached the destination - Pont

bank card which he used at a nearby ATM

Street - and I passed the PED through to the

“I gave it several gentle pulls but it would-

machine and Donald went to Roman Way the

passenger for him to enter his card and PIN.

n’t budge, so I gripped it firmly between fin-

next day to get a new PED fitted.

“After an unusually long time he said he

ger and thumb and gave it more of - shall we

“It’s funny,” Donald ended,

“I always

couldn’t remove his card and I could see from

say - a determined tug! Sure enough, the

assumed that chips went missing when some-

my MDT that the card had not been recog-

obstinate little blighter did shoot out of my

one ate them!”

nised. The passenger was adamant that it was

PED. But it left a gaping hole in the card

stuck and so with traffic building up behind

where the data chip used to be! I could see

me, I offered to try to remove the card.

daylight through the square hole in the gen-

Taxi driver’s licences...

WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT!

“Firstly, let me say what an excellent, read-

“My existing driving licence is good until August and this licence car-

able and informative magazine Call Sign is,”

ries on from the date of expiry of my present licence, so I will not lose

Graham Leonard (J20) stated cheerily while

any time at all! And that is all good news worth reporting.”

our young hack humbly and graciously accept-

LTPH Interim General Manager Helen Chapman told Call Sign:

ed the accolade on behalf of the Editor.

“It is always good to hear of the good experiences after interacting

“I have read about and heard of drivers hav-

with us. We have been working very hard behind the scenes to get

ing real problems renewing their taxi driving

the new systems and processes working more efficiently so we can

licences,” Graham continued “some apparently

get the service to an acceptable level. We still have some work to do

taking several months to complete the proce-

but it is good to see that the hard work is starting

dure as the process steadily wound its way

to pay off.”

through the various agencies. As a result, I

believe some drivers have been unable to work

if their current taxi driving licence had expired

and they were waiting until the new licence

arrived, something which must have caused

untold hardship.

“So for me to get my renewed taxi driving

licence back in just two weeks was absolutely

amazing,” Graham enthused, smiling broadly

while thrusting the smart, shiny document out

of the cab window!

“My CRB papers had come through the let-

terbox early on the Saturday morning and with-

out further ado I filled it in and sent it off that

same morning, concerned I did not delay

because of those horror stories I’d heard about.

“To my surprise the CRB papers came

back by the following Wednesday, so

again, without delay I forwarded the docu-

ment to TfL and quite astonishingly, my

renewed licenced dropped through the

door just a few days later. The whole

process took just two working weeks,

which is pretty amazing really.

“True, I didn’t hang about getting the paper-

work sorted at my end, but it does show how

the various agencies have got their act together

as they said they would, and this is the result -

although perhaps I should also give due credit

to the Royal Mail for their speedy service too!

Call Sign July 2014

Page 23

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

probably be considered as stalking! What

on Sunday would have a field day!

about The Carpenters Solitaire being the

Imagine the outcry and blame for violence

only game in town? Well you would no longer

that would beset Bobby Darin’s glorifying of

be able to sit quietly in your room without

Mack the knife - worse still, imagine the out-

the internet to play Candy Crush Saga, Angry

rage and horror that would have been

Birds, Word, Mine Craft or any other of the

thrown at Pattie Page for asking How much is

thousands of on-line games.

that doggie in the window? She would have to

Then there would be the problem if Billy

go into hiding!

Jo Spears put her Blanket on the ground

It’s a shame that your generation’s music is

because the world would be up in arms

the best to you exclusively, but at least you can

about the promiscuity she was preaching!

enjoy them for what they were. I’m off now to

Crooner and Rat Pack star, Dean Martin,

listen to The Smiths ‘to cheer myself up’.

would undoubtedly cause shock over being

the Little old wine drinker me. And what about

Tom Quigley

Doris Day? Could you imagine her being

allowed to warble of her Secret Love? The Sun

Call Sign Online

Time for a cough?

I know the government have to make the

A Dial-a-Cab driver looks back in time and asks the question...

population aware of health matters and it’s

apparently all in our best interests.

The latest campaign showing someone

Who are we???

coughing with the message that if you have

had it for three weeks then it could be cancer

“I wish my ancestor’s would have written down their

isn’t so much enlightenment, but more like a

life stories, exploits, and just everyday snippets,”

threat. Starting out through the winter

Garry Farr (R87) - a 26 year veteran of DaC - sug-

months and into spring when many of us

gested to Call Sign, “that way I would know about

have colds, flu or early signs of Hay fever

my historical relatives a whole lot better than I do and

alongside any Asthma sufferers, it seems that

be able to pass that genealogical history onto future

everyone has a cough.

generations.

But now when I - or anyone I know -

“It was really my wife who started the ball rolling

cough, I immediately do a quick mental cal-

so to speak, and I got a big slice of the ancestry bug

culation counting back the days, weeks or

from her,” Garry said thoughtfully.

months from when I first noticed it.

If a passenger gets into my Dial-a-Cab taxi

“We have researched both the Welsh and English

and starts coughing, where I would usually

sides of my family and have been able to achieve

and subtly try and close the partition window

some successes, but unfortunately the older genera-

and open my front windows, I now find

tions didn’t really speak about their lives very much so

myself behaving like a doctor, asking ques-

as to pass bits onto us in the modern age, so I can

tions about their complaint - even offering

only go on what I can determine from official records,

advice and tips. No doubt I will soon be car-

which is a bit ‘cold’ really and does not let you get to

rying spare bottles of water and lozenges etc.

the person, which is a great shame,” he told us with a trace of gen-

The campaign obviously works, but in the

uine sadness etched on his face.

back of my mind I can’t help but think that

“I know for instance that on my mother’s side of the family, both my Grandfather

like me and probably the rest of us, since it

and his father - my Great Grandfather - were coal miners in Wales, and my

started we have all been to our GP, had an X

Grandfather and Great Grandfather were glass-blowers here on the English side. And

ray, left the surgery with a prescription and a

my Great Great Grandfather was a ‘cow herder’ in Clapton!” Garry smiled at the

couple of items on it and before you know it,

thought, recalling with amusement when Clapton Pond was probably just a large pud-

you are nearly £16 worse off than you would

dle…

have been. It’s one way to boost the pharma-

“So yes, it’s true that I know their occupations, when certain family members were

ceutical coffers, but probably a small price to

married and of course, their demise. But there must be so much more to the fabric of

pay for the reassurance of good health...

life than just plain facts,” Garry continued. “I would so much like to know more about

Songs ain’t what they

what went on within both sides of the generations through their inter-action with each

other.

used to be...

It’s often said that the songs of today aren’t as

“Using documentation, I have visited some of the addresses of my ancestors but alas

good as the ones before them; no lyrics or

the passage of time has changed the scenery considerably. Old houses knocked down

rhythm - just beat, bass and noise and cer-

to rebuild modern properties, while farming land has also changed too,” he mused.

tainly not as good as the songs of previous

Garry ended by passing some basic info to those Dial-a-Cab drivers that are interest-

generations.

ed.

Well maybe the reason lies in the fact that

“There are several official lines of research including The National Archives at Kew,

you wouldn’t be allowed to sing those songs

the Family Record Office and sites such as Ancestry, Findmypast and several other

before?

resources, although some have subscription options as well. Put ‘family history’ into the

I mean, could Frank Sinatra sing the Paul

internet and there are a range of possibilities, the local library and numerous books on

Anka song of doing it My Way? Today they

the subject, but beware because once you get started it becomes very addictive and

would have to do it someone else’s way first,

time consuming indeed. But it can also be very rewarding!”

probably a politically correct way to maintain

Alan Green (E52)

fairness! Would Andy Williams be allowed to

Watch the girls go by? Sexist or what! And I’m

Call Sign Online

sorry, but Neil Sedaka’s Oh Carol would

Call Sign July 2014

Page 24

On 7th December 1681, King Charles II

The London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled

issued a Royal Warrant for the foundation of

a hospital for soldiers who had become old

and infirm in the service of the Crown. Then

LTBAWD

in 1682, work began on a site which had been

purchased by the King, the architect respon-

sible being Sir Christopher Wren.

AT ROYAL HOSPITAL

It was modelled on Louis XIV's Hotel des

Invalides in Paris, but it would be another ten

years before the 66 acre site was completed.

FOUNDERS DAY PARADE

1685, following the death of King

Charles II, his brother King James II carried

on with the development of the hospital; he

was also responsible for the scarlet coat

which is still worn to this day as the uniform

of the Chelsea Pensioners. It was in 1692,

during in the reign of William and Mary that

the hospital received the first of the

Pensioners.

There are 286 in-Pensioners currently at

the Royal Hospital,- the oldest being 102 and

the average age being 82 and 6 months. 104

of the Pensioners fought in WW2. There are

also survivors of the many campaigns that

took place between the two World Wars and

after 1945.

The statue of King Charles II, which was

originally in Whitehall Palace, was moved to

Founders Court in the grounds of The Royal

Part of the

Hospital following the death of Charles II.

parade

The statue depicts the King as a Roman and

with the

was gilded in Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden

Duke of

Jubilee year.

Kent

On Thursday 5th June 2014 and due to

their involvement with the Royal Hospital,

He ended

members of the committee of The London

with the tra-

Taxi Benevolent Association for War

ditional three

Disabled were invited to the Founders Day

cheers for

parade, held to remember the Founder,

the Founder,

King Charles II, who after the battle of

King Charles

Worcester in 1651 took refuge in an oak

II, and also

tree to escape his pursuers; the statue on

for

Her

this day is decorated in oak leaves.

Majesty The

At 10.30am, the band of the Grenadier

Association for War Disabled (you can read

Queen. Finally there were three cheers for

Guards under Director of Music,

about that trip on page 15) and thanked the

The Duke of Kent. The day ended with a long

Major K.Davies LRSM ALCM, commenced

charity for their part.

fanfare and the National Anthem.

playing and at 10.45 the Pensioners under

the command of the Adjutant Colonel,

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

S.C.Bate RRC, paraded on Figure Court.

Those able to march formed four Guards

while the rest of the Pensioners occupied

seats around the parade ground.

LOCKHOUSE SECURITY

At 11am, His Royal Highness The Duke

of Kent entered the parade ground with

All types of locks, opened, repaired and replaced

Governor Sir Redmond Watt KCB KCVO

CBE DL and Lieutenant Governor Major

10% discount on keys and locks for DaC drivers

General A.P.N. Currie CB. The Secretary and

Transponders / chipped keys

Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea were

On site key cutting services including taxis

received with a fanfare from the Fanfare

Locks replaced / fitted to insurance specifications (BS3621

Trumpeters

the

Band of

The Coldstream Guards under the Director

Burglary repairs / boarding up

of Music Major D. Wolfendale BA (Mus)

Additional security / security upgrades

LRSM ALCM. His Royal Highness

Safes opened, repaired and serviced

then inspected the parade, which was fol-

Grilles and security gates

lowed by the march past with the band play-

ing The Boys of the Old Brigade with the

Specialists in UPVC doors and windows / patio doors

assembled 600 guests clapping in time to the

Free estimates / no call out charge

music.

24hr service

Following an address by The Duke of Kent,

the Governor responded that the Pensioners

You can find us at:

engage in various outings throughout the

8-10 The Arcade, Farnham Road, Harold Hill

year and recently twenty of them were part

of a visit to Holland in London Taxis organ-

Tel: 01708 371115

ised by the London Taxi Benevolent

Call Sign July 2014

Page 25

DISCUSS: It isn't us!

internet list in Europe where questions could

“It was a long time ago,” Vince told Call

be asked and answers given. Named Discuss,

Sign recently, “but if I remember correctly

the bulk of those using it were drivers, but

there was a lot of slander made against

also on it were garage proprietors, radio cir-

Dial-a-Cab and also talk of me being taken

he Internet began in 1969 in America

cuit Chairmen, representatives from trade

to Court. I asked everyone to tone down

when the United States defence

organisations and even the then head of LTI,

their comments, but they ignored me. So I

department found the need for a

Jamie - now Lord - Borwick. However, few

closed it down.”

method of exchanging military data

had the internet and could go online at that

The reason we are mentioning this is

and research information between different

time.

because an advert for a taxi list called Discuss

sites. This removed the reliance on a small

Discuss proved to be a useful tool, but

was recently seen by a driver who used to be

number of central computers and would be

somewhere along the line as more joined,

on the original list and he asked Call Sign if

more resilient to a nuclear attack in which

the initial respect and friendliness departed

it had returned. Apparently it is around again

key installations would be a primary target.

and it became more argumentative until a

but is nothing to do with Vince or Call Sign.

The general public in the UK started tin-

time when it deteriorated to such a degree

Although they claim to have been around

kering with the ‘net in the early 1990s and on

that following several warnings Vince, as

since

1997, as it was closed that seems

12 November 1997, Call Sign - thanks to its

moderator, closed it down with the words:

unlikely. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t

IT guru Vince Chin - developed the first taxi

The inmates are beginning to run the asylum!

worth looking at - but it ain’t us!

NEW IN OLD STREET!

But where will it stop???

A recent report in the

Transport at TfL think about it, because many would say that the

Islington Gazette probably

way they have allowed Uber to take control, rather than be con-

caused drivers reading it

trolled, has been the start of an anything goes policy regarding

to shrug their shoulders

taxis and minicabs.

and exclaim that the

world had gone mad and

perhaps it was time to

just look the other way!

The reason? Well it may not be San Francisco but

Old Street, the home area to Dial-a-Cab, is still the closest

we have to a UK Silicon Valley and according to a report in

the paper, a new start-up app is available to download that

the paper says is not only a danger to licensed taxis, but also

Black Cab

to Uber!

The new app - called Funryde - is said to offer a minicab

Heritage Tours

ride with a driver who has similar interests to the passenger

but will charge 70% less than taxis with an average cost of

Black Cab Heritage Tours have some pre-

under £1 a mile. Those behind the app say there will be no

booked corporate work in 2014 and we

need for any TfL licensing and certainly no CRB check. The

company say it is non-profit making and will only set out to

need to increase our list of associates to

cover its expenses. Its drivers would be covered by their own

help cover that work.

insurance.

We only use owner drivers - but our client has

One of the people behind the mobile phone app, Bassem

requested black (in colour) taxis only. However, your

Barake, said that he thinks their app will make taxi drivers

Dial-a-Cab logos are fine provided the taxi is black and

angry, but claims that it is a totally different experience to

has no other ads of any kind.

that of a black cab.

If you would like to join our contact list please

“You might be picked up by a doctor or an engineer and

email me (Bob Woodford) at:

you can meet new people and talk about your interests.”

rob@blackcabheritagetours.co.uk

It’s nice to know that the NHS, which we are told is being

No guiding skills are required and I should add that

overrun, has doctors who have the time to be minicab dri-

this client is a Kensington based events Management

vers!

Prior to the article coming out, Funryde had only 15 drivers

Company and fellow member (together with BCHT) of

even though the app had reached over 1,000 downloads. If

UK Inbound, so the trips are totally different from

you are waiting to see the doctor at your local surgery and

normal taxi work. Therefore there is not any direct

have been told he is running late, then have patience as he or

competition whatsoever with Dial-a-Cab work.

she is probably just dropping their last fare off!

We can’t help but wonder what London Mayor Boris

Bob Woodford

Johnson or Leon Daniels, Managing Director, Surface

rob@blackcabheritagetours.co.uk

Call Sign July 2014

Page 26

You know the one; you’ve been asked about it

The number one question that taxi drivers are asked by passengers

by your passengers and that bloke down the

must be whether we have picked up anyone famous! But close on

pub who knows everything. Yes, that one! The

bale of hay you are supposed to carry in your

its heels must be the timeless: Do you still have to carry a bale of

taxi because the law that required you to carry

hay? Call Sign’s Sean Farrell looks into what he calls...

one in the days of the horse and carriage has

never been repealed.

Yet no matter how often you tell people that

there never was such a law, the legend persists.

Like all good myths, there is usually an element

The Fifth Myth

of truth. In London, for example, there never

was a law that allowed you to pee up the back

wheel of your cab with a policeman shielding

you with his cape - but there was such a law in

Brighton, though the copper wasn’t necessary.

So if myths have a basis in fact, what

about the bale of hay?

Firstly, the law. There never was a law that

required the hackney coach and Hansom cab-

men to carry a bale of hay. This is obvious, but

most people will ignore that sentence because

it destroys the myth in one fell swoop. But let’s

assume that they did carry a bale of hay. A bale

of hay must weigh pretty much close to a ton;

imagine loading that onto your cab everyday

and then taking most of it off at the end of the

day as the horse obviously would not need that

much. Then, where would you put it? On the

roof of a hackney coach perhaps, the place

where the luggage was stored. But a Hansom

had no such space.

In the pre-Hansom days, coaches were apt to

turn over when taking a corner too fast or even

when a passenger leaned out of the window. In

later editor of the LTDA’s Taxi newspaper, pub-

the police to nick a tout.

none of these cases which were reported in the

lished Taxi! an angst ridden description of his

Despite the success of Taxi! many more

press at the time, is there mention of a bale of

life as a taxi driver. In the book he writes about

people would have read its review in the

hay. Had there ever been one present, then the

the numerous contradictions in law that the

national press such as the Daily Mirror on

driver, passenger or pedestrian would have

London cab driver faced in trying to earn a liv-

June 10th 1963, in which the bale of hay

been crushed under the weight of it. No one

ing. So successful was the book that questions

story was featured. It was from these

was ever crushed because there never was a

were asked in the House of Commons and a

reviews that a legend was born - the fifth

bale of hay in the first place.

simplified book of rules was later published.

greatest myth of the 20th century!

A law was passed in the time of William IV

In Taxi! Levinson recalls how he wanted a

And the other four myths?

(1765 - 1837). It decreed that feeding a hack-

policeman to arrest a minicab driver for tout-

1 Lemmings do not commit suicide, either sin-

ney coach horse “… in any street, road or com-

ing. The policeman responded by saying that

gular or en masse - it’s anti-Darwinian.

mon passage, except with corn out of a bag or

he (Levinson) could be arrested for not carry-

2 You cannot see the Great Wall of China

with hay held or delivered with the hand,” was

ing a bale of hay in his luggage compartment.

from space - several astronauts have tried.

deemed illegal and punishable with a heavy

Levinson was non-plussed about the police-

3 Bumblebees do not defy the laws of physics -

fine. This law probably never was repealed, but

man’s statement and fears that he could be

if they did the laws would be changed. If

there is no compulsion of the driver to carry

fined for not carrying a whip either. Levinson

Thunderbird Two can fly, so can a bumblebee.

hay in the first place. But if he did, he could

knew the hackney carriage laws and knew this

4 Elvis is not dead and lives in Peckham!

only use his hand or a bag to feed the horse.

was not one of them, but he still included it in

In 1963, Maurice Levinson, a taxi driver and

his book - probably to show the indifference of

Sean Farrell (B39)

Mayor: “Banning Uber would be difficult!”

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said at the launch of London's Tech Week,

that it would be difficult to ban Uber. He said he could understand taxi drivers'

concerns, but admitted any attempt to ban Uber would risk a judicial review.

“I think it's very difficult,” he said, “we've gone to the High Court to get a ruling on

this and the issue is whether the driver's mobile in the cab is equivalent to a taximeter?

I can see why m'learned friends might think so, because it's receiving data about, or it's

calculating the distance and time and the fare. And there are other lawyers who say

that it isn't, and that was the advice of the counsel to TfL. And so we've got a legal problem.”

So Call Sign’s question has to be whether a judicial review would be that bad? After all, when Uber were licensed in

2012 for limousines, they were totally unsuited for the job. The only way they could be contacted was via their app and

with no records of any note kept, no reputable licensing authority would have issued a licence to operate. But here they

are two years later holding London to ransom because they have already said that nothing will stop them..

Call Sign July 2014

Page 27

No ranks at CrossRail

aving heard that Camden Council are proposing a daytime

ban for all traffic other than buses from Tottenham Court

Road because of the oncoming CrossRail station being

built there and the fact that according to Camden, the area

will be busier than Heathrow, you would have thought that if nothing

else, TfL would have made sure there would be taxi ranks at every

CrossRail station.

However they say that ranks will not be put in, their priority

will be to accommodate bus stops and there won’t be the room for

taxis.

Second class transport? The way things are going we’ll be lucky to

reach those giddy heights! And besides, with Gower Street proposed

as becoming two-way and the southern end partly pedestrianised, we’ll

probably be stuck in so much traffic that we won’t be able to reach the

station anyway!

Jamie Corum

We won't see this at CrossRail stations as buses are more

Call Sign Online

important!

World naked bike ride hits London!

June 14 in central London saw the tenth

over fifty cities around the world.

yearly run of the World Naked Bike Ride

Those riding are linked by their determina-

and no less than 12 Dial-a-Cab drivers sent

tion to all be naked on their bikes on WNBR

in photos! We don’t usually get that much

Day, riding in celebration, jubilation to deliver

co-operation!

a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive

The ride is a form of protest but contains

world to the masses.

many different groups protesting about

How naked you are depends on you and

whatever it is that affects them. Groups rep-

no one criticises if you are wearing too much

resented road safety for cyclists to protection

(and definitely not if you aren’t wearing

of plants and a large selection in between.

enough)! Many paint their bodies and it usu-

The naked aspect represents the vulnerability

Had the weather been bad it would have

ally is a fun day. June 14 in London didn’t

of cyclists in traffic and the demo is held in

been a bummer, but hey...!!!

disappoint.

Uber taxi driver mystery

hen Uber announced it would be tak-

ing black cabs onto its system, few in

the licensed taxi business believed any-

one would join. So it was a shock

when a tweet recently announced a welcome to the

first black taxi to join the Dutch-based app.

What was even more surprising was that the tweet not

only gave out the driver’s name but also his taxi registration

number. Within minutes another tweet said he was near

Fleet Street, followed soon after by a second saying he was

at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The driver soon realised that he had become public

enemy number one and put his own tweet out saying that

he was allegedly working under cover for Radio Taxis and

that they had asked him to join and see what happened. He

then announced that he had already parted company with

Uber.

Soon after, Call Sign saw an email from an Ealing Yellow

Badge driver saying that Uber would be prepared to take

them on and give them London work! He went on to

explain how drivers could join Uber. This was followed by a

response from someone called Pritesh at Uber’s office on

the first floor of 21 Calendonian Road explaining that they

could join and would be given a fifty pound activation

bonus. The only question is, if genuine, how many will be

silly enough to cross that line. And since when were Uber

licensed by Islington?

Call Sign July 2014

Page 28

Darren Johnson:

Win £100 with

Lease electric

taxis to drivers?

a caption...

Call Sign won’t be paying for your upcoming holidays but we’ll

give £100 towards the spending money for the best caption to the

photo of DaC Board member Mike Son chatting to Camilla, Duchess

of Cornwall. The competition is open to drivers and staff.

Entries to callsignmag@aol.com, post to Call Sign at the office address or leave

your entry in the DaC driver’s reception. Closing date is July 14 and the editor’s

decision is final..

Going back to 2010, London

Assembly member and repre-

sentative of the Green Party,

Darren Johnson has appeared

in Call Sign several times

with his views that were

often interpreted as anti-

black cab. He has always

denied that and claimed that

he just wanted to help clean

up London’s air.

He has now asked the Mayor and TfL

to come up with ‘imaginative’ ways to

help London’s taxi drivers to buy envi-

ronmentally friendly cabs. This follows

on from Boris Johnson’s plan

announced last year that all taxis regis-

tered from 2018 would have to be zero

emission capable and operate in their

greener mode while in pollution

hotspots.

The former Green member of

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

Lewisham Council from 2002 until this

year when he didn’t stand wants the

376 Strand, WC2

Mayor to ease the financial burden on

taxi drivers by TfL bulk buying electric

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

taxis and leasing them out to drivers -

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

similar to the process they do for buses.

The Mayor had previously said they

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

were exploring a number of options to

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

encourage introduction of new zero

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

emission capable taxis as quickly as

possible.

One possible action would be to

We are certain that you will be delighted

provide financial incentives to ease

the initial cost of moving to greener

cabs.

Darren Johnson said: “We need

action on air pollution sooner rather

than later and taxi drivers need to

be given assistance to switch to zero

emission vehicles as soon as possi-

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

ble. TfL need to think imaginatively

on this, such as bulk buying electric

Salieri Restaurant

black cabs and leasing them out to

376 Strand, WC2

drivers, which could help deliver

clean cabs at an affordable price.”

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

Call Sign July 2014

Page 29

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at

I don't know about other drivers, but I have

noticed an increase in the number of jobs

Dial-a-Cab House

that are booked as Credit Cards and then

or email us at

revert them to cash. When this happens, I

callsignmag@aol.com

don't put £2 on the extras because DaC

don't charge me. Should we not start

charging the £2 extras to Credit Card cus-

Goodbye engine!

tomers who revert to cash as they are get-

patch days. Incidentally, was this issue a

Hi Alan

first with no moans about EC5! Hopefully

ting a cash cab for no booking fee.

Well it’s finally happened! On Tuesday 8th

Richard Potter (T51)

they will disappear totally when you go

April 2014 after hearing many stories of the

GPS. I think it should have been done years

Control Centre Manager Allan Evans

problems with the TX4 engine, my one

replies: As far as I am aware, if a Credit

ago. All I now have to look at is my home

gave up the ghost outside my house with a

computer screen with not a data terminal

Card trip is changed to cash, unless the

few clunks and vibrations. No warning

driver adds the £2 onto the extras, then

in sight! My best wishes to everyone at Dial-

lights came on, nothing. Just short of seven

a-Cab...

nothing is charged. In effect the driver

years old with 175,000 miles on the clock, I

loses 50p and the Society loses the £1.50

Ray Sorene (ex-A53)

am told I have done well, as some drivers

Thanks Ray. I hope retirement is as

hence the passenger does not pay the

have had this problem at 70,000 miles. But

booking fee. If it is becoming a regular

enjoyable as you hoped it would be ...Ed

now I have to shell out over £4,000 for a

problem, the system may need to be

recon engine - why buy a new one? The

updated.

David Kupler and

original engine was serviced every 10,000

miles with the correct oil, the correct anti-

Ray Marks

Talking pumps?

freeze mixture and everything else that is

Dear Ed

Dear Alan

asked for at my garage

(Whitfords of

Like many I was surprised and shocked to

I recently went into a garage at the end of a

Hoddesdon).

read in the May Call Sign of the sudden

shift and had to fill my cab up from the off-

Why would I buy another one? How long

passing of David Kupler and Ray Marks.

side of the pump because the normal sides

will this recon engine last? How many will I

Whilst I’ve heard of Mr Marks, I don’t rec-

were busy. Don’t ask me how, but I acci-

need to see out fifteen years? I feel once

ollect ever meeting him other than maybe

dentally filled it up with petrol. I’ve been

again that the cab driver is being fobbed off

to say hello at an AGM. David, on the other

told that a small amount of petrol wouldn’t

with inferior goods. In my 37 years of cab

hand, was someone who whilst I had never

do too much harm if there is a substantial

driving, the Nissan Fairway stands head and

met socially, I’m hardly ever likely to forget

amount of diesel still in the tank, but mine

shoulders above all else, so I ask why do we

as Jon Robinson (E88) points out in the

was virtually empty! So I phoned someone

have to put up with this inferior engine and

same issue, because I was often on the

who towed me to a place where the tank

what is my recourse? Or are we just hanging

sharp end of David’s quick tongue.

could be emptied out (it is apparently ille-

on for the hybrid / electric taxi?

However, unlike many of my other adver-

gal on the garage forecourt). It cost me

Melvyn Harvey (E87)

saries on DaC over the years, I never once

almost £150 plus the cost of the wasted

Most would agree with your comments

detected any hostility or malice with David.

petrol, which couldn’t be recycled as it had

on the Fairway, but I think that many

I think he just liked to hear his own voice at

diesel mixed in with it.

might also consider that 175,000 miles

AGMs and I was the obvious target.

So I just wondered whether it would be

on a TX4 with constant stopping and

Allen Togwell

feasible to put speakers in pumps that say

starting wasn’t too bad either! The new

Former DaC Board Member

this is a diesel or petrol pump. I remember

electric Metrocab claims to be almost

Hello Alan.

once hearing a ‘this is a diesel pump’ mes-

ready for a virtually unlimited existence,

I did not have the pleasure of getting to

sage in a garage, so surely it wouldn’t be

but that will also be provided the battery

know Mr Kupler but always enjoyed read-

that difficult to put them into every pump

is looked after. Otherwise you can

ing his poetry in Call Sign. I have to admit

replace the word engine with battery so

so that no one can make a mistake. I know

feeling a little sad to hear about his death

they are coloured green for petrol and

far as cost goes ...Ed

and was very moved by his two final poems

black for diesel, but when it’s dark and

published in the last edition. Can I take this

you’re going home after a long day, you

opportunity to offer my sincere condo-

Credit Cards

aren’t as alert as you were on the way out

I recently had a credit card job through the

to work.

lences to the family of Mr Kupler and I pray

system. My passenger said how fantastic

Sid Nathan (K88)

he will rest in peace.

and easy it was to use. I know it’s on the

I spoke to a representative of Esso who

He appears to have been a very colourful

App, but is the facility being offered to pre-

told me that the talking pump facility is

and much loved character and it seems to

sent and future corporate accounts?

available but when they tried to imple-

be true when they say that the good die

Stephen Field (F68)

ment it as an experiment in a

young.

Keith Cain replies: This is a simple one

Manchester garage, customers com-

Clarence Ishmael (R54).

to answer, Stephen. When I came back

plained that they could never tell

Hi Alan

into Sales, I knew I couldn’t do it alone

whether it was their pump or the one

Thank you so much for the copy of Call

so I have Natalie Ezekiel who is respon-

next to it that was “talking” because they

Sign. I read it and thought it a shame that

sible for new business and Carol

were all constantly in use. Sorry Sid, but

my dad never mentioned his family much -

Carpenter who is developing customer

you’ll just have to be more careful. Every

especially his 12 grandchildren. My dad was

relationships. Both are promoting not

taxi driver does it at least once, so you’re

a unique character but you probably

only the new App, but absolutely every-

probably ok for the next 20 years! ...Ed

already know that. He spent most of his life

thing we can offer to clients - and they

searching for something; unfortunately he

are doing exceptionally well.

Call Sign Online

didn't know he already had it until it was

Alan

too late to enjoy it. Thank you again for

Changing Credit

Just to say thank you for providing Call

making such an effort with my dad, I truly

Sign Online, but it was sad news reading

appreciate

it.

Card trips to cash?

about Dave Kupler in the May issue. I

Ozzie Chavez (David Kupler’s daughter)

Hello Alan.

remember him well from our voice dis-

Los Angeles, Cali

Call Sign July 2014

Page 30

Mailshot

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

their recent dictates re Uber suggest that

they don’t! ...Ed

Dear Alan

Cab App offer

David was so proud of Dial-a-Cab and

Dear Sir

would have been chuffed to see his photo

I feel compelled to write to Call Sign after

on the front cover of Call Sign. I know that

reading Cab App’s absolutely derisory so-

accept the job - there will probably be

he held you in such high regard and saw

called offer to ‘buy us out’ with our own

another cab that is nearer.

you as a true friend and I have to say that

money! Do Mr Schive and co really have

When you think about all this, the run-in

had you not stepped in, I could have faced

such contempt for Dial-a-Cab and its mem-

and gratuity came in when our circuit first

some serious financial problems after he

bers to think that his share-out is a fair deal?

started up over fifty years ago when there

died. Many promised they’d help, but only

You do not have to be a genius to realise

was no other competition. Well boys and

you and John Riley came through. I will

that we are in the eye of the greatest storm

girls, times have changed and now there is

never forget what you’ve done for me.

of our lives with regard to our future. Mr

competition - lots of it! The only way I can

Mrs Janet Kupler

Schive does not give us anything that we

see us keeping our work and winning some

Ozzie, your dad dictated his own obitu-

could not give ourselves. For example, as

of our lost accounts back, because we

ary and those two final poems, but sud-

Mr Paul Hammett (V42) in the February

won’t get it all back, is to beat our oppo-

denly deteriorated towards the end at

issue suggested, we could restructure and

nents at their own game and eliminate

which time I thought it better to be at his

finance our members for new cab renewals

the run-in. Once you are outside the pick-

bedside as a friend rather than as an

ourselves. There is also much more we can

up, the meter will soon start to tick up and

Editor. He mentioned all his family to

and should do, but DaC members must

once word gets round that we don't have

me, including his grandchildren, but

shake themselves out of the lethargic state

run-ins, I'm sure we will see our work pick-

just never went into detail preferring to

that the cab trade seems to have fallen into.

up.

talk about his taxi driving career first

But I will leave it at that for now. But please,

So please open your eyes; look at all the

because of the nature of the mag. He

let’s start to think like the businessmen we

Addison Lee cars with passengers in while

hoped to personalise it later, but sadly

pretend we are!

we see empty taxis driving around or rank-

we never got to go beyond that.

Bruno Manfredi (F23)

ing up. It’s a no brainer boys and girls, so

What Janet Kupler is referring to is

Cab App had their offer given out to cab

talk to your Board or within 3 years we will

the help that the DaC Credit Union gave

drivers on ranks, put onto driver’s wind-

only have half, if not less, of the

at such a terrible time. All I did was to

screens when their cabs were parked,

accounts than we have got now.

make a few enquiries and then John

had it published in The Badge and also

Gratuities? Well that's another subject

Riley and the DACCU did the work. They

released it on Twitter. Two other bidders

and I don't want to upset you all too much;

were brilliant and I’m sure David would

were tied in by Non-Disclosure

perhaps another time if and when we

have been delighted to see his name

Agreements but Cab App wanted their

get our work back...

publicise the Credit Union because of

offer to be released at the DaC AGM. The

Chris Passfield (Y25)

the insurance policy they have for just

Board decided that it would be unfair to

such a terribly sad event. So I also offer

release their offer when the other two

What’s the answer?

my sincere thanks for the help they gave

couldn’t be mentioned and that Cab

Hi Alan

Jan. That would have impressed David

App’s was the lowest of the three. Also,

Two massive accounts gone from E14. How

far more than seeing his photo on the

Cab App’s accounts showed a deficit of

much longer can we continue the way we

cover ...Ed

£96,000. Not a basis for buying a compa-

are trading? We lose accounts and tenders

ny out ...Ed

one after the other! Can DaC be sustained

Lyft...

the way it is? The recession has changed

Hi Alan

What’s the answer?

business expectations. Hailo is going to

In your May Editorial you talk about Uber

Hi Alan

offer cars to their customers, how long

and then add: “God knows what they will

The subject I am about to mention may not

before they offer taxi drivers trips home at

make of Lyft when they come over, as they

be very popular with many drivers, even

minicab prices? Then possibly airports at

undoubtedly will.” What is Lyft?

with some of our Board Members. Run-ins!

car prices?

Alex Constantinou (N05)

Somebody has got to open driver’s eyes to

As for DaC, we will have to change the

The Lyft app is Uber with a subtle differ-

this delicate subject. To start, it seems that

way we charge customers. Are the days of

ence in that drivers also use their own

we have lost two big accounts because we

the massive million pound accounts at DaC

cars to act as cabs, but do not make any

won’t give in when clients ask not to have

now a thing of the past?

charge! Instead they claim that what

run-ins included in their contract. So what

I still think DaC should use our money in

they are actually offering is a lift - hence

do they do? Phone another circuit! What

the bank to buy a large profitable private

the name Lyft. What passengers then do

would you rather do, get a job and start the

hire company and use the profits to sub-

to get round the law of unlicensed vehi-

meter when you get to the pickup or lose

sidise DaC booking fees. Maybe some DaC

cles is to make a “donation” towards

£millions just because we want that extra

accounts would pay the meter fare; it

expenses.

couple of quid on the meter? We will just

would be nice to know if this would help or

What we as taxi drivers have learned is

keep sitting on our backsides or riding

if it is the £4.20 run in that makes us unable

that whereas in years gone by, people

round in circles as time goes on because

to compete?

were concerned about which vehicle

other circuits are cutting out run-ins - and I

Jon Robinson (E88)

they got into, nowadays it is purely a

include the PH mob’s prices - resulting in

matter of price. The question of safety,

us literally giving them the work that we

What’s the answer?

drivers that can be trusted and who

used to have.

Dear Alan

know their way round come second -

Just think, lads and lassies, you don't

When will the Board of Management realise

even to institutions that should know

need a run-in on the island, you’re usually

that they must challenge the opposition by

better. Anthony Newley once exclaimed:

already there. In the City, if you’re there

going the same way and do away with tips,

Stop the world, I want to get off.” I think

you don't have far to run normally. You will

waiting time and run-ins! No doubt some

I now know what he meant. The ques-

probably ask about all the traffic. Well if you

drivers will be up in arms, but I bet most of

tion is whether LTPH understand and

think you’re too far away then just don't

those drivers had been on Hailo! But if it

Call Sign July 2014

Page 31

Mailshot

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

means we retain our work and in all probability get even more

from these accounts, then maybe we wouldn’t have lost those two

big E14 accounts. If the Board don’t take the bull by the horns and

do something drastic quickly, then we won’t have a business to sell

anyway!

Uber and Hailo

I would appreciate it if our subscribers would just take a few

Dear Alan

minutes to think about it; no run-in work is better than just sitting

My dad was at D-Day (Caen) so it now irritates me at this particular

around waiting for some jobs that may come out.

time when many remember the 70th anniversary of the landings that

Ivor Belkin (C97)

some geek from San Francisco can try to make our industry obso-

lete. Uber don’t even have a landline. As for Hailo, it was set up for

What’s the answer?

black cabs and became a success, so what do they do? They pass it

What can we do? Well there’s service, smartness and we should take

over to minicabs! It takes a huge amount of believing and I’d go as

on no new drivers unless they have full aircon. If they don’t like it

far as to say that it stinks...

then they can join GetTaxi. Seriously, I have no real idea but what

David Heath (Ex-W27

we are doing now obviously ain't working. We may have healthy

Hi Alan

cash float now, but it’s not a bottomless pit. Perhaps we should set

I guess some of you saw Hailo’s open letter to the trade. My per-

up a stately smaller office or something. It’s not just the big E14

sonal comment is that the three London drivers who have played an

accounts; it’s the ones in the city. Addy Lee is not cheap yet it has

immense part in getting Hailo accepted by London drivers and pub-

no problems, so it has to be us.

lic must be feeling very shame-faced at the moment. Well and truly

AL has most of DB and MS, their drivers pay £250 per week plus

shafted! They may well put a brave front up and just think of their

insurance, plus they have to give a deposit on the car. They are

personal positions and long term prospects, but deep down I'm

probably

- after administration

- more expensive than us.

sure they are horrified at this turn of events. I don't know the other

Lastly Citibank was taken by Brunel, our Concierge partner, dis-

two drivers, but have always found Russell Hall to be very passion-

graceful...

ate about the cab trade and willing to put his hand in his pocket to

Stephen Field (F99)

help support ideas that benefit the trade. I am not and never have

I have had many similar emails and phone calls to the above,

been on Hailo, but if I was I'm sure I would have deleted the app as

but who didn’t want to go into the magazine. I understand all

soon as I finished reading the open letter.

the points and I’m sure that no gratuities, no run-ins and no

Passengers / customers of Hailo in my personal opinion used their

waiting time could help regain some work. Some have also

app for one reason and one reason only - to book a London taxi. If

added that the driver shouldn’t put the meter on until the pas-

they just wanted transport from A to B then there are any number

senger comes down. In other words ranks outside the build-

of minicab companies they could phone or use the ever expanding

ings! If you are outside the door then it’s fine, but if it gets

number of PH apps on the market.

busier in the streets as it seems to be doing, who will bother

Eddie Lambert (V37)

running to do the jobs? I run to cover quite a lot of account

See Editorial on page three ...Ed

trips, but I can tell you that I wouldn’t run from E1 to cover an

E14 trip with no run-in, waiting time or gratuity and not

The future

putting my meter on until the passenger comes out!

This is my first ever letter to Call Sign but with the work situation

If we did give up all those ‘extras’ to encourage accounts,

that we now all find ourselves in with the recent loss of the two lead-

then before long they would want discounted fares as well.

ing accounts, I think we are in need of an EGM to put the views of

How do I know? Well Keith Cain showed me a list of prices

that a prospective new account had sent him to ask if he could

the membership directly to the Chairman and the BoM so that they

can tell us just what we are facing as an organisation. My own view

match them. He compared them to previously ‘cleared’ trips,

removed run-in costs and gratuities and still couldn’t compete!

is that there is now no way back to our previous position and before

our cash assets are eaten up, we should call it a day and divide the

There is an answer out there and we have to find it some-

how - perhaps via our IT dept, which is by far the best in the

assets among the members or be told if there is still any chance of a

business - but working for nothing isn’t it, although I suspect

sale. We must be told what is happening before it is too late.

that fixed prices may become one answer. Then we’ll see how

Chris Caselton (O24)

genuine some of the comments to Call Sign have been,

Because of a confidentiality agreement, the BoM can’t com-

because as the hot weather hit and it got busier, coverage did-

ment on your letter, Chris, but yes I believe that prior to the

n’t exactly go through the roof. We are all businessmen and

time of writing one of the companies involved had their audi-

often use that as an excuse as to why we won’t cover radio

tors at DaC for in excess of two weeks. As that is a somewhat

work. But sadly we can’t have it both ways. You can’t just give

expensive procedure, then you would have to assume that

passenger the above ‘perks’ when it’s quiet but then not cover

progress is being made. No meeting would be allowed to tell

the work when it gets busier on the streets.

you more than that. I believe that Brian Rice also sent out a let-

As for Stephen’s comment on Concierge itself, DaC has no

ter to drivers giving an update on what appears to be the main

partners. It is our system. Citi elected to have Brunel as their

sticking point. As for what we are facing, I think we all know

PH company on it. Ten years ago, when DaC built and intro-

what’s out there. Competition by the bucket load! Chris, if you

duced its platform, there would have been no question that Citi

read all the letters above, you’ll see that everyone has their own

and co would have stayed with us because Concierge was a bril-

views on what is the best way forward. Sadly, it isn’t that easy

liant concept that gained us a huge amount of taxi work, even

because the real bottom line is that PH drivers are happy to

though it meant dealing with those clients’ preferred PH com-

work for far less than us and pay their bosses whatever they

panies. In fact the only people arguing against it were taxi dri-

ask for. No doubt if we doubled our subs, we’d get more work

vers, led by internet non-members who refused to understand

because we could then charge customers less. In other words

the reasoning behind the concept. Ten years on and Concierge

subsidise ourselves! I don’t think so!

is still as good as any platform out there, but sadly is no longer

I have a personal view that I can’t put onto paper at this time,

the only one, so customers can again look at price - and we

but it certainly isn’t anywhere near as dark as yours and I have

know the rest. As Concierge proved, DaC has the finest IT

spoken about it to any driver that asked me. I have no doubt

department in taxiland by far... so watcha got boys??? ...Ed

that DaC has a future ...Ed