November 2015
www.dac-callsign.com
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Was this DaC driver “set up”
by Cab Enforcement???
Call Sign November 2015
Page 2
NASH’S NUMBERS
From Alan Nash (A95)
It’s the time of year when parties are followed by night clubs! It’s always rowdy revellers that jump in the cab and think you
know every club in London. So here’s a little help...107 clubs in and around central London...
Don’t forget the www.myfav.co.uk website. Just click the Taxi < ---- ---- link for a page of taxi related icon links.
Call Sign November 2015
Page 3
from the editor’s desk
A day in the life of Kings
many drivers both past and present. But after read-
ing Paul’s letter, I will be changing if I can keep the
Cross taxi rank
email.
Remember all that hassle at Kings Cross while
But what about the Dido Harding story;
the new taxi rank was being put in. It has to be
what can I say. She simply froths at the mouth
said that it was sorely needed as its’ users - our
at “Uber’s innovation,” writing how they offer
passengers - had required a degree in psycholo-
customers a solution to the “nightmare” prob-
gy and geography to work out how the old one
lem of getting around in London. Of course
operated and where it actually just started and
customers already have a solution - it’s called
ended! And indeed, even most drivers couldn’t
taxis or private hire!
understand its method of working either and
So let’s take a brief look at Paul’s comments on
there were always arguments about where the
Diana Mary
“Dido” Harding, Baroness
front of the queue was.
Harding of Winscombe. She “earned” her title
But now London’s taxi drivers, with their spe-
by being the daughter of Lord Harding and
cially converted taxis that have been adapted at
granddaughter of Field Marshal John Harding,
their own expense to take wheelchair passengers
1st Baron Harding of Petherton who was
without them needing to leave their chairs, have
deservedly immortalised for commanding the
a nice new rank that even I can understand!
famous Desert Rats in WW2.
But what I can’t understand is the mentality of
I doubt that Dido was brought up in a mini-
the designers who have put in the dividing rails to
unless, of course, you find nothing wrong with
mum wage family and she undoubtedly had a
separate the queues so close to the kerb, that
that anyway.
privileged lifestyle as a youngster.
there is now no room for wheelchairs to be put in
After the reverse in the High Court where a
She went to Oxford University and graduated
and porters have to go to the fourth cab or
learned judge didn’t believe that a gadget mea-
in Politics and Economics studying alongside a
behind if they have a wheelchair passenger, as the
suring time and distance isn’t actually a meter, I
certain David Cameron, before jetting off to the
first few taxis do not have the room to fit them in!
hope all DaC drivers will be filling in the consul-
Harvard Business School where she gained
Who was it that said that you really couldn’t
tation response and my sincere thanks go to
a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
make it up! But then again, we’re used to stupid-
LTDA General Secretary, Steve McNamara, who
She obviously learned business practice well,
ity in this trade; after all, we have TfL as our mas-
has made their suggested response available on
because she is now the Chief Executive of
ters... so it’s fine!
the Call Sign website from next week (www.dac-
TalkTalk and apparently approves of Uber’s mini-
And to the pregnant woman who threatened to
callsign.co.uk). That followed a letter to this
cab drivers - many of whom are said to earn
report me to TfL for refusing to let her jump the
issue’s Mailshot from John Thomas (Y58) sug-
below £5 an hour, far below the minimum wage.
long queue at the Cross, feel free madam. Had
gesting the idea... and no, that isn’t the same JT as
But, of course, THAT is why people such as Diana
you been around the 9-month mark rather than
the LTDA Chairman! At least I don’t think it is!
Mary “Dido” Harding, Baroness Harding of
the just-showing mark, I would certainly have
Winscombe like Uber! Hands up if you thought
thought about it. But all is not lost, because my
Uber and principles
that slave labour ended in July 1833 when a Bill
refusal to you was the first time I had ever been
Dial-a-Cab driver Paul Arrowsmith (T83) is a
to abolish slavery was passed by MPs in the House
applauded by a taxi rank queue!
man of high principles as his letter in this issue’s
of Commons!
Mailshot shows. He discovered that mobile
Oh yes, and did I mention the Which survey
Private Hire Consultation
phone network EE was in partnership with Uber,
published in September where 3,501 members
We are now a month into the consultation that
so he cancelled his monthly contract with them.
Uber considers to be so unfair on their business
were asked about the large brands they had inter-
Then he read an article in the online version of
and no one - especially the U-men - still knows
acted with in the previous 12 months. Each brand
the Daily Telegraph by TalkTalk CEO, Baroness
was rated on whether they made their customers
actually what they are. The world calls them mini-
Harding, praising Uber and coming out as being
feel valued, knowledge of their products and ser-
cabs; while they themselves go onto the radio and
against any moves by TfL that involved placing
talk about how unfair the PH consultation docu-
vices, helpfulness of staff and how well they
restrictions on the PH trade. This time Paul can-
ment could be to their car service... after then
resolved customers’ complaints and problems
celled his broadband and phone contract with
adding that they aren’t a car service but really a
etc. Number 1 on the list and the best company
that company. He ended by asking how many dri-
technology company.
to deal with was cosmetics firm Lush, which was
vers were supporting those companies but were
We know they will get far more names sup-
said to have very knowledgeable and welcoming
unaware that they were supporting Uber in doing
porting them than we have any hope in hell of
staff. The worst brand and in 100th place was
so. I have to hold my hands up and say that I’m
ever achieving and I’m not going to say anything
Scottish Power, which just beat Chief Executive
one of those that Paul is talking about.
about where their recent petition support came
Diana Mary “Dido” Harding, Baroness Harding of
Soon after mobile phones first appeared, I got
from. I’ve heard the rumours and would usually
Winscombe’s TalkTalk to the title that no one
one from Hutchison Telecom and stayed with
assume that’s exactly what they are... except that
wanted - that of worst company to deal with.
them for many years until 1999 when they sold
in this case and seeing some of the signatures, I
They finished in 97th place.
believe them! What I do know is that many of
their European section to Orange. I stayed with
The Lady’s sh*t may not stink but her security
those who support Uber do so for the most self-
Orange until they were taken over by EE and I’m
certainly does. We certainly don’t need any advice
ish of reasons - they are happy to see people with
still there. But Paul’s letter has got me thinking
from her and Uber are welcome to her help...!
very little money be talked into buying high
about a move.
priced cars and have to work 15 or more hours a
Then there’s TalkTalk. I first went online and got
Green London...
day just to pay off that debt, never mind earning
an email address in 1987 with help from the-then
The wife of a Call Sign reader was at a govern-
a living. As much as we all detest the company, I
Editor of the Las Vegas Trip Sheet, Dick Kawadler.
ment meeting with several oil company execu-
have some sympathy for their drivers whose work
I had never heard of email - or electronic mail as it
tives. The subject of pollution was brought up
schedule has caused London to see more PH acci-
was known back then. From memory it was
and TfL mentioned the possibility of pedestrianis-
dents than ever before. And by far the large
474528674@compuserve.com - not the easiest
ing Newgate Street and Holborn Viaduct. Parts
majority involve Uber.
address to remember! But in the 1990s personalised
of Victoria Street were also mentioned as the
I know many DaC clients read Call Sign and if
addresses came in and my address changed to call-
licensing authority spoke of introducing electric
you are one of those people that complain about
sign@compuserve.com. Then in the last decade,
cabs “very soon” to help in reducing pollution.
the treatment of animals and those who work on
Compuserve was bought out by America Online and
I can help with an answer there. Get rid of the
the shop floor for minimal wages, yet you are
we became callsignmag@aol.com as callsign on its
cycle superhighways, the ridiculous number of
happy to use Uber because they are cheap thanks
own had gone to someone in Baltimore! Now the
roadworks and cut emissions in a single swoop!
to drivers who are knocking themselves out to
European arm of AoL has gone to TalkTalk and
But TfL and the Mayor won’t do that. Is it me or
come home with not even the minimum wage,
that’s where I am now. Thanks to Paul, I’m thinking
do they have no idea whatsoever of how London
then you should really think about it. We have no
about moving but I’ll have to make sure I can keep
operates???
problem with reputable private hire, but support-
my email address as it is in the address book of
Alan Fisher
ing Uber is the equivalent to kicking a dog -
1000s of contacts around the world, not to mention
callsignmag@aol.com
Call Sign November 2015
Page 4
sure that as you read through the questions,
I don’t believe there are many of us that were
the answers will be apparent and probably
too surprised regarding Lord Justice
anyone in our trade would give the same
Ouseley’s decision that Uber were not con-
answers. I was recently at LTPH in Blackfriars
travening the law regarding their use of a
Road and we were discussing the consulta-
smartphone as a meter. I’m glad he has cleared
tion document regarding Private Hire and as
that up for me because now I know that an
I was leaving, I asked LTPH if they could tell
instrument that records time and distance is
me the outcome of the forthcoming consulta-
not a meter. Obviously TfL are delighted as it
tion document. I must confess it was a some-
completely vindicates their decision to initially
what facetious remark; I was of course inti-
licence Uber in
2012; but what I can’t under-
mating that the decisions had been made
stand is that TfL took Uber to court in order to
before the consultation had even started!
clarify the situation, consequently, if there was
However, after digesting Lord Justice
any doubt in 2012 then Uber should not have
Ouseley’s decision that an instrument
been licensed until the situation was clarified
measuring time and distance is not a
by those same courts!
meter, then I’m not so sure the remark
There isn’t any question that Uber have
dent; yet in the Public Gallery at City Hall,
was facetious!
done a great deal of harm to not only the
Mayor Johnson can call the assembled -
I mentioned earlier how some PH operators
licensed taxi industry in London, but also to
admittedly angry - Taxi Drivers Luddites,
are having problems with their service, as many
the Private Hire industry. It appears that many
which again is a derogatory term associated
of their drivers desert to Uber. Consequently,
members of the public are prepared to use
with textile workers who would not embrace
we have two - and hopefully soon to be three -
Uber because they are cheaper than licensed
change in the early 1800s. On another occa-
accounts that will stop using Private Hire in the
taxis and that’s all they are interested in -
sion, it was widely reported that the Mayor
evenings in favour of Dial-a-Cab as we have
until there is a problem! Suddenly they
had exchanged views with a passing taxi dri-
guaranteed their service levels. Although we
become aware of the safety issues when it’s
ver whilst the Mayor was riding his bike one
have guaranteed excellent service, the ball is
too late.
evening. The jibes finished when the Mayor
now in your court. We can guarantee anything,
Many drivers have deserted their operators
told the taxi driver to “f*** off and die!”
but it is you that has to supply the service. The
in favour of Uber, which in turn has led to dete-
So there you have it, the Government’s
good thing is that all three of these accounts
rioration in the service that the Private Hire
Chief Whip resigns over derogatory remarks to
will come off EC5, so I’m pretty sure our guar-
operators can offer, but with over 600 PH
Police Officers, yet the Mayor can insult Taxi
antees will be honoured by DaC Members.
licences being issued every week, their num-
Drivers in public and that’s fine. Can you imag-
Remember, these are all existing DaC
bers should soon be replenished. We are also
ine what might have happened had the Mayor
accounts that primarily use PH in the
all aware that Uber operate Surge pricing
thrown equally offensive remarks towards one
evenings. That work will now be switched
where the cost of the journey will increase
of the many minority groups that we have
to us, so let’s hope it stays that way.
depending on demand from the public and
today; he would have been - at the very least -
Work has got slightly better recently, as it
Uber cars that are available, but as more and
reprimanded and possibly even worse. And
should do at this time of year and with it has
more drivers are issued with PH licences and
there was me thinking that it was just the law
returned the age old problem of coverage.
more cars are always available, then the Surge
that was an ass after the court ruling...
During certain periods we do occasionally
will be used far less frequently.
seem to struggle, so if you are within striking
I am led to believe that Uber will short-
distance of any account trip please cover it
Consultation
ly start operating in Glasgow and I have
because every account is precious.
TfL are conducting a consultation regarding
some insight into that operation having
the Private Hire trade and anyone can com-
had occasional dealings with Glasgow
plete the consultation online. It can be found
Brian Rice
Taxis. They have acquainted me with the
at: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk /tph/pri-
Chairman
minicab situation in Glasgow, which is
vate-hire-proposals. I would urge as many
operated by a small select group of peo-
Dial-a-Cab
of you as possible to complete the document,
ple and I think Uber could find it quite
difficult to muscle in on their operation!
It will be extremely interesting to see
what happens
(See July
2010 issue,
Glasgow’s minicab gangsters...Ed).
PAUL’S TAXI SPECIALISTS LTD
There isn’t any doubt in my mind that TfL,
including Mayor Boris Johnson, have acted
outrageously towards our trade and many
Unit 10, Ford View Industrial Estate, 83 New Rd Rainham, RM13 8ET
drivers are worried and extremely angry.
Quite rightly so and it does appear that the
Mayor and TfL can do whatever they please
Tel: 01708 553037
when it comes to our trade. This got me
thinking. Many of you will recall the Plebgate
FREE AIR FILTER WITH EVERY SERVIC
WE ALSO HAVE CABS FOR RENT
scandal back in 2012 when Conservative MP
TX1 servicing from £48
TX1s, TX2s, TX4s and Vitos
Andrew Mitchell, who at the time was the
Government Chief Whip, had an altercation
TX2 servicing from £70
Rentals from £165 per week
with some Police Officers where it was
TX4 servicing from £90
alleged that he called the officers Plebs. A
pleb, I believe, was a commoner from the
All Work Undertaken
lower classes in Rome. A big issue blew up
Servicing - Running Repairs - Overhauls - Small Fleets Welcome - Discounts Available
over the incident and the Right Honourable
All TX1, TX2, TX4
Andrew Mitchell resigned, although the issue
Starters - Batteries - Alternators - All with 2 year Warranty
raised its head again when certain police evi-
dence was found to be incorrect!
Fax: 01708 551443
Web: www.PaulsTaxiSpecialists.co.uk
However, the point remains that Andrew
Mitchell resigned his position over the inci-
Call Sign November 2015
Page 5
High Court comes down on Uber’s side
At 10.15 on 16 October 2015 in
taximeter prohibition. He
also found that it was the
his written judgment, Mr Justice
drivers and not the vehi-
Ouseley wrote that smartphones
cles that were equipped
used by some private hire drivers
with smartphones.
- ie Uber - are not taximeters.
In a press release
issued following the
Whilst virtually all those bar
case, TfL expressed
Uber involved expressed disap-
concern over the num-
pointment, licensing authority
bers of PH drivers
being licensed. They
TfL welcomed the legal clarity.
admitted the number
The Uber driver’s phones use GPS
had risen from around
and external servers to calculate
59,000 in 2009/10 to
the cost of the trip. Taxi organi-
over 89,000 today and
added that the number
sations said that meant it was a
could by a further
meter.
Mr Justice Ouseley came down in favour of Uber
30,000 over the next
two years.
Other than TfL and Uber, the other two par-
belief that Uber would challenge the deci-
ties spoke against the smartphones. They were
sion.
They also said that just over three years
ago, an average of 448 licensed PH vehicles
the LTDA and the Licensed Private Hire Car
Mr Justice Ouseley’s written judgement said:
Association - a rare occasion when both sides
“A taximeter, for the purposes of Section 11
were observed daily in the Congestion
Charge zone. By this August 2015 the figure
of the industry were speaking from the same
of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act
page. The court had been asked to decide
1998, is not a device which receives GPS sig-
had increased to over 13,000 - a 29-fold
increase.
whether GPS technology connecting to exter-
nals in the course of a journey, and forwards
nal servers for the calculation of fares is actu-
GPS data to a server located outside of the
Following the case, an Uber spokesman said:
“This was not a marginal call, it is quite
ally legal with the law saying that private hire
vehicle, which calculates a fare that is partial-
cannot use meters in London.
ly or wholly determined by reference to dis-
emphatic. In fact, it is contemptuous of the
case brought before it and Uber will continue
TfL had previously said that in their
tance travelled and time taken, and sends the
view smartphones are not taximeters. As
fare information back to the device.”
going about our business and making sure cus-
tomers have choice.”
the licensing authority, they could have
He acknowledged that the smartphone cal-
stopped Uber using the smartphones as
culated the fare, but said that did not make it a
The LTDA have said they will appeal the
decision...
meters but chose not to because of their
device for calculating fares in breach of
the
WILL KNOWLEDGE
IoD: Get rid of the Knowledge!
The Institute of Directors have come down on TfL
POINT CLOSE?
consultation proposals that they say pick on Uber
n shock news
They labelled them as “arbitrary, restrictive and
given by Managing
inefficient,” claiming that the way government
Director Malcolm
responds “will be a crucial test of its pro-enter-
Linskey, the trade
prise and free market credentials.”
was told that Taxi
The controversy is mainly aimed at the imposition of
Trade Promotions
a minimum five-minute wait time between when a car
at 431 Caledonian
is ordered and the journey can begin, the barring of
Road will be clos-
drivers from working for more than one operator and
ing as of 18th
the blocking of operators’ apps showing nearby mini-
December. It’s
cabs as being “available.”
from that
A spokesperson for the bosses organisation said:
address that
“Britain’s politicians have pitched themselves as
Knowledge
champions of innovation and cheerleaders for cre-
Point school also
ative disruption. Yet in the face of powerful lobbies,
operates.
governments and regulators have buckled and
According to
reverted to the comfort of naked protectionism.”
Malcolm, the closure is due to them having
He went on to justify the statement by
been given notice to vacate the premises by the
adding “safety features” of Uber saying that
landlords who want the land to re-develop into luxu-
the app displayed the car registration, togeth-
ry apartments. Knowledge Point has for the past 27
er with the make, model, colour and picture
years been used for Knowledge training and
of the driver before going on to add some reverse logic to
received many awards, contracts and accolades in
long-time licensed taxi driver demands, by saying that they wanting “a level playing
addition to helping hundreds of Knowledge boys
field” for private-hire travel in London by making it easier for black cabs to compete
and girls qualify as taxi drivers.
against Uber - and that includes scrapping the Knowledge!
At present, they we will no longer be accepting
The IoD, whose Director General is Simon Walker, said that if Uber could offer flexible
12 week subscriptions and will be renewing on a
fares, then taxis should be able to as well and that if Uber drivers didn’t need to pass the
monthly basis only. At a time when the KoL takes so
Knowledge then with satnavs etc, why should taxi drivers.
much more commitment than ever before, not just
The bosses organisation spokesperson didn’t mention that a large majority of Uber
because of the four years it could take to pass out
drivers work for far less than the minimum wage after paying Uber 20% of their
but because becoming a private hire driver seems to
cheap fares - some for less than £5 an hour Then again, that’s the one thing we
wouldn’t have expected them to say...
be a much easier option, we must hope that
Knowledge Point finds a new home so that it can
Baghwat Singh
continue to produce first class taxi drivers. Anything
Call Sign Online
else would be a tragedy for the trade...
Call Sign November 2015
Page 6
Jery’s      World
“I don’t need to meet the prospective Mayoral candidates. I know who I’m gonna vote for in May after they
swore to look after the taxi trade - at least until after they were elected!”
LTFUC at the Pearlies Harvest Festival
he London Taxidrivers' Fund for
Underprivileged Children had the pleasur
of being invited to attend the traditional
T
annual London Pearly Kings and Queens
Costermongers' 17th Anniversary Harvest
Festival Parade on Sunday 27th September at
the Guildhall.
I went along with the fund's Hon Secretary
Malcolm Shaffron and our wives to witness this
colourful and spectacular event. Scores of Pearly
Kings & Queens from all corners of London had
gathered for the festival; over 130 years on from
when road sweeper Henry Croft covered his finest
'whistle and flute' (suit) in shiny white buttons in
aid of the City's poor. Modern day Pearlies contin-
ue his mission in doing such great charity work.
It was a warm, sunny day and the crowds were
out in force as we joined the long procession, led
by the Pearlies, around the City to attend St
Mary-le-Bow Church where the pealing of the
Cockney Bow Bells welcomed the congregation for
tourists and onlookers lined the City streets waving, taking photos and cheering the parade along.
Once again our congratulations must go to Doreen Golding, Pearly Queen of the Old Kent Road, for organising such a brilliant
event and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful Pearlies for continuing to help our charity and all the
many charities in the London and Greater London areas.
Raymond Levy
LTFUC Press Officer
Call Sign November 2015
Page 7
hris Passfield (Y25) has been on Dial-
a-Cab for 33 years out of his 41 years as
Chris Passfield: TfL
a licensed taxi driver, but since May has-
C
n’t driven a single mile for the Society -
or indeed for himself. But Chris’s problems are
nothing to do with the recent spate of drivers
leaving me in limbo!
waiting for renewed licenses to be returned
before the old ones expired and stopped them
be guaranteed. But at least I had some hope.”
going to work.
But then on 21st September, Chris’s doctors
Chris’s story begins in October 2014 when he
put him on Warfarin and said he would proba-
had a medical and was told there might be a prob-
bly have to take it for the rest of his life along
lem. Four months later - in February 2015 - TfL
with all the other pills they had prescribed for
contacted him to ask for more details of his “condi-
him. He knows it won’t heal his heart but are
tion.” Then nothing and Chris was left in limbo
precautionary medications to help prevent his
because just a few weeks after that date, on 5th
blood clotting - possibly causing a heart attack.
March, Chris’ cab reached its fifteenth plate and he
It made him wonder if he would ever get his
had to go to Roman Way to have his terminal
licence back. TfL stopped him driving on 23rd
stripped out. He still had his licence, but no cab and
May 2015, so Chris wondered if any drivers on
no clue as to what TfL were going to say - if indeed
Dial-a-Cab could help him...
they would say anything! Should he buy another
“Do any of you take Warfarin but are still
cab? What if he entered into a new financial contract
allowed to drive? I would be so grateful for
to buy a cab and then TfL turned round and told
any answers and advice as this would give
him that he couldn’t drive a taxi anymore? Should
me some hope and I could then work
he try to rent, but then lose being a DaC subscriber?
towards getting my licence back. As we all
Limbo was a good word for where Chris felt he was.
know, it’s hard enough to get that in the
Then on or around 23rd May, Chris
first place! I’m not drawing any benefits and
received a phone call from TfL giving him
my bank balance is dwindling fast, so I’m
news of the results they had received from
hoping that someone out there can give me
Chris with granddaughter Casey
their medical assessment department... and
some answers.”
it wasn't good.
left ventricular ejection fraction should have
If anyone can help Chris, please let Call Sign
“The nice lady at the end of the phone
a minimum reading of 40%. So they asked Chris
know and we’ll pass your advice on. If you
explained that it would be best for me to send in
to return his licence.
would rather remain anonymous, just let us
my Badge voluntarily rather than for TfL to inform
“I’ve had no symptoms that could have
know. Chris asked us to also pass on this mes-
me by post. Apparently they could be a bit
warned me if something was wrong and even
sage to DaC drivers: “Be lucky, but please
brusque,” Chris told Call Sign! “So I sent it in -
the doctors didn't know why it had happened.
make sure you get plenty of exercise so as to
but TfL still wrote to me and asked for my Badge!”
So they sent me for an MRI scan at the Royal
keep that heart pumping at its maximum...”
Chris’s October medical tests apparently
Brompton heart hospital to see if they could
showed that his heart muscle was only operat-
find anything. They said that with medication I
Alan Fisher
ing at 20% to 25% and the medical form said the
could get back to normal - although it couldn’t
Call Sign Online
Call Sign November 2015
Page 8
Six months after DaC driver and Call Sign poet David Kupler died
from lung cancer, it was..
THE FINAL
GOODBYE
“How else can future doctors learn,” he
said. “How do we eradicate these types of ill-
David “Kupkake” Kupler (Y74) could be a
nesses if they have no bodies to look at?
strange person. He held views on life that
What good does a grave and a headstone do
could keep a radio phone-in program going
for the world? Those who want to remember
for hours; he could antagonise you while
me need just look into their hearts and I’ll
making you choke back a tear at the same
be there, not to visit a cold cemetery to read
time.
nice words on a piece of stone.”
Although born Jewish, David was irreligious
The cremation service was very brief and con-
and often referred to religion as a load of tosh -
sisted of the piece of music, a short psalm and a
even though he had a distant relative who had
few moments reflection. Afterwards, David's
been a rabbi. He also had a wicked sense of
daughter Rachel - who used to work in the
humour added to his belief that so far as life was
Brunswick House call centre - told us:
concerned, you’re born, you live and then you
“The medical students have finally fin-
die but along the way you try to do whatever
ished with dad's body and today he was
good you can. So he may well have seen a funny
finally cremated. It was quite funny because
side in his dying on 1st April this year - All Fools
they picked the music and suddenly we
Day! He most certainly would have laughed at
heard the music from the old Hamlet cigar
the date of his funeral - 24th September, the
ads! Because it had been 6 months since he
most holy day in the Jewish calendar, the Day of
died and that initial shock had passed, the
Atonement, Yom Kippur. But he would
music made me want to laugh because a
absolutely have loved the fact that his crema-
David’s decision actually meant to medicine. We
cigar ad isn't really an ideal choice of music
tion, which took place at Streatham Vale
were told that his body went to the University
for someone who died of lung cancer! I
Crematorium was arranged by the London and
College Hospital in Euston and because of that
think dad would have preferred some
South East Committee of Anatomists with
decision, student doctors had real people to
Rolling Stones! But he would certainly have
their choice of music
- Johann Sebastian
practise their medical skills on with the hope
seen the funny side!”
Bach’s beautiful Air on the G String, which
that these students would one day become sur-
But there was also sadness in this final good-
perhaps became best known when advertising
geons and consultants of the future. Practicing
bye to David Kupler. To his daughters Rachel,
Hamlet Cigars back in the days of TV advertis-
on mannequins had very little value and that is
Ossie and Fiona and his wife Janet, just a short
ing for cigarettes.
exactly what David told us in his last few weeks
reminder of David’s poignant words:
The reason for the rather strange funeral
when he undertook to write his own obituary -
“Those who want to remember me need
arrangement came down to smoker David’s
something he did.
just look into their hearts and I’ll be there...”
belief in life that it all happens while you’re here.
So we make no apology for once again
A cough had been diagnosed as a lung cancer
reprinting some of his last few words after
Alan Fisher
that was spreading so quickly, that his life
shocking us with his decision to donate his
Call Sign Online
expectancy was given as just a few months. But
body to medical science after his death:
his strong belief of helping while you are here led
him to the decision to bequeath his body to med-
ical research.
Following the service, Call Sign - of whom
Dial-a-Cab Credit Union
David had been poet since 1974 - asked what
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Call Sign November 2015
Page 9
ny taxi driver who has been plying
or hire around London’s streets for
more than a few months knows that
THE STRANGE CASE
Af
prospective passengers have more
than the obvious way of hailing a cab. That way
is, of course, by sticking out their hand. Others
OF DAC’S JOHN DAVIS
might whistle, while some may call out “taxi.”
But there are also those who look as though
Was he ‘set up by’ Cab Enforcement?
they want you but because you are on the
other side of the road, may not do any of the
above other than just look in your direction.
That’s what happened to Dial-a-Cab driver
John Davis (V41) - except that the stare was-
n’t what it appeared to be.
John Davis has appeared in Call Sign a
number of times over the years, mainly for
completing in charity events. Several years
ago he jumped out of a plane in aid of a
young disabled boy, Jack Pitcher, to help
his family buy a converted van. They got
one, although Jack sadly died soon after.
Then John ran in the London Marathon in
aid of the Children with Cancer charity. He
also appeared in these pages after helping
to free four children from the wreckage of
a car wreck as their mother lay trapped and
unconscious in the driver’s seat following a
three-vehicle smash. He had jumped out of
his cab and battled to free the woman’s
children and also a man trapped in one of
the other cars - that one being on fire! But
what happened to John on Lavender Hill
Was John Davis set up by Cab Enforcement?
this particular evening was as far from char-
ity as you can get...
correct in that he did want a cab. I thought I
The next thing John heard was the magistrate
It was around thirty minutes after midnight
was being helpful by spinning round to pick
saying that the case was dismissed and he was
and John was heading east along Lavender
him up.”
free to go! He was asked if he understood and
Hill with his ‘for hire’ sign on. There was virtu-
But the police were having none of it.
he said no! The magistrate then repeated that
ally no traffic and even fewer prospective pas-
They made John leave his cab where it was
the case had been dismissed, that there was no
sengers. But standing by the kerb on the other
and drove him to the police station. It was
further action going to be taken and that John
side of the street was a lone man. As John was
only then that John realised that the pas-
was free to leave at any time.
passing, the man looked at him in the way that
senger was working with the two men in
John asked if he could make a statement and
some do when they want a taxi. John looked in
the Mondeo.
used the next few minutes to call the decision
his mirror to make sure there were no other
Once inside the police station, they took
to prosecute him a disgrace, saying that he had-
taxis about that this guy may have flagged
John’s DNA, including swabbing both sides of
n’t been touting and was just trying to assist a
down. But there were none, so John did a U-
his mouth, fingerprinting all ten digits via com-
member of the public whom he thought had
turn, pulled up alongside the man and asked if
puter, doing his palms and sides of his hands.
hailed him. He went on to say that a lot of time,
he had hailed him and did he want a taxi? The
He then had his mugshot take from three dif-
money and effort had been wasted by the
man said yes and asked for McDonald’s just
ferent angles before they then charged him
police because of this ridiculous arrest. He
past Wandsworth Bridge. The man asked how
with touting. John was stunned, what he
then told the court that he would be taking the
much, John said around £10 but that if it went
thought was a good turn had put his livelihood
matter further and making an official com-
more, he would cap it at a tenner. So the man
at risk!
plaint to the Crown Prosecution Service
got in and off they went.
“What might have made me smile had it not
about the whole incident and the action of the
As the cab reached St John’s Hill, a Mondeo
been so serious was that on the charge sheet it
arresting officers.
with two policemen inside started flashing
said touting by a private hire vehicle (!!!) before
their blue light and John pulled over to allow
going on to say about not being covered by the
Call Sign says...
them to pass believing that they were chasing
minimum third party insurance. I have and
We only have John’s side of this story, but
someone. But it was John they wanted. The
always have had fully comprehensive insur-
going by that, by the instant dismissal of
passenger said nothing.
ance. I was later told by a solicitor that incor-
the court proceedings before any “evi-
“I couldn’t understand why they would be
rect wording was irrelevant because police can
dence” or statements have been produced
stopping me,” John told Call Sign, “I knew I
change it any time up to six months after the
and the fact that the Ford Mondeo involved
hadn’t been speeding and searched my mind
arrest! The Police kept me at the station until
was obviously waiting to see what hap-
to remember if perhaps the Clapham
04.30am and then gave me a date of 25th
pened to the “passenger” who we must also
Junction lights had been red when I crossed,
September for a court appearance. Even then,
assume was standing there deliberately to
but I just knew they had been green. So I
I just couldn’t imagine that any court in the
catch a taxi driver, the whole affair sounds
pulled into the kerb and got out. One of the
land would convict me, but there was this tiny
as though it was a trap to ‘set up’ a taxi
policemen then came up to me, told me to
thought at the back of my mind that said noth-
driver. If that is the case, and we obviously
remove the keys from the ignition and switch
ing was impossible.
have to wait until the CPS finish their inves-
off my lights. He then flashed his warrant card
tigation, then there must surely be a case
and simultaneously said Metropolitan Police
25 September: John’s day in court...
for a further court appearance - but this
Cab Enforcement. I just asked why they had
John’s day in court arrived and from the wit-
time by three policemen to confirm that
stopped me; after all I hadn’t done anything.
ness box, behind a bulletproof glass shield, he
they don’t have something against London
But then he shocked me totally by saying that
gave his personal details and the registrar then
taxi drivers...
he was arresting me for touting! I asked why
read out both charges. But then a strange thing
Alan Fisher
because all I’d done was to spot someone who
happened; the duty solicitor representing John
I believed had hailed me and that in fact I was
got up and whispered something to the bench.
Call Sign Online
Call Sign November 2015
Page 10
LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE
With Tom Quigley (Y33)
Very shortly, I like many others will have to
charge. I went along to North Weald market
make the decision of getting rid of my TX1
- one purported to be Europe’s largest out-
due to the absurd 15 year rule. I say absurd,
door market - unfortunately facing a down-
as I now know that my TX1 does not have to
turn but still thriving and busy.
go to the Taxi cemetery, but can live a normal
I watched many of the popular stalls with a
taxi life alongside the taxi I will have to get to
very large footfall, all providing the regula-
replace it. I say this from experience as
tion blue plastic market stall bag in their hun-
despite the ruling to improve air quality, this
dreds, if not thousands, far busier in those
policy has had a reverse effect.
few hours than my local store would be all
One of my brothers is a licensed Hackney
week. The one thing for sure is that all those
Carriage Taxi Driver in Epping where the 15
bags were produced and will have the envi-
year rule doesn’t apply. He also happens to
ronmental problems as any of the other bags
live in Leytonstone where it does. However,
being sold for 5p. I’m not saying the govern-
he has just bought a TX1 at a ludicrously
ment should not be acting and doing their
cheap price and had it plated by Epping
best to reduce the wastage, but I feel that
Council. This enables to him drive the cab
once again they have knee-jerked to establish
meant we no longer walked to local stores
each and everywhere we do - obviously not
a policy but not looked at the obvious flaws
with our shopping bags.
plying for hire but able to do ‘wait and
of that policy.
But it’s strange that this new legislation has
returns’ and pre-booked jobs which, general-
It’s like the ‘bags for Life’ policy brought
been brought about at a time when the larg-
ly, are in the Mayfair and City area for brokers
out by the supermarkets. I used to regularly
er supermarket chains have had their profits
etc who live in Essex. It’s bound to happen
take old Bruce - a neighbour of mine in his
severely hit with the emergence of real oppo-
that one day the original owner will be sitting
late 80s - for his weekly shop to a large super-
sition and from well organised old style shop-
behind their old cab, no doubt breathing in
market. One of the assistants, obviously
ping chains like Aldi and Lidl amongst oth-
the fumes from the exhaust, looking in aston-
under instruction to promote the scheme,
ers. These stores have always charged around
ishment at the meter running with a passen-
was selling ‘bags for Life’ at 10p when old
3p - nearly half the price of the large chains -
ger on board...
Bruce said he felt he was not getting good
for a good quality carrier bag. They have
value as he would have less years for his bag
endorsed the use of boxes and encouraged
Life for bags
than I would! The shop assistant did not
the idea of using other means of packing;
With the legislation brought in to improve
clever design of smaller checkout space to
know what to do; personally I thought she
the environment by reducing the amount of
pack bags sublimely giving you the mindset
should have just given him a couple of bags
plastic bags given out, a random 5p is being
of packing your goods away from the till area,
for the sake of good will as we went there at
charged with profits said to be going to char-
therefore increasing the need to pack your
the same time and day every week for almost
ity. The introduction of plastic bags was
shopping in a designated area or taking the
five years, however she never did and Bruce
brought about by the retailers and govern-
trolley to the car and packing there.
declined the ‘Bag for Life’ using the free one
ment themselves; there were paper bags, fol-
With the added confusion of what can and
instead. Alas Bruce is no longer with us, but I
lowed by cardboard boxes stacked at check-
can’t be packed into a carrier for health rea-
often wonder: Is the bag he declined still
outs for the use of shoppers. Then, with the
sons, the whole area seems to be a minefield
being used???
escalation of large supermarkets culminating
of legislation. The first Saturday of the new
Tom Quigley
in the reduction of local independent shops
rulings seemed to bring home, at least in my
alongside a dependence on the car, that
mind, the whole futility of the carrier bag
Call Sign Online
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Call Sign November 2015
Page 12
Another true story from Geoff Levene…
JUST DO IT YOURSELF...OR NOT!
I don't think I ever saw my father handle one. My earliest memory
know I shouldn't let it happen
was seeing him shortening the legs on the table that was to stand in our
but sometimes things get to me.
kitchen for about 40 years, but I can't recall anything else. I should
Take that woman in St John's
imagine my great-great -great grandfather in some village in Poland was
IWood who goes to Pall Mall. I
just the same. If his handcart needed painting, he would have had to
knew there was a problem with the
take it to the local handyman to get it fixed!
usual route, so we agreed on an
But once, back in the 1970s I fitted a new top hose. Oh yes I did. I
alternative but every time I turned a
arrived home one cold, damp evening to discover the problem. I had a
corner, she sneeringly asked why I
spare and I did it. I undid the jubilee clips, got the old one off, smeared
was going that way? And then, when
some washing-up liquid inside the new one to slide it on - remember-
I explained she would snarl that I
ing to first put the clips on - and it was done; probably the high spot of
should just get on with it!
my mechanical career. Sadly, the low spot followed not too long after.
For the rest of the journey, I
The cab’s fan belt snapped in the Kings Road. Once again I had
called her every name under the
a spare and asked the despatcher if anyone could help me fit it.
sun, but thankfully it was under my
Along came a very nice chap who did everything. But there was
breath! I continue to pick her up but she gets the same treatment.
one nut he couldn't get at. And that was when he said the words
Then there was that account customer who I wanted to punch last
that still cause me to wake up screaming in the night.
week! He was a thirty year old American banker whose booking with
“You're going to have to get underneath to do it.” OH MY
Dial-a-Cab said he was going to the City, but once inside the cab said
GOD!!!!!
he was changing the destination.
So there I was, clad in a grey sports jacket and jeans sliding on the
“I want the US Embassy,” he said before a hint of sarcasm began
wet, greasy, oil-sodden road. And as if that wasn't bad enough, I could-
creeping in. “Do you know it? It's a big building with a long facade.”
n't tighten the thing anyway.
My head was screaming: “Do you think you're the first person who's
“You'll be alright for tonight,” said the other driver when I emerged
asked me for it? Have I been driving round here for 40 years with my
from the nightmare world of underneath a cab. The next day I con-
eyes closed? Don't insult my intelligence.” But don't worry DaC Sales
signed the jacket and jeans to the bin and joined the AA.
team, it stayed inside my head!
Some years before that, I had joined a car maintenance class at the
Many years ago, a driver in Edgware blew in asking for a jump start.
local evening classes to learn how to fix those kind of problems. And
I was handy so I went round to him. It was in a cul-de-sac and in the
what did the instructor show us that first evening? How to de-coke an
dark I missed the house. I had to back up to find him and he seemed
engine! I really needed to know that.
slightly peeved. Anyway, I pulled up to his cab, the bonnets were
These days I stick to changing the insurance certificate...with a bit of
opened, leads attached and his cab started straightaway.
help of course.
Then it happened. He took off the leads and closed his bonnet, but
left mine open. Look, I know it wasn't the worst thing in the world but
Geoff Levene (W32)
I'd gone out of my way to help him and surely the least he could have
Call Sign Online
done was to close my bonnet for me! It's stupid I know, but it rankled
with me.
You might say that I should get a life and you’d probably be right.
So, about 20 years later messages kept coming up asking some-
one to give a jump start to a driver in Finchley Road. I found
myself fairly close so I went to do the business. And who do you
think it was!
“Thanks,” he said, “do you know that's the first time I've ever
required a jump start?! I just smiled and couldn’t stop myself exclaim-
ing how amazing that was! Perhaps I’m learning the art of sarcasm!
I should say that jump starts are the full extent of my mechanical
knowledge. In the world of soaps any new female character is invari-
ably a hairdresser and the males are usually car mechanics, but it
wouldn't work with me. I think I'm scared of spanners.
LTFUC collection at Victoria
Network Rail has very kindly given our charity permission
to hold a collection on Thursday 12th November 2015 from
10am to 6pm at Victoria Station.
We will be in the centre of the main concourse around
Platform 8 area and hopefully raising funds for our forth-
coming events. It would be lovely to see any of you who
may be in the area and would like to come and say hello,
the Committee would certainly love to see you.
Raymond Levy
LTFUC Press Officer
Call Sign November 2015
Page 13
BRAZIL CALLING
And the legal side too...
The court case is over in London although continuing in many
other cities around the world. We trusted their decision would be
wise and protect our trade; they are after all, another trade that has
taken years to develop. When Henry II - or the Henry the Second
just in case you didn’t do Roman (!!!) - started to create the court
system, I don’t imagine it would have occurred to him that the
whole system might have had to revised because of mobile phone
apps appearing! The system of law was robust and has withstood
the test of time; The King’s system of judges sitting in London while
others travelled round the country became known as the ‘Assizes
system’. Incredibly, it survived until 1971. I don’t imagine a justice
app will be appearing anytime soon.
Bonjourius!
We now must hope that a robust nature will apply to forthcoming
Many years ago, I remember a Dial-a-Cab driver
regulations that may be imposed on London. Let’s hope that future
children from London or elsewhere will be able to join a trade that
having a pickup in Saint Martins Lane being on
has existed for centuries if they so desire - be that law or taxi driving.
the missing list when the passenger came out. At
the time, it was just a matter of calling him on
To finish...
voice and asking him where he was parked.
Just as an aside and not to diminish the problems that can exist of
serious health problems, I will sign off with an exam question that was
Usually the situation could be resolved in a mat-
shown on an exam website primarily used by teachers. The question
ter of moments but I remember this driver caus-
was framed thus:
ing momentary confusion when he told us he was
Bob has 36 candy bars, he eats 29. What does he have now? The kid
answered Diabetes!
in William Ivies Street. There was a slight impasse
Nice try kid, Buenos Dias...
amongst the assembled few who eventually
worked out he was in William IV Street (as in
Joe Brazil
William the Fourth Street)!
DaC Board Member
When asked to confirm that’s where he was, we questioned
whether he knew that the IV represented four in Roman numerals? He
said he didn’t because where he went to school in Stepney, they did-
n’t do Roman! He went on to say that he had taken French, but when
a fat bloke in a corduroy jacket walked through the door and said
Buenos Dias, he was out that door and never went back!
Now this had what could have only be described as having a ring of
truth; not hanging about long enough to discover the language being
taught shows a man who was confident that the class being taught had
no relevance to his life’s plan. And with most people with that native
confidence, he was probably right.
Education in any big city can be a lottery at times. Whilst many
WINTER PRO-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT
cab drivers may have started with more or less privileged upbring-
ings, the cab is the universal leveller that brings us all together. In
Friday 27 November 2015
London, there has always been a wide group of diverse people
Friday 18 December 2015
within our trade of who in the most part may have come from dif-
Friday 29 January 2016
fering backgrounds, yet there seems to be a suggested homogenis-
Friday 26 February 2016
ing effect once behind the wheel of that taxi. People who climb into
Friday March 18 2016
the back invariably expect you to sound like Ray Winston, look like
Danny Dyer’s dad while also having numerous stories about pick-
09.30 Coffee & bacon roll on arrival***
ing up whatsherface from Four Weddings with two of her mates
10.30 Shot gun start***
when she was out of her nut!
15.30 Presentation of Professional & Team prizes
The reality is somewhat different; once you look beneath the skin
£45 per person in a team of 2 amateurs
of the cab trade you should not be surprised to see people from all
going out with a golf professional
over the globe who may have started as magistrates and police offi-
Maximum full handicap 24 Men, 30 Ladies
cers, printers, dockers, carpenters, shopkeepers, firemen and yes,
Format: Stableford 3/4 handicap. Best two scores count.
even former minicab drivers! All of them have taken the plunge and
Please telephone if you would like an
trained to drive a London taxi.
entry form or any further information.
All of us expect - and quite rightly so - to have the protection
of the law. We all celebrate in the pride that we belong to a
Call Elaine Cochrane on 01992 466666 Ext. 249.
London specific trade that has existed for centuries. Our pas-
The Hertfordshire was designed by Jack Nicklaus II. It is a par 70 spread over 6266
yards of beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, making full use of the natural
sengers equally go through the homogenising effect, from roy-
surroundings. The lakes and forests in the area, for example, make for wonderfully
als to rogues, bankers to brickies - they all sit in their private
challenging natural hazards. With full irrigation cover of tees, fairways and greens,
compartment within which their business remains private, a
the course is in fantastic condition all year round. Read more about the course at
state we trust will continue as with luck, the authorities will reg-
http://www.thehertfordshiregolf.co.uk/
ulate and enforce regulation. We should expect nothing less.
Call Sign November 2015
Page 14
Brian Marcantonio has been on Dial-a-Cab for 37 years and is also
a former Taxi Driver of the Year. He has a few beefs and so he
came to Call Sign. Now he is...
GETTING IT
OFF MY CHEST!
them was the UK. There has not been any
Beef Number 4:
bombs set off by Jews in the underground or
Boris and Luddites! I thought Luddites were
Beef Number 1:
on buses or flying planes into tall buildings
those who would not embrace new technolo-
Zac Goldsmith, potential Mayor of London,
because they don't like the way we live. As we
gy, but it seems that Boris is the same as many
states that he is not going to ban Uber; funny,
are letting in so many refugees / asylum seek-
so-called journalists who don't get the facts
a so-called pillar of the community is endors-
ers, I think London should be renamed as
before opening their gobs. Dial-A-Cab
ing criminal activity. The rules are written
Troy... all we are short of is the wooden
(Lords) closely followed by Radio Taxis
regardless of what the Judge said: Private
horse. Think about it...
(Mountview) started in the early 1950s, long
Hire - I'll use that term because taxis and cabs
before Michael Gotla and his Renault
are us, the rest are private hire - are required
Beef Number 2a:
Dauphines from Welbeck Motors began try-
to keep records of bookings and are not
Some of you will ask how I can be critical of
ing to imitate taxis in 1961. I believe that what
allowed meters (a smartphone that calculates
immigrants with a name like Marcantonio. It
Lords and Mountview did was to embrace new
time and distance IS a meter) and also they
comes from Mark Anthony, Cleopatra’s
technology. Dial-a-Cab was the first radio cir-
require the correct insurance. Maybe as it's us
lover. he gave Cyprus to her! Just think, if he
cuit in Europe and the second in the world to
that are being robbed and not him, he doesn't
dispatch via data instead of voice. I think that
give a t*ss.
had not done that I would own Cyprus and I
is embracing new technology.
People are saying that private hire need a
wouldn’t need to push a cab around London!
Now we have firms like Hailo, Gett and
topographical KoL; if this is done it will prob-
Yes, I’m just joking!
cab:app to name just a few who use smart-
ably be a two week course and then they will
My great grandfather came to England in the
phones to dispatch work. I think that is
be saying they have done the Knowledge so
late 19th century. His son, my grandfather, was
embracing new technology. It seems that Boris
why is it that they cannot ply for hire? If we go
in the Signals Regiment during the first
is talking out of his rectum again!
down that route, it will be the final nail in our
world war. My maternal grandfather lied about
I suppose it boils down to one thing; you
coffin. To keep private hire numbers down,
his age to join the navy in the first world war.
can tell when a politician is lying - their lips
they should be required to have correct insur-
My father, John Marcantonio, volunteered to
move! Is it true that the Godmother to David
ance and police cameras should be able to tell
join the RAF in WW2 and was sent to Africa at
Cameron’s children is a director on Uber?
not only if the car is insured, but what type of
the height of the U-boat menace. While there,
Apart from that, I think we have the best coun-
insurance the car has. They can probably do
he caught Malaria for his troubles. My mater-
cillors and politicians that money can buy.
that already, but if they did they probably
nal grandfather was young enough to join the
Well at least it’s now off my chest...!!!
believe that roads like Sussex Gardens,
army in WW2 and was sent to Italy. While
Edgware Road and Park Lane will be so full
there, he received a letter from my mum - his
Brian Marcantonio (R73)
of impounded cars that it would take days to
eldest child - telling him that she had met
remove them! Here’s a lesson for us; break the
someone and had fallen in love and that she
law en masse and the so-called police will do
was getting married. She told him his name
nothing at all.
was John Marcantonio. I bet he thought that
was rich; he was over there shooting them and
Beef Number 2:
I was on holiday and in the hotel room the
she was marrying one!
only English TV channel I could get was BBC
Beef Number 3:
World News - and most of that was about
While getting all this off my chest, can I move
refugees / asylum seekers trying to get into the
EU. If you were fleeing a country in fear for
onto diesel emissions. Seeing newspapers of
your life, you go to the first safe country.
late, it seems that it's not us causing all of the
Turkey is safe, Greece is safe, Albania is
pollution in London after all, with VW and
safe. The BBC World News seemed to me as
probably most - if not all car manufactures - fix-
being a bit staged; an interview with an asylum
ing their emission tests to pretend their cars
seeker with a family almost in tears as he can-
are greener than they actually are and that it is
not get into the EU. What’s wrong
us who can take the blame. How many hun-
with Greece? Could it be his four-bedroomed
dreds of thousands of diesel cars pumping
council house, his child benefits, his income
out so-called harmful emissions, are out there
support, his free healthcare and his free edu-
compared to around 18,000 taxis. This brings
cation for his children... they all come a bit
into question the fifteen year rule, as most of
slow in Greece! And of course, his private hire
the pollution was not really us after all. I won-
licence and application to Uber. Most of the
der if there is a case for a class action against
refugees on TV were single young men in
TfL and Boris Johnson as this is the vehicle
designer T-shirts; many also had iPhones and a
we have to buy and drive. Now if you see tree
good few needed to go on a diet!
hugging vegetarians (easy to spot as they wear
Real refugees were what we see in old
sandals with grey socks) licking their forefin-
newsreels following the second world war;
gers and raising them into the air to see which
Jews in fear for their lives, starving and in
way the wind is blowing, well apparently
rags, injured and ill. The only safe place for
unleaded petrol is less bad than diesel!
Call Sign November 2015
Page 15
“When you’re on the Knowledge of London,
candidates think the examiner is testing just
your knowledge of the streets and all that
Don’t lose your rag!
involves - roads and their names, theatres,
allowed to do that and that all other traffic
hospitals, museums, tourist landmarks and
needed to go around the one-way system.
all that kind of stuff,” Dial-a-Cab driver
“He had other ideas and was adamant
Raymond Horan (G80) told Call Sign.
should have turned right and continued
“In fact,” Raymond continued, “if you think
emit mumbling sounds, ever more insistent
they’re giving you a tough time, perhaps even
that I was wrong and he was right!
being surly, stern or maybe acting in a peculiar
“I was getting increasingly fed up with th
fashion, they are in all probability sizing up
tirade but remained calm and profession
your character and self-control because they
throughout the lecture I was being given. As w
know the general public can be very demand-
got nearer to Greenwich, I had formed a strate
ing in all sorts of ways! To let you loose on the
gy in my mind and suggested I drop his family
streets of our capital city is stressful enough in
safely off at their given destination and that I
itself for the driver, but then with a passenger
under pressure for all sorts of personal rea-
would then take him back to Waterloo Bridge,
sons, safety and courtesy can go out the win-
show him the sign showing ‘buses/cycles only’
dow and that is not a good situation to be in.
and then return him to his destination free of
The strict selection process is necessarily
charge just to prove my point,” Raymond
tough to maintain our reputation as the finest
explained, the tone of his voice belying his
taxi service in the world - rightly so - and some-
obvious frustration in recalling the incident.
thing of which I’m proud.”
“When I got him home, the family piled
Raymond recollected a journey as an
out of the cab and he followed, came to
example when he took a man and his family
my window and paid me off still mum-
from Charing Cross station to Greenwich...
bling about having to accept my word
“I left the station, turned right on to the
about the sign, although he was still cer-
Strand to head east and then went round the
tain that a right turn was in fact allowed.
one-way system at Aldwych to go over
I didn’t expect an apology and I wasn’t
Waterloo Bridge. The man then said I could
disappointed because I didn’t get one! But
and should have turned right from the Strand
that incident proved to me that you have to
Alan Green (E52)
directly onto the bridge. I tried to explain
remain cool under pressure and not lose
that it was only buses and cycles that were
your rag!”
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 month’s Flashback is from October 2001 and involves previous Mayor Ken Livingstone and his
assertion that taxi driving had a prejudice against non-white drivers...
MEMO TO KEN LIVINGSTONE:
“I’M ASIAN AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE PROBLEMS!”
Saleem Raja (S46J) has been on Dial-a-Cab for several years and a cab driver for twelve. His friends
know him as Sal. His bit of ‘one-upmanship’ when it comes to name-dropping is that he recently
picked up Mayor of London Ken Livingstone who happened to be standing in Horseferry Road look-
ing for a taxi to take him to Victoria.
Unlike some members of the current Houses of Parliament who claim to use public transport while having
secret Jags waiting around the corner, Ken Livingstone really does believe in using buses, trains and taxis before
having to use the mayoral car.
His ill-fated Greater London Council had many points that the licensed trade would rather forget (remember
Speedbus and the ‘no right turn’ from Shaftsbury Avenue into Charing Cross Road (south)? However, their
policy of providing cheap - and occasionally free - transport, while costing the cab trade some work in those
who would have got a cab if the bus never came, also improved the traffic flow and prospective passengers
started to leave their cars at home which in the long term gave DaC much more account work, because get-
ting around London suddenly became more feasible.
But recently, Mayor Livingstone controversially claimed that ethnic minorities were under represented within a cab trade that
Ken described as an “…almost universal white male club.”
Call Sign took up the subject in its June issue when the Editor said that, while not wanting to appear racist, he was against “…any special privi-
leges being granted to any group on the back of them being of a different race or culture. If an African cannot speak English well enough to commu-
nicate with a passenger, then I don’t want him in my trade any more than I would want someone from the Valleys who could only speak Welsh.”
Many of the trade press have since joined in and Ken now knows the feelings of most of us.
However, Sal - an Asian - took that one step further. Within the short trip, he told the Mayor that he not only did NOT feel that he was being held back, he
actually passed out in under a year! In addition, both of Sal’s brothers are licensed taxi drivers and neither of them ever complained of being held back through
any form of racism. As a form of proof, Sal actually had his PCO appointment card from ten years ago with him!
“He looked surprised when I showed it to him,” said Sal.
Sal told the Mayor and then Call Sign: “We all thought that we were always treated fairly by the PCO and when we thought that we weren’t, it was never
anything that white Knowledge boys weren’t going through as well!”
During the brief conversation, Ken asked Sal why he thought it was that black people obviously loved cars, yet so few were becoming licensed taxi drivers.
The question was rhetorical, as Ken obviously believes that there is an undercurrent of racism at the PCO. However, Saleem Raja disagrees.
Sal gave the Mayor his views that there was no racism at the ‘Yard’ and later told Call Sign:
“If a Knowledge boy is prepared to work hard, it doesn’t matter what colour he is provided he speaks English well. Otherwise, how can he answer the ques-
tions they throw at him? That isn’t racism, it’s common sense…”
Copyright Call Sign 2001
Call Sign November 2015
Page 16
Simon Scott is one of the new generation of taxi drivers whose life
is captured as a blog! His story will now be in Call Sign because
this is…
A Blogger’s Tale
in, just in case it got wet and cold. I held the
The moped was far better than the van, it
map and the Blue Book runs that he had
was economical and I could see a lot more.
photocopied for me and he did the driving.
However it had its pitfalls. The winter was a
We both peered through the windows left
very cold one and I was caught in a snow bliz-
and right and gazed up at the tall buildings.
zard more than once. Wildwood Road in
A Fishy Tale!
We had numerous stops for tea and sand-
Hampstead was the scene of one such bliz-
It all started in 1986. Simon and I had gone
wiches. It soon became compulsive and I
zard that came in so quickly, I had no chance
to school together and had remained friends.
could feel it gradually taking over every wak-
of getting back home before it got too bad. I
His family was loaded; he worked in his
ing moment. I took the photocopied sheets
did make it back, but very slowly and was
uncle’s fish factory in Essex and I saw this as
to bed with me and into the bath and I would
frozen stiff. It made me wish I’d opted for a
a way to make my fortune. My thinking was
entertain anyone who would listen to my par-
career that didn’t involve risking my life on
that Simon would be my ticket into the
rot-like repetition of the runs I had learned.
two skinny wheels in the middle of winter!
smoked salmon trade. And so when the
Simon smelt of salmon, his van smelt of
I was living in a Peabody flat in Bethnal
phone rang and Simon announced that he
salmon and so did the Blue Book runs he had
Green on Horatio Street. It was on the top
had signed onto The Knowledge and did I
photocopied for me. Up until then I had asso-
floor and had a balcony facing the
want to join him, I jumped at the chance.
ciated this smell with money and prospects,
Nelsons Head. As Nelson proudly sur-
This was my opportunity to flood London
but that idea was now wearing off. We decid-
veyed London from his lofty perch, I took
with cheap smoked salmon - as much as it
ed we needed mopeds. I bought mine from
this as a sign that I would indeed conquer
could eat - and I couldn’t wait to get started!
Southend and rather than take the terrifying
London and get my hands on a green
Looking back at that first day, I felt quite
ride back to London on the A13, I brought it
badge and a black cab.
light hearted as I closed my front door and
back on the train and it sat, poised, awaiting
To be continued…
walked over to Simon sitting at the wheel of
its new adventure in the guard’s compart-
Simon Scott (O40)
the minivan that we had decided to start off
ment.
Call Sign Online
ONE DIRECTION WINNERS
£100 caption winner
ENJOY THE SHOW!
The winner of last
month’s caption
At least we think they enjoyed it!
competition was
Michael Galton (J05).
It seems that the
His caption was:
two Dial-a-Cab
drivers who
“But missus, you did
each won a pair
say how much you
of VIP tickets to
enjoyed the door-to-
see the final
door service we
London appear-
offer!”
ance of the
biggest band on
Michael wins £100...
lanet, One Direction, in
ll Sign competition,
rprisingly took second
Mike Brown Appointed
e to their younger family
mbers! Dave Ballard
28) saw his wife Alison
New TfL Commissioner
d daughter Eleanor take
Following the departure of Sir Peter Hendy to
e seats towards the front
take up the position of Network Rail Chairman,
f the arena, while Paul
former TfL MD of London Underground and
avlou (W11) had to
Rail, Mike Brown has gone from Interim
and his over to daughter
Commissioner to being appointed to the posi-
Natalie and his six-year-
tion full-time following an international
old grandson Theo, who
recruitment process.
Paul says he was trying
In addition to his now £355,944 salary, Mike
to coax over to The
Brown will also be eligible for a performance
Beatles - but failed!
award each year of up to 50% of his salary. That
The seats had face val-
was criticised by London Assembly Green Party
ues of £120 each but
member Jenny Jones, who said that the Mayor
such was the clamour
should have taken the opportunity to reduce the
e black market was
Commissioner's pay. She said that the Mayor had
queueing to buy them at a cool £800 each!
missed a golden opportunity to ratchet down top pay at TfL. She com-
Thanks to Eleanor who sent us a photo taken from her
pared it to the Police Commissioner, whose yearly salary was £65,000 less than
seat and young Theo who sent us a letter..
Mr Brown’s. She said it wasn’t fair or necessary.
Call Sign November 2015
Page 17
We’ve read about them and heard of what they’ve
achieved, but now Marc Turner asks...
THE MAYFAIR MOB:
“One man on his own is a
WHO ARE THEY?
nuisance, one man and his
mates is an army!” That is the
maxim of Mick Smith, founder
of the new proactive presence
on the streets of Mayfair and
the Square Mile.
Success followed quickly; word got
“Doomers and gloomers talk the trade down.
around, more drivers joined and rooms were
MM talks our trade up. We don't do negatives
created on Twitter for instant communica-
and don’t know the word surrender!”
tions. Hakkasan at Bruton Street even shut
MM Scab Busters meet once a month,
down their PH satellite office due to the
every second Tuesday 8pm at the Royal
attentions of the MM. Work was being won
Oak. In Mick’s own words: “There's no hier-
Before attaining his green badge, Mick had
back from PH due to constant use of ranks by
archy, no egos and no politics. As long as
been a Yellow badge holder in the Croydon
taxis and also by creating a permanent pres-
we breathe, the cab trade shall never die.”
sector for 13 years and worked minicabs for
ence.
When you think the Mayfair Mob have only
17 years before that. He began to notice sim-
The Mayfair Mob are not vigilantes and
been in existence for barely 8 months, what
ilarities between the demise of work in the
don't indulge in any illegalities. They are
they've achieved thus far has been miraculous!
suburbs and what is currently being experi-
legally proactive and their efforts eventually
enced in Central London - suburban drivers,
Marc Turner (R97)
persuaded the ‘powers that be’ to grant new
over time, deserting town ranks in favour of
ranks on Hakkasan and Novikov at Berkeley
Call Sign Online
train stations and unwittingly handing mini-
Street and an agreement to extend the rank
cabs a free reign. That induced Mick’s
at Forge in Cornhill for four taxis. TfL have
belief to help create taxi occupancy on ranks
also funded marshals for Novikov at week-
at all times.
ends.
Last January during the mother of all kipper
Other Mayfair Mob initiatives are to com-
seasons, disenchanted Mick joined Twitter
municate with councils, MPs and Mayoral
where he soon met like-minded cabbies who
desired more involvement in their destiny.
candidates. They are also planning to visit
Before long 15 - 20 of Mick’s new comrades
Knowledge schools to enlighten students to
decided to
‘blitz’ high profile venues in
the etiquette of our trade and the importance
Mayfair, reclaiming taxi ranks that had been
of communication skills. They also intend
overrun by Private Hire and valet parking. At
becoming involved with police training in
this point, the moniker Mayfair Mob was
regard to cab law.
coined.
Ultimately, it’s a numbers game and there is
In March, Peter Stringfellow contacted
strength in numbers. The more drivers com-
the Mayfair Mob and hastily arranged a
ing on board, the easier the ranks will be to
meeting involving Deputy Mayor Isabell
hold and progress to further areas.
Dedring, Head of TfL Compliance Steve
Mick, affectionately known as The General,
Burton, MM and Peter Stringfellow. There
feels that our trade has to adapt to how the
were also subsequent meetings with Tessa
game has changed if we are to survive. The
Jowell MP, Green Party candidate for the
key is education for old and new alike. We are
next London Mayoral election Sian Berry
a service industry and need to act and look
and Chief Superintendent Matt Bell of TfL
accordingly. Mick responded to my inquiry
Compliance.
regarding the ethos of the Mayfair Mob with:
Call Sign November 2015
Page 18
Nobody told me that
“At first it was a bit like playing
Russian Roulette,” Liam Ratcliffe
(T53) explained to Call Sign,
“because when the rear wheel
steering dash warning light omi-
nously started to flash as I
engaged the rear wheel steering
in order to make a U-turn, I was-
n’t quite sure if the RWS facility
on my Vito was actually going
to work or not!”
Liam was referring to the recent warranty
update undertaken by Penso in Coventry.
“Even though I was confident the remedial
work had in fact been completed, the red
warning light continued to flash when I
engaged the rear steering, causing alarm bells
in my head to go off and leaving me with a
significant rise in blood pressure!”
Liam was grinning as he continued.
"Why didn't anybody tell me!"
“Thankfully I didn’t have a passenger on
board at the time or that might have been
work ok but I just wish I’d been advised
eyes on that warning light every time I engage
really exciting,” he said as the grin turned
about what might happen!”
the rear steer, a little apprehensively, espe-
into a laugh!
Ending his story, Liam told us that he had
cially as my taxi is still under warranty!
“It was only after several engine start/stop
since spoken to other Vito owners who also
“If only somebody has said…” he sighed wist-
and restart cycles that the light went out and
had similar experiences, but the thing was
fully as he drove off still looking at his dial...
has so far stayed out, but there was a moment
that nobody said you should expect it.
Alan Green (E52)
of mild panic at first, as you can imagine! The
“So it becomes quite confusing, not to
update carried out by Penso now seems to
mention surprising, and I am keeping my
Call Sign Online
Richard Potter’s bimonthly look at the world of taxis... and everything else!
THE WAY I SEE IT...
efore I pen my article every other issue, I always read the previous issue of Call Sign. It reminds me that I need
to send the Editor a piece and there is always something within it that catches my attention and to which I
feel I need to respond to. But it surprised me to read of taking away the ‘reject’ button during morning peri-
B
ods with me having recently given up working those mornings and reluctantly gone back onto lates.
It may be busy between 8.00 and 9.00, but there’s not too much either side and I personally could not make it pay. Believe me,
sitting by the roadside at 5am waiting a significant time for a job does nothing for your health, especially when the wait can be
up to two hours. I think the BoM are being a bit harsh here and the early men do a very decent job under very testing circum-
stances.
One thing Caroline Pigeon recently said that was very true about Uber was that we were publicising their wrongdoings with-
out remembering the public. When I was in the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and we went on strike, we always used to mention
the fact that the public would get a worse service with cuts - which was true.
What we as a trade fail to mention is that if Uber are allowed to take over, what would happen to our existing base of taxi
users? There are over one million taxi journeys taking place every week and there is still a huge demand for our services. Personally, I feel that we are far
too negative about things. Remember that you only hear from people when they complain and generally, if the public are silent about things, they are relatively
happy.
Richard Branson was in the media recently telling us to change, but if we are put out of business, why should our existing punters - people in wheelchairs
etc - be forced to use private hire? What about the choice for existing taxi users, of which there are thousands? When there were disputes at Virgin, Branson
used to dismiss the unions by saying that if they didn’t like it, then they shouldn’t work for them. My advice to him would be that if you don't like the way the
taxi trade is regulated, don't get involved.
Talking of the FBU, I was very happy that Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader along with John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor. This no doubt
raised some eyebrows, but I remember attending a FBU conference in 2003 when so-called labour leader, socialist and trade union sympathiser, Tony Blair, was
giving us a very hard time. John McDonnell stood and gave a speech telling us how wrong Blair was and that it should not be like that.
For those who do not know much about Messrs Corbyn and McDonnell, they are true socialists who will do really well for the country in the long run. No, we
are not going back to the 70s but finally we have people in opposition who will take David Cameron to task, because he has been getting away with it over
the past few years.
Finally, as it`s November we think of the fallen in British conflicts and thank those that are still alive. If you go to modern day Germany in October, it is
Beerfest time and a group of us regularly attend the Stuttgart Volksfest. Freedom is a wonderful thing and if you attend such an event and see all the young
Germans having a wonderful time, you can’t but help spare a thought for all those men and women who lost their lives in the name of Freedom. It makes you
feel very proud to be British. In Stuttgart, 1.5 million cubic metres of rubble was created by Allied action during WW2 and much of that rubble was taken
away by Stuttgarters who created a hill nearby called the Birkenkopf. At the top, it is so tall it towers over and has far reaching views over Stuttgart. A plaque
at the top on one of the rubble pieces says: “A memorial to the victims and a warning to the living.”
And for those who made the ultimate sacrifice: “At the going down of the Sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
Richard Potter (T51), Call Sign Online
Call Sign November 2015
Page 19
lliot’s dad, David (H39) has written
When a DaC driver’s son was diagnosed with Nodular Lymphocyte
this piece for Call Sign. Any help
predominant Hodgkins Lymphoma just two years ago, the family’s
readers can give Elliot would be
world was sent spinning. But young Elliot is a fighter and is now
E
truly appreciated and guaranteed
asking for help from Call Sign readers...
to go to an excellent cause...
Elliot has been extremely lucky in being
chosen by the BBC's Children In Need pro-
CHILDREN IN NEED,
gram to represent a charity that is close to
our family's hearts - Teens Unite. He will be
cycling a rickshaw along with five other mem-
TEENS UNITE AND ELLIOT!
bers of the team - each representing a differ-
ent charity - beginning at Lands End on the
Teens Unite are a Hertfordshire based char-
5th November and finishing at Elstree
ity that support young people between the
Studios on Friday 13th November, come
ages of 13 to 24 years who are suffering from
rain, shine, hail, sleet or snow!
the effects of cancer; they do this by connect-
The challenge will be covered live on
ing teens who are going through or have
BBC’s One Show following the official live
gone through similar diagnosis, encouraging
launch of Children in Need and again on the
them to participate in workshops that they
One Show. Each night, cameras will focus on
organise, as well as visits to exciting places
the team as their travels include crossing the
such as football games, pop concerts, activity
Severn Bridge, cycling through the West
days and many other bonding experiences.
Country and then finishing at the East
Elliot has made many friends through
Enders set at Elstree, via Brighton and
Teens Unite who gave him the strength
Chatham Docks amongst many other
and courage to fight his diagnosis head
venues. In total they will be cycling a total of
on. Sadly, not all those supported by
450 miles.
Teens Unite go onto remission and Elliot
Elliot has spent a substantial amount of his
lost a friend just a few months ago. This
time in first gaining a place on the team
loss reinforced to Elliot just how impor-
through an intensive selection process that
tant the Teens Unite family are to young
sadly left many other youngsters disappoint-
people suffering from cancer.
ed. There was also filming and promotional
Elliot feels passionately about his upcom-
photo shoots, through to reading a speech in
ing rickshaw challenge and would dearly love
front of a full house of over 10,000 people at
to raise a substantial amount for his chosen
Elliot meets Olympic Super
the SSE Wembley Arena where he received a
charity, Teens Unite, so it would be much
Heavyweight Champion Anthony
standing ovation. It really was a tearjerker!
appreciated if you could pass his Just Giving
Joshua at a Teens Unite Sports Day
His sister commented on a social media
page details onto as many people as possible;
website that she had seen many rock and pop
world was turned upside down when we
let's see how much we can help him raise for
groups on that very stage, but never ever
were given the devastating news that our
Teens Unite.
expected to see her little brother there - espe-
son had been diagnosed with Nodular
Elliot’s Just Giving website and the
cially her little brother reading his speech and
Lymphocyte predominant Hodgkins
Teens Unite site for more info about the
getting a standing ovation! He is currently fol-
Lymphoma. Due to the position and size
charity are at:
lowing a rigorous training plan devised by
of his numerous tumours, an operation
https://www.justgiving.com/ElliotsRicks
BBC personal trainers to prepare them for the
was not possible and so he began a course
hawChallenge
physical and mental challenge ahead.
of Chemotherapy and steroids; thankfully
http://teensunitefightingcancer.org
The charity Elliot is representing is
this was successful and he is presently in
called Teens Unite; they have set up a Just
remission. It wasn't an easy ride, cancer
Giving page (details at the end) that will
never is; but Elliot battled on and at the
Immaculate White
allow people to show their support for
moment is winning. The support that he
Elliot and also help fund this wonderful
received from Teens Unite was pivotal in
Cab Available for
charity. It was September 2013 that our
his move into remission.
Weddings
HMG support for Uber
Conservative MP for Bromsgrove and
someone many predict will one day
be Tory leader and possible Prime
Minister, Sajid Javid, has warned
against a “heavy handed” regulatory
clampdown on Uber.
Mr Javid, the Government Business
Secretary, was speaking at a select com-
mittee hearing and said he thought that
if TfL brought in all the proposals in their
public consultation on taxis and private
hire, many consumers would believe that
to incur a detrimental impact.
Javid added that he did not want a heavy
handed regulation and wanted “to make sure that
Female driver
consumers are put first in terms of any sort of assessment about these types of services.”
He was then asked if he would step in to remedy the situation should TfL come down against
10% reduction for Dial-a-Cab drivers
Uber? Mr Javid replied that the government welcomed innovation and ‘disruptive technology’.
Contact Debbie (W18) on
“And I wouldn’t want to see anything done that jeopardies our status as a country that wel-
comes investment and jobs and puts consumers first.”
07956 317040
Call Sign November 2015
Page 20
aid to have been one of Sir Walter
Raleigh’s top men when it came to
the tobacco-discovering entrepre-
SAVE OUR TAXIS!
S
neur’s expeditions, Captain John
Bailey organised four horse-drawn carriages
in 1634 to sit by the Maypole in the Strand
and set up what was probably London’s first
cab rank - which probably made that the
world’s first cab rank too. The present church
of St. Mary-le-Strand now sits on the site of
where the Maypole was. So-called “sour-vis-
aged Puritans” pulled it down after proclaim-
ing it as being dangerous to the morals of
youth!
The Conditions of Fitness as they were in
1679 and modified ever since, together with
the Knowledge of London have ensured that
the London taxi service, from those horse
drawn carriage drivers through to the 1897
electric powered Bersey and up to the pre-
sent day’s TX4, Vito and Metrocab, remain
the best in the world.
Yet with all that history, the latest buzz
words throughout the trade are not about our
enviable history, but how to preserve it and
the service itself. But no one really expected
sporting the new catchphrase. Our thanks
Abramovich for a reputed £140million.
help to materialise from a group of taxi dri-
to LCDC Chairman Grant Davis for these
He then bought Leeds United before selling
ver’s wives and girlfriends - although they
two...
it onto GFH Capital in 2012. He was also
really do not like being referred to a WAGS -
Paul Weller’s father was a taxi driver, but
involved in the formation of the Premier
whose purpose is to promote the positives of
Paul was always more into music and became
League and the new Wembley Stadium. He
the Taxi trade The group have not only organ-
famous as the founder of iconic bands The
now flits between his Monaco home and
ised successful demonstrations, but have also
Jam and then The Style Council. He is still a
Chelsea.
brought a new, ultra-modern phrase into the
successful singer / songwriter. His latest album,
What both have in common is their love
language that Captain Bailey may have
Saturns Pattern, was released in May and
of London Taxis and of the new #Save
thought came from Lucifer himself!
reached number two in the UK albums chart.
Taxi. If any Call Sign reader can snap a
That phrase is #Save Taxi and a number
Ken Bates was the owner of Chelsea FC
photo of a celeb with the #Save Taxi sign,
of celebrities have suddenly appeared
before selling it to current owner Roman
we’d be happy to publish it...
An occasional review from a struggling 14 handicapper at some of the marque golf courses I've had
the privilege to play in my golf days away from the taxi…
SIMON’S GOLF COURSES
In late summer, DaC driver Simon Wallis and some golfing pals took
Le Shuttle over to France to try out a few of the nearby golf courses.
In the September issue, Simon and co played a round at Hardelot les
Pins, while last month they moved to the magnificent Belle Dunes
golf course at Fort Mahon Plage, some 30 minutes from the base
they had made at Le Touquet. Now it was their final day...
Day 3: La Mer at Le Touquet
When the great names in golf design are mentioned, you'll always hear
Harry S. Colt’s name and La Mer is one of his best layouts from the man
who created the Sunningdale new course. The old course was designed by
Willie Park Jr.
The clubhouse, which doubles as the course hotel, is some way from the
The photo shows the par 3 second hole; miss the green and
first hole but there is a car park beside the opener. The best
bet is to drive
an ‘up and down’ will be very tricky...
and park there.
As for the course itself, La Mer is one of those huge links layouts
that just shout out: This is how golf by the sea should be played! It is
a vast piece of land measuring just over 6000 yards. That may not
sound overly long by today's standards, but it doesn't need to be.
Seve Ballesteros won the French Open here back in 1977 and it has
Keith Reading
always had that real pedigree.
Professional Toastmaster
With the wind blowing across the multitude of huge dunes and fast hard
running fairways turning into large lighting quick undulating greens, this
Master of Ceremonies
course is a joy to play.
Before you tee off on the high 18th tee, you must take a moment to climb
Tele: 01279 465 938
the steps to the viewing platform behind and above the tee - many players
Mobile: 07774 860 374
don't know it’s there. The view over the whole course is simply spectacular.
I hope at some time you can make this trip, including the other two
Email: kgr.2@virgin.net
courses I wrote of in the last two issues of Call Sign. They all make a real
treat for golfers who like to experience the best of golf. All three courses are
10% discount for DaC drivers and staff
different and all are excellent.
Happy golfing...
Fellow of the Guild of
Professional Toastmasters
Simon Wallis (M11), Call Sign Online
Call Sign November 2015
Page 21
From Garry White…
rently taking place where one of the points
under consultation is that PH drivers can only
work for one operator and that would have
left them very short of drivers!
I do see apps as being a big part of the
future of this trade and for the personal user
that likes having a credit card linked to the
app of their choice, it's very convenient.
While for us drivers, we will have to accept
that the meter starts at the point of pick-up
Hello ladies and gents,
on these types of journeys, just like street
hails do.
High Court judge ruling
Mr Justice Ouseley gave his decision on the
Celebration
Uber app on the 16th October and in his opin-
I recently had a day out in London where I
ion it doesn't constitute it working as a meter,
took my wife to have tea at the Ritz; it sure
even though it calculates time and distance
was different from my usual cuppa at the
travelled via GPS then sending that data back to
Finsbury Square tea stall! It's a splendid
Uber's servers to determine the fare!
hotel and although I've been in many of
The judge said he came to his decision because
London's fine establishments while working,
the app isn't a meter as defined by the Act. So
I've never been in the Ritz and the Palm
that's where we're at, the use of technology
Tea at the Ritz!
Court tea room. Its splendour certainly lived
won the day... not necessarily Uber.
up to expectation!
Ask friends and family sympathetic to our
It was a truly great afternoon listening to
plight to also make their opinions noticed,
the pianist, enjoying beautifully cut sand-
TfL
because the big money being put into the
wiches and delicious cakes, so if you have a
The proposals that are currently under consul-
lobbying campaign behind Uber is certainly
special occasion coming up I would highly
tation by Transport for London, if implement-
being heard in the media.
ed, could hopefully have a far bigger impact on
recommend it as a great afternoon out in our
Uber than the court ruling over the use of a
great city.
meter via an app. You can have your say on this
Hailo
Be lucky
consultation and have until the 23rd December
Hailo have decided to come back to black. I
Garry White
2015. Go to:
think a big part of their thinking on ditching
DaC Board Member
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tph/private-hire-proposals
the private hire trade is the consultation cur-
No, we didn’t win but...
“That will stay with me forever,”
e is six feet one, sixteen stone
the proud Pompilie Bors told Call Sign’s
and a rugby fan, so the recent
Mr Cox.
World Cup was an exciting time
Meanwhile, Gary Cox set off for
H
for Call Sign’s Gary Cox (O46)
McDonalds. “Gotta bulk myself up for
- even though the home nations were all
the next World Cup,” he said. “You
knocked out so early.
never know who I might meet...!!!”
Pompilie Bors next to 6-foot 1-inch Gary
During the tournament, Gary was
thrilled to have picked up Romanian
rugby legend, Pompilie Bors, from the
White House Hotel. Pompilie is a hero in
his home country after his time as captain
of the national team before retiring and
taking up his post as President at the
Federatia Romania de Rugby.
Gary is no slouch himself, but standing
next to Pompilie Bors our Gazza looks
rather undernourished!
“What a nice man,” Gary told us. “I
recognised him straightaway and he
told me that whilst disappointed that
his team didn’t do better, he thought
they played well against both France
and Ireland, although they lost both.
But Pompilie said they also felt proud
to have played at Wembley Stadium in
front of the largest attendance ever to
watch a Rugby World Cup match -
almost 90,000.”
Call Sign November 2015
Page 22
ver the past year, Call Sign has run
a number of articles aimed at warn-
ng taxi owners that there are nasty
Watch out for ‘cat’ thieves!
Oi
people out there who want - and
are prepared to steal - the catalytic convert-
overnight thefts from Vitos recently and as
er from your cab.
these items are very expensive to replace, we
Although the spate of thefts began with
are happier that it wasn’t going to be our ‘cat’
Martin Hizer’s (M47) TX2, that turned out to
that was added to the list of stolen ones,” Alex
be a one-off and all our reports since then have
said with a smile.
been where the ‘cat’ has been stolen from
“I took our cab to S&B Commercials in
Mercedes Vito taxis.
Stansted as it was convenient for us, but I’m
Robert Webb (A03J) was the first Dial-a-
sure other dealerships or most of the S&B
Cab driver we spoke to who’d had the catalyt-
garages can fit a ‘cat’ lock. It certainly works out
ic converter stolen from his Vito. He told us at
a lot cheaper than having to fit a complete
the time that he’d actually driven his Vito taxi
replacement - and certainly far less hassle!
for several days without even realising his cab
“Should some little blighter show an interest
was minus its ‘cat’ and only realised about the
in our cab by crawling underneath it, the fact
theft when a neighbour and fellow taxi driver
that the ‘cat’ is secured to the vehicle will hope-
knocked on his door to warn him of ‘cat’ thefts
fully act as a visual deterrent to any thief and
in the area! Alas, it was too late for Robert, even
they will then move smartly on!”
though his cab was parked just yards from his
However, police claim that thieves are
own front door! His cab had been running fine,
finding it difficult to resell the catalytic con-
but where he looked under it, the ‘cat’ was no
verters, but have fewer problems in selling
longer there!
Diesel engines produce sooty exhaust
Alex Teal
them on as scrap metal. And to confirm
that fact, they said that theft numbers had
gases so catalytic converters are fitted with-
spend up to £2000, with the possibility of also
more than quadrupled in less than two
in the exhaust system to catch offending
losing the cab for two days.
years.
gases. But at around £2000 a pop, any
crook with a metal-cutting hacksaw blade
Now Dial-a-Cab driver Alex Teal (F54),
Call Sign also made some enquiries regard-
and a knowledge of how to get ‘cats’ off of
who shares his Vito with brother James
ing insurance cover and unsurprisingly it
cabs could consider this to be a lucrative
(F54J), has confirmed Gary’s advice. He
depends on your insurance policy terms and
way to earn a living - probably even better
told this magazine:
conditions. But if the worst really does happen,
than driving one - but not in the way you
“For James and me, having a ‘cat lock’ fitted
you might be able to claim on your taxi policy
would think.
was a sensible pre-cautionary measure because
but should expect to lose a chunk of your No
Last month, Gary Cox (O46) wrote in Call
we would prefer not to have the cabs’ catalytic
Claim Bonus as well as any Excess in force at the
Sign that Vito drivers might consider it prudent
converter nicked!” The brother partnership
time. But policies do vary, so always check with
to go into a garage and ask for a ‘cat lock’ to be
had just had the ‘cat’ locking device fitted to
your own insurer.
fitted, even though they work out close to
their Vito.
Either way, don’t say you haven’t been
£200. That was much cheaper than having to
“I now know that there has been a spate of
warned...
Beat Uber? No, better them and amalgamate!
This November makes fifteen years that Joe Connor (N64) has been on Dial-a-Cab so
his views are always worth listening to. He has now written to Call Sign with a
rather controversial suggestion...
Dear Alan and Dial-a-Cab Members,
It's time we stopped trying to defeat Uber, but instead to be better than Uber! Everything we have, we know is
better than Uber anyway. We have better drivers, better knowledge, far more safety and comfort in addition to the
speed of using bus lanes etc.
There is just one exception - the cost and customers know this; so let’s put this right!
It's time for all the radio taxis to amalgamate, to all have a new App system. No more run-ins, just the meter on
when the time clicks in or the customer has been notified by dispatch. No £2 extra for cash trips and all jobs covered.
With no rejects, all the modern systems we have together with some good advertising paid for from
the money received from the amalgamation, we can then beat Uber by being better in every way. This
will give us more jobs and more money in our pocket.
Joe Connor (N64)
AGM REMINDER
ll members should have received the Notice of Annual General Meeting 2015 advising
A
that the meeting will again be held at The HAC, Armoury House, City Road on Sunday
7th February 2016 at 11am.
The meeting this year will consider an agenda excluding the election of officers, but
including as usual, proposed Rule Changes and Propositions.
Any proposed Rule Changes and Propositions must be received at Dial-a-Cab House on or before 09:00hrs
on Friday 27th November 2015 as per the Notice of Annual General Meeting 2015 letter.
Please remember that if you do not vote by post then you should attend. If you do not attend or vote by
post, you will be liable for a £50 fine.
Howard Pears
Company Secretary
Call Sign November 2015
Page 23
Magical Taxi Tour to Disneyland Paris
This year's annual WCHCD Children's
Magical Taxi Tour departed Canary Wharf
following an Ampersand sponsored Big
Breakfast send off. The Chairman of the
Organising Committee, Phil Davis (F10) is
always extremely grateful to everyone who
helps make the trip possible, from the larger
corporate sponsors all the way through to
those making donations via JustGiving and
the website. The Marriot Hotel Canary Wharf
provided packed lunches, while the London
Taxi Company donated spending money for
the children.
The ribbon was cut by the Lord Mayor
Locum Tenens Alderman Sir David Howard
Getting ready for fun at the Hotel Cheyenne
and the Master of The Worshipful Company
of Hackney Carriage Drivers, Colin Evans.
ical environment of the Disneyland Resort and a weekend away from
The 100 taxi convoy with their 400 passengers then set off on towards
the rigours of their hospital treatments.
Dover, taking children with life limiting illnesses on a magical journey
The evening saw a Gala Dinner where guests were joined by
to Disneyland Paris. They were escorted by the AA, City of London
Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Chipmunks, Donald and
Police, Gendarmerie Nationale, medical teams from hospitals the
Daisy Duck and other famous Disney characters. They posed for pho-
children were under treatment with and the London Ambulance
tos with the children, signed autographs and even joined in the disco
Service.
dancing!
At Dover, the convoy boarded a donated P&O ferry crossing to
The next morning and it was time for the return journey - once
Calais. Seeing a car deck full of London taxis must
be a surprising
again via a fuel stop at Assevillers where the children enjoyed packed
sight to those other travellers on the ferry! Before long the huge con-
lunches in the sunshine before heading back to Dover and home.
voy was disembarking and making its way towards Paris and the
This was the 22nd annual trip organised by the WCHCD and is
Disneyland Resort. A fuel stop at the Aire De Repos Assevillers
testament to the kindness of the drivers and support services and
Ouest services gave the visitors a surprise when a band began playing
their generosity in giving time and vehicles freely. Throughout the
and characters appeared to greet the children. Refreshments and face
trip, people were telling the committee what a great time they
painting put everyone into a good mood for the remainder of the
were having, which is what makes all the hard work preparing for
journey. Last year a WCHCD Award was made to this service area for
the trip and fund raising so worthwhile.
their yearly warm welcome and a short speech was made by Kevin
Sandie Goodwin
Deneux and Mickael Bruder welcoming everyone once again.
PR Officer, Magical Taxi Tour
Some heavy rain hit the convoy on its way to the resort, but eventu-
ally it reached the Hotel Cheyenne and after dropping luggage to
rooms, they headed to the Chuck Wagon for dinner before turning in
for the night to prepare for a busy day in the Disneyland Park and the
HACKNEY ROAD TAXI TYRES
Studios where they were given fast track passes to ensure they didn’t
have to wait in long queues for the rides and experiences. Seeing the
excitement and delight on the faces of the children, it’s easy to see how
FOR THE BLACK CAB TAXI TRADE
worthwhile this trip is for them. It is a wonderful weekend in the mag-
• Austones for the TX
• Barums for the Vito
HMRC pull up cab
drivers over unpaid tax
• Michelin and Continental
A taskforce set up by HM Revenue and
also supplied
Customs (HMRC) to check that taxi operators
and drivers have paid the tax they owe, has
4-wheel laser tracking
targeted eight business premises across
for the Mercedes Vito
Northern Ireland as part of an investigation
into suspected tax evasion.
• Puncture repairs
HMRC officers visited the business premises in counties
Antrim, Down and Fermanagh and uplifted business records for
• Also free tyre checks
examination. Michael Connolly, HMRC’s Taskforce
Coordinator in Northern Ireland, said:
“Tax evasion is a crime that costs society dearly. While over
Find us downstairs the
90% of people play by the rules and pay their dues, our task-
forces target areas where we see a risk that people won’t pay
DaC Credit Union at
what they owe. The public’s help in fighting tax crime is vital
The Peterley Business Centre,
and it can be reported to us on 0800 788 887.”
472 Hackney Road, E2
Enquiries are ongoing and any evidence of tax evasion can be
taken forward either civilly or criminally through the courts.
HMRC
0207 729 5237
Call Sign November 2015
Page 24
aC driver Sean Farrell (B39) looks at trade history from a different angle
Brethren of the Whip
telegram was his all along and called him “an
Hopwood and Flo were both taken to
The story
old rascal.” The two remained at the hotel
Guy’s Hospital, where Flo was pronounced
until a quarter to midnight when a taxicab
dead. Matthews was told to take his cab
that came
was hailed for them to take the pair to
round to a police station which was then sit-
too late...
Fenchurch Street Station.
uated in the Minories. There were three bul-
The driver of the motor cab was Charles
let holes in the cab - two in the canvas roof
A personal interlude;
Matthews. He would later testify that he heard
and one through the rear window. There was
my wife’s grand-
no arguments in the back of the cab and as there
also a lot of blood. After 45 minutes, the
mother was born
was no light or a rear view mirror, he could not
police were finished examining the cab and
Adeline Hosgood in
see what was going on. As the cab drove down
Matthews was allowed to take it away.
October 1911. She
was often asked
Fenchurch Street just past Cullum Street,
At his subsequent trial, it was heard from
throughout her life where her first name orig-
Matthews heard three distinct bangs and a
Hopwood’s secretary, John Travers Hosgood
inated from. Adeline did not know, she always
woman screaming. Fearing that he had lost
(my wife’s great grandfather), that the writing
for the telegram from Southampton was
replied that it was someone her father had
three tyres, he immediately pulled over. Walking
once met and he had liked the name. This is
round the cab he could see nothing amiss, but
Hopwood’s. He also confirmed that
Hopwood was married with three children,
the story of how Adeline got her name...
as he opened the nearside door the woman fell
It begins in Manchester at the Tivoli the-
one of them a daughter named Adeline; he
into his arms. She was covered in blood.
atre on April
3rd 1911. Appearing on
had even named his own daughter after her!
He pulled he r over to a shop front,
stage was Flo Dudley, a 33 year old widow
Edward Hopwood was found guilty of
number 138. The woman told him to be
from Ilford. In the audience was a London
murder and executed on January 29th
careful as the man had a revolver and that
businessman, Edward Hopwood aged 45.
1913. Adeline Oyler, nee Hosgood, died in
she needed to get to hospital. Back then,
The two met after the show and there was
June 2001. She was never aware of her
policemen walked the beat and within
an instant attraction between them,
nominal link to the taxicab murder that
seconds of the shots ringing out, three
which may have been helped by Hopwood
shocked London. It was the story that
City policemen converged on the scene.
not only splashing money on Flo, but
came too late...
As one of them approached the cab,
telling her she had the leading part in a
Hopwood put the gun to his own head
Sean Farrell (B39)
stage play he was putting together!
and fired twice but neither shot proved
Call Sign Online
They became lovers and soon the talk was
fatal. One of the policemen snatched the
about marriage - but there were problems.
gun from Hopwood’s grasp.
Flo was Roman Catholic while Edward was a
Protestant. He was also married with three
children - something that Flo was unaware of.
EVERYONE LIKES A
Hopwood paid off any contracts of employ-
ment that were outstanding for Flo as he did
not want her appearing on stage anymore.
GOOD COURT CASE
The romance didn’t last, at least not from
Flo’s viewpoint. She told her sister that
But sadly we haven’t got one!
Hopwood was always accusing her of infi-
ITV’s Judge Rinder seems to have reawakened the
delity and calling her vile names. The pair
desire of the general public to look in on court
parted, but Hopwood was not prepared to
cases. Sadly we don’t have one! However, thanks
see the woman he had allegedly spent £1000
to Dial-a-Cab Board Member Joe Brazil, who
on just walk out of his life.
enjoys the occasional wander through the Old
Hopwood knew that Flo regularly com-
Bailey Online website, below is a brief - albeit
muted between Liverpool Street Station and
partly rewritten into modern day English - extract
Ilford to the home of her sister in Balfour
from a case at the Old Bailey on 24 November
1856 concerning a burglary and the testimony from disgraced
Road. He employed several staff members at
cab driver John Webb.
the station, a wine waiter, porter and bell
During a cross examination to decide his suitability as a witness, Mr Webb was asked
ringer etc, to follow her home.
by the prosecutor how many times he had been in prison. His answer brought up an
In September
1912, Flo received a
interesting fact...
telegram from Jim Kelly, a long-time friend
About three or four times, I think. I was accused of stealing some money from a fellow ser-
who was a tobacco manufacturer and also
vant. I was not discharged for stealing a bottle of spirits. I was discharged, I cannot say what for
High Sheriff of Dublin. The reply-paid
as the only reason given was for having a little too much to drink, but I did not steal the drink. I
telegram stated that he was currently in
was also accused of robbing a man of his watch in a water closet while he was asleep. I was then
accused of stealing a watch from the Vauxhall railway station. I was not charged with wearing
Southampton but would come up to London
clothes that the woman I lived with was charged with stealing. I bought the clothes off someone
on his way back to Dublin. Flo agreed to a
in the street and used them till they wore out, but a man had said they looked like his clothes.
meeting at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel. The
I also had a licence as a cab driver but lost it for misconduct. I then had two months imprison-
telegram was in fact from Hopwood and he
ment for using a cab licence in a false name but it was not a false name at all, they just said it
was planning a fatal showdown with his ex-
was and I was convicted. I have not been able to get another cab licence since then, but I am not
lover.
trying to get one by pretending to be of a good character as a witness in this prosecution. I have
in the past been fined 7shillings, 8shillings and 10shillings for plying for hire within eight feet of
On September 28 1912, Flo found herself
the kerb; that is what I have been in prison for... but not for dishonesty.
at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel
(City
Plying for hire within eight feet of the kerb? Is that similar to not being allowed to
Thameslink and Fleet Place House now
throw coins of the realm to the ground out of a cab window in order to cause a scram-
occupy the site) and was confronted with
ble by the public? You tell us!
Hopwood. According to him, she knew the
Call Sign November 2015
Page 25
Another day, another demo!
Call Sign has been on most of
the recent demonstrations - cur-
rently suspended - and I have to
admit to being surprised at how
well-attended they are. The one
at the Aldwych on the last day
of September was a good case
in question.
I had to first go and pick up the October
Call Sign and make sure that it was going to
be posted out as usual, then rush to the Dial-
a-Cab office to sort out the mags that go to
non-drivers, ie retired members that said they
couldn’t bear to lose their copy (!!!), other
editors and some trade celebrities etc before
handing them over to Albert to stuff in their
envelopes and post. It also appeared quite
busy on the radio - I assumed that was
because of drivers going to the Aldwych.
But for me there was no choice. The
trade was fighting for its future and there
Fleet Street stuffed with taxis all the way to Aldwych!
was no way I was going to put an extra
twenty quid before that, so it was off to
join the demo of the day.
I had arranged to meet the trade’s unelect-
ed but excellent drummer, DaC’s Marc
Turner
(R97), at the Aldwych. He has
become a symbol of the trade’s cause and
had become a familiar figure in leading the
demos. But meeting him soon became a for-
lorn hope once traffic messages came on.
It seemed that the police were trying to
stop taxis getting to the demo. First it said
that the Aldwych had been closed, then
Rosebery Avenue had been shut at
Clerkenwell Road, followed closely by
New Fetter Lane, Fleet Street both ways
and for those thinking of creeping in via
the Embankment and Temple Place - well
tough luck, that was also shut!
My first thought was surprise because the
was stuffed both ways so far as the eye could
probably will do by the end of the year - and
police had been very supportive on every
see with stationary taxis. I pulled onto the
they are suffering in the quietest winter ever.
demo Call Sign has gone on. But they
end - literally just around the corner - and
The weather was beautiful and we were
appeared to have had a change of heart and
waited for the usual slow shuffle along. But
obviously providing something of a
were determined to stop the demo by starv-
absolutely nothing was moving. I switched
tourist attraction because many were
ing it of taxis. It was due to start at 4.30, hav-
the engine off, made sure my badge was fac-
coming over to ask what was happening
ing been brought forward by an hour from its
ing the right way and got out.
and drivers went out of their way to pro-
original 5.30 start in an attempt to cause as
Within seconds, a policeman came up to
vide answers. Surprisingly, our Mayor did-
little inconvenience as possible to theatrego-
me. Here we go, I thought to myself, he’s
n’t seem to come out of it too well, but
ers who may have paid big bucks to see a
going to slag us off. I had taken some stick
that was probably due to driver’s jealousy
show and wouldn’t have thanked us had they
from an over-zealous policeman at the
over his bleached blond locks!
missed it. But at
5pm I was still driving
Downing Street demo for daring to stand in
There was just one incident when an appar-
around trying to get to it! But I was mistaken
the middle of the road while taking some
ently anti-taxi driver cyclist seemed to deliber-
with my views of the police.
photos. But I needn’t have worried.
ately drive into the mirror of a stationary cab.
Somehow I had made my way onto New
“Mine’s two sugars,” he suggested with a
The police came and rather forcefully sug-
Bridge Street northbound in ultra heavy traf-
smile as he saw me looking at a shop where
gested to the cyclist that he should be more
fic and could see a policeman at Ludgate
drivers were coming out with refreshments! I
careful! There wasn’t one policeperson that
Circus waving taxis straight ahead and not
assumed he was joking and of course he was.
you could say looked as though they didn’t
allowing them to turn left into Fleet Street -
He asked if I could put a message out saying
want us there! At 6.10 when the police asked
us to finish the demo, we all began moving
which also had several cones across the
that even demo cabs could no longer get into
peacefully, if noisily! The only problem was
entrance to make sure everyone knew what
Fleet Street as it was full from the Aldwych to
that there was nowhere to go as the whole of
was happening. When I got there, I saw the
Ludgate Circus before asking me why so
the City had ground to a halt! Another day,
reason - there was a police sign saying ‘Taxis
many taxis were working normally. I
another demo - and hopefully another mes-
on Demo’ only. Those refused entry were
shrugged my shoulders; if that’s what they
sage to the Mayor and TfL that the best taxi
working and had passengers on. I pointed to
want to do then it’s up to them, I told him. So
service in the world is not going to just lay
the sign and then to myself and almost magi-
long as they don’t moan when the number of
down and die...
cally the policeman waved me in. Fleet Street
licensed minicabs reaches 100,000 - which it
Call Sign November 2015
Page 26
Keeping it in the Family
both already ‘on the firm’ and our grandpa,
has become manageable and so I have been
Terry Peet, Snr was also on Dial-a-Cab, so
able to become an owner-driver and here I
my connections are strong and I feel I’m fol-
am, joining DaC!
lowing a tradition of keeping it in the family!”
“Don’t get me wrong, I expect there are dri-
Frankie allowed himself a big smile at the
vers out there singing the praises of their own
thought.
chosen apps and yes, it does keep passengers
“I also have strong anti-app feelings as I
using licenced taxis, but it’s definitely not for
believe it looks very unprofessional to keep
me. So far as I am concerned, Dial-a-Cab will
tapping a device stuck to your windshield.
be beneficial and more professional.”
Not only that, but it also divides the taxi com-
Frankie knows about
“professional”
munity with conflicts of interest. Here at
because if you look in the DaC Driver’s
DaC, it looks to be much more professional.
Reception, you will usually see that month’s
I start work very early in the mornings and
issue of Call Over, the magazine aimed at
“Yes, I guess you could call me a
while my brother Terry, who also greets the
those on the Knowledge; and on page 3 of
early dawn, was usually buzzing around tak-
new recruit, but I’m not exactly
every issue is an Editorial - by Frankie Peet!
ing money, I was often just roasting on a rank
that,” Frankie Peet (K80) said to
somewhere; so I was convinced it was time to
But for now and with his new terminal fit-
Call Sign when we met as he
get fitted up and join DaC.
ted, Frankie went out into the DaC world to
I’m 28 years old and when I started driving
put his belief into practice...
was being fitted with his Dial-a-
six years ago, my cab insurance premium was
Alan Green
Cab terminal.
so high I had no choice but to rent a taxi.
“My brother Terry and uncle Graham are
Call Sign Online
However, nowadays the insurance premium
LONDON’S FIRST INTERACTIVE COLLISION MAP
Shows the safety history of the capital’s roads..
he Mayor and TfL have launched
London’s first interactive digital colli-
sion map, part of a continued drive to
T
improve road safety awareness to
reduce the number of casualties in the capital.
The London Collision Map can be viewed
at www.collisionmap.london. It uses exten-
sive data collected by the police and held by
TfL to ‘shine a light’ on road collisions in local
areas and creates a useful way to inform road
users about junctions with high collision histo-
ries, aiding improvement work in line with TfL’s
commitment to improve transparency for cus-
tomers and stakeholders.
The map allows anyone to easily search for
collisions anywhere within London, providing
info on when, where and how severe incidents
were dating back to 2005. The aim is to help
raise awareness of road conditions and
encourage road users to take extra care at
junctions.
It comes as the Mayor and TfL publish
their Annual Road Safety
report, which highlights the safety perfor-
"Safety continues to improve on London's roads."
mance and improvements that have been
made on the capital’s roads in the past 12
months. During 2014, the number of peo-
ple killed or seriously injured (KSI) fell to
its lowest level since records began.
The report also outlines the Mayor’s new tar-
get, set earlier this year, to halve the number of
KSIs by 2020 compared to the Government
base line - meaning a reduction of more than
14,000 deaths or serious injuries over the life of
London's road safety plan to 2020.
Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor for
Transport, said: “Safety continues to improve
on London’s roads, but we are not compla-
cent. It is a top priority and that’s why the
Mayor set a new target to bring down the
number of people killed or seriously injured
even further. This map is part and parcel of our
drive to improve road safety awareness and
complements ongoing work to overhaul and
improve London’s key roads and junctions.”
Call Sign November 2015
Page 27
“Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over...!”
“IT IS NOW!”
beautiful creatures now only
takes place at Wimbledon
Stadium which, because it
sits on the east bank of the
River Wandle, is actually in
Tooting!
At its peak in the 1940s,
greyhound racing boasted 33
So said the late BBC commenta-
tracks in London alone and
50 million punters would
tor, Kenneth Wolstenholme,
click through the turnstiles
when a small pitch invasion
each year - and next month
took place at Wembley Stadium
I’ll try to surprise you by
revealing the whereabouts of
just as Geoff Hurst smashed the
some of those long lost tem-
ball into the net to put England
ples of London’s greyhound
hosting a new race that
4-2 ahead in the World Cup
porting heritage, including one that was offi-
gained Classic stat
cially opened by King Edward VII.
Final on 30th July 1966.
called the
‘Scurry
As the series develops, we’ll explore the
Some sports commentators gain recogni-
Gold Cup’
-
past and find those
‘ghost’ stadiums
tion if their career is long enough, but these
although fans of
throughout the capital where folk once
few words have become some of the most
dog racing will tell
flocked for football, and I will have even-
famous in British sport - and it got me think-
you these days is
tually written about everyone’s favourite
ing about how I could link this well-known
staged at the Perry
London club in cricket, rugby, greyhounds,
phrase into a series of articles on London’s
Barr
Stadiu
speedway, athletics and tennis, plus even
long lost sporting venues.
Birmingham.
horse racing!
As I approach my 60th year, it occurs to
The only indication of any sporting link
In the same way that readers sent in their
me that many younger readers may not
today with previous activities in Millfields
WW1 and WW2 bomb site stories a few years
even be aware of London’s sporting histo-
Road is in the street name of Orient Way at
ago, I would welcome anything you have on
ry being lost to the wrecking balls and
the eastern end, by the Hackney Cut of the
London’s sporting past - just in case I am
bulldozers for the creation of blocks of
River Lea and maybe just a few of those res-
unaware of it!
flats or trading estates.
idents in the sheltered housing part of the
Send them to callsignmag@aol.com and
I recall a cold winter’s day back in the early
estate would have any inkling of their
mark it London’s sporting past.
1980s when I was out on my Honda 50 look-
dwelling having once been the site of football
fixtures and dog racing!
ing for points around my blue book run,
Bob Woodford
Greyhound stadiums used to be everywhere
which ended at Homerton Hospital and my
in London, but the frantic 30 second chase of
Call Sign Online
pink sheets invited me to look out - albeit
a mechanical hare around a dusty track by six
belatedly
- for Clapton Greyhound
Stadium, Millfields Road.
Do you remember the frustration of not
finding points? Well, I went up and down
Millfields Road in vain, until I stopped an
old boy out walking his dog:
“Can you tell me where Clapton Dog
Track is please, mate?” To which his out-
stretched arm assured me: “It used to be
over there son, where that block of flats is
EARLY TREATMENT MEANS SPEEDY RECOVERY
now...”
Treatment for pain & discomfort doesn’t have to be expensive
Clapton Stadium became lost to the
London scene in 1974 and in some ways it
The Centre offers fully qualified therapists in Physiotherapy,
seems sad to reflect back on that Sunday morn-
Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Remedial
ing of discovery, when this Sunday morning’s
research confirms that as many as 37,615 foot-
Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherm, Massage
ball fans - a record attendance - crammed into
Therapy, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.
the spaces to witness Clapton Orient lose 2-3
to Tottenham Hotspur in a 1928 Second
Call us on 020 8507 8169
Division match.
or mobile 07973 639 473 for an early appointment
The O’s eventually switched to playing at
Email: andy@bptconline.co.uk or fax: 020 8507 9650
Lea Bridge Road before settling at Brisbane
Road in 1938 and changing their name to
Out of hours enquiries welcome
Leyton Orient in 1945 following the end of
the war.
Barking Physical Therapy Centre
Sport came to Millfields Road in 1896 and
90 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8SF
it was originally named Whittles Athletic
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9am till 8pm and Saturday 9am till 2pm
Ground. It was mostly used for whippet racing
www.bptconline.co.uk
until greyhounds arrived in 1928 - the track
Call Sign November 2015
Page 28
It does sometimes appear that
Among other important topics on TfL’s Consultation...
TfL are looking to enter the
Guinness Book of Records for
the largest number of
SHOULD PH DRIVERS
Consultations launched!
However, why a Consultation
SPEAK ENGLISH!
should be necessary to imple-
ment plain commonsense is
another matter.
Nevertheless, the licensing authority for
both Taxis and Private Hire has launched a
Secondary Consultation following the initial
one that ended last June and which received
just under 4000 responses.
This latest TfL Consultation contains
proposals for discussion in relation to
potential changes to the regulations that
govern London’s private hire trade. These
include a requirement for drivers to
speak English, stricter controls on insur-
ance and tighter controls on PH bookings.
Following a detailed analysis of responses
to the initial consultation and meetings with
trade reps, a number of detailed suggestions
have been drafted for consideration with the
aim of helping TfL to better regulate the 21st
century private hire trade.
In addition to the English language
capability and stricter insurance require-
ments, it includes proposals to improve
Alongside the Consultation, TfL has also
‘online survey’ and answer the questions. It
driver skills and proposals around the
published a vision for the future of the taxi
closes on 23 December 2015 and every taxi
way PH operators can accept bookings
and private hire trade as a whole, setting the
driver and members of their family who care
and changes as to how those bookings are
proposed changes to private hire regulations
about this trade should complete it.
recorded. There would also be what TfL
in the wider context of developments in the
If you aren’t sure about any answers, the
refer to as a “tough topographic exam”
entire industry.
LTDA have kindly helped at the Call Sign
that would include the ability to test dri-
Go to:
https://consultations.tfl
website from next week. Go to:
vers’ navigational skills.
.gov.uk/tph/private-hire-proposals, click
www.dac-callsign.co.uk. Please complete it.
‘U’ in the wrong place???
because apparently not knowing how
to get out, he just followed Debbie
down the slope assuming that was
the exit! And there he stayed until
the next train came in, the rank
moved and he could ‘surge’ forward!
A classic case of are ‘U’ in the wrong
place!!!
TAXI AIR
CONDITIONING
All makes and models
serviced and repaired
Mobile service - we
come to you!
Call Mick Wheeler on
Debbie has a follower!
020 8715 0079
ial-a-Cab driver Debbie Hope (W18) pulled into Euston to drop off her
fare and in doing so just pulled past an Uber cab also setting down. Fare
Covering London
D
paid and Debbie decided to pull onto the rank - as did the Uber driver
and the Home Counties
Call Sign November 2015
Page 29
ur thanks to the “regular reader”
who says he works for Glasgow
Taxis and has written to correct our
Tales of the
O
Geoff Levene (W32) in his month-
ly True Stories page for Call Sign. The driver
claims that the toilet at Horseferry Road,
Iron Lung
renamed the Iron Lung due to its shape, is
no longer run by Westminster Council but
leave their engines run
is now cared for by Carlisle Support
‘unnecessarily’.
Services. Of course, Geoff ’s article was writ-
The fines are to help
ten 20 months ago for the February 2014
meet the fines meted
issue. So that could be some excuse, but why
out by strict European
a Glasgow cab driver should take an interest
environmental targets.
in a London toilet famous for its shape and
We don’t suppose the
the almighty pong emanating from it, is any-
90,000 minicabs float-
one’s guess!
ing in and out of
But we’re pleased to say that although
Westminster have any-
no longer involved, the City of
thing to do with that?
Westminster’s Byelaws as to Public
Don’t tell us... Big
Conveniences is still on display on the toi-
Boris does his duties
let wall, as is their important Byelaw 2a:
there! Some would say
“A person who enters or uses a conve-
it’s a fitting memorial to
nience shall not interfere with any officer
the man who has tried
or servant of the Corporation in the exe-
his best to destroy this
cution of his duties.”
trade...
We can’t really imagine any Council mem-
their air fresh outlay, Westminster Council
Jamie Corum
ber doing his duties in our Iron Lung but be
now employs a hit squad of ‘traffic marshals’
that as it may, with the £4.27 a year saved on
who go round fining any motorists £20 who
Call Sign Online
ANOTHER OF ALEC’S
FIGHTERS PICKS UP A STRAP!
Alex Wilkey (W83) has been on Dial-a-Cab for ten
years, but for far longer than that he has contin-
ued his love as a professional boxing trainer.
He has undoubtedly been very successful and is well known in pro-
boxing circles, with a number of his fighters picking up championship
belts. In fact, in the August Call Sign another four fighters from the
Wilkey stable picked up straps, led by his first female boxer, Greek
fighter Areti Mastrodouka.
She sensationally captured three World Titles in her Athens
hometown by beating Spanish fighter Loli Munoz and coming
away with the WBF, WIBF and GBU World Championship belts
following the super-featherweight unification match at the
Panathinaikos FC stadium hall.
Also that month, Danny Connor captured the British Masters
Lightweight belt, welterweight Adam ‘Raw’ Salman scored a
sensational KO victory with one second left of the first round to
take the vacant International Bronze Masters title, while
making up the successful quartet was Johnny Coyle, who won
the Light-Welterweight Southern Area Championship strap.
Alec told Call Sign after the Coyle fight that he thought
Johnny was ready to go for more titles and that came true on 10 October at
Bethnal Green’s York Hall following a ten rounds unanimous points decision when he captured the WBC Youth
Intercontinental light-welterweight Championship belt.
The Alec Wilkey trained Stanford-le-Hope southpaw won every round against his game opponent in AJ Faizy by effectively counter-
punching and taking control of each round with his superior boxing skills. Faizy was bundled over in the 6th round, but given a count by
referee Ian John Lewis. It was irrelevant considering the wide scores of the three ringside judges: 100-90, 100-90 and 100-89.
This means that Coyle has picked up two new titles in successive fights after winning that Southern Area title last time out.
Also picking up a win on the bill was another of Alec’s fighters in Adam ‘Raw’ Salman. The Morden welterweight was given a hard fight
by the notoriously tough veteran William Warburton. Salman produced some good clean work in the first few rounds with Warburton
coming back at him as the fight neared its end. Salman got the decision from the judge after the 6 rounds with a score of 58-57.
Both Coyle and Salman now fight next in Carshalton on the 5th December, joining Danny Connor on the undercard of Lenny
Daws European light-welterweight title defence.
David Wilkey
Call Sign Online
Call Sign November 2015
Page 30
As the new TX4 Euro 6 hits London’s streets...
ying in with the State
visit to London of
Chinese President Xi
T
Jinping, The London
LTC introduce the TX5
Taxi Company / Geely unveiled
their new TX5 prototype taxi at
Lancaster House on 21
November. Also present at the
unveiling were the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge and
Geely Holding Group President,
Li Shufu.
The cab will be zero-emissions capable so
as to meet the new rules for London taxis
from January 2018 and whilst no date has
yet been set for the TX5, it will be released
towards the end of 2017.
The TX5, which was designed in
Barcelona by British designers, will be bat-
tery-powered but switch over to a petrol
engine when the battery runs out. It is
unmistakeably a taxi and bears a strong
resemblance to past taxis such the FX4,
the Fairway and the TX group of cabs - a
look that many associate with London’s
taxis. The designers, David Ancona and
Peter Horbury - who was a former chief
designer at Volvo - said that they had
developed the model around the “head-
lights, grille and strong roof lines” of older
cabs.
It will have a new light-weight alumini-
um body structure and composite pan-
elling. LTC owners, Geely, will build the
TX5 taxi at their new £300 million plant in
Ansty outside Coventry and create 1,000
jobs in the process, plus an extra 500 jobs
along the supply chain.
The new cab seats six passengers as
against the current five and will feature
rear-hinged doors once again, in addition
to giving more leg-room to drivers. It will
also incorporate a panoramic glass roof,
have in-cab WiFi and charging points for
passengers wanting to recharge batteries
on their phones and lap-tops etc.
Li Shufu, founder and chairman of
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group said:
“We will have invested many years of
development and more than £300 million
in bringing the TX5 to market. This is tes-
tament to Geely’s commitment to the UK
and The London Taxi Company and
The Flower Mill
demonstrates our leading position on new
energy technologies, our loyal and talent-
Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings
ed workforce and our competitive edge
when it comes to delivering pioneering
design and technology. At the same time,
Tel: 07854 738895
we are happy to play a part in furthering
Sino-Anglo relations by investing in the UK
and strengthening business and govern-
Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk
mental ties between the two nations.”
Peter Johansen, chief executive of The
Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk
London Taxi Company said: “We are hugely
excited to be unveiling the TX5 prototype
Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties
design for the first time and in such high
company. The new vehicle has a wealth of
new features, which will all be tried and test-
“It is at the edge of a petal that love waits”- William Carlos Williams
ed and then tested again to provide a per-
fect balance of timeless design driven by
ground-breaking technology.”
Call Sign November 2015
Page 31
Mailshot
Either write to Call Sign at
Cancer Research UK from Southwark Park to
Old Billingsgate, but also for the £10 you then
Dial-a-Cab House
donated! We had heard of black cab driver’s
or email us at
generosity and the work they do for various
callsignmag@aol.com
charities, but I personally had never actually
come across it before although since last
Saturday (26 September), I’ve since heard of
Shopping in Call Sign
other cabbies who also didn’t charge. All I can
running as high as they did in the '60s over in
Hello Alan
say is thanks and you guys have won a convert
your neck of the woods.
Just reading another great issue in the
from Uber.
Howard Sales (ex-A11)
October Call Sign. Re the Unigate story - is
Teri Fennell
Brisbane, Australia
this garage milking the cab trade, I don't
Blackheath SE3
Violence rarely solves anything other
think it will be as big as the Watergate story
After you all said I reminded you of
than to breed more violence. The ques-
of the 1970s but I would have expected a red
George Clooney, how could I not! You did
tion is what actually does help? ...Ed
top paper to run this story not a gold top
mean it, didn’t you! ...Ed
like yours. In fact you may have only semi-
Supporting Uber?
skimmed the surface with this and I think
TfL consultation
Dear Alan
you're a long way from the full fat of this
Alan
As I live a very sheltered life, I was totally
story. But I'm glad it’s at least out of the bot-
Can you press the LTDA and other trade orgs
unaware that mobile phone network EE is
tle now. Gurinder Dhillon obviously thinks
to have an early uniform reply to this consul-
in partnership with Uber. On finding this
he’s the cat that got the cream, although it
tation so you might publish it or DaC email it
out, I immediately cancelled my monthly
would seem it’s we who keep his business
out to non-union members, even though I
contract with them.
afloat! How he expected this to go past your
am one myself.
I have also come across an article in the
eyes and not be a story, I don't know. I hope
Brian Rice, I think, wrote about no one
online Daily Telegraph in which the CEO of
the writer, Marc Turner (R97) hasn’t ster-
replying to these things, so if it can be
TalkTalk, Baroness Harding, praises the
ilised some of the facts. Anyway, I'm sure this
copied and pasted, it would increase the
virtues of Uber and is against any moves by
story will be milked and do the rounds but
replies.
TfL to impose any restrictions on the PH
I don't want to create too much of a fuss oth-
John Thomas (Y58)
trade, or in other words she is against them
erwise you get cheesed off. Meanwhile I
Great idea John and my thanks go to
enforcing the law. Again I have cancelled
need to earn some bread, so bye for now...
LTDA General Secretary Steve McNamara
my broadband and telephone contract with
Jon Robinson (E88)
who said yes to your suggestion straight
them. I wonder how many of us are paying
Thanks Jon, methinks your wife should
away. If you haven’t yet filled one in, go
into these companies unaware that they
start going to Tesco alone!!! ...Ed
to www.dac-callsign.co.uk ...Ed
support Uber.
Paul Arrowsmith (T83)
Me a Luddite?
See Editorial on page 3 ...Ed
Hello Alan
Uber... and Nash’s
I allowed myself a wry smile when I heard
Numbers!
Dress code
from Mayor Boris Johnson at City Hall that I
Hi Alan
I have been a cab driver for 25 years and
was a Luddite because I drive a London taxi.
To the judge who apparently believes that
have always been sceptical about various
In front of me as I drive is my DaC terminal,
what Uber use to calculate fares isn’t actually
articles and letters over the years about
which in my opinion is probably one of the
a meter: What is it then???
having a dress code. Over the last few years
best kits of its kind and a brilliant product of
However, can I also say how lucky we are
with Uber etc, it seems to me that the pub-
technology. Another facet of the white heat of
to have Nash’s Numbers in Call Sign each
lic only want low cost. I'm not arguing that
technology is my mobile phone and every-
month; it is always extremely useful and has
a chauffeur or a driver of a limousine
thing that they can do these days. It was not
often saved me wasting my time wondering
should be very smart, but I doubt that
so long ago that jobs were despatched via
what time the next Eurostar train is coming
Addison Lee drivers in their crumpled
voice and if you wanted to make a phone call
in or whether Excel is likely to be worth a
cheap suits impress anyone!
you had to find a telephone box. No Boris,
visit. I know lots of drivers that have files of
In my experience, passengers want us to
I'm no Luddite. Perhaps you should look
information from his monthly column but
know the best route and be friendly.
nearer home. My Cab Driver's Licence! My
have never read of anyone thanking him. So
Nicholas Fielding (O52)
Bill states that I am a “Motor Cab Driver.”
to Alan Nash, my sincere thanks.
Any drivers changed their views either
Very quaint that phrase, Motor Cab. It was
Alex Constantinou (N05)
way? ...Ed
brought in to distinguish those drivers who
Thanks Alex, I do get drivers phoning
embraced the new technology of the 20th
about Nash’s Numbers, but it’s nice when
century by giving up the horse. There were
someone takes the time to write. As for
Motor Cab Drivers and there were Horse Cab
the meter issue, I’d rather not say! ...Ed
Call Sign
Drivers. The last horse drawn cab walked the
November 2015
streets just after World War 2. Since then
Uber down under
Editor: Alan Fisher
there has only been Taxis, but first the PCO
Address: 39 - 47 East Rd, London N1 6AH
and now Boris with his inept mandarins at
Hi Alan
Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293
TfL are still stuck in the early years of the last
The London minicab wars of the 1960s have
Email: callsignmag@aol.com
century. And they call me a Luddite...
begun - but here in Brisbane! But instead of
Website:cwww.22-callsign.co.uk
Sean Farrell (B39)
Gotla’s Renault Dauphines, the target this time
Printers: Premier Print Group
Ooooh! You can be so nasty Sean! ...Ed
is Uber. Three Uber drivers and cars were
London E6 6LP
attacked on Sunday night. A few days later, two
Design: Aldan Publications
Brisbane cab drivers went to the police and
Tel: 07958 300 428
Shine
confessed to the attacks. They have been
Email: debbiefresco@googlemail.com
Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must
Hello Alan
charged with assault, robbery and criminal
not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or
On behalf of Leena, Cheryl and Jackie, I’d like
damage and were bailed to return to court at a
Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced
to thank you not just for the free ride you
later date. The Taxi Council of Brisbane has
either manually or electronically without the express
gave us following our Shine Walk in aid of
said that no wars are good, but emotions are
permission of the Editor.
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