Page 30
Call Sign March 2012
There surely can't be any bad drivers on Dial-
Do you know a
a-Cab, can there? Are you a self-confessed bad
driver or more likely you're fine, even though
your friends refuse to get into your car or cab?
terrible driver?
Ok, you're good and can't understand why
you have speeding fines coming out of your
ears and that in reality you have so many points
on your licence, you can't afford any more!
Then Channel 5 wants to hear from you!
Most other drivers would suffer from road
rage after being "picked on" as you obviously
Call Channel 5 if you
are, but you don't although you sincerely
know of someone
believe that every other driver except you
who the programme
should get off the road!
could help
But of course, it is more likely that it's your
partner who scares you silly when you are in a
car with them? It's because they speed along
the motorway or drive too close to car in front,
isn't it? Perhaps they slam on the brakes or
refuse to slow down going round corners?
If the answer is yes, then help is at
hand!
Channel 5's Dangerous Drivers School is
back and continuing its mission to make our
roads safer! So if you (of course not) or some-
then get in touch with Channel 5 now! Mind
For more information call 0141 342
one you know (aaahhh possibly) needs to kill
you, if it should be you, then we promise not to
2055 or email casting@matchlight.co.uk.
speed, gain confidence or banish bad habits,
tell anyone!
No! Don't apply while you're driving!!!
Chinese TX4 "is too posh!"
After several years of non-stop success in getting
believed the reason for the Englon TX4's
the world to accept the London TX4, the taxi's
lack of business on the streets of
new export home in the Geely/LTI Chinese fac-
Hangzhou was because in Beijing and
tory is apparently hitting problems with passen-
Guangzhou, vehicles of the TX4 kind are
gers in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
largely used as long-distance chartered
Out of the fifty drivers with the renamed
taxis for companies.
Englon TX4, 30 have handed back their vehi-
That opinion was shared by Hangzhou
cles to the Hangzhou Foreign Tourism Taxi
taxi driver Huang Fu, who plans to apply
Company claiming that business is slow and
to drive the Englon TX4. He said he had
that far from making far more money than
built up a large number of high-end busi-
they used to with their old cars, the reverse
ness clientele who were happy to travel in
has happened because many passengers are
a more spacious and comfortable cab such
ignoring the new cab.
as the TX4.
A spokesperson for the taxi company said
The Hangzhou Taxi Co spokesperson
that the driver's biggest moan wasn't about
added that they were confident that
the taxi itself, which the drivers all seem to
eventually passengers would be happy
love, but about the perception passengers
to use the Englon TX4 and that rather
have about the Englon TX4.
than being too posh, they were just
TX4s mix with cars at the Hangzhou Taxi Co.
"Passengers in Hangzhou do not seem to
excellent taxis...
Pic courtesy China Daily/Wang Haoxing
realise they these vehicles are taxis, believing they
are too posh for that job. Those that do realise
The Flower Mill
then assume they are more expensive to hire!"
A driver added: "Business has been very poor
and I sometimes feel like I've been driving an
invisible car all day long, just ignored by most of
the passengers on the road - even if they are
Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings
desperately in need of a taxi. Many of the old
illegal cabs are doing better than I am!"
According to an article in the China People's
Tel: 07854 738895
Daily, drivers had expected to make a windfall
from the fancy eye-catching black cab when
Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk
they applied for them last August. Getting a
taxi is akin to winning the lottery in Hangzhou,
home to more than 8.7million people but only
Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk
8,000 taxis. However, the Hangzhou Taxi
Company spokesperson also said that the situ-
ation was improving and that far from giving
Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties
up on the iconic London-style taxis, they were
considering running even more of them but
improving the promotional advertising.
"It is at the edge of a petal that love waits"- William Carlos Williams
Conversely to London, Geely Marketing
Director Yang Xueliang told another Chinese
newspaper, the Oriental Morning Post, that he
