Call Sign February 2016

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Welcome to February - notori-

ison site that ComCab had announced it was

joining, because we failed to see how our prices

ous as the most depressing

could compare to PH. The company concerned is

month of the year. That is prob-

Karhoo, a start-up that has already raised $250

million and which says it plans to raise over $1bil-

ably why even in this leap year,

lion in an ambitious attempt to take on Uber.

there are only 29 days in it! But

Karhoo was founded by British entrepreneur

Daniel Ishag who was based in New York origi-

hey ho, that’s where we are so

nally. It claims to have support from several high-

we’ll have to put up with it. So

profile partnerships and backers that include for-

mer Sony Music Entertainment Chairman and

on with the show...

Chief Executive, Nick Gatfield, who suddenly

upped and left the music giant at the end of last

Electric taxis

year. Perhaps we now know why! There are other

Many years ago I was invited to dinner at the

high profile names and companies also associated

Dukes Hotel in St James with then

with Karhoo.

Conservative Minister of Transport for London,

Going onto their platform would mean

Steve Norris. The idea was for me to throw

being on the same site as ComCab, but it

any questions I had at him and to publish his

would also mean Addison Lee and others. If

replies. But there was one question he could-

How long did TfL take to

that bothers anyone, then they won’t want to

n't answer on the day because he said he need-

ed to consult with the Chancellor of the

come up with that!

go within a million miles of it. Others may -

Exchequer. Whilst that didn’t assist any article

On February 20th the trade finally heard

and I stress may - feel that they are the less-

I was planning to write, I have to admit for that

er evil when it comes to dealing with Uber.

from Transport for London about the pri-

one brief moment I felt quite important!

vate-hire-but-really-Uber consultation that

Some might also say that the expression e-hail

I had asked that as a result of all London taxis

we were all asked to fill in. Among the

has Uber connotations. But that’s like a passenger

having to be compulsorily redesigned in order to

questions originally asked were some such

on the Titanic refusing to go in a lifeboat because

accept wheelchair passengers, then in future

as whether PH apps should be allowed to

a waiter at breakfast didn’t call him sir. Our trade

they should be free of VAT as they would then be

show vehicles that were “available for hire”

is currently on the Titanic and we can use some

specialised vehicles for the disabled.

either visibly or virtually. Then there was

help. But that doesn’t mean we should take any-

As promised, the answer came around a week

whether they should have to provide book-

thing unless we believe it can help. You tell me.

later, but I don't have to tell you what it was - unless

ing confirmation to passengers at least five

In the meantime I have asked Karhoo to give a

you have ever bought a new cab with no VAT!

minutes prior to the trip.

synopsis of their app and it is in this issue...

I obviously disagreed with the decision, but

All PH companies are supposed to provide a

there wasn’t much I could do about it as the

pre-booking service of up to seven days in

Cyclists and speeding taxis!

trade organisations I spoke to said that my stand

advance. After all, they are not allowed to ply for

This issue of Call Sign has what I would consid-

was pointless and it would never happen as it

hire so it has to be via pre-booking. But Uber

er to be one of the most shocking incidents I can

was a governmental decision. I still disagree

doesn’t allow pre-booked trips and neither does

ever remember writing about. It involves a Dial-

because, like it or not, our trade is tiny and dis-

it have an advertised landline - you’d assume a

a-Cab driver going through a red light. It wasn’t

carding VAT for us would hardly have affected the

must for minicabs and one that TfL would surely

deliberate, but the driver held her hands up when

country’s balance of payments.

sort out.

seeing still photos taken from a CCTV film - or at

If we are to assume that a new electric taxi is

Also in the consultation was that drivers should

least she assumed that where they had come

going to cost £50,000 including VAT, then one

not be allowed to work for more than one opera-

from!

without the tax would lower the price to under

tor. We’ve all seen minicab drivers - mainly those

But she was wrong. She was filmed by what

£42,000 and with the Mayor’s subsidy offers, I’m

on Uber - with almost more phones in their car

appears to have been a cyclist camera - one of

fairly certain that they would fly out to younger

than we have computer screens in the DaC

drivers. However, it might be rather difficult as

those attached to the crash helmet. The film was

Contact Centre! It is dangerous in a car and we’ve

things stand.

then apparently passed over to the police who

all seen the accidents that Uber are involved in.

I always believed that Steve Norris would have

took stills from it and after seemingly trying to

There were also some silly ones too, such

made an excellent Mayor for the taxi trade (he

cover up where it originated from, then came out

as that all minicab drivers need to speak

stood against Ken but lost). He knew more about

and said they were happy to accept the cyclist’s

English! Ridiculous! After all, if they don’t

our business than anyone outside the trade I had

speak English then they can always keep their

film as evidence against the taxi driver!

ever met - including many cab drivers inside it!

children off school and use them to translate

We always thought that the CCTV cameras

We would have still had minicabs, but they would

their satnav into English! Call Sign has

had to be checked and calibrated before being

all have behaved themselves

- or else! He

already published two examples of that actu-

used in evidence. Are we now wrong and that in

brought in the original Green Paper on licensing

ally happening! (See page 18... Ed)

reality, anyone can film anyone else they claim

minicabs, but was never two-faced and always

So from their padded seats counting their six

is breaking the law and that film becomes per-

said he would do that. He also said he

figure salaries, TfL finally let us know their deci-

fectly ok to use in a court of law?

would protect the taxi trade and I believed him.

sion and it was so good, that all the trade organi-

But that wasn’t all. The photos sent to driver,

We now have a Conservative Mayoral candi-

sations actually got up and walked out at the

Debbie Hope (W18), showed that the lights

date in Zak Goldsmith who says that within 2 -

launch! TfL are obviously scared of what could

weren’t working correctly and that from red and

3 years most car owners will have electric vehi-

happen to them and their huge salaries if they

amber, where they should have turned green,

cles and if elected, as an incentive to purchasing

showed the balls needed to tell Uber what they

they in fact went straight back to red! The story is

them, any electric car owner would have access

can and can’t do in London. Then again, three

inside this issue...

to bus lanes. He added that if his forecast was

names keep popping up: Boris Johnson, David

correct, then “...there will be no point having bus

Cameron and his friend Rachel Whetstone...

Reed

lanes because everyone will be driving these

who happens to be the senior vice-president of

I have been amazed at the number of drivers

things around.”

Uber! Obviously a coincidence...

that remembered January as being the month

Labour Mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan,

You can read a more detailed version of the

my son Reed died. It really is hard to believe

responded that millions of Londoners used

consultation that 16,000 people wasted their

that three years have gone since that awful time.

buses every day and that their journeys should be

time in completing and his view of it from

made easier and not harder.

My sincere thanks to all the drivers that con-

Brian Rice in his Reflections of the Chairman

I voted for Boris Johnson 4 years ago. If I

tacted me at the time. Your sentiments were

on page 4...

knew then how he would set about turning our

very much appreciated...

great capital into a large park for the benefit of

Karhoo

cyclists, I’d rather have voted for Mickey Mouse!

Alan Fisher

Some months ago, Call Sign queried how taxi

Instead I got both...

companies could go onto a taxi/minicab compar-

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign February 2016

Page 4

Reflections of the Chairman

to the licence fee structure will be consulted

TfL proposals for

on separately.

London’s Private Hire

* Amendment of regulations to give TfL the

On February 20th I received a press release

power to control advertising displayed inside,

regarding TfL’s proposals for the Private Hire

from, or on the outside of a private hire vehicle.

industry, the proposals having arisen after a

* Operators will be required to notify TfL

consultation process in which TfL received

before changing their operating model.

16,000 responses. As I began reading the docu-

* Operators must ensure that customers can

ment, it seemed pretty good as there was a for-

speak to a real person in the event of a prob-

mal English requirement for drivers, an investi-

lem with their journey.

gation regarding the removal of the Congestion

* Private hire operators must provide an esti-

Charge exemption, a guaranteed fare estimate

mated fare prior to the commencement of the

for passengers in advance of their journey and

journey.

to also ensure that passengers can actually

* Private hire drivers will be required to have

speak to someone in the event of a problem

hire or reward insurance in place at all times

with their journey.

while registered to an operator.

The proposal regarding the removal of the

exemption for the Congestion Charge is due to

including details of all drivers and vehicles reg-

Proposals that will be

there being in excess of 95,000 Private Hire

istered with them.

licences issued with 1 in every 10 vehicles

* Operators must record the main destination

considered further are:

entering the Congestion Zone being a PH vehi-

for each booking before the journey com-

* Requirements for security measures for oper-

cle - an increase of over fifty per cent in the last

mences.

ators who use apps to allocate drivers to a fare

two years. The Mayor is now concerned about

* Operators to retain all records for a period

to prevent the app being used by a person other

the congestion they cause and of course how

of 12 months.

than the licensed driver.

they add to pollution.

* TfL to control the names under which oper-

* The feasibility of introducing a requirement

Regarding the proposals TfL propose to take

ators offer private hire services to the public.

for operators to indemnify their customers

forward, thirteen of them are as set out in the

* Private hire drivers to be required to demon-

against any failing of their driver to provide hire

public consultation and a further five are

strate a certain standard of English, with par-

or reward insurance.

amended proposals. Another three proposals

ticular emphasis on ability for spoken commu-

* Hire or reward insurance protects passengers

will be investigated further before any decision

nication in line with the Home Office require-

in licenced taxis and private hire vehicles. It

is taken as to whether or not they should be

ment for a B1 qualification when applying for

ensures that passengers are able to reclaim loss

taken forward.

citizenship.

sustained as a result of an accident while under-

But, and what a huge ‘but’ it is, there are

* Individual licence applicants to provide

taking a journey in a taxi or private hire vehi-

four proposals TfL will not be taking for-

National Insurance numbers to TfL.

cle. Without this insurance in place, passengers

ward and they just happen to be the most

* A driver’s private hire vehicle licence to be

may not be able to reclaim costs or claim com-

important proposals, certainly so far as I

considered for revocation if their private hire

pensation following an accident or injury.

am concerned. That is because they cover

driver’s licence is revoked.

All I can add is that TfL had the opportu-

the topic of immediate hire. Those four

* TfL will liaise with the Home Office on intro-

nity to appease the Licensed taxi trade, but

proposals are:

ducing DBS checks on private hire operator staff

they have not taken it; instead, all I can

* Operators having to provide booking con-

that have face to face contact with the public.

predict is that the coming months will see

firmation details to passengers at least five

* TfL to stop accepting payment for licence

more confrontation.

minutes prior to the journey commencing.

fees by postal order and cheque.

Once again, TfL have let us down...

* Having to offer the ability to pre-book up

* Drivers to carry or display a copy of insur-

to seven days in advance.

ance details at all times.

* Operators being prohibited from showing

* Introduce new operator licence fee struc-

Brian Rice

vehicles as available for immediate hire, either

ture to better reflect operator licensing costs

Chairman

visibly (for example by signage on the street)

based on operator size. The specific revisions

Dial-a-Cab

or virtually (for example via an app).

* Finally, Private Hire drivers only able to be

registered to a single Operator at any one time.

So there you have it; TfL’s idea of a con-

sultation is to produce a public consultation

PAUL’S TAXI SPECIALISTS LTD

document and once you get the results, just

choose the ones you fancy and ditch the

ones you don’t! So what is the point of hav-

Unit 10, Ford View Industrial Estate, 83 New Rd Rainham, RM13 8ET

ing a consultation when you’ve already

decided the outcome of the proposals to be

forwarded to the Board on March 17th.

Tel: 01708 553037

Once again TfL have let the trade down, I

don’t know who they are frightened of but it

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certainly isn’t us! Here is a list of the pro-

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TX1s, TX2s, TX4s and Vitos

posals they will be putting forward to the

Board on March 17th.

TX2 servicing from £70

Rentals from £165 per week

* Operators must have the facility to provide a

TX4 servicing from £90

booking confirmation to passengers containing

the photo ID and details of the vehicle being

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private hire operator licenses to add a late-

night or temporary event operating centre.

Fax: 01708 551443

Web: www.PaulsTaxiSpecialists.co.uk

* Operators will be required to provide speci-

fied information to TfL at specified intervals

Call Sign February 2016

Page 5

A Parliamentary reception hosted by Stratford-

As a converted TX4 Euro 6 LPG TX4 is presented to Parliament...

on-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi has highlighted

the important role that Autogas LPG can play

in cleaning up air quality in the UK's towns and

PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTION

cities. The event also delivered a strong rallying

call for the Government to introduce a more

TO PROMOTE LPG

coherent road fuel strategy that considers all

fuels equally and on a level playing field.

Court ruled that the Government must submit

To support the event and demonstrate

new plans by the end of the year about how the

the significant air quality improvements

UK can comply with EU requirements.

that can be made immediately via LPG,

Greater uptake of LPG, including Autogas’

Autogas Limited presented its newly con-

new taxi conversion, is just one way which

verted Euro 6 compliant TX4 LPG taxi on

could help the UK meet these targets. Autogas’

the Parliamentary estate. Autogas believes

new repowered TX4 black cab running on LPG

that this readily available technological

emits significantly fewer NOx emissions com-

solution could be a significant answer in

pared with a normal diesel powered version. In

helping to improve air quality in London

addition to reducing emissions, users would

and other polluted cities and towns both

also see fuel cost savings of around 20 percent

now and into the future. It would also, of

and would be able to refuel from any of the

course, provide extensions to our taxis -

existing 1,400 refuelling stations nationwide

currently the TX4, but TX1 and TX2 in the

that already offer Autogas LPG.

near future.

To find out more about how Autogas LPG

Speaking at the reception, Mr Zahawi said:

can improve air quality in the UK and help

“We have a significant air quality crisis across

users reduce their fuel bills, visit www.auto-

the UK and with the Government due to respond

gaslimited.co.uk.

to the Supreme Court’s ruling, I believe this is the

Autogas Limited is a joint venture between

moment for LPG.”

Shell and Calor. Established in 2000 with the

Speaking to Call Sign, Autogas LPG

up for it to go ahead. They will shortly be

sole aim of making automotive LPG more

Business Development Manager Paul

road-testing the converted cab.

readily available to fleet and private

Oxford said that although not yet available

The UK currently faces a growing air quality

motorists, the company now has LPG refu-

in London, the LPG conversion was ready

crisis. Since 2010, it has been breaching EU

elling installations on more than 215 petrol

to go as soon as LTPH / TfL gave the thumbs

NOx limits and in April 2015, the Supreme

forecourts throughout the UK.

Sex while driving!!!

all Sign has published results from some fairly weird

surveys over the years, but a recent one from UK inde-

pendent vehicle supply professionals, OSV, has chal-

lenged for the number one spot! The OSV national

survey questioned 500 respondents throughout the UK and

apparently found that UK drivers take part in some strange and

rather dangerous activities whilst driving!

For a start, apparently 14 percent of drivers have admitted to

“engaging in sexual activities whilst driving a car!” Men were

more willing to admit to this indiscretion with some sixty per-

cent of those that made the admission being between the ages

of 30 and 59. Ten percent of those owning up were over the

age of 60!

However, being engaged in sexual activities was not the most

popular activity choice in the survey, having been beaten into

second place by ‘picking your nose’ which came out on top.

Make your own caption!

Over 40 percent of the 500 recipients to the survey admitted

picking their nose whilst driving!

Other admissions - none of which could remotely be classi-

fied as being safe included checking social media (10%), taking

Keith Reading

a selfie (4%), driving naked (2%) and eating with utensils

Professional Toastmaster

(2%).

Master of Ceremonies

Co-Founder of OSV Ltd, Debbie Kirkley said: “This survey

helps lift the lid on what people get up to whilst driving. It is

Tele: 01279 465 938

deeply worrying that so many people admit to taking part in

Mobile: 07774 860 374

these dangerous activities and shows that more needs to be

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

done to help highlight and educate people about the dangers

that come with participating in these activities. Engaging in sex-

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

ual activities should be the last thing that people do whilst

behind the wheel...”

Fellow of the Guild of

She didn’t say what the first thing should be. Mind you, we

Professional Toastmasters

forgot to ask TfL what they thought!

Call Sign February 2016

Page 7

A recent online investigation by taxi dri-

If you thought Mr Lycra shooting along Millbank on his bike was

ver Jim Thomas has broken the unwrit-

just in a hurry?

ten code that many Lycra-clad Tour de

France wannabees are using in order to

speed along Millbank and many other

Wrong! It’s the Millbank

roads - not just for the sake of it, but in

competition and regardless of any dan-

ger they cause to those crossing the

bike racers club!

road.

The online code is the word ‘Strava’

and it’s the word that many speed-mad

Organised bike

cyclists now search Google for and for

riders such as the

which they download an app. Jim’s

London Prudential

search typed in

‘Strava segment

Ride are not fast

Millbank’ and up popped a map showing

enough for the

a stretch of roadway between Vauxhall

Strava racers!

and Lambeth Bridges, across the round-

about and as far as Great College Street.

In addition, the site gives names of the

fastest cyclists - both male and female -

Vauxhall cycle super-

out of a total of 278,240 actual attempts,

highway was seeing

although many were attempted several

around

40% of

times by the same cyclists as they num-

cyclists not using it

ber just (!!!) 34,638! The fastest was mea-

while Mr Gilligan

sured at 55.3 km per hour, which trans-

said it was 5%, clear-

lates to over 34mph - astonishing when

ly has little clue as to

you realise he had to slow down at the

what is happening in

roundabout.

London.

Last year, Call Sign published the sad

Strava racers and neither will we ever

If a taxi driver can discover by simply

case of Moira Gemmill who was killed

know, but after hearing about the Strava

looking online that 34,638 cyclists are reg-

when her bike was in collision with a

site, we can never be really certain either

ularly using Millbank as a race track, then

lorry along Millbank whilst on another

way.

why is it we haven’t heard a word about it

occasion we reported on a pedestrian

What we do know is that Mayor Boris

from Messrs Johnson and Gilligan? Because

being knocked down by a speeding

Johnson’s Cycling Commissioner,

sooner or later, there will be another

cyclist shooting in and out of the traffic

Andrew Gilligan, who referred to LBC

tragedy along that stretch of road...

at high speed. We are not claiming that

political editor Theo Usherwood live on

Ron Yarborough

either event was associated with the

air as a liar after he had reported the new

Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 8

Presenting on TV: Prince Charles, Ant and Dec and of course...

STEFAN - THE WAPPING

STRANGLER!!!

Stefan now dressed more MMA than

for Royalty meetings!

There can be little doubt that the recent ITV

programme on Ant and Dec following HRH

Prince Charles around for a year will still be

spoken of at the end of 2016. It was an aston-

ishing “backstage” look at how the Prince of

Wales operates, with the most unlikely of

pairings talking to him, showing Anthony

McPartlin and Declan Donnelly to be the

undoubted masters of their trade.

But there was a fourth person in the two

hour programme: Dial-a-Cab driver Stefan

Ant and Dec meet Prince Charles at Clarence House

Fitt (P88). He was seen stopping to pick up

Wapping, he had picked up the nickname

Stefan and the Prince bypassed each other

Ant and Dec and although our drivers

of the Wapping Strangler. We were afraid to

a few times but didn’t meet. Stefan had pre-

always try to look good, Stefan pulled up in

ask why but assumed that the TV produc-

viously met and spoke to HRH at an LTFUC

a shirt, tie and suit! Lucky huh!

tion team’s security weren’t told that!

anniversary party held several years ago at

Stefan has been with the Society for 15

“The whole day was just so surreal,” Stefan

Buckingham Palace.

years and is also a DaC Marshal, but he told

told Call Sign. “It was filmed last summer

“On that occasion we spoke about Carp

Call Sign that while he has had many jobs

and they actually got into the cab at Leicester

fishing,” Stefan told us. “There is a lake at

dispatched to him that have been slightly out

Square and we had a drive while they made

Buck House filled with Carp and that inter-

of the ordinary, this one left them all by the

sure the cameras were working before going

ests me. Fortunately it was one of the Price’s

wayside! It had begun some time before

to the Royal Park where we drove around to

hobbies too!”

when Brian Rice’s PA, Jacqui Chart, was

get some footage. Ant and Dec were chatting

Time was moving on and a few hours later

contacted by the company behind the pro-

to me the whole time; they asked about the

Stefan was told that he wouldn’t be required any

gramme: When Ant & Dec Met The Prince:

cab trade and lots of general stuff. The amaz-

longer as the Prince had put his Range Rover at

40 Years of the Prince’s Trust.

ing part was that just as they appear on TV,

Ant and Dec’s disposal. But he wasn’t going to

The biggest problem was one of security

that’s exactly how they are in real life. They

be allowed to forget the day because the follow-

because the driver was going to enter

feed off each other, are very funny and seem

ing morning his face was plastered all over

Clarence House in addition to being in close

genuinely interested in what you tell them. At

Facebook - everyone asking if it was really him!

proximity to members of the Royal Family

one point they joked about whether, if the

Up until then, he had kept it quiet because of

and of course, Ant and Dec! So although

Queen was to move home, she would they

signing a waiver to say he wouldn’t talk about

London taxi drivers are famous for being the

call in the removal men! It sounded so funny

the experience until after the broadcast.

most honest and trustworthy in the world,

the way they said it!

Stefan is no stranger to live TV and along-

security nowadays is paramount and Jacqui

“We then drove to Clarence House,

side Ricky Manetta has done work around the

was asked if DaC could supply someone in

where I parked and went in to have lunch

world for Dana White’s UFC (Ultimate

advance rather than the duo genuinely hail-

with Ant and Dec. The Prince was upstairs

Fighting Championship) as a fight co-ordi-

ing someone off the street. As a marshal,

being briefed on what was going to hap-

nator, where he’d walk the fighters down to

Stefan was asked if he would like to do the

pen. No, this most definitely wasn’t an

the Octagon on live television. Guys such as

job and when he agreed, the production co-

everyday trip to work and stopping for a

Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Randy Couture

ordinators swung into action even checking

sandwich! HRH’s chef did a chicken and a

and of course the gorgeous Ronda Rousey,

Stefan’s passport and taxi licence etc. Once

Caesar Salad, followed by fresh fruit with

who currently holds the UFC record for the

they were happy with him, Stefan was given

cream and coffee. There was some elder-

quickest win when defending her UFC World

his instructions

flower wine available but I passed on that.

Bantamweight Championship in just 14 sec-

They wanted a taxi with no advertising

I was told unofficially that they shopped

onds! She has now lost that title but moved

although allowing the DaC logo. And so the

at Waitrose - although I don’t think the

into movies although rumour has it that she

programme opened with Ant and Dec “hail-

Prince does it himself!

will partner The Rock at the WWE’s

ing” Stefan’s Vito! But in reality, it was a six

“After lunch, Ant and Dec interviewed

Wrestlemania 32 in Texas in a tag match

hour gig beginning at 11am with Stefan park-

Prince Charles and also Camilla, Duchess of

against the two owners of the company,

ing in Orange Street WC2 where a crew fit-

Cornwall who is also Patron of the London

Stephanie McMahon and Triple H!

ted up his cab with cameras and micro-

Taxidrivers' Fund for Underprivileged

“The WWE is a bit safer than UFC,” Stefan

phones before setting off and “amazingly”

Children. The idea of the programme was to

told us before leaving to look for his next job.

spotting Ant and Dec in the street and even-

celebrate an amazing 40 years of The Prince’s

“Where’s Jacqui Chart when you need her!!!”

tually taking them to Clarence House.

Trust; but while the interviewing was going

As a long-time member of the MMA Krav

Alan Fisher

on, I was given a tour of Clarence House!”

Maga classes run by Ricky Manetta (N16) in

Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 9

tephen Field (F99) told Call Sign

that he was just fed up with the way

DaC driver and the

the trade was going and the way we

are continually being pushed around.

He has been on Dial-a-Cab since 2006 and

European Court of Justice

said that the trade in general was in as bad a

state as he could ever remember but praised

Stephen Field

Chairman Brian Rice for being the first to

wrote to the

recognise the signs and referring to it at an

Euro Court

AGM several years ago as a “race to the bot-

tom” - a phrase that many in the trade later

picked up on.

Stephen also said that he was irritated that

hundreds of taxi dri-

our trade organisations didn’t appear to be

vers protested in

doing enough to stop the rot. So he wrote to

Brussels

against

the European Court of Justice.

Uber's business prac-

“I am a licensed black cab driver. To get a

tices. Contrary to

licence I must first do the Knowledge of

what has been assert-

London. I must then undergo an enhanced

ed, this multinational

Criminal Records Bureau check and if that

company does not

is not enough, a Medical too.

have its roots in the

I must have public liability insurance so

sharing

economy.

that if I carry your partner / siblings in my

Uber is taking advan-

taxi, I am fully insured. That insurance costs

tage of this trend to

me £220 per calendar month, so it’s not

introduce new, fully

cheap!

Commissioners is not that of deciding

flexible forms of employment which make it

Okay that’s me, now Uber. Those drivers

whether or not to support the sharing econ-

possible to avoid paying social security con-

should be forced to have proper insurance.

omy, but of deciding whether or not to safe-

tributions.

One of their drivers had an accident at

guard fair competition.

As I said at Parliament's plenary sitting of

Trafalgar Square and then ran away leaving

In the Commission’s view, is Uber Pop a

16 September 2015, we cannot tolerate these

the passenger in the car. There was no insur-

ance, no CRB test and no licence.

transport service or a digital service and

practices. It is essential to legislate on this

will the Commission require national

matter in order to regulate this type of com-

Rumours claim that British officials have been

“bought” as the protection they are giving

courts to acknowledge the lawfulness of

pany and prevent what is a socially damaging

Uber goes far beyond what you would

the Uber Pop service?

business model from spreading.

expect, so passing this email on to British

Where does the Commission stand on this

officials would just be a waste of time so far

matter and will a roadmap be presented in

Ubers business

as the trade is concerned. What do I want?

the near future?

Uber and any son of Uber to be banned!

practices: Regulating the

Not much in the way of answers, but

If that is not possible, a European

interesting questions! But for Call Sign

‘Uberisation’ of our

Directive that all vehicles carrying fare pay-

readers who would like to watch a trans-

ing passengers have public liability insurance

society...

port debate from the Euro Court go to the

and CRB checks. Or do nothing and be like

Our society is facing an unprecedented surge

link below. You will need to have either

everyone else...”

in new technologies, which will inevitably

WMV or MP4 (MPEG-4-Moving Picture

have a far-reaching social and economic

Experts Group).

impact. Although some of these technologies

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-

Stephen received a reply

improve lives and benefit society, others give

live/en/committees/video?event=2015122

just a week or so later...

cause for concern. On 16 September 2015,

1-1500-COMMITTEE-TRAN

Dear Mr Field,

We would like to draw your attention to

the following parliamentary questions

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

raised by Members of the European

Parliament. A study to clarify EC law re

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

Uber:

In response to the legal actions brought by

variable bank interest rates?

many Member States, including France,

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

Germany and Spain against Uber, the US firm

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

has decided to ask the Commission to rule on

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

the lawfulness of its operations.

at your address also qualifies for membership!

The Commission will be required, in par-

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

ticular, to determine whether Uber is a trans-

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

port undertaking, which it clearly is, given

up to 3 times your total savings…

the nature of the service it provides — its

online platform is merely a way of dealing

The cost?

with clients’ requests. If the European insti-

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

tutions do decide that Uber is a transport

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

undertaking, the US firm will be required to

comply with the rules on accreditation and

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

insurance and the drivers will become

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

employees of the firm, with all that that

implies as regards labour law.

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

If they decide otherwise, the Commission

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

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

could lift the ban on Uber, once again exer-

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

cising powers which rightfully rest with the

Registration number 213263

Member States. The choice facing the

Call Sign February 2016

Page 10

Last month’s Call Sign revealed

that a walking charity - Living

Now Boris is

Streets - had launched a call for

the next London Mayor to

“thinking about” traffic-

pedestrianise the 1.2 miles of

Oxford Street so that it becomes

what they describe as an iconic,

free Oxford Street!

safe and enjoyable place to shop.

You don't need to

Sarah Williams, Living Streets’ London

be 'Brain of

Campaigns Manager told Call Sign’s

Britain' to see

January issue that the situation was about to

what causes the

reach breaking point on Oxford Street. So we

Oxford Street con-

asked her two questions, neither of which

gestion!

she could answer satisfactorily. Firstly we

asked how disabled people could get to the

around Oxford Street.

street if pedestrianised. She said they could

Living Streets say

get off at one of the 38 side streets!

that London is one of

We followed that up by asking Ms Williams

the most polluted

about the main alternatives to Oxford Street

cities in Europe and

ie Wigmore, Cavendish Square and through

estimates are that

to Goodge Street. We explained how con-

over 9,000 people die

gested this route already was and that if all

prematurely from

buses and taxis were forced to use it, would

exposure to high lev-

it not push emissions through the roof? The

els

Nitrogen

Campaign Manager responded that they had-

Dioxide each year.

n’t thought about that yet but wanted to dis-

There was no men-

cuss it “...and work with others to ensure that

Sarah Williams said: “I’m pleased to see that

tion about the pollution just being moved sev-

we create the best solution for everyone.”

plans are being drawn up to pedestrianise

eral hundred metres further north.

She added that the charity didn’t have all of

Oxford Street. At the launch of our campaign in

Sarah Williams continued: “People want to

the answers but wanted to work with retail-

December, we recommended pedestrianising

see change on Oxford Street. It is a very

ers, TfL, engineers and planners on making

part of London’s most iconic street so it’s great

uncomfortable place for pedestrians, leaving

Oxford Street a place which puts walking

to see this is being considered. We would be

them feeling restricted. So it is of little surprise

first!

happy to advise the Mayor about how to make

that people say the change they’d most like to

Now we hear that Mayor Boris Johnson

our national high street fit for walking. Oxford

see there is less traffic.”

has clambered on board and announced

Street is already at breaking point, horren-

Well Ms Williams, we’d like that too and

that pedestrianising Oxford Street is

dously overcrowded and with Crossrail due to

while it’s now too late to stop the stupidity of

under consideration. He said that officials

open in 2018, we’re looking at a significantly

planners who turned it into a single lane each

were drawing up plans to increase safety

bigger problem. We must act now to reduce

way many years ago, it’s not too late to stop

and improve public access there.

overcrowding, sky high pollution levels and an

every other bus route taking their empty buses

Unsurprisingly, Living Streets say that is

unsafe environment. We urge officials to think

along there. But perhaps that is too logical...

“great news for Londoners and visitors

to a positive future, where walking is put first.”

alike.” Neither they nor the Mayor made

Oxford Street is Europe’s busiest retail street

Baghwat Singh

any mention about whether the disabled

and it is claimed that every six days a person

Call Sign Online

were included - the apparent answer

gets hit by a vehicle along there and one in four

being no.

of London’s collision hotspots are in or

Immaculate White

TAXI DRIVER OF THE YEAR CHARITY FUND

Cab Available for

TDYCF Charity golf day

Dear Friends,

Weddings

First of all I would like to wish everyone a very happy and

safe 2016.

We are holding a charity golf day on 8th June 2016

at Hendon golf club. The cost for the day is £75,

which includes 18 holes, a light breakfast in the

morning and a meal later on.

If you would like to participate, please contact TDYCF at

the address below or email for an entry form. All money

raised will be donated to the five trade charities at the

annual dinner & dance on 26th November 2016. They are the Albany

for Children with Special Needs, LTFUC, Southend Fund for Underprivileged Children, LTBAWD

(War Disabled) and East London Cabbies Outing.

I would also like to thank Crackers Radio for not only promoting our CD (We’ll take you there

by The London Cabbies), but for also promoting the licenced cabbies. If you haven’t yet heard

Crackers Radio, you can tune in and listen on 103.3FM.

Russell Poluck MBE (T55), Hon Chairman

taxidriveroftheyearcharityfund.com

Female driver

Please reply to: 5 St Brides Avenue, Edgware Middlesex, HA8 6BT

10% reduction for Dial-a-Cab drivers

Phone/ Fax: 020 8952 1357 or mobile: 07850 056 765

Contact Debbie (W18) on

Email: brussella@talk21.com

07956 317040

Remember those less fortunate than ourselves

Call Sign February 2016

Page 12

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

whilst they may not always be fully supported

Twitter and the

by the public, there are still many tourists

that like them, helping them to remember

moaning cab trade...

I am not on Twitter. I tried it for a while but

their visit and hopefully make them want to

perhaps the time for registering your

come back. They will never understand the

thoughts to the actual thought of what I was

traffic problems these events cause, but the

registering and also the loss of translation in

fact they return goes a long way in helping

print, just never appealed to me!

our trade.

There is not a day passing when I don’t get

On the other hand, there is no doubt that

a message; did I see this or that on Twitter. I

our Twitter colleagues have helped bring

have had local radio shows phoning me up

about a sea change with Tavistock Square

for comments on some Taxi related issue -

and the Loughborough project (January

one that has generally already been com-

Call Sign).

mented on Twitter and other social media.

So Twitter etc can be useful, but moaning

The problem I found with all this instant

doesn’t always come across as a positive...

numbers attending. Well, whichever day we

media is that we come across as an occupa-

work - especially weekends - road closures,

tion that just likes to moan!

however frustrating, are just part and parcel

Butter is Dangerous!

Recently the London Lumiere displays

of the job.

The American comedian, Chris Rock, once

across London brought out a barrage of

But sometimes when we are trying to

said that no starving child in Africa would have

abuse about road closures and the lack of

attract shows and entertainment to London,

a Lactose problem. Fair comment; I know there

are a lot of people with all sorts of allergy prob-

lems in regards to what they eat.

When I order a coffee, I ask for it black

whilst my wife prefers cold milk in a jug on

the side to add to her own taste. I expect that

Pedicab rider jailed

if I want sugar, I will have the option of

uris Briedis, a pedicab rider who breached his Criminal Behaviour Order

adding it or not. If I order a steak I’ll ask for

(CBO) within three days of it being issued, has been jailed. He was found guilty

how I prefer it; I can have my eggs easy over,

and sentenced to 24 weeks imprison-

scrambled or poached - I have the choice. If I

ment at Westminster Magistrates’

order a breakfast, say egg, sausage or bacon

Court on 12 January for breaching the CB

and two slices, I understand that is again my

which banned him from riding a pedicab i

choice to select the combination.

the W1, SW1, W2 and WC2 areas.

But since when has it been the norm that

Briedis had been given a conditional dis-

when I order a bacon or sausage sandwich,

charge for 12 months and a five-year CBO

that I have the butter delivered on the side so

just days earlier at the same court after

that I have to put it on myself! In effect, I am

being found guilty of failing to comply

no longer ordering a sandwich, but purely

with a Community Protection Notice

the ingredients! The mechanics of making it

(CPN), which was issued previously after

will be mine - well not quite true as the sand-

he continued to use his pedicab in a

wich will be presented to me constructed

manner that caused anti-social

ready to eat (hopefully in a nice way) but of

behaviour.

course I will then have to dismantle it.

Unfortunately and unlike Micky Flanagan’s

He appeared in court with four others,

wife: “I don’t make a nice sandwich - that’s

who were also subject to a CBO with the

why I am ordering it to be made for me.”

same conditions for five years.

So now I have to remember to say: “A

Officers from Westminster were on

bacon sandwich... with butter, please!”

patrol on 10 January and spotted

Briedis on a pedicab on Bird Street,

Tom Quigley

which is within the area where he is

banned from using a pedicab. He attempt-

Call Sign Online

ed to flee but was caught and arrested. The sentence forms part of ongoing

work by the Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street neighbourhood policing

Call Sign

teams in partnership with TfL and local businesses to crackdown on the anti-social and

February 2016

criminal behaviour of some pedicab riders in Westminster. They have secured seven

Editor: Alan Fisher

Criminal Behaviour Orders in total since October 2015.

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

In addition, in the past year they have issued over 130 written warnings - which are

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

issued prior to a CPN - and 50 CPNs. These deal with particular ongoing problems or

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

nuisances which negatively affect the community’s quality of life by targeting the per-

Website: www.22-callsign.co.uk

son responsible. The notice will direct the individual, business or organisation responsi-

Printers: Premier Print Group

ble to stop causing the problem and it could also require the person responsible to take

E6 6 LP

Design: Aldan Publications

reasonable steps to ensure that it does not occur again. To date, 116 riders have been

Tel: 07958 300 428

summonsed for parking their pedicabs on the footpath or the road, causing an

Email: debbiefresco@googlemail.com

obstruction.

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

Over 60 people have been dispersed under section 35 of the anti-social behaviour

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

act for obstruction to the footway or highway.

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign February 2016

Page 13

Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over!

IT IS NOW!

Bob Woodford looks at London’s long lost sporting venues

Tottenham Hale. The station

wreck the judge's box and tote

had closed in 1985 - a few

office! The official

years after sporting fans

wrecking ball came

vacated

the

once the old stadium

immediate area and before

was sold for redevelop-

the regeneration of this

ment and the site is now

part of town.

occupied by Sainsbury's

enjoyed featuring my old local

West Ham Hammers

and McDonalds - the

Speedway team New Cross Rangers in the

(1929-1972) raced at the

only remaining trace of

last issue of Call Sign, but there were many

famous Custom House

the old Stadium is a very

other local sides dotted around London

venue in Prince Regent Lane

small area of land near the

equally well supported, especially in the post

- the final season at this huge stadium saw a

Sainsbury's car park, once known as the

war year period. East London in

Speedway side from Romford race around

Haringey Stadium Slopes.

particular was a hotbed of Speedway action

the famous old track under the name of West

Wembley Lions (1929-1971) were always

and the sport in Great Britain got underway

Ham Bombers. The whole site, including

one of London's successful outfits and the red

at a meeting on Sunday 17th February behind

the massive car park, was sold for less than

and whites rode at Wembley Stadium (or the

the Kings Oak pub in Loughton, when

£500,000

- peanuts these days in the

Empire Stadium as it was known in its early

15,000 crammed in to watch a series of races

Docklands environs.

years). The national stadium hosted the

by riders who would go on to form the High

The Romford Bombers (1967-1971) exist-

Speedway World Championships for many

Beech Foresters (1928-1967).

ed at Brooklands Stadium sharing with

decades and it’s hard to imagine that a massive

Hackney Wick Wolves (1934-1959) got

Romford FC who competed in the Southern

crowd of 78,000 turned out to see the Dane

things going at the old Waterden Road

League. The Bombers raced around a track

Ole Olsen triumph as recently as 1978.

Stadium - they were originally Walthamstow

with a high perimeter wall so the riders need-

The curiously named Barnet By-Passers

Wolves before moving to the Wick from the

(1929-1936) initially rode on grass with cin-

ed plenty of nerve, which was also needed

Stow and rode in colours of champagne and

ders only added once the grass had worn

when many of these stars took on the ‘wall of

claret! The Wolves tragically lost star rider

away, while in west London, White City

death’ to supplement their earnings when

Dusty Haigh in 1936 from a broken skull in

Rebels (1929-1978) rode at the old White City

fairgrounds came into town. Bizarrely,

a crash at the track when leading a race after

Stadium, which is now covered over by

a bridged ramp was erected through the

being struck by another rider's machine.

sprawled out buildings from BBC TV Centre

grandstand for the riders to enter the arena,

The newly formed Hackney Hawks (1963-

and despite being crowned British League

but when the Bombers hit a bad run of form

1983) continued once the nomadic Wolves

Champions in 1978, dwindling attendances

it became known as the Bridge over Troubled

returned home riding out to the strains of

would force the death knell of another team

Supporters! By the way, Romford FC only nar-

The Magnificent Seven - perhaps even non-

riding in Red, White and Blue. The Speedway

rowly missed out on voting for election to the

Speedway fans will now guess that 7 riders

outfit wasn’t the only sporting tenants in

Football League in

1962, missing out to

make up a team! Vic Hawkes was a popular

Wood Lane as we shall discover in a later

Oxford United, the gamble to splash cash on

local hero for the Hawks but was another

instalment; the old Stadium

- officially

new stands and floodlighting backfired and

brave rider tragically killed at a meeting

opened by King Edward VI - was demolished

sadly Brooklands is now a housing estate

(1979). In fact former rider

/ promoter

in 1985.

with only parts of the original boundary fenc-

Len Silver held a Vic Hawkes Memorial

Stamford Bridge Brigands (1928-1932)

ing remaining.

Trophy meeting every season after his death.

were initially nicknamed the Pensioners like

Walthamstow Wolves rode in Chingford

the resident Football Club, but their exis-

Lennie

currently

promotes

Rye

Road back in 1934; the Stow had only been

tence was very short lived, while Crystal

House Rockets further up the Lea Valley.

open for a year - this new Art Deco stadium

Palace Glazers (1928-1940) entertained in

The Hackney Kestrels (1984-1990) were a

by architect William Chandler will be fea-

the South London Park under the shadow of

new entity because of a merger

tured later on in this series.

the great glass structure before it was

after Crayford Kestrels were made homeless

Dagenham Daggers (1932-1947) operated

destroyed by fire.

after landlords sold the stadium for redevel-

in Ripple Road briefly before and after WW2.

London's most successful of all time was the

opment. The Red, White and Blues won 26 of

In North London, the now vanished

most recently departed, Wimbledon Dons

their 30 League matches in 1988 and won the

Haringey Stadium on Green Lanes was home

(1928-2005). A fascinating statistic from the first

National Cup, defeating fellow Londoners

to Haringey Racers (1929-1954) and racing in

post-war League meeting in 1946; it drew a

Wimbledon Dons is that year's Final.

blue and yellow leathers, they were National

huge 42,000 crowd with an estimated 10,000

The London Lions (1996) operated for just

Champions in 1952. Before WW2 they were

locked outside! The Dons attracted world class

one season at Hackney Wick when promoter

the Haringey Canaries until 1931 and then

riders over the years - Ivan Mauger, Barry

Ivan Henry moved his Essex Arena

the Haringey Tigers for a period. Haringey

Briggs and Ronnie Moore had won the world

Hammers to Waterden Road. But along with

Stadium had a bit of a reputation for crowd dis-

title 12 times between them!

the Greyhounds, everyone vacated the stadi-

turbances and on one pre-war occasion, 2,000

Thus far my first 4 articles have fea-

um that would be demolished in the next

people demanded their money back when a

tured 2 different sports which Londoners

decade to build the International Media

meeting was abandoned on safety grounds due

once enjoyed in their droves, but next

Centre for the 2012 Olympics Games.

to an accident - they had a right old tear-up

month I want to delve into some of the

Clapton Saints (1928-1939) on Lea Bridge

breaking out onto the track, smashing the

more unlikely and obscure sporting

Road struggled financially once Clapton

place up and starting a fire! They became used

events that took place in your working

Orient FC moved onto Brisbane Road and

to starting bonfires here as

8 years later

area - including a venue that is 2,000

the old

20,000 capacity stadium became

fans ran riot when a second placed dog in a

years old and which you drive over most

derelict and was demolished in the 1970s. It

Greyhound meeting was disqualified. Fuelling

days of your working life

is now an industrial site behind Lea Bridge

the fire with bits of hare trap, they proceeded

Network Rail Station and set to re-open in the

Bob Woodford

to smash lights, tear down phone wires and

spring on the line between Stratford and

Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 14

hen Call Sign met up with

Donald Dacas (P76) recently,

Another one bites the dust!

he was in a rather sombre mood

as he watched his old ‘V’ reg cab

engine suddenly failed to re-start and that

get stripped of its’ Dial-a-Cab equipment at

meant a new battery just days before I was

the Roman Way depot.

due to sell the cab, but I guess that’s life!”

“Yes, it’s a sad day for me,” Donald mused,

Don shrugged his shoulders.

“because after

16 years and more than

“I have a theory that cabs are like human

400,000 miles together, we finally have to

beings, made - or born - at the same time, but

part - me looking for a younger model and

fate treats each one individually, some better

this old girl going into a sort of retirement as

than others. Some people enjoy a good life,

a general run-around with a new owner,

while cabs, produced in a line on a conveyor

rather than the daily grind of London traffic.

belt one after the other can also be reliable

Sometimes I think the cab has seen more of

and rust-free like mine, while others are not

quite so lucky.” His reply sounded quite

me than my wife,” Don said with a smile,

philosophical to a reporter that was finding it

“and she would probably agree with that!”

difficult to believe that we were talking about

Taking a final look at his cab as a licensed

a metal vehicle! But Donald was serious.

vehicle, Donald continued:

“With these older cabs steadily being

“These TX1’s are fitted with the Nissan

retired, it is becoming increasingly difficult to

engine and for me that has proven to be total-

find a decent vehicle to go to work in. They

ly bullet-proof and never let me down.

are like gold dust as more and more cabs are

Components around it, yes perhaps, have

coming off the road and drivers have to

caused a few problems. There was the time I

decide whether to rent or buy a new cab,

was half-way up the M1 on our way to Luton

Donald says goodbye to his TX1

which in these economically difficult times is

Airport with fare paying passengers and the

not that easy. So I consider myself very lucky

engine suddenly started jerking and shudder-

that I was able to grab a TX4 that has already

ing, before coming to an abrupt stop on the

preventing fuel from reaching the engine.

had quite a bit or work done to it. Personally,

hard shoulder. By chance, a local cab was

That’s why, although we failed to proceed, it

I did not want another large mortgage

passing and he stopped as I waved him down

was no fault of the engine itself! It was a silly

around my neck.”

and the driver took my people onto the air-

place to put a fuel valve, exposed to all

With that, Donald drove away with his per-

port to make sure they caught their flight. So

weathers,” he suggested as though we were

sonal quiet thoughts about his cab...

from that viewpoint, we didn’t let them

talking about yesterday, “but there you go!

down. When the AA patrolman arrived, he

“Also, just a few days ago, I started up easi-

Alan Green

discovered a rusty fuel cut-off valve under the

ly enough without any hint of trouble, did a

front of the cab just by the radiator and it was

few miles and stopped for a short time. The

Call Sign Online

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

The Berkshires - Blue course

Do you have a milestone birthday coming up? A partner who

wants to give you a day’s golf that will stay in the memory?

Then start dropping hints that you'd love to play The

Berkshires! The course is near Ascot and certainly isn’t

cheap... but if they really love you!!!

There are 2 courses here, the Red and the Blue and if

you can do it, I suggest playing the Blue in the morning

and the Red in the afternoon.

The Blue course starts, unusually, with a par 3. The tee box

is smack in front of the clubhouse breakfast room and beside

the Himalaya style practice putting green. At 210 yards and

over a sea of heather, it’s an all or nothing shot with run-

aways left and right.

Hopefully, this hole won’t destroy you as the remainder of the front nine are where you can score with

two par 5s and some short par 4s. The final five holes are all par 4s - it’s a very tough finish with no let up.

The course itself is very picturesque, as you would expect from a club where both courses rank in the top 50 UK golf guide. Both

Red and Blue courses were laid out in 1928 by Herbert Fowler - and if that name rings a bell, it’s probably because we mentioned

him in last month’s Call Sign as being the architect of the Walton Heath course!

Though the Blue is ranked as the lesser of the two courses, many prefer it to the Red. My late father did and who am I to agree with him!

Lunch here is jacket and tie. It’s a very fine carvery and if you want a personal recommendation, try the rare roast beef and fortify

yourself for the Red course! I’ll be writing about that course next month...

The photo shows the 210 yards Par 3 first hole on the Blue course.

Happy golfing

Simon Wallis (M11)

Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 15

OPERATIONS AND COMPLIANCE

them against your will.

Hello Ladies & Gents,

The Sales department headed by Keith

Now that the Christmas holiday period has

Cain is trying everything in its power to

passed and we are into a New Year, I’d again

acquire new business as well as looking after

like to wish you all a slightly belated happy

our existing account customers. Any reduc-

and healthy 2016 and trust that you’ve all had

tion in charges, no matter how small that we

time to recharge your batteries. It doesn’t

can offer clients, could help increase usage

need me to remind you of how tough the

and may also be the difference between gain-

past two years have been and it will be equal-

ing or losing a tender. With this in mind, at

ly as testing this year. Transport for London

the most recent Board Meeting it was decid-

have failed to uphold the regulatory mea-

ed that where applicable, gratuities will now

sures in London and issued thousands of pri-

be capped at a maximum of £5. Our com-

vate hire licenses month on month. Much has

petitors are offering large reductions across

already been debated, but in my opinion they

the board and in such a cut-throat environ-

have put public safety at risk and cost our

ment, it is important that we react in the cor-

trade the opportunity to compete on an

that we are competing with prices that are

rect way. The change will take place in week

equal footing - which is all we have asked for.

ultra-competitive in a highly volatile market.

commencing 5th March 2016...

There has always been a two-tier system

The fixed prices on these types of trips will

between the Licensed Taxis and Private Hire,

not be changed, but all additional waiting

but since granting Uber a licence some three

Lucas Taxi Meters

time will be calculated in minutes (equivalent

years ago, there now seems to be a three-tier

It appears that Lucas meters are being

to £27 per hour) and added to the fare on

system with Uber operating outside of the

phased out over the next few months and

completion of the journey.

legal structure.

they will be replaced with Cygnus meters. If

It is now very difficult to match competi-

you haven’t already been contacted by the

tor’s pricing, but the system is working.

relevant supplier, the changeover will be car-

Longer trips

However, without your understanding and

In my address to the membership at last

ried out at the London Taxi Company

support - which I believe we now have - it

(Brewery Road) or at Taxi World (White City

year’s AGM, I said we needed to find a work-

will be not succeed.

able solution that offered clients - both old

and Tottenham). The new meters are Sim

On many occasions we are able to agree

enabled and you will be notified by post.

and new - the option of using DaC taxis for

prices that the client is willing to undertake,

longer trips at economical prices that were

Unfortunately, spare parts for Lucas meters

but if we price them at full meter fares it is

are no longer available.

also acceptable to you, the members. We have

invariably too high and they will use an alter-

certainly offered and covered many more air-

native supplier - this we do not want. Please

port journeys and trips to and from locations

remember that you are able to reject these

Clearing credit cards

bordering the M25 over the past year, albeit

Finally, can I please remind you that if you

trips and you will never be forced to take

clear a street generated Credit Card trip that

needs to be swiped through the terminal, you

will see ‘Please Debit My Account’ appear

#SAVETAXI NOW BATTLES TFL!

on the actual receipt. It is imperative that you

Artemis Mercer, who with other taxi drivers wives started the #SaveTaxi Facebook

request a signature from the customer at all

group last year in support of the taxi trade, has launched a

times, otherwise the payment will not be

drive to raise £600,000 to fund the initial phase of getting

authorised.

Allan Evans

a Judicial Review against TfL. Artemis has established

DaC Operations / Compliance Manager

Action for Cabbies as a private company to spearhead

the campaign. It will use the platform of

Crowdfunder.co.uk to help the new group secure the

Judicial Review. It bases that on the grounds that TfL was

High Court

wrong to grant a licence to Uber and its drivers in 2012

as the licensing authority had failed to follow the correct

rules against

procedures.

“There has always been a two-tier system with private hire vehicles on one side and

LTC taxi shape

black cabs on the other,” Mrs Mercer, whose husband is a taxi driver, told Sky News.

High court judge Mr Justice Arnold has

“TfL did not follow those regulations in 2012: it went from being a law-enforcer to a

ruled that the London taxi is not as

law-maker and in doing so it compromised public safety and cost black cabbies the

unique as many believed and said it was

opportunity to compete on a level playing field.”

“devoid of inherent distinctive character

The group will again repeat that Uber drivers use a meter of the kind that

and merely a variation of the typical

should only be available to licensed taxis. Artemis said the Uber app did not

shape of a car.” He ruled that trade-

implement insurance and public safety standards as rigorously as those

marks exclusively relating to its shape

imposed on black taxis.

should be deemed invalid.

The Crowdfunder campaign will target London’s 25,000 licensed taxi drivers to raise

The judgment followed a legal row

the required money, with further finances expected to be required if Action for Cabbies

between the London Taxi Company

is successful in securing the Judicial Review. It will also be open to others who wish to

and the Metrocab hybrid-powered

contribute, although it will be unlike many Crowdfunding efforts in that there is no

taxi developed by Frazer-Nash

prospect of a direct return on the funds invested.

Research and Ecotive.

Action for Cabbies has warned that unless TfL's decision to grant Uber a

Justice Arnold said: “In my view, the

licence is revoked, the black taxi industry will be decimated “...and the iconic

design of the black cab would have

black taxi rendered extinct.”

been perceived by the average consumer

The first day raised £31,412 of the £600,000 needed. If you can help, go to:

of taxis as merely a variation of the typi-

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/Action-for-Cabbies and click on Pledge to sup-

cal shape of a taxi.”

port the fund.

Call Sign February 2016

Page 16

Call Sign at the LTFUC

all Sign has been attending the London

Mad Hatters Tea Party at the Great Ro

years, but this year’s bash really must ha

happy children and carers eating, drinki

ment (amazingly organised “in-house” by Maureen

hours just flew by.

The Fund celebrated their 88th year in style as th

Amanda’s students showed how singing and dancin

followed by a “real life” duo of Elsa and Anna singi

smash, Frozen. A Mad Hatters regular came on next

also put in an amazing version of Viva Las Vegas th

LTFUC Chairman Sim Yiannikaris and Secretary

before the entertainment continued with the ama

Spiderman outfits and while taking the mick out of

Act Now, a performing arts program that has ins

30+ years featured some excellent singing and danc

Artemis and Linda

how young some of the children were, because they

donate a cheque to

stages.

the LTFUC

Once again, Gabriela and Monica

Girls and dressed in their skimpiest

biggest hits in a 20 minute set that sud

denly need an excuse to approach th

eyes for Call Sign’s editor! Their loyal

The Mad Hatters characters then

to entertain the kids and get them

Then host, Dave Davis - who has

years - introduced comedian / magicia

had reached a previous Britain’s Got

just loved him as he wound them up

LTFUC Chairman Sim

ventriloquism.

Yiannikaris with the

A young man called Tom beautifully

Lady Mayor of

he had previously sung on the West En

Westminster,

Not sure what to say about the next

Christabel Flight

an incredible piece of machinery, but

Just back from a tour of Romania and

adults amazed as the huge machine w

telling jokes!

Certainly as different as it’s possibl

some gorgeous young lady supporter

around in Cheer Leader formation to

The Crystal Girls also danced with t

some of the male carers would have b

Cab Board Member Mike Son got in f

Between the acts, Dave Davis intro

turned up to pose for photos and sig

former World Heavyweight boxing

Dave Davis introduces

Terry Alderton, the Eastenders tax

Frank Bruno

Bianca Butcher (Patsy Palmer) for

Flight, the Lady Mayoress of Westmi

to speak to the children in her full reg

There were also presentations of ch

and Karen Hilbrown of Support Bla

kindly donated by one of our biggest

Ink Recruitment donated £1,150 ma

They also contributed £3,000 toward

Linda and Cher of #SaveTaxi donate

As usual, all around the Great Roo

Metropolitan Police bikes for kids to

Brigade. Face painting and balloons w

Clown Jolly Jack was always around en

The Fund have asked us to thank

do; but let’s not forget the Fund C

Weren’t you in my

such a brilliant job the whole year r

Sugar Puffs???

Call Sign February 2016

Page 17

Mad Hatters Party 2016

Taxidrivers’ Fund for Underprivileged Children

Photos Alan Green and Alan Fisher

om of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House for many

ave been close to being the best. With around 700

ng, dancing and watching some brilliant entertain-

Levy, wife of the charity’s PR Raymond), the five

he afternoon opened with Amanda’s Action Show.

g can be done properly by young people. They were

ng ‘Let a new day dawn, let it glow’ from the Disney

as Elvis Shmelvis sang some of the King’s hits, but

at allowed children to go on the stage with him.

y Malcolm Shaffron then made a welcome speech

zing Bournemouth Carnival Band who dress in

their own playing, know how to entertain!

spired the talent of young performers over the past

cing from the musical Annie. It was amazing to hear

y were undoubtedly good enough to grace West End

The Cheeky Girls with a

Cheeky Ed!

- better known as The Cheeky

t outfits ever - performed their

denly saw many male carers sud-

e stage! But, the twins only had

lty to the Fund is amazing.

came out onto the dance floor

to join in.

been doing the show for many

n / ventriloquist Sam Jones who

t Talent semi-final. The children

with magic tricks combined with

The first Mike Son photo

sang Where is Love - a song that

Call Sign has ever taken

d stage in a production of Oliver.

where he is seen to be

guest - Titan the Robot! Not just

smiling!!!

one that talks and answers back!

d Russia, Titan kept children and

ondered around the dance floor

e to get was the final act, when

s of Crystal Palace FC pranced

entertain everyone.

he children, although we suspect

een happy to join in, but Dial-a-

first!

duced some celebrities who had

gn autographs. Among them was

champion Frank Bruno and

i driver who wined and dined

his own reasons!!! Christabel

inster kindly gave up her Sunday

alia.

No, you ask him if his

eques to the Fund. Cathy Beany

shirt itches!

ack Taxis passed over a cheque

supporters, Peter Stringfellow;

ade up of 5% of recruiting fees.

s the cost of the day. Artemis,

d a much appreciated £1,500.

m were things going on such as

sit on, the army and the Fire

ere also available and of course,

ntertaining somewhere.

everyone involved, which we

Elvis entertaining the kids

ommittee themselves who do

with his version of Viva

round...

Las Vegas

Call Sign February 2016

Page 18

John’s dual identity taxi!

John’s number plate displaying both

London Taxi Company and Mercedes ID

Dial-a-Cab driver

recently called this

magazine to ask

about a TX4 number

plate she had spotted on one of

our taxis that sported the

words

Mercedes-Benz,

Colindale. It was unusual, if

not unique!

Thoughts raced through her mind as to why an LTC TX4 should

team at Colchester Hospital have been absolutely fantastic, just

bear Mercedes details on it. Maybe the owner was supporting both

superb. But in the meantime I registered my nephew on DaC as a

marques as a way of countering the relentless expansion of private

journeyman driver,” John said.

hire or perhaps he was confused as to what vehicle he was driving! A

Call Sign asked A & S and they did give a logical possibility as to

multitude of possibilities raced through the driver’s mind - although

the origin of the strange duel identity number plates. A spokesman

a KGB undercover surveillance vehicle seemed unlikely!

confirmed that Jonathan has a “cherished” personal number plate that

“The answer is that I don’t know,” John Connor (S66) explained

he wanted to retain on his new cab. So he had to re-register the cab

to Call Sign! “I bought the TX4 from Jonathan Radcliffe (G09) back

with the DVLA who duly issued a replacement registration and

in April 2015 and collected it from the garage that overhauled the cab,

Jonathan would probably have had the new number plates made up

A & S Services in Hoddesdon. They are LTC authorised agents and

somewhere convenient for him.

the Mercedes details were already on the vehicle when I took it.

“There is an MB agent near Paddington - even though they state

“My part of the story is that I bought the cab on the Friday, drove it

Colindale - so we’d guess that the number plates were constructed

home on the Saturday morning and on the following Tuesday I was

there. But you never know, it could be a KGB plot!!!”

diagnosed with cancer on my tonsils. I went straight into Colchester

A & S Services can be contacted on: 01992 445 733. The KGB is

Hospital and haven’t actually worked since that day. The medical unavailable to callers but say they don’t do overhauls!

VACANCY FOR A

DAC ARBITRATOR

here is a vacancy for a DaC

subscriber to become a

Exclusive Taxi Insurance Scheme

Society Arbitrator. Should

dedicated to DAC members only

you wish to put your name

forward and you meet the minimum

criteria of 5 consecutive years mem-

bership, then please apply in writing

expressing your interest to be

✓ 5% Discount for members

received by me at Dial-a-Cab House

✓ Additional discount for existing protected Bonus policies

no later than first post on Monday

29 February 2016.

✓ Public Liability

Should more than one driver apply, a postal ballot

✓ Breakdown Cover

would then be conducted at a later date and the candidate

✓ Much more available

with the highest number of votes would then be duly

appointed.

Call below for quotations

Candidates who apply and who wish to send their CVs

for publication in Call Sign should send them to the

Editor, either by post or email, by the same date ie

Monday 29 February 2016 keeping to a maximum of

Hillier Buchan Ltd, 18, Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent. DA5 1LU

around 200 words and preferably attaching a photo as

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority - Firms Ref No: 304318

well. They will then appear in the April issue.

Company Registration No: 4319231

If you have any queries regarding this process, please

do not hesitate to contact me.

Tel: 01322 553313

Howard Pears

Company Secretary

Fax: 01322 523315

Call Sign February 2016

Page 19

Not content with the Mayor giving them huge amounts of space...

NOW CYCLISTS ACT AS UNPAID SPEED COPS!

Over the years, we at Call Sign have heard many

he could confirm that

cyclists’ helmet camera

true stories that at the time we found difficult to

footage was acceptable.

believe, but the one involving a Dial-a-Cab driver

He said that he too was

just before Christmas outside the Houses of

amazed and had never

heard of it!”

Parliament has surely moved to the very top of

Debbie, who has

the list! It also brings into play a situation that is

been with DaC for 15

not just shocking, but in reality puts our licenses

years, went on to tell

this magazine that she

and very livelihoods into the hands of our

now has a camera in

Mayor’s undoubted favourites - his fellow

her taxi and had con-

cyclists!

templated passing

over footage of any

Debbie Hope (W18) had been travelling along St Margaret’s

cyclist that jumped a

Street towards the Parliament Square traffic lights. Soon after - on

red light! But she

Christmas Eve in fact - she received a police letter enclosing three

added that with their

stills taken from a video camera appearing to show that Debbie’s taxi

advantage of not

had been driven through the lights whilst they were red.

needing registration

“The photos undoubtedly showed my cab going through the lights

plates, they all

on red and although I couldn’t understand how I missed them, I obvi-

looked the same

ously did and was prepared to hold my hands up,” Debbie told Call

from behind! And

Sign. “The first photo showed me a short distance away from the

besides,

that

lights with them showing red and amber, so the next sequence should

would probably be

have been green. But they obviously must have changed straight back

a full time job!

to red because the second photo showed the lights as being red again

“I assume that the cyclist who passed the footage of my cab over to

and my cab going through them.”

the police just didn’t like taxi drivers and has probably done it

Continuing with her story, Debbie told us: “Receiving that on

before,” said Debbie, “but I doubt that an all-out war between us

Christmas Eve was bad enough, but the police then said that on

would do anyone any good. However, I’d like to warn all Dial-a-Cab

looking at files, I did not have any insurance and that frightened me

drivers that with so many cyclists having helmet-cams, this may be just

even more! So far as I knew, I was insured with Quotax and had

the thin end of the wedge...”

never had any renewal problems. But the letter now made me won-

der if, and for how long, I had been driving while uninsured? It real-

Alan Fisher

ly did frighten me.”

Call Sign Online

Debbie phoned Quotax and they confirmed that she was

insured and that any police enquiry must have shown an incor-

rect registration. But she still faced the possibility of three

points for what their own photographic evidence proved was an

incorrect light change sequence. So Debbie then phoned the

number on the letter and they confirmed that she was indeed

being prosecuted for going through a red light. But what they

told her next not only amazed her, but should shock every sin-

gle taxi driver in London.

“I asked if I had been filmed by a yellow camera because I had never

noticed one there. When I was told no, I then asked if it was a police

hand-held camera and again the answer came back as no. So I asked

where the footage had come from and after a few moments of silence,

the voice at the other end said it had been taken by a member of the

public!

“My husband, Duncan (R52), took a look at the photos and

said that in his view they seemed to be still shots from a video

that had been taken by a cyclist with a helmet camera who must

have been behind Debbie and passed the footage of a taxi going

through a red light over to the police!

“I was still reeling from the shock of what I had been told by both

the police and then Duncan, but pulled myself together enough to

call the police again and explain that the sequence of lights was obvi-

ously wrong and although I admitted going through a red light

because the photo showed it, surely the incorrect lights sequence was

mitigation enough for the matter to be dropped? The voice at the

other end said she would look at the footage and call straight back,

obviously hearing the concern in my voice. True to her word, she did

phone back and confirmed that I had indeed gone through a red light,

but went on to add that an incorrect sequence was no defence. She

also apologised for the police making a mistake re my insurance, but

they were not going to cancel the offence.

“Because I now believed it was probably a cyclist, I asked if that

footage was allowed as evidence for something serious enough to

carry three points if proved and she said yes! I was truly stunned and

several days later when I spotted a policeman in the street, I asked if

Call Sign February 2016

Page 20

Call Sign has made several mentions over the

past few months regarding comparison site

app, Karhoo. The first was when another taxi

company announced they were linking up to

WHAT IS KARHOO?

it. I came out against because I couldn’t see

how our prices could compete to private hire.

both the supply and demand ends of their busi-

However, on the second occasion I wondered

ness. Disruption wasn’t always at the expense of

whether we could work with it and left it

livelihoods. Accommodation site, Airbnb, did-

open. So I offered Karhoo the opportunity to

n’t put family-run hotels out of business.

show us what was on offer and David

Expedia didn’t drive airlines to bankruptcy.

Goldring, Karhoo’s Head of Supplier

They saw a way to integrate smart technology to

Relations (UK), has written this exclusively for

make life better for companies and customers.

Call Sign readers... Ed

That is what we are doing.

At Karhoo, we are here to champion the incum-

What is Karhoo?

bent industry. We don’t think algorithms and GPS

Karhoo is a Licensed Taxi and Private Hire com-

should replace human beings who have worked

parison app. It works by connecting the dis-

hard to get you from A to B. Technology may have

patch system of existing fleets to let customers

tipped the playing field against the fleets and dri-

choose from nearby available cabs.

vers but smart, collaborative technology can level

It features Black Cabs, minicabs and execu-

it again. We want to support your business to

tive cars from local and regional companies

grow, not watch you suffer.

including ComCab in London and a large num-

Passengers win because the app is easy to

ber of Private Hire companies. The passenger

use, transparent and fair but, most importantly

can choose by vehicle type, specific fleet, the

world’ available on the app. It takes years of hard

lets them choose a ride that suits their needs.

closest or cheapest cab; paying the fixed or

work to learn the Knowledge, earn your badge

Fleets win because Karhoo easily integrates with

metered fare quoted through the app (no cash,

and all the trust that comes with being a Black

existing dispatch systems, is vendor neutral and

no meter anxiety). You can also pre-book (mul-

Cab Licensed Taxi driver, then seemingly from

ultimately will put idle cabs in front of more

tiple) vehicles and journeys through the app.

nowhere a billion-dollar tech start-up based

passengers. It is this approach that is being so

Other apps cut out the Licensed Taxi and

abroad comes and has a huge negative impact on

well received by regulators around the world

Private Hire companies by directly connecting

your business almost overnight.

who are openly supporting Karhoo, rather than

the customer and driver through their app.

How can you stand a chance against the tech-

trying to ban it.

Karhoo is the opposite: we don’t recruit drivers

nological and marketing spending power of

Together, we will level the playing field...

or run our own fleet of vehicles; we simply put

these Silicon Valley giants? Existing Black Cab

you, the driver, in front of more passengers.

fleets such as Dial-a-Cab and ComCab are feel-

David Goldring,

Karhoo has been in development for a year

ing the pain of this technological disruption at

Head of Supplier Relations (UK)

and went live in the App Store and Google Play

in January as part of a soft launch in London.

Simon Scott is one of the new generation of taxi drivers whose life is captured

Karhoo will also launch in New York and

as a blog! His story of when he was on the Knowledge is…

Singapore in 2016.

A Blogger’s Tale

How can an aggregator

change the world?

Finally, in the summer of 1988, the day no London Cab Driver would ever for-

What we are doing at Karhoo has never been

get arrived. Despite my ridiculous nerves, I emerged from that 'cold war'

looking PCO building in Penton Street with a very shiny green badge and

done before. We are putting your vehicle in front

the number 46587 stamped on it. I went in a Knowledge Boy and emerged

of more passengers and giving passengers more

as a licensed London taxi driver!

choice. We are levelling what has become an

I went to see Michael at the garage with my badge in hand. I walked into the

uneven playing field. We want users to have a

office feeling at least a foot taller than the last time I had been there; he was on the

choice and are delighted to have London Black

phone and looked at me with absolutely no bodily acknowledgement whatsoever.

Cabs, which are continually voted the ‘best in the

Eventually, the phone slammed down and he said: “So you want a cab, do you!”

We walked out onto the forecourt and he pointed to some dirty old cabs that were alongside a wall.

They all had adverts on and looked very unappealing; he opened the driver’s door of the first one and an A

AGM

to Z fell out of the door pocket! It stank of cigarette smoke and I found myself taking a step backwards.

“How much,” I asked?

REMINDER

He said it would be £140 - it was only a marginal improvement on my wangle cab. He wandered off as I shut

the door and found the oldest one. It turned out to be the cleanest with the fewest battle scars. I went to find

All members should have received the

him and we walked back to the office where he gave me a card with the date and the registration number on it;

Notice of Annual General Meeting

next to the date he had written £127.

“Pay me at the end of the week,” he said. I watched him go as a train rattled by above the old railway arch.

2015 advising that the meeting will

again be held at The HAC, Armoury

The first fare…

House, City Road on Sunday 7th

London cabbies are a superstitious lot and I had been warned time and time again to give away the first fare. In

February 2016 at 11am.

other words, the first fare is free to facilitate a long a prosperous career. But I was far more concerned that I

There is no election of officers at this

wouldn't know the first destination!

I rattled along the cobblestones towards Bethnal Green Road, switched my light on and could almost hear

year’s meeting and any Rule Changes

my heart pounding. I neared Shoreditch High Street and then I saw them. I felt sick as they spun around and

or Propositions would have had to

started waving their arms and shrieked out “Taxi!” I think I was actually reciting the Lord’s Prayer as I pulled in

have been received at Dial-a-Cab House

beside the two largish West Indian women who were so obviously excited to see me. I prayed I would know the

on or before 09:00hrs on Friday 27th

destination as one of them pressed her face into the nearside window. I waited and watched her lips as she

November 2015 as per the Notice of

mouthed the words “Lemon Road, please.”

Sh*t! Lemon Road? I repeated the words back to them to make sure I'd heard them properly. But they just

Annual General Meeting 2015 letter.

said that they wanted Lemon Road. With that, they opened the back door and climbed inside. My mind raced

There were none received by that date.

frantically; eventually I had to spin round and ask: “Where is Lemon Road then?”

Please remember that if you do not

I breathed out and felt my body suddenly relax when one of them said it was near Aldgate! I asked if they

vote by post then you should attend.

meant Leman Street. “Oh yeah, that’s right" came the reply. I pressed the big button on the front of my meter

If you do not attend or vote by post,

and off we went. They looked like they were going to molest me when I told them that the journey was free,

but I managed to escape by turning into Prescott Street and on towards the City...

you will be liable for a £50 fine.

To be continued…

Howard Pears

Simon Scott (O40)

Company Secretary

Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 21

The annual general meeting of

The London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled

The London Taxi Benevolent

Association for War Disabled

was held on Monday 14th

LTBAWD AGM

December 2015 at The Royal

Assistant Secretary and Press Officer Derek

Council and the people of South

Hospital Chelsea SW3. Those

Leone.

Holmwood, our halfway point of the trip for

present included former ODRTS

Also elected were Gary Hutchinson,

supplying food and drinks and for their sup-

Board and founder member,

Graham Pike, Eddie Hillary, Arron Capell and

port over the last 67 years! Another event was

Dennis Hayes.

the Chalke Valley History Festival, an excel-

Harry Joel MBE, Paul

The Chairman then invited David Clegg to

lent weekend.

Davis, Michael Husk (P41),

become a member of the committee and he

Then in July, we had the Johnny

Graham Pike, Terry Ward (W13),

was pleased to accept the position. In his

Rowlands Golf Day, a fabulous day with din-

absence, Gary Mankelow (E67) was voted

ner and some great entertainment from

Richard Goodwin, Gary Belsey,

onto the committee.

Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear! Many

Edward Hillery, Dennis James,

The London Taxi Benevolent Association

thanks Johnny!

Derek Leone, Arron Capell, Ian

for War Disabled AGM closed at 4.00pm...

In August, the Charity with the help of

London Taxi Drivers, supplied free trans-

Parsons and former DaC

Derek Leone

port for all VJ Veterans from mainline rail sta-

Secretary Trevor Clarke. Guests

tions to the VJ Day event in Central

LTBAWD Hon Press Officer

were Frances Wyhowska and

London. Well done to all those who helped

get the Veterans to the event and back to the

former DaC Board member

LTBAWD Chairman’s

stations afterwards. We also helped supply

David Clegg. The meeting

transport for the George Cross Island

Report 2015

opened at 3.15...

Association and the Royal Marines

This year so far has once again been a suc-

Association for the Korean War Memorial.

Chairman Gary Belsy opened the meeting

cessful one. This Charity is growing larg-

The Charity had an invite to Beating the

with a minute silence for those no longer

er, sadly this means more ex-servicemen

Retreat at Headley Court where we received

with us. The Chairman’s report was handed

and women need our services and our

a warm welcome from the Commanding

to committee members. It was read and

support is welcome to them.

Officer and staff. We also received thanks for

approved (see below).

Since my last report, we’ve had a

the support we gave to the servicemen and

Trevor Clarke, the charity’s long-time

Remembrance service at the Chelsea College

women there.

auditor, thanked the Chairman, Treasurer

of Arts in November, followed by a Christmas

This year we have a new web site; it has

and Committee for the good work that they

lunch at Millwall FC in December.

already been a great success with many hits

are doing for the charity. He read the financial

2015 started with a collector’s lunch in

world-wide and informative information on

report, which was approved. The Chairman

the Union Jack Club, many other luncheons

events and history of the charity.

and committee then thanked Trevor for his

have followed with the Veterans having a

I would personally like to thank my

assistance in preparing the accounts.

good old singalong! In March we had a func-

committee for their hard work over the

tion at the Cheam Sports and Social club, a

last year and to the London Taxi drivers

good time had by all. Many thanks to Tony

who gave up their time and money to

and his team.

help this Charity to become what it is

In May we celebrated VE Day and went back

today. The two words - thank you - are not

to The Netherlands for the 70th Anniversary

enough for these Veterans who gave and

of the end of WW2 and the Liberation. It was a

maintained our freedom over the years!

very successful five day trip. June saw us invit-

A big thank you to our trade organisations,

ed to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, where we

the British Legion, Heroes Return,

thanked them for their support over many

Millwall FC and many others that have

years. That month also saw our annual

helped this Charity. And lastly, a special thank

Worthing trip. For the first time in 67 years,

you to our collectors over this past year for all

we held our event on the pier in the Pavilion

their hard work. Well done!

Theatre, attracting much attention with 100

plus taxis parked on the foreshore with the

Gary Belsey

many Veterans - a great day and a big success

once again. A big thank you to Worthing

LTBAWD Hon Chairman

ODRTS Founder Member, former Board

member and LTBAWD president Harry

Joel MBE

Elected Officers

President Harry Joel MBE, Chairman Gary

Belsy, Secretary Paul Davis, Treasurer Michael

Husk, Vice Chairman Ian Parsons, Vice

President Dennis James, Vice President

and Appeals Richard Goodwin, Vice President

Frances Wyhowska, Transport Terry Ward,

Call Sign February 2016

Page 22

A major new exhibition presents 1916 & WW1 as seen by Britain, France & Germany

REMEMBERING 1916 - Life on the Western Front

A new exhibition exploring World

The War at Sea looks at the Battle

War One, the battles on the

of Jutland, the largest naval battle

Western Front and the experiences

and only full-scale clash of battle-

of people on land, in the air, at sea

ships in the War. It is one of the most

and at home will open in March

controversial battles in history due to

2016. Marking the centenary of WWI

the

allegation

that

British

and the momentous events of 1916,

Commander, Admiral Sir John

Remembering 1916 - Life on the

Jellicoe, missed the opportunity to

Western Front presents a collection

destroy the German fleet.

of 500 original objects, many from

The War at Home shows the con-

private collections and never before

trast to the harsh reality of the

displayed in public.

Western Front. Remembering 1916

Remembering 1916 - Life on

will also create a snapshot of what

the Western Front will run from

life was like for those on the Home

12 March - 31 August 2016 at the

Front in Croydon and the South East,

Whitgift Exhibition Centre at

as well as in France and Germany.

Whitgift School, Croydon and

From letters to home and sweetheart

include stories examining battles of Verdun, Jutland and the

tokens, to air raids and the changing role of women, the impact of the

Somme and such characters as Lord Kitchener and the Red

action on the Western Front on people’s lives is clear to see. Visitors

Baron. It will reveal untold stories and uncelebrated individuals

will be able to read original letters and postcards sent between sol-

on both the Western and Home fronts.

diers and their loved ones and view many other personal mementos.

The exhibition is designed, curated, produced and run by Whitgift

In the final display, visitors will learn more about some of the 251

School. A school production in name, the exhibition is a museum-

former Whitgift pupils who sadly lost their lives during the War, with

quality project, presented with exceptionally high production values

a poppy memorial display paying tribute to each of them.

and open seven days a week to all visitors. Looking at the political and

Visitor Information: 12 March to 31 August 2016 from 10am -

social background to WWI and the events of 1916, it will draw on the

5pm, 7 days a week at the Whitgift Exhibition Centre, Whitgift

voices, recollections, writings and opinions of British, French and

School, Haling Park, South Croydon CR2 6YT.

German soldiers and their families. It will feature a large array of per-

Admission: Adults £7; Seniors £5; Children (under 16)

£3; Children

sonal items belonging to soldiers, providing an insight into their day-

(under 5) free; Family* £18

to-day lives. The exhibition themes and exhibits will reflect the

*Any family combination of up to 2 adults & accompanying children

approaches, attitudes and actions of each country.

(5-16 years) up to 5 people.

Among key exhibits will be two very rare original first issues of

More information:

British trench newspaper, The Wipers Times, a German light field

www.remembering1916.co.uk or call 020 8688 9222.

wagon, a British Battle of Jutland ensign, a rare German battleship

flag, original British, French and German uniforms, kit and equip-

There will also be an Edwardian themed café and an exhibition shop.

ment, including tank drivers’ uniforms, a rare Women’s RAF uniform

and the original train sign of Verdun station.

Parts from WW1 Zeppelins and fabric from the famous red triplane

flown by the Red Baron together with stories detailing the exploits of

the German flying ace, Manfred von Richthofen, who was the Red

Baron - in particular, his fierce dogfight with Second Lieutenant

Lionel Morris, a former Whitgift pupil. Richthofen shot down Morris’

plane, mortally wounding Morris. This was the Red Baron’s first offi-

cial ‘kill’ of the War. To mark this event, Whitgift has commissioned a

painting depicting the height of the battle, by leading aviation painter

Alex Hamilton, GAvA. The School has also commissioned a replica sil-

ver cup to match those made for the Red Baron after each of his ‘kills’.

The cup will be engraved with the date of the ‘kill’ and the name of

the aircraft.

A key feature will be the reconstruction of a British trench at

WINTER PRO-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT

dawn, showing soldiers going ‘over the top’ and a German trench

from the Battle of the Somme at night, transporting visitors to a

Friday 26 February 2016

frenzied and terrifying moment for both sides. The Somme saw the

Friday March 18 2016

first use of tanks in the War and visitors have an opportunity to see

tank tracks from the Battle of Flers-Courcelette.

09.30 Coffee & bacon roll on arrival***

The exhibition will also find its way beneath the main gallery space

10.30 Shot gun start***

with a display on tunnelling, illuminating the tactic of going under-

15.30 Presentation of Professional & Team prizes

ground to listen to the enemy and lay explosives. It will also explore

£45 per person in a team of 2 amateurs

the political and social background to key events in 1916, using the

going out with a golf professional

contemporary voices of soldiers and their families. The four main

Maximum full handicap 24 Men, 30 Ladies

themes are:

Format: Stableford 3/4 handicap. Best two scores count.

The War on Land remembers two of the key battles on the

Please telephone if you would like an

Western Front. The Battle of Verdun saw the French and German

troops pitched against each other in what turned out to be a blood-

entry form or any further information.

bath and the longest battle of the War. The Battle of the Somme was

Call Elaine Cochrane on 01992 466666 Ext. 249.

arguably the most infamous battle of the War. The Somme offensive

was meant to be a breakthrough against the German defences, but

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

poor planning resulted in unprecedented allied losses on the open-

surroundings. The lakes and forests in the area, for example, make for wonderfully

ing day.

challenging natural hazards. With full irrigation cover of tees, fairways and greens,

The War in the Air charts the rapid development of the Royal

the course is in fantastic condition all year round. Read more about the course at

Flying Corps and explores the growing importance of aerial warfare,

http://www.thehertfordshiregolf.co.uk/

both for reconnaissance and control of the land below to both sides.

Call Sign February 2016

Page 23

t was good to read the comments of the

two drivers in this month’s Mailshot

who gave their opinions regarding

DaC Sales Report

fixed prices and how one is in favour

while one is not. If a straw poll were to be

With Keith Cain

taken amongst members, I feel those com-

times can be to the detriment of members

ments would reflect the entire member-

by not keeping them as up-to-date as I

ship. No one wants to work below the

would like and I apologise for that, but the

meter, but market forces dictate that we

blame totally lies at Alan’s door for pro-

should - or at the very least - consider it.

ducing such a good magazine! (Ed’s note:

One of the letters (Geoff Levene W32J)

Blimey, talk about getting blamed for every-

stated that it was my opinion we must

thing)! When our competitors tell us that

accept fixed prices if we are to survive. I

they eagerly await each month’s issue of

am not advocating this is the only route

Call Sign, it does make you think twice

that we as an organisation must follow; all

about what you say!

I am doing is informing members what we

Make no mistake though, the market

are up against when trying to compete

place is fierce and in my opinion what has

against private hire.

made it even tougher is the pricing struc-

The other letter (Jon Robinson E88)

ture of Uber. Their charging has begun to

refers to closing the stable door etc. I’d

impact more severely on the whole of the

just like to say that we have been offering

private hire industry and the major car

fixed rate journeys for some considerable

players have had to review their journey

time and not as many may perceive, just

costs for fear of losing out to the Uber app.

started offering them now.

we have to be mindful not to give our com-

And that, of course, affects us!

With Call Sign being such a widely read

petitors any advantage over what we are

Over the past few years I have scruti-

publication within the trade and beyond, doing in Sales. I am fully aware this at

nised more car vendor journey costs than I

would ever wish to mention and was start-

ing to see the gap between private hire and

licensed taxis closing, even if it was only

DaC and the world’s top 20 taxis

marginally. But what I’ve noticed very

During a few minutes’ breather after a very busy

recently is that the gap is beginning to

pre-seasonal rush to get Call Sign out on time,

widen again and I honestly believe this is

a member of the team began idly browsing the

down to the competition within the pri-

internet while boss Alan Fisher left the room to

vate hire industry itself.

renew acquaintances with the staff canteen’s

Whether we offer no run-ins, no gratu-

coffee machine.

ities and just the meter fare or fixed rate

Suddenly Google and a laptop came togeth-

journeys below the metered fare, one

er to display the Top 20 Taxis of All Time.

thing for sure is that the car company jour-

There on the screen appeared the world

ney costs are cheaper than the meter fare,

famous shape of the London Taxi Company’s

even when you start with a dead clock.

TX series of taxicabs. Nothing surprising in

To give you an example; I recently

that, you might say, as the instantly recognisable icon of

saw a PH invoice showing journey cost-

London is often used in a story somewhere.

ings from EC2 to W2 for £17.50, EC2 to

The original image accompanying the article was shot by a foreign photographer probably

W8 for £18.20 and EC2 to W14 for

visiting London, with the featured cab being a ’55 plate TX2. But what was nice was that

£23.55

- all with no administration

the snapper chose to shoot a Dial-a-Cab taxi instead of any one of the many thousands

charge added. I’ll let you work out

that transport passengers safely around our streets every day of the year.

what the meter fare would be to those

The pic was taken before our new-style door logos were released and the colours

destinations. I also had the “privilege”

of the old one may have been what attracted the Snapper; but to feature so promi-

nently and the free world-wide publicity such exposure offers, should not be

to be informed by an account client of

under-estimated!

ours that they had been offered a fixed

Among those in the survey were some old London stalwarts such as the Beardmore, FX3

price to go from EC2 to W13 for £38...

and FX4, while at the opposite end of the scale there was the latest hybrid Metrocab taxi

that by another “black taxi company.”

currently seen on the streets of London undergoing trials before full production is expected

That is what we are up against and it is

to begin later this year. Alongside the hybrid taxi was the original electric cab - The Bersey.

not going to go away - at least not as long

It was invented by Walter Bersey and worked the London streets in the late 1890s. His

as the playing field remains so uneven. We

fleet of 75 cabs were powered by grid-plate batteries that could only be recharged at

all know about being regulated to the

Bersey's Lambeth garage, where a hydraulic lifting system allowed for quick battery

extent where we have no choice of vehicle

exchange. The taxi had a range of about 35 miles, which was more than the average horse-

or that what we have to charge is no com-

powered cab could cover. It had a top speed of 14mph - which some would say it isn’t

petition against those in a free market. I lay

much different today with all the extra traffic! But they never carried the DaC logo!

that one firmly at the door of TfL... as I’m

The survey also featured the usual array of low emission cars such as the Nissan Leaf and

sure you all do.

dare we say, the Prius, together with an array of Mercedes-Benz saloons so popular across

I will always try to get members the best

Europe. There were also some local home-grown marques in various countries around the

deal I can, but to say it is difficult is an

globe converted for what watchers would call ‘taxi’ use. We have some doubts as to

understatement! We have expanded the

whether those behind the survey know the difference between taxis and private hire, but

that doesn’t detract from any associated world-wide publicity for the DaC taxi and the

Sales department and recruited a Senior

instantly recognisable “real” ones!

Sales Executive from outside of the indus-

Also there were the gaudily decorated World War II Jeeps used in the Philippines that

try, but from an equally tough industry sec-

have been converted into taxis to carry as many people as possible at the same time by rear-

tor. He is currently on his probationary

ranging the seating along the length of either side of the vehicle - although no mention of

period and as soon as this is completed,

their emission ratings!

we will introduce him to you all.

Jamie Corum

Call Sign Online

Keith Cain

DaC Head of Sales

Call Sign February 2016

Page 24

What exactly is

Thomas the Taxi wonders about Taxi and PH regulations and asks...

it that the

media can't see

or understand

WHAT IS IT THE MEDIA

about Taxi and

Private Hire

DOESN'T UNDERSTAND?

regulations?

We already

app to supply cheap booze to people out-

The Taxi trade doesn't want or need less

have sufficient

side public houses? After all, it's what the

regulation. It's there for a reason! We are

legislation called the Private

public wants! Perhaps we could perform

proud of the fact that we have all com-

cheap dentistry without any training? Got a

pleted the Knowledge of London. Yes, it

Hire Vehicles act 1998. Then

toothache? Call a cab

we can get pliers to

was hard but it produces quality drivers

Uber comes along and amazing-

do the job cheap!

who are regularly voted not just good or

ly, even though they don’t

Legislation is there to protect the public

excellent, but the best in the world!

and should always be enforced fully. Letting a

We don't need more legislation in regards to

(can’t) conform to the regula-

company come here, one that pays virtually

PH, we already have exactly what is need-

tions every other PH operator

no tax, treats its workers - who work below

ed. Why should one company be given exemp-

has to abide by, are licensed as

the minimum wage and have to be reliant on

tion from the regulations or be able to flout

benefits - like slaves, without a doubt is unfair

the law and operate in any way they see fit?

an operator???

competition.

So why has this one company, with massive

Has our licensing authority

Uber don't do bookings...

funds available for lobbying support, been

Contra to the PHV act 1998, Uber’s app allows

become corrupt?

allowed to operate outside of the very legis-

them to illegally ply for immediate hire. When

Or is our licensing authority just too terrified

lation that every other PH company has to

originally licensed in 2012, they had no proper

to take on this multi-billion dollar company?

abide by? The Legislation that is put in place

operating centre and ran their business from a

After all, when was the last time TfL’s legal

to protect the public. Surely this is a breach

rented desk space in More London. They did-

team actually had a major victory? Instead of

of all other Taxi and Private Hire operator’s

n't even have a landline to take bookings, con-

trying to fix the situation by watering down

consumer rights?

tra to regulations laid down regarding applica-

the required standards to enter the Licensed

tions for operator licences. Even now, over 3

Taxi trade, perhaps interfering politicians

years later, they still don't have a valid landline

So what is it that the media

should be investigating why our licensing

or take bookings. In fact they have no way to

authority (TfL) are not enforcing the rules

can't grasp about this?

pre-book a job.

We are told this is allowed because it's what

and regulations to the same standard as pre-

The Taxi trade call foul and ask for regula-

2012. Over to you Tom Watson...

the public want! But as LTDA General

tions to be enforced (not new or more regula-

Secretary Steve McNamara pointed out in an

All our industry asks for is to have the

tion, just enforce what we already have) and

rules and regulations that we already

ITV interview, a huge proportion of the pub-

suddenly it's a breach of Uber's consumer

lic want to be able to buy controlled sub-

have in place enforced. What part of this

rights! What about the rights of every other taxi

request does the media and interfering

stances that are illegal. But they can't because

driver or minicab operator in the industry?

there is legislation against it, just like the leg-

politicians not get?

Would it be a breach of consumer rights

islation that governs minicabs. Unfortunately,

to stop Taxi drivers selling cheap cigarettes

Jim Thomas

at present and in regards to Uber, the current

and cans of beer to passengers or set up an

Private Hire legislation isn't being enforced.

Call Sign Online

Mick Wheeler

Taxi insurance for DaC drivers

Mick Wheeler has been

advertising his mobile air con

On behalf of Dial-a-Cab, Hillier

servicing and repair service in

Buchan Ltd in Bexley have negotiated

Call Sign for several years. As

a result, Mick had many Dial-

exclusive rates for DaC members.

a-Cab drivers who knew him

We believe our rates are competitive

as always being very helpful

in today’s market for experienced

and whose work was always excellent. These

drivers became regular customers.

licensed Black Cab drivers.

We have now heard that Mick has passed

At Hillier Buchan, we understand every driver’s circumstances are different; therefore

away and his business has ceased. On behalf of

our policies can be tailored for the individual driver. We offer a 5% discount for DaC

Mick’s family, his nephew Robert told Call Sign:

members, with additional discounts for existing protected Bonus policies.

“It is with great regret that we would

Hillier Buchan was established in 2002 by David Hillier and myself with in excess of

like to inform customers, colleagues and

50 years experience as high level Brokers working in the City of London for major

friends of the death of Mick Wheeler. Mick

broking houses. We have established a reputation for professionalism and service in

was well known in the trade for repairing

our chosen fields.

air conditioning. Unfortunately Mick

We have extensive London Market contacts; consequently we are able to offer our

passed away on November 8th after a very

clients a quality of security from companies that are all available in the world’s pre-emi-

short illness with pancreatic cancer. He will

nent insurance market. As a result, our clients achieve quality of security and service

be sadly missed by all who knew him.

upon which we pride ourselves and a competitiveness of premium that our clients find

“Mick built up his business over the

years and has been working in the

particularly attractive in today's climate.

London Taxi trade for around twenty

Our philosophy is to build long-term relationships using balanced service teams pro-

years. He was extremely proud of his job

viding continuity and expertise. Compare our prices and give us a call. See our ad on

and that showed in the quality of his

page 18 inside this issue of Call Sign.

Phil Buchan, Hillier Buchan

work. Mick will be fondly remembered by

all those who knew him.”

01322 553313

Call Sign February 2016

Page 25

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

Brethren of the Whip

When cab driver William Ransom

the union representing the men on the other,

The

appeared at Hammersmith Police Court

agreed to a fixed set of daily rentals through-

charged with defaulting on his rental with his

out the year. From the Awards it can be

Kipper

master, he blamed “the Season” for being

deduced that the quietest period of the year

“As flat as a kipper,”

very bad. He had originally been paying

was from around mid-August to mid-October

usually sums up the

18shillings (90p) a day but as the cab-going

when the men were expected to pay 10s a day.

period

from

public moved away from the city, this was

The rental would gradually rise until peaking

Christmas to the

mutually dropped to 10s (50p) a day. Still,

at 16s a day at the beginning of June, where it

Chelsea Flower

Ransom could not pay and owed his master,

would remain for six weeks before dropping

Show in May. Times

Mr Gard, a total of £3. For his part, Gard

down until the third week in August.

change however and

admitted that times were difficult for the dri-

So ‘the work is as flat as a kipper,’ and ‘kip-

the Kipper seems to

vers with the Season ending abruptly in mid-

pers are all a cabman could afford to eat’, have

change with those times. Ten / fifteen years

July, which coincided with The Great Stink.

both been mooted at one time or another as

ago, December was non-stop throughout the

Ransom could not afford to pay his master

the derivation of the term, as has ‘it comes

day and night, now the work seems to die off

“another farthing” and in consequence was

from the Yiddish word for coppers (pennies) -

in the run-up to Christmas, so could it be that

imprisoned for 21 days.

kaperz’, which sounds even more feasible.

The Kipper now begins before the festive

In their Street Life in London (1877)

In one of his many columns under the pen-

period?

Thomson and Smith write that the daily

name of Jehu, Simon Hogan recalled how

And what about the Flower Show? For the

price of a rental in the dull season was on

when it was very quiet, many cabmen would

past few years, there does not appear to have

average 10s to 12s a day, but there were eight

supplement their income by sewing the spare

been any substantial increase in the work

price hikes during the year. If a cab was to

buttons for jackets onto pieces of card; when

after the show. There can be a few good

have a ‘wait and return’ to the Epsom Derby,

it was busy, they didn’t have to.

weeks in June, but come July and August, the

the master would want £2 with the driver

Last year, in an interview on the Robert

work completely dies off before picking up

charging the passenger the accepted rate of 3

Elms Show on BBC London, menswear

again in September for the run-up towards

guineas (£3 3s). They also stated that the

designer Paul Simon stated the people who

Christmas. Of course, there are some drivers

months of September and October were the

did this were paid slave wages and according

who will argue that we are in a permanent

quietest months of the year.

to the Jewish tailors who employed them,

Kipper and no doubt there are others who

In 1894, drivers went on strike over the

they were called “Kippers.”

will claim we have not had a Kipper since the

daily rental they had to pay. The matter was

And that’s why it’s the Kipper Season...

early 1990’s.

finally settled by the Home Secretary, Herbert

The Kipper is ephemeral, it moves

Asquith, with what became known as the

Sean Farrell (B39)

according to the tastes and wants of the

Asquith Awards. The masters on one side, with

Call Sign Online

cab travelling public. So what about the

Victorian Brethren of the Whip, when was

their Kipper?

It comes as no surprise that very few

LOSSES!

Victorian cabmen kept a daily record of their

takings - if they did, very few appear to have

Call Sign found it sad when hearing that San Francisco’s largest cab compa-

survived. We do, however, have the daily

ny, Yellow, was set to file for bankruptcy due in no small part to Uber and

Lyft. We know a few drivers working over there.

rental charged to the men for the hire of a

Then we heard of two other reports concerning serious losses and you would

cab and horse. If a cabman was expected to

assume that they were all down to Uber. But even they are losing a staggering

have a good day, then his master would put

amount and by the end of the first half of 2015 had lost almost $1 billion!

up his rental accordingly. The masters were

Those losses were up from $671.4 million in the previous half year but thanks to

quick to increase rentals when they saw fit,

their backers, they still had $4.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents in the bank

but always reticent at dropping it down.

as of June 2015. However, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is the latest to

announce a bill will be passed to put a halt to Uber Canada, promising to protect the integrity and commit-

When cab rental was low, drivers were not

ment of traditional Taxi drivers.

expected to earn much.

Then we heard about Hailo, which according to the company’s auditors, might only have enough cash

For the Victorian cabbie, the best time of the

to operate as a going concern for another three months. That report came with the company’s 2014

year was ‘The Season’ - which basically

accounts. Over the course of the year, Hailo’s parent company made a loss of £21.8m, with £11.8m of that

applied from April to mid-August, usually

loss coming from the company’s now-discontinued North American business. But Hailo’s operations in the

whilst Parliament was in session. When the MPs

UK in addition to Japan, Spain and Singapore still contributed more than £10m of losses over the year.

Hailo has now warned that to continue as a going concern, it will require a new round of fundraising with-

and Lords were in town, so was society, and

in the next three months. With further cost-cutting, it could survive a further 12 months.

when society was in town they used cabs. As

Hailo says it is confident it will be able to raise the funds needed and that they expect to receive further

late as May 1966, the editor of The Steering

funding in the near future. They added that in the unlikely event that further funding cannot be identified,

Wheel, Donna Bewley, commented that “...the

they would take any necessary steps to mitigate the risk of the business running out of cash in the foresee-

season is upon us…and a taxi-man’s life

able future.

becomes more varied and lucrative.”

Representing Hailo’s Auditors, Julian Frost said that they currently do not have any committed funding,

In 1858, the Season ended earlier than

nor have they committed to any further cost reductions. These conditions indicate the existence of a mater-

ial uncertainty that could cast significant doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.

usual. The summer heat created what became

Mr Frost added that Hailo’s directors acknowledged that to continue with the current cost base, the

known as The Great Stink when the Thames

group would require a further injection of funds within the next 3 months - or 12 months if further expen-

smelt so bad due to the pollution being

diture reductions are implemented - in order to provide ongoing working and growth capital.

pumped directly into it, that the House of

With all three major London radio circuits currently losing money, the reason seems fairly obvi-

Commons had to soak their curtains in lime

ous; greed! Companies see others earning money and attempt to jump on a bandwagon that

chloride in an attempt to mask the smell!

isn’t big enough to hold all of them and leaves everyone hanging onto the sides..

Call Sign February 2016

Page 26

ell me,

Another true story from Geoff Levene…

how is

that

Christmas

used to be

LIFE AT CHRISTMAS

two days and

now it’s two

weeks? Time

sunbeds. Val looked puzzled but never

be anywhere. As I say, we always have a nice

was

when

approached us again.

time there, but of course there was the Great

people would

There was an area for entertainment and

Tomato Ketchup incident...

work till the

one evening a band came to play. A large

We went down to breakfast one morning

24th,

cele-

Dutch party staying nearby came in to drink

and I decided to have the traditional Canarian

brate for two

and enjoy the music. Amongst them were

dish, Huevos y judegas con tostas - better

days and be

three women of a certain age who settled at a

known perhaps as eggs and beans on toast! I

back at their

table. I'll tell you how fanciable they were - I

took a plateful and headed back to our table.

desks on the

couldn't decide if they were prison guards or

The good lady wife grabbed the sauce and we

27th.Then

female weight-lifters!

sat down. A forkful of scrambled egg was

they'd work until New Year's Eve, party till

Now, staying on his own at the Hotel was

halfway to my mouth when an angry voice

God knows when and then stagger back on

an odd little German guy. During the day he

declared: “This is buffet! You no take ketchup

January 1st.

tended to wear cute little denim shorts while

to table. You leave for other guests.”

But gradually, they stopped turning up on

in the evening it was a denim shirt and jeans.

I looked up to see the Chinese head chef

New Years’ Day, Government bowed to pub-

He looked like a football supporter from the

standing over me. I should mention that I

lic pressure and declared it a Bank Holiday.

seventies, minus the scarf tied round his

had been a bit disappointed with some of the

The result was that many then took off the

wrist. Anyway, we watched him approach the

food so I said to him that I was glad he

days in between.

table and ask one of the three ladies to dance.

showed his face and that I wondered what he

Ok, fair enough. In fact I've always found

They looked at each other and burst out

thought of the evening menus. I complained

those few days to be quite busy. The stations

laughing. Not exactly encouraging for the

that some of it wasn’t up to standard.

run well with all those people who can't wait

Teutonic suitor, however one of them put

“You no like, you go to different hotel,” he

to get away from their families and get back

him out of his misery and stood up and they

yelled at me! Annoyed, I just told him to

to London - and on top of that, there aren't

began to jive on a raised area about three

“clear off” back to the kitchen where he

many drivers out there.

steps above ground level. As Herr Double

belonged! And dear Call Sign reader, I defi-

But over the past few years, a new situ-

Denim got more excited, his Dutch partner

nitely said ‘clear off’!

ation has arisen. The City seems by and

spun him round. And he spun and spun and

He stormed off and I went back to my now

large to pack it in a week BEFORE

spun right off the raised area and landed with

ketchupless breakfast, while the other guests

Christmas. This year it went dead on the

a sickening thud. The good lady wife gasped

stared open-mouthed. I complained and a

18th December. It may be my birthday

in horror but the Dutch women just looked

few days later a huge basket of fruit appeared

but it's hardly a national holiday. That's

down at him, burst out laughing again and

in our room. Trouble was we were going in a

what I mean about two weeks.

went back to their drinks. He crawled off and

few days and the chambermaid got most of it.

And we all know what happens once

that was the last we saw of him!

So the moral is this: Never take ketchup to

January begins. It goes quiet for at least a

The Guyarmina Princess is on the Costa

the table and if you are going to complain, do

couple of months before... it goes a little less

Adeje, that's the other end of the strip from

it early in the holiday...

quiet if we’re lucky! So it’s the perfect time

Los Cristianos. There isn't anything particu-

Geoff Levene (W32)

for a holiday. A bit of winter sun perhaps,

larly beautiful about the area, but if you’re

somewhere you can go out without a heavy

lying on your back reading, well, you could

Call Sign Online

coat and scarf. Somewhere you don't have to

worry about ranks stretching up Harewood

The London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled

Avenue, along Harrow Road or Vauxhall

Bridge Road.

Lunch at Millwall FC for LTBAWD

We like to go to the Canaries. The weather

is usually good and it’s not too far. So by the

In early December, The London Taxi Benevolent

time you read this, we'll be soaking up some

Association for War Disabled held a luncheon at Millwall

Football Club; this was to thank all our sponsors and a par-

heat at the Guyarmina Princess Hotel on

ticular group of veterans who have, over the year, collected

Tenerife. We've been there for the last few

money at various locations for the charity.

years and judging by the familiar faces I see

Guests began arriving at 11.15am, including Vice

there, it's popular with plenty of other drivers

Admiral Peter Wilkinson and Bob Gamble OBE from

in the trade. For a few years we went to Los

The Royal British Legion, with veterans arriving in

Cristianos and the Oasis Moreque, which is

taxis from London Bridge and Waterloo Stations. A num-

now part of the H10 chain (as per the one in

ber of drivers refused payment and the Committee can-

Waterloo Road). There were a couple of

not thank these drivers enough for their generosity, espe-

memorable incidents at the Oasis. The first

cially considering the lack of work on the streets.

morning we went down to the pool and Val,

The Secretary, Mr Paul Davis, welcomed everybody and

thanked them for their support over the years. Reverend

a Yorkshire woman, immediately button-

George Parson then said grace and lunch was

holed us. The first thing she told us was that

served. After lunch we were entertained by St Jude's

she was recovering from brain surgery. That

School Choir who sang Christmas Carols with everybody

should have been a clue and I shouldn't have

joining in. It was greatly appreciated and they received a rousing round of

been surprised at the strange things she said

applause; it was a really nice start to the Christmas period.

or did. But after a few days, she was making

Mr Ted Pieri is a WW2 veteran and at the age of 89 years recently made a parachute jump with

me feel that I was the one who needed the

the Red Devils Parachute Team! He raised £1700, which he donated to the Charity. This will

brain surgery. Basically, she was driving me

enable ten veterans to take part in a gliding day in 2016. National President of the Royal British

crazy... but how to avoid her?

Legion, Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, presented Ted with a certificate to thank him.

She regularly stationed herself by the

The President, Chairman, Officers and committee thank all the sponsors and drivers who

entrance to the pool area, so I devised a cun-

have supported the charity over the year and hope we can count on your continued sup-

ning plan. We would come out of the front

port for next year.

Derek Leone, LTBAWD Hon Press Officer

door, go round the block, enter through the

back gate and settle quietly onto our

Call Sign February 2016

Page 27

Mike Son is a

DaC Board

UK DRINK DRIVING STATISTICS

Member and

I believe this is a very convoluted method

also a former

to determine the penalty. Maybe a simpler

Magistrate.

way of deterring drink-drive offences should

Rather than

include both a heavy financial penalty - pos-

writing about

sibly a percentage of income -in addition to

the trade this

a custodial sentence.

month, Mike is

So here is my question: When will the UK

personalising

government bring in a zero alcohol policy

a driving sta-

for anyone driving any motorised vehicle?

tistic that ended in the death of a ballet

Many other countries have strict legislation

dancer. So often, the tragedy of people

that says if you drink, you cannot and must

like Jonathan Ollivier would just be

not drive.

part of a list of statistics...

Below is just one of many tragedies that

On average, 3,000 people are killed or

take place in London - even as this one

seriously injured each year in drink-drive

did, on a quiet Sunday morning...

Jonathan Ollivier: April 1977 - August 2015

collisions with almost one in six of all

Jonathan Ollivier was born on

deaths on the road involving drivers who

April 1977 in Northampton. He died on

is no allegation that the driver of the car

are over the legal alcohol limit.

9 August 2015 in Clerkenwell at the age

was driving while intoxicated.

The reason I write this piece is because I

The penalties for drink-driving related

of 38. Jonathan was a ballet dancer. He

offences in the UK are severe. One of the

leaves a wife, Desiré Samaai and two

met with one of the principle dancers who

most important factors determining the

young children.

performed at Jonathan’s memorial event

severity of sentences magistrates impose

On Sunday, 9 August

2015 Jonathan

which took place on 18 January at the

for drink-driving offences is based on the

Ollivier was killed in Clerkenwell, the victim

Sadler’s Wells Theatre. To the world,

Jonathan Ollivier is just another sad statis-

level of alcohol in an offender’s system at

of a collision between his motorcycle and a

the time of the offence.

car at a road junction fairly close to Sadler’s

tic. In reality he was a real person with a

Before magistrates decide on the appro-

Wells Theatre. He was on his way to that

real family and a real life.

priate sentence to impose, they will take into

theatre to prepare for his role in The Car

As you read this, the next time you see

account any relevant previous convictions as

Man, which was about to end a hugely suc-

statistics of road deaths, perhaps for a brief

moment you could think of Jonathan

well as any aggravating and/or mitigating fac-

cessful four-week summer season.

tors surrounding each individual case. They

On the day of the accident, the driver

Ollivier as an example of what a list of sta-

will also take into account the level of harm

of a black Mercedes car was arrested on

tistics really means...

that an offender caused or could have

suspicion of causing death by danger-

Mike Son

caused while committing the offence.

ous driving, although at this time there

DaC Board Member

✴

Stargazing!^✴✴

✴✴✴✴✴✴✴

✴

“I guess it goes with the job,” Eugene Fitzsimons (L09) told Call Sign, referring to the numerous celebrities he has

taken around town in his taxi. “There was Tilda Swinton, the lady who played the Ice Queen in the TV series Chronicles

of Nania. I stopped for her and her family in Drayton Gardens and took them to the Haymarket Theatre to see a

show. I recognised her immediately, but it took me a few minutes to put a name to her face,” he admitted.

“On another occasion I stopped in Bryanston Square for someone I recognised instantly. There’s no mistaking come-

dienne and author Dawn French for anyone else is there! We went to Haymarket to collect some dry-cleaning before

heading back to Bryanston Square. She is a very funny lady and made me chuckle as we chatted amiably throughout the

journey.

“Then there was tough guy actor, James Cockburn,” Eugene recalled. “I took him from Harrods to outfitters

Huntsman in Savile Row. He explained that he and his wife were travelling to Scotland and she had advised him to

get a warm jacket - so that’s what we did! As he paid me off, I couldn’t help but notice his large, aged hands and fin-

gers. I think I read somewhere that he suffered with arthritis.”

James Cockburn died in 2002 and severe arthritis prevented his movie career from progressing during his later years. He

made around 70 films including many westerns and the Our Man Flint spy series.

Continuing the Eugene Hall Of Fame membership list, we moved on to the amazing Peter Ustinov. “He was an interesting passenger,” said Eugene

now in a quite matter-of-fact voice! “I collected him and his daughter from the Berkeley Hotel and during the journey he constantly asked me ques-

tions about the taxi trade. As I set him down, he asked me to take his daughter onto her home in Barnes. On the way, she sounded almost apologetic

that her father had bombarded me with questions, but explained that he was always interested in doing research for parts he might play in a film and

so, to him, it was all useful information in possibly bringing reality to a role. I told her I was honoured to be of help and looked forward to the day

when I saw him playing the character of a cab driver and I could then boast to my children that I taught him about our trade!” Eugene laughed at the

memory before adding that both father and daughter had been such lovely people. Sadly Peter Ustinov died in 2004.

“Do you remember that brilliant TV series The Good Life,” Eugene asked this Call Sign journo. “Well, I took Richard Briers home to Chiswick and

asked him what it was like working with his co-star and Dial-a-Cab regular, Felicity Kendall. He said simply that she was a real character and by

chance, sometime later I actually picked up the lady herself, taking her from a theatre where she was working to her home in Chelsea - not far from

the late David Frost’s house. It was a real loss when Richard Briers passed away in 2013.

“I could say something nice about actor Hugh Grant… but I won’t! I must have caught him on a bad day as I recall he was going through a tough

time with the media around that time. Also many years ago and on a lighter note, there was Jean Boht who played Nellie Boswell in Carla Lane’s

brilliant TV series Bread. She had been shopping in the West End and on the way back to her Barnes home we spoke on a number of different topics.

But feeling decidedly naughty as we passed Harrods, I persuaded her to shout out her Bread catchphrase of You Tart to people walking along the

street. Amazingly, she agreed, rolled the cab window down, popped her head out and bellowed it out for the world to hear once again! I saw the look

of surprise on the faces of pedestrians as we drove by!” Eugene laughed uproariously as he recalled the ‘balls’ he must have displayed in daring to ask

her!

“A bit of rock ‘n roll next when I picked up The Who’s’ Roger Daltry from Denmark Street to take him to a regular DaC destination of some years

ago, the BBC studios in Maida Vale. He asked me about the London music scene and if I had been to any music venues. He said he visited the 100

Club in Oxford Street, but couldn’t really go clubbing because of the attention his appearance brought. But he did say there was an up and coming

band I should watch out for called The Black Eyed Peas with a new young singer called William Adams who went by the name of Will-I-Am!

With that, Eugene Fitzsimons left the building and left me starstruck!

Baghwat Singh, Call Sign Online

Call Sign February 2016

Page 28

a v i d

Hughes

(A73) is

UBER BUSINESS PRACTICES

one of

Dial-a-Cab’s

A DaC driver asks his MP for answers...

longest serving

drivers and who in

April 2015, to ensure multinational companies

that Mayor Boris Johnson has called on

2017 will have

paid the right amount of UK tax. These initia-

Transport for London to be given the power

been with the

tives were all listed in a recent PQ on the

to cap PHV numbers.

Society for forty

Government’s efforts (PQ14328, 10 November

In a May 2015 article, the Evening Standard

years. Throughout

2015). If you need it, there is more detail on the

reported: Speaking to LBC this morning, Mayor

all those years, he

new Diverted Profits Tax published by HMRC.

Boris Johnson said: “I'd like to talk about the

has never been

As regards Uber themselves, the compa-

congestion threat caused by the massive

afraid of getting involved in any politics

ny have argued that they are making con-

increase in minicabs. Your listeners may be

that affect this trade. This time David wrote

siderable capital investments, which sub-

aware of this as you'll have seen it around you.

to his local MP about Uber business prac-

stantially reduce their taxable profits. For

In the last 18 months, they have gone up by 18%.

tices and specifically mentioned that Uber

example, see: ‘Uber pays £22,000 tax on

They've leapt from 65,000 minicabs to 76,000

£866,000 UK profit’ from The Guardian, 20

minicabs - and it's growing at the rate of about

does not pay UK taxes, its drivers do not

October 2015. One further point would be

1,000 a month. What we're proposing is that you

have proper insurance and that it is having

that self-employed individuals who use the

need to have some legislation and I'll be looking

a negative impact on the UK taxi industry.

Uber app to offer their driving services, will

to take that forward to restrict the number of

His MP has now replied in a private capaci-

be paying tax on the income they make

minicabs that can come on the streets.”

ty using the HoC library service, but David

from their trade.

There are still 25,000 black cabs in the capi-

has given Call Sign permission to publish,

tal, but the decline in new recruits means Uber

although we have not mentioned his MPs

Insurance

drivers could soon outnumber the traditional

name...

The constituent (David) had a further griev-

taxi drivers, as has happened in New York. The

ance against Uber, namely that whereas taxi

15 May 2015 Evening Standard wrote: “Mayor

The answer to David

drivers have to take out Hire & Reward insur-

plans to curb number of minicabs in London

There are long-standing concerns about the

ance, Uber drivers do not. It is the case that

amid drop in new black taxi recruits.”

ability of Uber and other multinationals offer-

Uber drivers do not take out specific carriage

However, the Government has not shown

ing digital services - such as Amazon, Facebook

insurance (other than Uber’s own policy,

much inclination to legislate for this. In a

and Google - to avoid corporate tax not just in

which covers some of the same ground) but I

debate on London Black Cabs in September

the UK, but in many of the countries they sup-

have found it surprisingly difficult to ascertain

2015, the Minister, Andrew Jones, said:

ply services. It has been clear for some time

whether it is true that taxi drivers have to take

* “… there is currently no legislation in

that the international tax system established

out H&R insurance. I have consulted various

London, or anywhere else in England and

almost a century ago is under severe pressure

sources but no answer has been either con-

Wales to allow the number of private hire vehi-

from globalisation and technological change.

vincing or unambiguous. Further research is

cles to be limited. Equally, officials are working

In a paper* on reforming the system published

ongoing.

closely with TfL on whether legislation needs to

in 2014, HM Treasury looked at the ways in

All drivers, regardless of whether they are

change—we need to consider that issue and

which multinationals had been able to exploit

taxi operators or not, are required, by

develop the required evidence. The situation is

the interaction between national tax systems to

virtue of section 143 of the Road Traffic

changing rapidly due to the numbers but as

avoid tax, including “...using structures or new

Act 1988, as amended, to have third party

things stand, there is no legislation in place.”

technologies to minimise the need for a physi-

insurance (or security bond equivalent),

(HC Deb 15 September 2015, c239WH).

cal presence within a tax jurisdiction, or to

however, there are no separate insurance

The PHV industry beyond Uber and taxis,

deliver certain functions from another geo-

provisions for taxis which would disadvan-

particularly in London, obviously oppose a

graphical location. This enables a business to

tage them as compared to Uber drivers.

new competitor into the market and the ques-

ensure that the level of its activities does not

create a permanent establishment and there-

tion of whether Uber is crowding out tradi-

fore a taxable presence in a jurisdiction where

Impact on the UK taxi

tional services will be a fraught one over the

it is not resident.”

next couple of years. It may indeed be only the

industry

*HM Treasury: Tackling aggressive tax

first of a new wave of remote operators using

Finally, the constituent states that Uber has

planning in the global economy: UK prior-

app technology. A cap would help to deal with

“bullied” its way into the UK market “...totally

ities for the G20-OECD project for counter-

issues of congestion and possible over-supply,

ignoring the rules that currently apply to every-

ing Base Erosion and Profit Shifting,

but there is no obvious reason as to why Uber

body else; in doing so they've driven down the

March 2014 (page 5).

would suffer from this more than any other

incomes of tens of thousands of taxi and mini-

PHV company (other than the sheer volume of

The Treasury paper was the Government’s

cab drivers.”

drivers it has on the roads) - a cap could not be

submission to the so-called ‘Base Erosion &

Uber operates in 11 metropolitan areas of

seen to be directed specifically at a single com-

Profit Shifting’ (BEPS) initiative - which is an

the UK, namely Birmingham, Bristol,

pany, it would apply to all. The traditional argu-

international effort to tackle this problem. In

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London,

ment against caps has always been that the

October 2014, the Chancellor attending a

Manchester,

Merseyside,

Newcastle,

market tackles oversupply - if (usually self-

meeting of G20 Finance Ministers to discuss a

Portsmouth and Sheffield. In all of these areas

employed) drivers cannot make money by dri-

series of recommendations by the OECD to

Uber is licenced as a PHV operator and any dri-

ving, they will cease.

clampdown on this tax avoidance and as Mr

ver using the Uber app to operate a PHV ser-

Where individual Uber drivers are seen to be

Osborne said, the Government is to “...take

vice has to be individually licensed as a driver.

behaving in an illegal, disreputable or other-

new steps to introduce these new internation-

It is up to individual local licensing authorities

wise unfavourable manner, both the company

al rules into our domestic tax laws.” (HM

to decide whether applicants meet the relevant

itself and the licensing authorities have an

Treasury press notice, 9 October 2015). In addi-

requirements to be licensed. Licensing require-

interest in ensuring they are disciplined and/or

tion to this, in March last year HMRC

ments are the same for Uber as an operator

stripped of their licence. If one sees a PHV dri-

announced it was taking forward an initiative

and drivers who use its app, as they are for any

ver behaving in such a way, one should try to

to share information with other tax authorities

other PHV applicant.

make a note of their badge number and report

to tackle the particular risks posed by digital

The most recent statistics show that the

it to the local licensing authority...

multinationals (HMRC press notice, 25 March

growth in PHVs and drivers over the past two

2015). Further to this, last year the Government

years has largely been driven by London

* Since that statement, Andrew Jones has said

announced unilateral action to counter the use

(which accounts for about 35% of all licensed

that Her Majesty’s Government have no inten-

of aggressive tax planning with the introduc-

vehicles). London is clearly where the effects of

tion of bringing legislation to cap private hire

tion of a new ‘Diverted Profits Tax’ (DPT) from

Uber are being most strongly felt to the point

numbers...

Call Sign February 2016

Page 29

When Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher found a

Blackberry cell phone on the rear seat of his

taxi after dropping a passenger in Dalston, he

Missing

handed it in to his local Upminster police sta-

tion as ‘property found in a cab’ and was duly

given a slip of paper to present to the Lost

Property Office in London. It contained the

usual bumph that should the item not be

without trace...

claimed within the statutory full three

ing MI5 at Vauxhall would not be much more

months after the property was deposited at a

police station, then it would be returned to

difficult because when visiting Baker Street, you

have to show your badge to the camera above

that person (or an agent) if collected within

14 days.

the shutter door before they even let you into

the building, and then security cameras follow

Time went by and the slip of paper was

presented to the Lost Property Office in

your every move.

The LPO take personal detail security very

Baker Street. But try as they might using

details gleaned from the original police

seriously, which is why you are likely to receive

a monetary award on a prescribed scale for

receipt, the item could not be found at the

LPO. The helpful staff explained that vans go

items that are quite probably full of personal

data such as laptops, cell phones, tablets etc

around to all the railway, bus and police sta-

tions every night collecting property that

rather than the item itself.

If you are unable to visit the LPO in person,

people have left behind while travelling

around London.

ensure you clearly sign the original receipt

authorising your nominated agent to claim

All property is put into sealed bags

before transit to the LPO and each seal is

the artefact on your behalf.

Lost brollys at the LPO

And the fate of Alan Fishers’ lost prop-

numbered for security purposes.

In the case of ‘property found in a cab’,

erty? In fact, it had been reclaimed from

the police station by the passenger just

when the driver hands in such property

are placed in a sealed bag in your pres-

(always assuming you can actually find a

hours after Mr Fisher had deposited it and

ence before leaving the police station.

was not included in the overnight bag col-

police station that is open) he or she should

You may also choose to discreetly note

provide where possible, such details of the

lection. Hence, no trace at the LPO.

the shoulder number of the receiving

Alan commented to this reporter:

journey as to allow the rightful owner of that

police officer.

property to legitimately re-claim their prop-

“Whoever collected it from Upminster within

When the bags are unloaded at the LPO, the

such a short period after losing it in Dalston

erty by also providing similar details, always

first thing they do is to record the serial number

assuming they know where they lost it!

was luckier than me. I had to go to the police

of each sealed bag even before it is opened and

station four times before finding it open the

Equally, you will be expected to provide per-

only then note the origin of the bag and its’ con-

sonal details such as your name and Badge

following day!

tents. Only LPO staff are allowed to break the

“And how they knew it was in Upminster

number etc.

seals on the bags. These ‘lost’ items are entered

So it is in the best interests of the taxi

Police Station classifies as a modern day mir-

onto the computer system with a description

acle!”

driver to note that the item being deposit-

and stored in a highly secure location within

ed is given an accurate description, any

the LPO with access limited to specially autho-

serial numbers are recorded and most

Alan Green

rised staff only. We got the impression that visit-

importantly, the item(s) being handed in

Call Sign Online

Driverless cars closer!

We’ve heard about

Google testing driver-

Why are we

not surprised!

less cars in the

California desert, but

now Seoul National

We’ve heard

University in South

the stories that

Korea is testing a type

many Uber dri-

of “taxi” they claim

vers have such

can pick up and trans-

a poor under-

port passengers with-

standing of

out a human driver.

Basic English

Seo Seung-Woo,

that they are

director of the

Intelligent Vehicle IT

taking chil-

Research Centre says

dren out to

the university has been testing the driverless

“work” with

vehicle to transport disabled students around the campus.

them so that

The vehicle, called Snuber, has been navigating the 444,200 square foot

they can translate what the passengers - and

campus for the past six months without any accidents. It works in con-

equally as important to them - what their satnavs are say-

junction with a hailing app created by the university and uses a turret on

ing! In truth, that seemed a bit far-fetched, even for a

its roof with a scanner to search out road conditions. However, it is not

considered safe enough to drive off-campus and is limited to 18mph.

bunch of people who are so bad that they have almost

There are no traffic lights but Snuber has been programmed to search

acquired a cult following! See Editor on page 3...

for other challenges such as stop signs and pedestrian crossings. It applies

a brake at those and can scan other lanes to detect vehicles travelling

But thanks to Dial-a-Cab Account Manager, Jeni

from the opposite direction if it needs to overtake. If there is nothing

Albert, we have this Twitter screenshot showing

coming, the Snuber moves into the oncoming lane to pass the vehicle.

exactly that - an Uber driver with a child in the front

Meanwhile, South Korea’s largest carmaker, Hyundai, said it doesn’t

with him doing the translating!

expect to roll out fully automated cars until at least 2030.

Call Sign February 2016

Page 30

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at

Society on paper, which would obviously

be taken into account should there be a

Dial-a-Cab House

sale because the Society would be worth

or email us at

more than what the fixed assets showed

callsignmag@aol.com

in our figures.

So in your hypothetical case, if your

I remember...

house is worth £300k on paper and you

Dear Al

lose £100k and you then borrow £100k,

With regard to your article in the December

your asset value is £200k, because you

Call Sign about the high price of our fares,

have taken some of the equity from your

app companies apparently continue to

I remember the first ride I ever did. It was

property to offset the £100k borrowed.

grow their business? I’m sure most DaC dri-

back in 1962 when the “drop” was 1/9 (9p

However, since you bought your house,

vers have been asked by a passenger if they

in today’s money) and my customer grum-

the value had increased to £500k, but you

are on Hailo. Many will say no, yet these

bled about our high fares. So nothing has

have never had it valued, then your asset

Hailo customers remain loyal to them even

really changed because whatever the fares

value is really £400k. But everything has

when, so I’m told, Hailo or other app sup-

are, the customers will always grumble -

to be valued to realise the true figure and

pliers don’t even always supply a taxi! Is

probably even if the fares were nothing!

you would have that done if your circum-

this because they are cheaper than a DaC

Unfortunately we will never be able to

stances changed or you decided to move

account taxi? Their coverage must be

please everyone. I keep hearing how cheap

properties. I hope I have answered your

improving all the time as private hire take

Uber are but my young cousin took an

question to your satisfaction Stephen and

our work from the streets. Some app taxi

Uber car from W1 to Elstree, Herts and the

not just confused the situation!

suppliers even tried supplying minicabs,

fare, would you believe, was

£160! He

yet most of their customers didn’t want

assured me that was the case, so are our

I don’t want fixed prices!

that. These taxi app companies all have

fares high? Hmmmm...

Hi Al

ambitions to increase their corporate

Gerald Webber (E11)

I write this letter to Call Sign in response to

share. Many DaC customers tell me they

Taxi drivers never moan Gerald; we just

Keith Cain’s reply to my last letter in the

love our taxis and our drivers but still use a

have strong opinions that happen to

January issue about reducing journey costs

car company for airport trips because they

always be right ...Ed

for this Kipper season and maybe the future.

are cheaper. These customers are corpo-

This is not a personal attack on Keith or our

rate and personal accounts, many complain

Collateral

BoM, although I assume that Keith’s view

about having to pay extra to have a taxi at

Dear Alan

reflects the BoM’s view and policy on fare

their front door. DaC has many loyal Taxi

Can I ask a question? Are the Board of

pricing. Reading Keith’s reply, it would

preferring customers, but I see their loyalty

Management allowed to use collateral from

appear that he feels we must accept reduced

being tested by other taxi suppliers. So why

the building to cover any DaC losses

fixed price fares to survive and hope for a

not pre-empt that and try no run-ins and

accrued during this or any financial year? If

change in Taxi trade fortunes! I’m sorry, but

no admin charges for longer journeys

I were to make a loss then I could re-mort-

we have all been Ubered and our trade has

before our app rivals tempt our customers

gage my house to cover losses and it would

changed forever. I believe reduced fixed

away? Coverage won’t suffer if the driver

be used as collateral. Could the BoM do the

price trips mean 20% below the expected

gets the metered fare minus 7.5% subs for

same with the building?

meter fare, no run-in and no gratuity; does

a longer trip. I believe one of our Mayfair

Stephen Field (F99)

that mean 27% below meter fare once our

accounts is using Gett for Heathrow and

Brian Rice replies: I believe I under-

subs of 7.5% have been deducted (many dri-

DaC for other trips. If you were going to

stand what you are saying Stephen; we

vers have complained about these trips)? Yet

Heathrow or out of town, would you want

would treat the situation slightly differ-

Keith writes in his reply that a quote for a

to pay £4.20 + waiting time + gratuity +

ently to what you are suggesting

smaller account has two car companies offer-

admin and booking fees on top of the

because fortunately for the Society, we

ing 20% cheaper than us! These account

meter fare when others don’t charge that?

do not have any debt to service or

companies will still pay a minimal booking

What about cash paying DaC riders; they

indeed any mortgage. I believe what

fee, but if it’s that minimal why charge it at

pay a £2 booking fee and our credit card

you are asking is that because the

all? We will never compete on price with

customers an extra 10% for the privilege of

Society’s office building is accruing

minicabs. Fact! So why bother?

riding in a DaC taxi? Do we offer

value, can that be offset against any

I think reduced FP trips - ‘skinny’ fares for

reduced/discounted fares to credit card

losses? Well the simple answer is that

want of a better word - will be detrimental to

and cash paying customers? What about

we would have to get the building reval-

coverage. I don’t think I would want to run

Credit Card bookings from October with

ued to increase the fixed asset value of

from Chelsea to pick up in Putney to take a

only 3% handling fees? We might as well

the Society and I am told that once this

Skinny fare to the City in the morning rush

start now and try to gain some market

has been done, it is an exercise that is

hour when it’s a little busy on the street…

share rather than lose any regulars when

then required by HRMC on an annual

would you? So will these corporates all

they see it cheaper elsewhere.

basis - an expensive exercise that would

become Uber riders because no one can

I don’t think booking fees and run-ins

only increase our fixed asset value on

compete with their prices? Drivers are com-

are sustainable in the long term; I wonder

paper. If our situation were to change in

plaining about fixed price to LHR even at this

what the BoM’s view is on this and if our

the future, then of course the building

time of year. There’s nothing wrong with

policy on drivers with rental taxis and/or if

would be valued to obtain the ‘true’

cheap fixed price to airports and beyond the

we should seek yellow badge drivers in

fixed asset value of the Society.

M25, but SW postcode to the City? No! Fixed

problem coverage areas such as South West

So in a nutshell Stephen, from when I

prices at busy traffic times won't be covered -

London? If we can’t be competitive with

purchased our building for £3.7million,

to the detriment of DaC. Many drivers reject

service and prices within our own trade,

during the intervening years the value

W4 to WC1 for £36 in the mornings, so why

how are we going to retain existing cus-

has increased to approximately £9mil-

a booking fee on these trips? Surely we need

tomers and attract new customers?

lion (educated guess) but that increase

a larger volume of work and more drivers to

I’d also be interested on the views of

would only be realised if the building

make DaC profitable, instead of booking fees

Society members? Meanwhile, fingers

were to be valued and that would then

on every trip?

crossed for a roader…

increase the fixed asset value of the

How is it that Hailo, Gett and other taxi

Jon Robinson (E88)

Call Sign February 2016

Page 31

Mailshot

fixed prices, yet when I make an occa-

I want fixed prices!

sional trip upstairs to the Contact Centre

Hi Alan

or even speak to a Board Member, they

In the last issue of Call Sign, Keith Cain

give me examples of roaders where dri-

commented on a letter from Jon Robinson

vers have accepted a fixed price but then

(E88). What he ended up saying was that to

complain that it went much more on the

GPS as reported in the last Call Sign, when

get more business we need to offer fixed

meter. It’s all very well looking to offload

I was at Roman Way today (6 January), I was

prices, no gratuities and no run-ins. That's

blame, but if even the drivers can’t agree

told that the switchover was not in sight

good thinking. The annoying thing is that

on the best way forward, then how can

and the fitter had no idea why it was given

in the depths of the recession, a succession

anyone reach the right decision.

such prominent publicity so early.

of drivers (me included) suggested the

Keith Cain has written about the above

Laurence Kelvin (W88)

same thing. And each time a Board Member

two letters inside this issue and other

Dear Laurence, no one has asked me to

took his head out of the sand long enough

Board members will probably broach the

hold back on anything! They never do

to say that we can't offer lower prices

subject in future editions. The problem is

because Call Sign is uncensored except

because when things got busier customers

that no one can agree with both and I sus-

by me. Brian Rice, as Chairman, sees a

would expect the same deal. Well yes, they

pect that drivers are split fairly evenly

copy just before it gets printed and

will. Isn’t that what they call market forces?

with both too! ...Ed

other than possibly spotting a typo,

Now, at long last, it seems the BoM have

very rarely comments on the actual con-

realised that things must change. But I fear

Uber and insurance...

tents. My problem was that lengthy

it's too little too late. I just heard a strange

Hi Alan

responses from Joe and Garry would

noise. It was a bolt sliding into place as a

It seems there is a big loophole involving Uber

mean putting them in twice - last

horse thunders away...

drivers - especially considering the way they

month and then next month in an AGM

Geoff Levene (W32J)

drive (January Call Sign - A day in the life of

report - assuming they are asked. There

I’ve been doing this job (editing) for a

Uber). That is the apparent cancelling of Hire

was nothing sinister about it; I just try

long time now - but nowhere near as

and Reward insurance back to a normal poli-

to make Call Sign as interesting as I can.

long as I’ve been driving a cab. So yes, I

cy to save money after they have registered

Depending on the available stories out

know exactly what’s being said and the

with Uber. I wonder how widespread it is and

there it isn’t always possible to fill every

two above letters probably cover most

whether LTPH have a way of checking?

page with totally fascinating stuff! But

views between them. Jon doesn’t want

On a similar topic, l also read an article by

putting the same stories in twice within

fixed prices because those in town trips

Matthew Norman in The Independent

three months would result in drivers

won’t get covered, whereas Geoff does

where he wrote how wonderfully cheap Uber

asking why! But you will probably be

want them and has been saying so for

pleased to know that regardless of

was and how black cabs were finished etc. So

some time. Both have views that make

whether Joe and Garry are asked the

I sent him an email. In it I wrote: “I think you

sense to them and to many drivers out

question at next month’s meeting, they

should move to New York where the Uber cabs

there, yet both disagree on how we

are both scheduled to write columns in

are even cheaper than London. But just

should go about getting accounts to

the next issue anyway.

remember that those guys are struggling on

come back. Jon says that drivers don’t

As for the GPS, I believe that the fitter

less than the minimum wage - but I expect you

want W4 to WC1 for £36 in the morn-

shop in Primark and buy your pizzas in

is wrong. I've had the latest upgrade

ings. I assume Geoff disagrees if it

which allows me to switch to VAD and

Dominos. Rubbish products - just like the

means the customer uses us.

garbage you pedal...”

which I have done occasionally when

I haven’t worked a day shift for over

showing other drivers how the GPS part

David Heath (Ex W27)

20 years, so have no idea as to what the

Hove, East Sussex

works. But several others are actually

traffic is like and how much the fare

I’m afraid I don’t have an answer re Hire

testing the system with trips, so GPS

would normally go. But if I was within

and Reward insurance, David, and I

will come fairly soon - albeit with just

10 minutes or so of the pick-up and was

would think it to be an impossibility to

100 drivers at a time going over in case

offered it, I think I’d jump on it even if

check every single driver. However, if the

of problems.

it wasn’t quiet out there. How much

tout squad set up traps around town just

I personally believe that once up and

would it go if it was the meter with no

for Uber, I suspect that the word would

running it will offer drivers work they

run-in, no gratuity and no admin

soon get around. Sadly there isn’t a hope

might not have got before, because

charge? Well the customer would save

in hell of them doing that ...Ed

speaking with my driver’s hat on, we’ll

£1.80 on the run-in and assuming they

all be in the right zones and probably be

paid a gratuity, another 10% on the

Where’s the answer?

offered work in zones that we perhaps

total. Would there be a huge difference

Dear Alan,

would not normally book into out of

between the two? Well without knowing

At the end of November I sent you a letter

fear! Time will tell.

what the fare goes on the meter, I can’t

which you kindly published in the January

Re any merger, it seems unlikely to me

work it out. But, and it’s a big but, cus-

issue of Call Sign. I raised three specific top-

because so far as I know (and I haven’t

tomers want fixed prices and probably

ics; radio signals, plans for Dial-a-Cab and

signed any confidentiality contracts)

couldn’t give a stuffed hoot as to

issues relating to a possible merger. There

RTG have yet to respond to DaC’s pro-

whether drivers like them or not. I’m

was also a request for information about any

posals sent last year. These were in

old enough to remember when we held

practical suggestions from the two most

response to theirs, which were apparent-

the whip hand and clients had no

recent Board Members. You said that as we

ly unacceptable to us, so there was noth-

choice other than to pay what we asked.

were near an AGM, it would be better if I

ing to report - and unless something is

The shoe is now firmly on the other foot

raised these questions then. This means most

being conducted in true MI5 fashion,

and we either give them what they want

members will not be able to find out any of

then there still isn't. I suppose it’s possi-

or they go elsewhere. Liking us is no

the answers till the March issue of Call

ble that they just aren’t telling me in case

longer an important factor.

Sign. I was wondering if any Board Member

I tell anyone else...as if! But of course, if

Yet Jon is right when he writes of cov-

has had a gentle written or spoken word with

I did tell anyone else I would also tell

erage involving fixed prices. Geoff and

you asking for questions to be put on the

them not to tell anyone but if they did,

many other drivers used to write to Call

back burner?

they should tell them not to tell anyone!

Sign and say that we should try more

As regards the radio signals and move to

But you never know ...Ed