Call Sign October 2016

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Living in the real world?

two security guards asking every passing cab how

If you were to read this issue of Call Sign and

they could contact the TfL lost property depart-

knew nothing about the taxi business, you might

ment! As I pulled up, he recognised me and I was

wonder why we are having such a serious bash at

ready for a dressing down. But no; he immediate-

Transport for London. The answer has to be

ly apologised for being so long and when I

because we cannot understand most of their deci-

explained that I had assumed he’d done a bunk,

sions and often wonder if they live in the real

he understood and gushed out thanks through-

world. The one with regard to PEDs being moved

out the rest of the trip to his hotel. I explained

to the back of the cab - albeit moved to 1st

that there had been almost £25 on the meter and

January - with all the safety issues it involves must

he told me not to worry. When we arrived, there

be a total puzzle. But it isn’t just that.

was £9 on the hickory and I asked him for £34

On August 30, a memo was sent out saying

while at the same time trying to explain again why

that the Consultation on the state of London’s

I had driven off. I didn’t need to. He gave me £35

traffic was on the verge of closing. The memo

and as I was about to get his £1 change - relieved

gave a closing date of September 1 although it

that I hadn’t been bilked - he put another £30 into

said they would take into consideration any

it will go ahead based on those figures.

my hand!

replies up to September 16. Call me silly, but

An estimated 9,500 Londoners are killed

So including the passenger who found the bags

that sounded like it closed on the 16th.

each year by long-term exposure to fine par-

and the extra £30, the trip I felt certain was my

Ok, let’s overlook that rather silly point and look

ticulates and nitrogen dioxide, so can we now

first bilk in yonks actually earned me £74 and in

at TfL’s reasoning as to why traffic has deteriorated

expect that to increase and for it to be our

under an hour! I won’t bother looking for sympa-

so badly. They claim: “Following a long period of

fault - after all, most things are...

thy by telling you how awful the rest of the day

relative stability, London’s roads have been get-

was, but the almost-Shakespearean phrase of ‘to

To bilk or not to bilk - that is

ting steadily busier and more congested for at

bilk or not to bilk’ certainly sprang to mind!

least the last two years. Traffic speeds are falling

the question...

and journey times getting longer, bringing an eco-

I’m not sure if I’m just lucky or that you have to

New cab concern?

nomic cost to London and increasing pollution.

be really unlucky to catch a deliberate bilker.

This trade can only survive if drivers buy new

All parts of London’s road network, central,

You read about it happening and for the driver

taxis. Even if every driver bought a new taxi today

inner and outer, are considered to be congested.”

concerned, it can be soul destroying if you’ve

and kept it, then the trade would be dead in 15

Sounds about right, so let’s look at the reasons

had a really tough day and then when you finally

years unless they sold them and bought another.

TfL claim are causing the problems. According to

trap a good job, they run off. In 46 years, I’ve

It needs to be an ongoing process, so the latest

our licensing authority, they come down to more

had a few but too few to even attempt to work

figures do concern me.

vehicles using London’s roads without a corre-

out a percentage of them - and that includes a

My view on the Vito is well known. I think it is

sponding increase in road space! So did they pay

trip to Manchester many years ago; but that’s

a lovely vehicle to drive but it just doesn’t look

a consultancy firm to come up with that ridicu-

for another day.

like a taxi. However, drivers must like it because

lous piece of working out? They continue by

Like we all probably have, I’ve voluntarily

there are a large number of them out there and

adding that that some road space has been closed

decreased a fare because of circumstance. In

regular users now know they are there and hail

to motor vehicles to make space - either tem-

the old days very few drivers took money

them - which is why the 2016 figures disturb me.

porarily for roadworks or permanently for

from nurses, soldiers or Chelsea Pensioners.

From January up until July of this year, a total

upgrades such as widened pedestrian areas or the

Nowadays it’s probably just the latter group

of 456 new cabs were sold. Of those, the total

Cycle Superhighways.

in their distinctive red tunics who still get that

number of Vitos came to zero, with all 456 cabs

Well swipe me down with a rolled up copy

benefit. The other two earn more than we do!

being London Taxi Company TX4s.

of the Radio Times! The Cycle Superhighways

But last week I picked up someone at South

I love my TX4, but I still hope the Vito figures

BEGAN THEIR BUILDING WORK AROUND

Kensington who asked for an hotel in

pick up because I want this trade to continue long

TWO YEARS AGO! What a coincidence!

Bayswater. A few minutes after getting in, he

after I hang up my Badge and take it easy...

The London Assembly will be investigating

asked if we could stop at the large Sainsbury’s in

the situation and ask the Mayor and TfL what they

Cromwell Road and that he would definitely be

All-out war!

can do to reduce the level of traffic congestion in

no longer than 5 minutes. As I said earlier, I

The purchase of Brunel by French company

London? A five word answer: Get rid of bike

haven’t had a bilk for so long that I can’t actually

Europcar on September 7 does worry me - yes, I

lanes! To assist the LA committee that many of us

remember that last occasion, so with just £7 on

worry about everything nowadays! Addison Lee

feel is the only chance this trade has, take a trip to

the meter I took a chance and didn’t ask him to

already buys up anything on four wheels that has

Lower Thames Street outside of peak hour trav-

leave something as a sign of good faith (we all

a reasonable name as a private hire company,

el and look at bike lanes in action and the traffic

know what that means in taxi lingo).

while MyTaxi, who recently swallowed up Hailo,

they cause.

After 10 minutes, I got out and had a look

are on the prowl for taxi firms and drivers pre-

around the large store but couldn’t see him and

pared to work cheaply. Taxi.eu hasn’t touched

And the result is?

it was only then that I noticed the side door. I

the UK yet but has a presence in 13 countries and

Having correctly stated that the reason for con-

think I was more upset that it had happened

is obviously looking this way. They are all chasing

gestion is due to road space being closed thanks

rather than the loss of money, because it broke

the Uber effect.

to roadworks and Cycle Superhighways, Call

my duck. I decided to give it another 10 min-

It looks as though most now believe - perhaps

Sign readers won’t be surprised to read that TfL

utes and took out a copy of the Evening

correctly - that the U-men will only be stopped by

are to press ahead with a new cycle route follow-

Standard. When I looked at the time again, a

a company or companies of equal size to Travis

ing yet another consultation. This one is the

further 15 minutes had passed and there was

Kalanick’s ‘out of wedlock’ baby boy.

North-South Cycle Superhighway running

around £24 on the meter! I wiped my mouth

Dial-a-Cab in its current form is on the way out,

from the Elephant and Castle to King’s Cross

and reset the meter, went into Gloucester

but the saddest part is that there is very little in the

and it will cause carnage! According to TfL, the

Road and trapped by the station. He was going

way of prospects for future small licensed taxi cir-

route will provide major benefits for pedestrians

literally down the road to Elm Park Gardens.

cuits because size obviously matters in this sphere.

as well as cyclists. Are those benefits going to be

Suddenly he called out to ask if I knew that

So, what concerns me now is what would hap-

in the form of increased fine particulates

there were two bags from Harrods on the floor!

pen if Addison Lee makes an offer for DaC? Or

(PM2.5) to breathe in? Farringdon Street is

I told him that they must have come from the

much worse; what if Uber came in and offered

already one of the most congested roads in

previous passenger and he brought them round

every DaC driver a fortune to sign up but that

London with appalling air pollution.

to the front of the cab together with his £8 for a

you had to stay for at least three years?

1391 people responded - no doubt many of

£5.60 journey. Could the previous punter have

Demutualisation could be interesting...

them cyclists because no car users would say yes

been genuinely delayed or did he just forget in his

to the suggestion. Out of that number, just over

haste to get out? So I drove back to Sainsbury’s

Alan Fisher

half (53%) agreed fully with the consultation and

and sure enough there was my passenger with

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign October 2016

Page 4

Reflections of the Chairman

more in a short space of time than the

Special General

LCDC ever have. Perhaps that is because

Meeting 18.09.2016

these new orgs are more interested in

gaining results rather than denigrating

and the LCDC

other organisations within the trade.

I am writing this piece just after the above

After all, the reason these new orgs were

meeting, but I must admit that the result

started is because of the inactivity and total lack

caused no surprise to me due to the fact that

of achievement by established organisations.

when we held a survey earlier this year, 99%

of Members said they wished to demutualise!

Now, with the official vote in, it still remains

Credit Card Mandate

very high at 95.9%. Next stop is 9 October...

As you are now all aware, the mandate

This now brings me to the next topic and

regarding Credit Cards has been post-

that is the extremely inaccurate write-up

poned for a while; the acceptance of cards

our proposed demutualisation put out in

has been put back to 31 October and the

And the record level of congestion in

fixing of PEDs into the taxi’s passenger

the September issue of The Badge, pub-

lished by the LCDC.

London - what have they done about that?

compartment to 1 January 2017. That is

Yep, you’ve guessed it - nowt!

perhaps a very small start but certainly

The article is absolute, utter garbage and

obviously totally inaccurate. Sadly, that is what

Last but not least, what has that organi-

still nowhere good enough.

sation done regarding the Credit Card

When will TfL realise this is a driver safety

I have come to expect from the LCDC. If you

wish to back a loser, then follow their advice!

mandate and the threat to driver safety of

issue where drivers could be enticed out of

having the PEDs in the back of the cab?

their taxis on the pretext that the PED is not

I seem to recall them creeping around the

prospective Mayor in 2008, even going so far

Again the answer is absolutely nothing.

working correctly. The driver will then have

Well, not exactly nothing, because they

two choices and they are to either forego the

as having taxi receipts printed urging mem-

bers of the public to vote for Boris Johnson.

did endeavour to divert any blame away

fare altogether, or alight from the cab in an

from themselves by claiming it was LTDA

attempt to resolve the situation; that’s when

Well he certainly didn’t do our trade

any favours, in fact he decimated it and

General Secretary, Steve McNamara’s,

anything could happen.

fault as he was the one that had accepted

I have been lobbying TfL since March of

we have still not - and possibly may never

will - recover from the mauling he gave

it when claiming that it was a ‘done deal’.

this year in an attempt to get them to change

It appears that all the LCDC can do is to

their minds and in recent times, others have

us; so that’s a first own goal for the LCDC.

Secondly, I seem to remember them

criticise any and all organisations in the trade

joined the fight and the more of us that ques-

in an attempt to hide their own shortcoming

tion the judgement of TfL, then the more

extolling the virtues of Hailo, the App that

was recently taken over by MyTaxi, or at least

and failings. I was beginning to believe that

chance we have of them altering their deci-

Grant Davis was growing into his role, but it

sion.

several hundred £million was invested into

Hailo by that European app. Well, Hailo were

must really be so difficult being surrounded

Our PED’s have been working perfectly

by people that give him such terrible advice.

well in the front of our Fleet since March

certainly the flavour of the month for LCDC

with their ‘Back in Black’ while extolling the

Unfortunately, it really appears that he just

2011, which is when I sought and

accepts that advice, but perhaps he should

obtained written permission from TfL to

virtues of only using licensed taxis. Then sud-

denly Hailo started using cars; to say that it

think about issues a little more before he

site them there. It’s a pity the LCDC never

allows his advisers to air their vitriol and lies

had our foresight instead of just taking

left ‘egg on the face’ of the LCDC would be

rather an understatement.

in the LCDC’s monthly publication.

the easy route and going with the flow...

No wonder new organisations are being

Next to come with the total support of

set up and seem infinitely more adept at

Brian Rice

the LCDC was CabApp. They were going

getting results than the LCDC, these new

to alter the whole trade for the better-

Chairman

organisations seem to have achieved

ment of everyone. Well, we’re all “every-

Dial-a-Cab

one” but sadly we’re also all still waiting

for that to happen!

The next prodigy to receive the backing of

the LCDC was MaaxiTaxi, the cab-sharing

scheme that never even got off the ground! So

PAUL’S TAXI SPECIALISTS LTD

I’m sure that you can see their track record for

supporting

‘winners’ is nothing short of

abysmal.

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

Anyway, getting back to the pack of lies

that appeared in the Badge; what they

obviously do not understand is that both

Tel: 01708 553037

myself and the DaC Board are supporting

the prospect of the Society demutualising

FREE AIR FILTER WITH EVERY SERVICE

WE ALSO HAVE CABS FOR RENT

because we have been instructed to do so

TX1 servicing from £48

TX1s, TX2s, TX4s and Vitos

by the Membership of Dial-a-Cab, a demo-

TX2 servicing from £70

Rentals from £165 per week

cratic decision.

TX4 servicing from £90

So we have to ask ourselves just what the

LCDC have actually done for our trade? The

All Work Undertaken

answer is nothing! There are 110,000 mini-

Servicing - Running Repairs - Overhauls - Small Fleets Welcome - Discounts Available

cab licences out there and the LCDC have

All TX1, TX2, TX4

done nothing to halt the spread.

Starters - Batteries - Alternators - All with 2 year Warranty

Half of our road space has been taken up

with Cycle Super Highways and what have

the LCDC done about that? Yes, you’re ahead

Fax: 01708 551443

Web: www.PaulsTaxiSpecialists.co.uk

of me now - nothing!

Call Sign October 2016

Page 5

The first DaC

demutualisation meeting

In May, Dial-a-Cab Members voted

overwhelmingly that they wanted to

demutualise this Society, realise the

value in its assets and distribute that

value to Members. On Sunday 18

September, Members gathered at the

HAC Barracks in City Road to vote.

For the first time, proxy voting was includ-

ed as postal balloting is not allowed for a

demutualisation vote. In order to demutu-

alise, there has to be two meetings. This first

one needed more than 75% of those voting

to be in favour with at least 50% voting. That

was achieved at this meeting.

The hall was full with standing room only

With Mike Tovey of Accountants Moore

Stephens and David Wilkinson from the

needing to have voted and the only

Society’s legal team at Field, Fisher,

acceptable way of voting being in person

or via a Proxy.

Waterhouse present, drivers could ask any

questions of them or Brian Rice that they

If voting is in favour and with the necessary

needed help with to understand what is a

number of votes needed, this will convert the

Society into a Company incorporated under

complicated procedure.

It now goes to a second meeting on 9

the Companies Act 2006.

October where over 50% of those that

The meeting also carried out the

vote need to be in favour of the demutu-

Member’s May decision to cut the Board

alisation, with at least 20% of Members

from 5 plus the Chairman down to 3 plus

the

Chairman.

Those that hadn’t

voted by post voted

Brian Rice and David Wilkinson

in the hall. If the

answered drivers questions

second vote is car-

ried, those previ-

Board of Management elections:

London Power Networks

ously known as

Board Members will

Allan Evans

856 Elected

fined £24,000 for

become Directors.

Keith Cain

611 Elected

Joe Brazil

588 Elected

Mike Son

431 Not elected

streetworks offence!

Results:

Garry White

391 Not elected

September 18 first

demutualisation

ransport for London has successfully prosecuted energy

Mike and Garry will continue as Board

company London Power Networks, a subsidiary of UK

meeting:

Members until the second vote on 9 October

Power Networks, as part of its commitment to ensure

In favour 95.9 per-

but will stand down at that time regardless of

roadworks cause the minimum disruption as possible to

cent (needing at

the result as the Board / Directors will still be

road users.

least 75% + 1)

reduced from its current five down to three…

London Power Networks’ offences, including two counts of carrying out

work without a permit and a further two counts of failing to serve the

required statutory streetworks notices before beginning work, follow

EUROPCAR GROUP ACQUIRES BRUNEL

schemes undertaken in Bressenden Place and Lower Grosvenor Place

on 9 February.

Appearing before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 7 September,

aint-Quentin en Yvelines is the Paris equivalent to London’s

London Power Networks pleaded guilty to the offences and the company

Docklands - one of four similar “villages.” It is also the head-

was fined £10,000 for each offence of working without a permit, the high-

quarters of the Europcar Group - a major player in car mobili-

est level ever imposed in London to date for a single streetworks offence.

ty and rental markets. They have now announced the acquisi-

For failing to serve statutory streetworks notices, the company was fined a

tion of London PH company, Brunel.

total of £4,000, which resulted in an overall fine of £24,000. They were

Via Nathalie Poujol at Europcar’s press office, they say that the acqui-

also ordered to pay £3,722 in prosecution costs.

In passing sentence, the Judge said: “I have seen a number of these

sition marks another step in their strategy to build a broad-ranging mobil-

cases and I remain unclear why large organisations such as London

ity offering to its customers, providing a choice of travel solutions to meet

Power Networks continue to undermine regulations put in place to

the time and convenience requirements of each journey. They add that it

reduce inconvenience to road users when conducting streetworks.

enables them to meet corporate customers’ highest expectations thanks

There is no acceptable excuse in my view and I hope the sentence

to a dedicated tailor made service. They give an example of Brunel offer-

passed today reflects that.”

ing specific added value services for roadshows and event management

Garrett Emmerson, TfL COO for Surface Transport, said: “Not provid-

while also adding that the services are available worldwide through a

ing these notices impacts on our ability to successfully coordinate

global network of partners in 75 countries and covering 480 cities.

streetworks and we will continue to push for the toughest penal-

Anthony Edwards, Chief Executive of Brunel said: “Over the last

ties possible for utility companies caught acting unlawfully. We are

30 years, Brunel has built a strong reputation based on our high qual-

committed to keeping London’s roads as clear as possible prevent-

ity of service but also on our ability to capitalise on new technology

ing unnecessary traffic build up, which disrupts people’s daily com-

to innovate for customers. We are very excited about the opportuni-

mute and worsens air quality.”

ties being part of the Europcar Group can provide us in order to

TfL has prosecuted London Power Networks for five previous offences

accelerate our development.”

since 2014 and issued over 1,650 Fixed Penalty Notices, 167 of which

The acquisition comes hot on the heels of MyTaxi swallowing Hailo

were within the last year. Including this latest offence, the company has

and Gett taking over RTG.

been ordered to pay a total of £37,000 in fines for mismanaging street-

See Editor’s comments on page 3...

works since 2014.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 6

Jery’s

World

“Thanks Camden, looks like we’re going to lose a major thoroughfare but gain a football pitch! Ah well, better hurry back to

Gower Street cos I think it’s due to inch forward again any minute!”

North-South Cycle Superhighway goes ahead

he Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London have

confirmed their intent to proceed with the North-South Cycle

Superhighway to King’s Cross as TfL published its response to the

recent consultation. The plans, which will also benefit pedestrians with

wider pavements and more crossing points, were supported by 70 per cent of the

public when consulted on earlier this year.

Once complete the full North-South route, also known as Cycle Superhighway

6 (CS6), will provide a safe and direct route for cyclists across central London

between Elephant and Castle and King’s Cross. 5km in total, the route will be

either fully separated from traffic, or on quiet back streets. At its northern end,

the route will connect both with the planned Quietway 2 and Central London

Grid routes, allowing cyclists to travel safely to Hackney, Walthamstow,

Camden and Swiss Cottage and opening up the city to cycling.

TfL has closely considered all of the responses received in the consulta-

tion for this scheme and incorporated several changes to the original plan

to address the concerns of local residents and stakeholders. A detailed

design will now be developed and, subject to approval from Camden

Council and Islington Council, construction will begin in spring 2017.

Mayor Khan said: “We must make it safer and easier for all Londoners to

cycle. It can have major benefits for our health and making cycling part of peo-

ple’s everyday lives will also help clean up London’s toxic air.”

TfL say they will ensure that plans for construction take on board lessons learned from the previous routes. This includes a construction

timetable that is fully coordinated with other roadworks and the potential for more night time working to complete the work faster.

The consultation received 1,391 responses, with 53 per cent fully supporting the proposals, rising to 70 per cent including those

who partially supported the proposals.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 7

strength to strength

with support of the

Livery Companies

and the corporate

sector. Some of the

taxi drivers have actu-

ally taken part in

every single trip since

the first one in 1994,

an amazing commit-

ment.

The ferry trips,

donated by P&O,

look an amazing

sight with the car

deck full of London

Taxis as was the

made its way down to Dover in heavy rain

Disneyland hotel car park when the cabs

which slightly improved as the day went on

arrived.

and with an escort of police from both sides of

At the resort, the children enjoyed a day in

t was early morning on 16th September

the Channel. On board the donated P&O ferry

the theme park, followed by a Gala Dinner at

2016 when once again The Worshipful

service to Calais, the convoy of taxis, with their

the New York hotel, which was also attended

Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers

VIP children and their carers’, supported by

by the Disney characters who signed auto-

hosted the 2016 Children's Magical Taxi

medics, the London Ambulance Service, the

graphs and posed for photos with the children

Tour.

AA and breakdown services (just in case), the

- truly magical.

Starting with The Big Breakfast send off from

children’s excitement continued to grow.

Fund raising is a challenge and without

Canary Wharf, the trip to the Magic Kingdom of

Arriving in Calais, there was a regrouping

the continuing support of the drivers, City

the Disneyland Paris resort was beginning.

on the harbour side before the convoy set off

Liveries and the Magical Taxi Tour spon-

Around 400 children, carers and drivers set

to the Disneyland Paris resort.

sors, this event could not carry on. But the

off on the trip, taking children with life limiting

As usual, there were many generous sponsors

Disney Organising Committee is confident

illnesses on this magical journey. Leaving the

to help fund the trip and the drivers themselves

it will carry on bringing smiles to the faces

City of London with great excitement as many

give their time freely. This was the 24th time the

of these children and the supporting team

onlookers waved them off, the convoy of taxis

trip has taken place and it continues to go from

who travel.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 8

ike Donoghue (K12) looked

pensive as he began his tale to

Call Sign. As a driver of over

40 years driving a taxi in

London, he has probably learned much

about life and just as importantly, how to

stay safe and legal on the road.

Never Get Out!

“I recall an incident a while ago in

cyclist was claiming I had included his face in

Chicheley Street SE1,” he began, “when a fel-

my images and had even said ‘smile, you’re on

low cab driver was obviously having a ‘discus-

candid camera’ when in fact I had not opened

sion’ with a pedal cyclist who was right up

my mouth! It was easily sorted because I just

alongside the cab door and clearly agitated by

showed the police my camera images, which

something that I assumed may have occurred

proved I hadn’t taken his mug-shot. But they

between them. Anyway, the cab driver was

were still taken away as evidence, together with

motioning to me that he couldn’t get out of his

my torn clothing. The cyclist was duly arrested.

cab to inspect the bodywork as the cyclist was

“Surprisingly and worth remembering,

directing his cycle wheels to just inches away

the policeman actually advised me that

from the cab door.

had I got off the cab for any reason, he

“I moved my own cab towards them and

would have had to arrest me as well! So it

that’s when I heard the other driver ask me if

was lucky that I stayed firmly in my seat,

there was any damage to his taxi as the cyclist

doing everything by the book,” Mike told

was accusing him of cutting him up on York

us, his smile returning.

Road. From my driving seat, I looked at the

“When we got to court, I discovered that

cab doors but couldn’t see any apparent

three other people who were walking-by had

damage. Just to be on the safe side and to

witnessed the incident and gave evidence

prove the point, I decided to reach for my

against the cyclist, confirming my story and

camera, lifted it to my open window, pointed

Mike Donoghue got some useful advice

that of the other cab driver that the cyclist

it at the other cabs’ door panels and the prox-

from the police

had tried to make a false claim against the

imity of the cycle wheels and took quick shots

shoulder! By now, the other cab driver was on

other cab, despite the efforts of the cyclists’

of the pristine bodywork - being careful not

his mobile phone calling the police and within

barrister to discredit our version of events.

to include the irate cyclists’ face!

seconds, having heard the commotion, a num-

The cyclist was convicted of assault and heav-

By now Mike’s pensiveness had van-

ber of police officers miraculously appeared

ily fined. I was awarded compensation for my

ished to be replaced by the speed of a 100

on the scene, for which I was very grateful!

torn clothing and travelling expenses.

metre runner as the events of the day

“Those guys were so quick on the scene, I

“But the bottom line is borne of the com-

came back to him.

wondered if there was a police station in the

ment made to me by that police officer -

“As I took the photos, the crazed cyclist

immediate vicinity, because they were like cav-

never get out of the cab...”

launched himself at me, thrusting his hands

alry coming to the rescue,” Mike continued at

through my still open window and as I slid

a rate of knots as the day’s excitement

sideways away from him, he managed to grab

Alan Green

returned.

my shirt and jacket, ripping them from my

“The police stunned me when they said the

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ach71

Call Sign October 2016

Page 9

Call Sign’s Marc Turner is known as Drumslayer and is usually in the front line banging his

drum when it comes to demonstrating against any illegalities carried out by private hire. But

this time it was different...

MARC TURNER: “I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!”

ast month I wrote of ending

Marc with the marble

up in A&E due to seriously

that could have cost

gashing my leg whilst alight-

him his life!

ing the cab. I had assumed

After he left the cab, I

that bit of excitement would do for a

went to the police,

while. Little did I know what fate had

reported the shooting

next in store for me...

and then drove home

We'll begin in the twilight hours of

thinking that my indebt-

Sunday morning, 4th September. I was

ed customer's generosity

hailed on Marylebone Road by an

was due to my valour,

extremely inebriated young man. I wasn't

bravery, calmness, even

even sure whether I should take him, but

coolness under fire. No

two words - East Ham - sealed the deal! Besides, what could go wrong?

such thing! When I

He'd even given me £60 upfront for safe keeping! He soon fell asleep

inspected the taxi the

whist I listened to the radio, thankful that the 'almighty' had dropped

following day, I realised

this going home job into my lap.

he'd soiled his pants and

We were around 5 minutes from setting down when BANG! My

my seat! His generosity

driver’s window shattered and showered me in glass. At this point

may possibly have been

we were in East India Dock Road, close to All Saints Station.

a feeling of guilt!

My first reaction was to keep moving. If someone was shooting, I sure

Then I looked at the lug-

as hell didn't want to be a sitting target. At the same time, I felt my face

gage compartment and on

for any signs of injury. It felt damp and I hoped it was just sweat from

the floor I found a marble.

shock, but as I looked at my hand I could see blood that had come from

Initially, I thought I'd been

my neck and that is where the main arteries to the brain pass through!

victim of a pellet gun. Police believed a sniper in some opposite flats

Thankfully, it wasn't too serious, just a cut. But the commotion had

had taken a pot shot at me with a lethal 'fishing catapult' (apparently

roused Sleeping 'Ugly' who after his doze sounded far less inebriated

used for baiting). The officer said having the window up, may well have

than he had been in NW1. He was concerned and urged that we call the

saved my life. So, as has been evidenced in the last two issues of Call

police. I told him that nothing was going to stop me from fulfilling the

Sign, Drumslayer could be running out of lives!!!!

hiring and getting him home safely - something for which he was most

grateful. At journeys end, he came to my window, saw my neck wound,

Marc Turner (R97)

commiserated with me and then asked how much he had given me.

Drumslayer online

I said he had given me £60 and that the fare was £49. I waited for

him to hold his hand out but he told me to keep it the change.

Taxi! Board Game winners

The three win-

ners of the

New York ver-

sion of Taxi!

Board Game

competition in

the last issue

were Morris

EVERY SATURDAY AT WEST THURROCK BOXING &

Abrahams

FITNESS GYMNASIUM

(R85), Barbara

Poluck (Russell

10am - 11.15am & 11.30am - 12.45pm

T55’s wife) and

Curls Villiers,

£7.00 per class

DaC Senior

Minimum age of 16

Night Shift

Controller.

Suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to

The correct answers were: Which year saw London host the Olympic

accomplished boxers

Games for the second time? That was 1948 and not 2012 as many put.

Which fashion chain was created by New York born Donna Karan in

Female ONLY classes subject to demand

1984? It was DKNY - which almost everyone got!

The new version games, in addition to the already successful

London version, will be released shortly and the three winners will

receive one each. If you were one of the other 171 entrants not

lucky enough to win or you missed the last issue, visit www.taxi-

boardgame.co.uk or contact gordon@taxiboardgame.co.uk.

The London game is currently available from selected London

retailers, Amazon UK, Buuy.co.uk, eBay and Gumtree etc.

All 4 versions, including the 3 new versions of the Taxi! Board Game (New

York, Edinburgh and Glasgow) will be available to buy from the previously

mentioned online stores AND the new Taxi! Game online shop at:

www.taxiboardgame.co.uk/shop.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 10

According to Edie.net, London's

taxi drivers are seemingly ready

CAB DRIVERS

and willing to help tackle

London's air quality crisis as a

BLACK

new London Taxi Company sur-

READY

vey reveals that 80% of us are

interested in switching to new

TO BECOME

GREEN!

ultra-low emission vehicles for

work.

helping the industry thrive and will be work-

The survey of 1,189 cab drivers reveals a

ing with TfL to ensure we do everything we

huge appetite for greener fleets, with the vast

can to make sure this vital transition as quick

majority of those questioned being either

and easy as possible.”

‘interested’ or

‘very interested’ in buying

With such a high level of interest and clean

a zero-emission-capable taxi when they are

air commitment, LTC is looking forward to

rolled out next year.

cooperating with local government to

With more than 25,000 licenced taxi dri-

improve EV infrastructure across the city by

vers operating in London, an industry shift to

introducing a minimum of 150 rapid charg-

low-carbon vehicles could prove crucial in

ing stations by 2018 - extending that to at

curbing deadly levels of air pollution in the

least 300 by 2020.

capital and bringing the UK back on track

The survey comes months after a mani-

with its low-carbon transport targets.

festo from the taxi trade to the then-unan-

“LTC supports Mayor Sadiq Khan’s

nounced mayor in April, which outlined com-

pledge to make tackling air quality in London

mitments to a greener London by promising

a top priority - and now we can see taxi dri-

to fully integrate zero emission capable vehi-

vers want this too,” said LTC chief executive

cles from January 2018. From that date on, all

Chris Gubbey. “It is down to us to work

taxis presented for licensing will be zero-

together with the relevant authorities to

The LTC electric TX5

emission capable.

ensure the right infrastructure is in place.

100% wheelchair-accessible to ensuring that

The development of the LTC’s zero-emis-

LTC has manufactured the black cab in the

all black cabs are equipped to take card pay-

sion taxi has received support from LTC own-

UK for 69 years and is investing £300m in

ments from October this year. Given the scale

ers, the Chinese automobile company

bringing a UK-built Zero Emissions Capable

of the air quality problem facing London, this

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group,

taxi to UK and international markets by 2018.

ultra-low emissions taxi is the next logical

which donated $400m to help roll out the

We believe we can lead the charge in ensur-

step in our evolution.”

upcoming new generation cabs across the

ing London’s air quality returns to safe and

The Government is also supportive of the

capital. The battery-powered hybrid TX5 is

legal levels and believe that London can lead

survey's findings, pledging to aid the transi-

scheduled for 2017, shortly before new regu-

the world in zero-emissions urban transport.”

tion from combustion cabs to the new wave

lations which require all new taxis and pri-

The willingness of cab drivers to make the

of low emission alternatives. Deputy Mayor

vate hire vehicles in London to have a zero-

green switch is reflected in the attitude of

for Transport Val Shawcross added: “We

emissions capability for at least

30 miles

many large taxi firms across London. LTDA

need to take every step we can to clean up

come into place in

2018. A variety of

General Secretary Steve McNamara

London’s polluted air. It’s great to hear taxi

other electric taxi

solutions, such as

said: “There’s a huge amount of interest in

drivers are ready to play their part and the

the MetroCab and the Nissan e-NV200 have

the new taxi amongst our members - the

use of new zero-emission taxis will make a

been made available to purchase in the capi-

worst place to breathe in London’s polluted

significant difference. We’re committed to

tal over the past few years.

air is behind the wheel, so our drivers know

all too well the impact this is having. Cabbies

would therefore welcome the opportunity to

drive the new zero-emissions-capable taxi

Living in a Camden

tomorrow, given the opportunity to do so

and are committed to doing their bit to help

improve air quality in the capital.

Wonderland...

“As a key part of London’s transport infra-

structure for more than 200 years, we have

his is the way

constantly adapted our vehicles and the ser-

vice we provide to meet the changing needs

Camden Council

of Londoners from ensuring that all taxis are

designers see

Tavistock Place

Call Sign

should the alterations

October 2016

become permanent. Of

Editor: Alan Fisher

course, what it doesn’t

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

show are the constant traf-

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

fic hold-ups all around the

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

Website: www.22-callsign.co.uk

area or explain why so

Printers: Premier Print Group

many taxi passengers no longer use our ser-

E6 6 LP

vices thanks to the nightmare of trying to get through Bedford Way or

Design: Aldan Publications

Russell Square just to reach Tavistock Place.

Tel: 07958 300 428

Email: debbiefresco@googlemail.com

If you feel strongly then you can complete their consultation. This is the last

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

opportunity before the scheme becomes permanent. Go to:

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

https://consultations.wearecamden.org/corporate-services/torrington-

either manually or electronically without the express

place-tavistock-place-route-proposed-im/consult_view

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 11

Dodgy

Call Sign has

been online

since the late

Callers!!

1990s and amaz-

ingly, its website

has continued

year after year

with very little

maintenance

needed.

However, it has finally been brought back to earth by no less

than Microsoft, who told us that our website was so old that

within five weeks it would no longer work after being put

temporarily onto their last Windows Server 2008.

In that time we needed to either redesign Call Sign or lose the ‘search’ capability.

So thanks to our website master and maintenance guru, Vince Chin, Call Sign now

has that new website.

The addresses are the same (www.dac-callsign.co.uk or .com) but everything

else has been brought up-to-date. After logging on, the choice is simple with the

menu easily seen at the top. It will open on the ‘Home’ screen where you can read

very year at the Dial-a-Cab AGM,

the latest issue by hovering over it and clicking the PDF sign.

Call Sign meets up with many dri-

You can also click on the ‘Archive’ screen; there you will see a copy of Call Sign

vers that we only see once a year and

from every year. Hovering over the icon you will see the year and a message on each

have something of a “catch-up” with. More

one to click on here to view the monthly magazines. Click on whichever year you

often than not, it’s stuff that isn’t for publica-

want and then hover over each copy to find the month you want. Hover over the

tion but occasionally something comes to

message to ‘click here to see full magazine’ to see the issue but in a smaller ver-

light that is worth mentioning.

sion for those with X-ray vision! Click the PDF sign to see the complete issue, but in

Gordon Bennett (Y91) is one such case.

a large easy-to-read format.

He has been on this circuit for 22 years and

You can also just go to the ‘Call Sign’ screen if you want to go straight to the year

we have probably met him 22 times! This

you want and finally to the ‘Search Call Sign’ button if looking for something spe-

year was slightly different though because it

cific by just putting a relevant word into the search box.

wasn’t an AGM, but the first of two meetings

There are also issues from the 1960s/1970s and 1980s in addition to every

to decide whether DaC becomes a Company

issue since January 1998. I hope you like the new look...

via a vote on demutualisation.

As you can read on page 5, this first one

was carried and now October 9 will see the

result. But Gordon gave us an update of a

“problem” that he and his wife had suffered

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

at their home. It’s one that many have had

over recent years. Gordon told Call Sign:

“My wife recently had a phone call where

376 Strand, WC2

the caller told her that he was from BT and

that our computer had shown signs of being

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

hacked. But BT had been watching and that

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

he could check it out with my wife’s assis-

tance. I was at home and took over the call

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

and he repeated what he had told my wife

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

that he could stop it. All I had to do was to

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

He really sounded extremely plausible and

although dubious, I was unsure and decided

We are certain that you will be delighted

to ask him some probing questions - at which

point he hung up!

I really didn’t expect to find out who

the caller was, but dialled 1471 just in

case and surprisingly he had forgotten to

keep his number off that service - obvi-

ously not as good at IT as he thought! So

I hope that this number will be of use to

Call Sign readers as they can put it in

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

their phone and then block it! It is 005

432 117624 and readers should be aware

Salieri Restaurant

of it.

376 Strand, WC2

Michael Toomey

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 12

hen Call Sign turned up at City

Call Sign goes to City Hall hoping for good news on driver safety

Hall on 14 September, there

to show they care...

were just two things on our mind

- firstly the safety of taxi drivers

being forced to place credit card readers in the

passenger compartment with all the problems

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

that could lead to and secondly, with the out-

side temperature at a stifling 31degrees, was

assume because charging

the air con working! Well we got one out of

points are more important

two, the temperature was perfect!

even though there is not

Sadly, we must assume that the Mayor

one taxi out there yet that

and his London Assembly are more con-

yet needs them.

cerned with their own comfort than

There are many of us that

whether the occasional taxi driver is going

need some protection from

to get suckered when entering the rear

the sheer stupidity of a ruling

compartment.

that puts us in danger when

In all honesty, the headline doesn’t tell the

there is an obvious alterna-

whole truth. The Mayor went over his plan for

tive - leave things as they are

taxis and private hire that had been leaked the

and put an official notice on

previous day. There will be more taxi ranks,

the partition: This taxi

although he didn’t specify where so it could be

accepts credit cards. We

that these are something of a sop to replace

PED isn’t working. There is also the danger of

should add that Caroline Pidgeon has often

the work that the 24 hour weekend tube will

women drivers being asked to go into the rear

spoken up for this trade but we needed her at

take from the trade and will be placed at out-

of the cab and being physically attacked or

that moment to mention safety and she said

lying train stations rather than in town.

male drivers being accused by a possibly ine-

nothing.

There was the now-old news of an extra 250

briated female passenger of assaulting her.

Assembly Member Caroline Russell asked

Compliance Officers around to stop any unto-

Either way, the place where Dial-a-Cab

why there weren’t more Cycle Super

ward behaviour, some money towards helping

currently have their PEDs that have been

Highways in the outer boroughs such as

drivers with old cabs buy new ones and 20

working so well for five years, after origi-

Barnet and Hounslow. That gave Sadiq Khan

more bus lanes will be available for taxis to

nally being passed by the same people that

the opportunity to talk about the extension to

use. But one thing was missing.

now want to move them, seems to be the

north-south Super Highway that goes through

Call Sign had written to the Mayor and

logical answer as to where PEDs should be

Farringdon Road up to Kings Cross and how

Caroline Pidgeon, who were both there, in

placed. If it ain’t broke etc...

it is helping to clean London’s toxic air. He

addition to a number of others involved in

Caroline Pidgeon did speak. She asked the

obviously forgot to mention how the constant

our trade including the Mayor’s Deputy for

Mayor how many charging points there would

traffic hold-ups caused by the lanes have made

Transport, Val Shawcross, Minister for

be specifically for taxi drivers. Mayor Khan

Farringdon Road the most toxic part of

Transport Chris Grayling, London’s trans-

replied with 150 by 2018 rising to 300 by

London! The Mayor added that he was going

port Commissioner Mike Brown, MP for

2020. Ms Pidgeon also asked if the Mayor

to allocate even more money to cyclists.

Kensington and Chelsea Lady Victoria

would help those who have their cabs convert-

However, not everyone was disappointed as

Borwick, Ilford North MP Wes Streeting,

ed to LPG and Sadiq mentioned the current

a substantial amount of time was given over to

TfL General Manager Helen Chapman as

testing going on in Birmingham. He couldn’t

discussing the Assembly Member’s pensions -

well as TfL’s Leon Daniels, Garrett

confirm or deny the question of assistance re

although in all fairness, the Mayor didn’t

Emerson and Peter Blake. Of those, only

LPG until such time as Birmingham had com-

sound too keen on the subject. And no one

Lady Victoria Borwick and a spokesperson

pleted their test period.

can deny that he is pro-London taxi. But as for

for the Mayor responded (see page 13).

The Mayor did add that London taxis

taxi driver’s safety... absolutely nothing!

We have long been concerned about the

were part of the transport network and

possible danger to drivers of having to enter

that they needed to help us. Sadly, Ms

Alan Fisher

the rear compartment if a passenger says the

Pidgeon didn’t mention our safety - we

Call Sign Online

Nope, we don’t print more copies than all the other papers, but what we do have is...

THE TRADES BIGGEST ONLINE READERSHIP!

Many Dial-a-Cab readers seem to like leaving their copy of Call Sign in the cab to read at quiet times,

while glancing at the online version when in front of their PC at home. But it also seems that many

non-DaC drivers enjoy reading the mag and taking a look through DaC history in the magazine’s

online library as well. That facility contains back issues going back to 1967 when the mag was

known as ODRTS Monthly and edited by Joe Toff.

The latest stats have now shown that record numbers are reading Call Sign Online.

Mind you, we were the first taxi magazine by many years to go online when our

Internet guru, Vince Chin, first put it into cyberspace in February 1998, so we had a good

head start when Vince assured us that the World Wide Web was going to be the next big

thing! He was right and we are now the biggest!

We often get letters from outside of the UK, although these usually only get printed when there is

ample space. However, we never realised quite how popular it was until we recently glanced at our online

statistics and which countries the readers are based in.

Call Sign online has dragged the rest of the trade press online, although none have bothered with a library such as we have and where you

can take a look at much older issues. The oldest (1967) came out when internet referred more to a way of catching fish!

These are some of the countries that now read Call Sign. Obviously a majority are from the UK (71% but not including DaC drivers who get the mag

posted). Next highest is the USA with 17% followed by France, Ireland, Australia and Spain. Down the bottom of the list are Ecuador, Chile and Belarus!

And no, we don’t know why anyone in Belarus would want to read the mag. But hey, so long as they do!

And while we’re here, can we thank all those Call Sign readers that take the time to write to us. We can’t print them all, but we appreciate hearing

from you...

Baghwat Singh, Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 13

PEDS: MAYOR’S OFFICE

REPLIES TO CALL SIGN

But who on earth comes up with their ridiculous replies???

The September issue of Call Sign published an email that it sent

should be taken and an alternative means of payment agreed

to several important people we assume take an interest in the

upon. If a passenger refuses to pay and an amicable agreement

London taxi trade, from the Mayor to MPs to members of TfL.

cannot be found, this should be treated like any other instance

Unsurprisingly, none of those at TfL that we sent it to had the decency

whereby a passenger refuses to pay a fare.”

to even confirm receiving it. One MP did and expressed concern. Now

Chelsee Mckinlay

the Mayor’s office has responded. Again, unsurprisingly, we had a

TfL Correspondence and Investigations Officer

response from someone at Sadiq Khan’s Correspondence and

Investigations department, rather than the Mayor himself.

That response isn’t a cop-out; it is the reply from someone that doesn’t

Our email expressed deep concern at having to remove the PEDs we

have a clue what they are talking about. Does the Mayor’s office still

have successfully had in the front of the cab for the past 5 years and put

believe we work from 9 to 5???

them into the passenger compartment. We consider it to be inviting a

danger that is not there with the PED’s current positioning.

Call Sign’s editor replied to Chelsee McKinlay, although he has not

While we weren’t sure what the Mayor’s answer would be, we were

received any reply...

at the very least expecting some semblance of common sense because

“Dear Ms McKinlay

Sadiq Khan does seem to express far more of that ability than either

Thank you for your response.

of his two predecessors. But the reply was as ridiculous as it’s possible

Perhaps someone could tell me (and the thousands of other taxi

to get.

drivers who are affected) how you can contact the supplier at 2

At the recent Mayor’s Question Time, Sadiq confirmed again that

in the morning and what if the passenger claimed the card was

London’s licensed taxis were a part of London’s transport system and

stuck. Should we tell them that we'll post it back to them? They

deserved to be looked after. He obviously knows because of the new

would expect us to get out and sort out the problem.

station taxi ranks at suburban stations to help the weekend 24 hour

So why cannot the PEDs just be left where they are and a

tube service, that we work 24 hours. So onto the reply that was forward-

notice placed on the partition saying: This taxi accepts credit

ed to a member of staff to reply “on Mr Khan's behalf.” She wrote:

cards. The current PEDs in the front of the cab are on cables and

“Dear Mr Fisher

easily passed through the gap in the partition. Moving them into

Under no circumstances would we expect a driver to leave their

a problematic place makes absolutely no sense at all.”

cab should a problem with the payment machine arise. First of

Alan Fisher, Call Sign

all, the driver should ask the passenger to try again. If the fault

persists, they should contact the payment device supplier for sup-

Sadly, this magazine has to come to the conclusion that there is no one

port and see whether they can fix the fault or take an over-the-

at Transport for London that particularly cares about our safety and we

phone transaction. Once a fault has been acknowledged, the

will have to take the matter beyond TfL.

vehicle should be taken out of service until it's fixed.

Alan Fisher

If the card is declined or faulty then a common sense approach

Call Sign Online

PEDs: Another reason not

to put them in the back

You don’t have to look far in recent issues of Call Sign to understand why we are

so dead set against having our credit cards readers - PEDs - taken from the safety

of the front cradle where they sit currently to the rear of the taxi where

Transport for London want us to place them. The obvious fear is that any pas-

senger claiming they have a problem with the card could insist the driver has to

get out, enter the rear compartment with the obvious associated danger that pre-

sents and sort out the problem.

Dave Cohen (E94) has been on Dial-a-Cab since 1972 in addition to his

time assisting Alan Fleming over many years of the LCDC, so he knows a

problem when he sees one - and he certainly saw one recently when his

fears of having PEDs fitted in the rear of London taxis were brought to

the fore following a disturbing find in his cab. He told Call Sign...

“On the early morning of Tuesday September 6, I discovered a 4 inch Sabatier

paring knife in the rear of my cab. It is possible that it was a genuine item of lost

property; however, if it did fall into the wrong hands it could have been used to

inflict injury in certain circumstances, ie if I had been enticed into the rear of my

cab because my rear-placed PED had “developed a fault.”

Dave Cohen and the

He has handed it in to Lost Property, but the question is whether you’d be

knife he found in the

happy to take the chance...?

back!

Jamie Corum

Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 14

• Book Review

• Book Review •

here are two things worth pointing

out here. Firstly, the ‘Ben’ in the title

Buttoned Down: My life

is Ben Sherman, surely the most

famous name in shirts going back to

1960s when everyone in and around the pop

with Ben and beyond

world wore them - especially if you were a

mod. And secondly, Ben’s wife Daphne is my

Daphne with Ben Sherman

sister-in-law and will that make me prejudiced

in reviewing her book: Buttoned Down - My

what a controlling and

Life with Ben and Beyond.

manipulative person he was.

Written with Terry Rawlings, Daphne

There was Ben’s infidelity,

Sherman takes us back to the sixties and sev-

his violence against Daphne

enties to tell her side of the story of a life with

and her son Marcus and

the creator of a button down collared

how he took everything and

shirt that went beyond a piece of cloth-

left Daphne with nothing.

ing to many young people, almost to

Against that was an incredi-

become a way of life. That way of life

ble life of sheer unadulterat-

gave Ben and Daphne amazing riches

ed luxury as they travelled

together with a lifestyle that seriously

the world, living in a luxury

challenged that of any clothing design-

It’s a very pacey book and an

apartment next to the Sydney Opera House,

er. But the lifestyle couldn’t last and the

undoubted page turner because for

with holidays in St Tropez and many places

book details the gradual break-up of

a true story (and it is) parts are

where the rich and famous parade.

their marriage, whilst along the way

almost unbelievable and you just

Truly an astonishing read; one that could

they hook up in various degrees with

have a need to know what happens

even make you feel queasy at ever buying a Ben

everyone from the most famous pop

next!

Sherman button down shirt. Perhaps even

stars to Ben even being rumoured to putting

The book’s structure adds to the reading

more amazing is the way Daphne showed such

out a contract on his wife’s head!

pleasure because the story of Daphne and Ben

tremendous resilience in overcoming the odds

There is no doubt that Ben was a creative

runs alongside the news stories, politics and

that Ben continually stacked against her, which

genius and the blurb puts it so well when writ-

music of the time and genuinely takes you back

lead her to a highly successful career of her

ing of his inevitable rise to fame; his equally

to the period. However, the book doesn’t cast

own. A recommended read...

dramatic fall from grace and descent into mad-

Ben in a very good light while painting Daphne

ness and one woman's determination to escape

Buttoned Down - My Life with Ben and

as suffering terribly to the point of being bul-

his clutches.

lied; it shows very early on in their relationship Beyond (Substitute Publishing £12.99)

To the Other Side of the World

“I was returning into town along Primrose Hill Road when a hand

shot out from the kerbside,” Stuart Cameron (R31) recalled to Call

Sign. “So naturally I stopped, as you do, for a mature couple who

asked for the Grosvenor Hotel in Victoria.

“As the gentleman had a pronounced antipodean accent, I confirmed that they were not confusing it

with the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane and off we went. The couple were quite chatty and

were admiring the condition of my taxi, which although elderly was in pristine condition for its age. I do

take a pride in my cabs and afford them a fair amount of TLC,” Stuart continued.

“My TX1 was bought as a two-year-old and I owned the cab for thirteen years, realising 550,000

miles in it until its fifteenth birthday. Anyway, towards the end of the journey they asked if I could pick

them up later that evening and could I recommend a nice restaurant in the Victoria area. I tentatively

recommended the restaurant at the Goring Hotel, which had the advantage of being close to their

own hotel and which had been a favourite haunt of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but I

do tend to hesitate when suggesting eateries because such venues are always subjective to personal

taste. They agreed to try it and when I met up with them later that evening, they agreed it was a

pleasant place to eat and would be staying at the Goring on future visits to London. So I breathed a

sigh of relief!” Stuart smiled at the memory.

“It turned out that they were from New Zealand, returning to the UK on a regular basis and the

gent had a passion for collecting classic vehicles. I told them about the 15-year rule for retiring taxis

and that mine would indeed be coming off the road in a few months and then thought no more

about it. Then sometime later, I unexpectedly received an email from NZ. The man wrote to me saying

he wanted to buy my cab and so I wrote back asking if he was serious! It turned out he was serious,

so the sale went ahead and I found myself driving to Tilbury Docks with a heavy heart at saying goodbye to

my faithful workhorse, while it was comprehensively photographed from every angle before being packed safely away in a container to be

shipped to the other side of the world…”

Stuart later received an email after the cab - his cab - had been on the high seas for seven weeks saying that his ‘baby had been deliv-

ered safely!

“I was naturally relieved but it was tinged with sadness as we had been together all those years; but I know ‘my’ bus went to a good home and is

still enjoying retirement from the hustle of life on the streets of London.

“To this day, each Christmas, I get a wall calendar from down under with an invitation to visit New Zealand from the lovely couple I met by chance

on Primrose Hill,” Stuart said with a wide grin...

Michael Toomey

Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 15

Brazil Calling

y the time this article is published, Dial-a-Cab may or may

London into accepting lower

not have changed its entire ethos of existence. Hopefully I

standards by using high court

will still be part of the decision making process but just in

tactics to attack legislation,

case that does not become reality, I’d like to thank each and

must mean that regulators

every one of you for your consideration and hope in some way that I

ensure they have not bowed

have created enough talking points and raised expectation for all of

to external pressure; they

you.

must be seen to be beyond

Moving our business forward will mean that hard choices must be made;

reproach and beyond illicit

to assume that leaving our business model unchanged will suddenly reap

implication.

rewards is folly, inevitably it will lead to a downturn in our fortunes. But with

London Mayor, Sadiq

focus and a desire to enhance the livelihoods of ourselves and the licensed

Khan, as many of you

taxi industry in general, we may yet prove that we have the right stuff to

realise, was a human rights lawyer and he chaired Liberty. He must

achieve success.

now ready his troops for battle - but he won’t expect it to be an easy

Once again, thank you for your consideration. I wish Dial-a-Cab and each

ride, US events show that. Let’s take employment law:

of you a bright and profitable future. And so on to business...

In the United States and the driver classification lawsuit O’Connor v.

Uber, not only did Uber lose its appeal to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Edward

Chen recently rejected the validity of Uber’s arbitration clause, it was

TfL language test for PHV drivers...

argued for employment rights for their drivers. Uber settled.

Now, whilst with the language test, no-one ever expected it to involve Joyce,

Enough to give you hope? Well maybe not when you look at what hap-

Tolstoy or even Roald Dahl; a basic understanding of the language is not

pened after a language test was introduced in the Big Apple. New York

only required, it is also the basic remit for face to face interaction with the

mayor Bill De Blasio’s battle with Uber last year left him politically wound-

public. How many times has a member of the public jumped into your cab

ed after he tried to limit the growth of electronic-hail cars, while the city

and handed you a piece of paper with an address on it, and they, possibly with

would study their impact on congestion in midtown Manhattan. The

no English themselves, point at the paper and rely on you to do the rest, get-

mayor backed down after the company ran a $multi-million television and

ting them inevitably safely to their destination. Conversely, a PHV driver who

social-media ad campaign accusing him of taking jobs from immigrants

cannot even read the trip pick-up details presented to them inevitably cannot

whom the mayor had considered part of his political base.

find the customer, or if given a destination some distance away, ”the partner”

Could it happen here? Time will tell. What I do know is that to inaccu-

could risk falling asleep at the wheel whilst a customer is in the vehicle.

rately quote Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of

The English language requirement not only provides safety in one aspect,

Uber is for good men to do nothing.”

but on many different levels; what do you do if your driver doesn’t under-

I may have changed a word there, Sorry Mr Burke. However, the message

stand a pedestrian zone sign, a diversion sign or adverse camber notifica-

is still the same.

tion, thus endangering life - or my personal favourite; cats eyes removed!

Gird your loins chaps and chapesses, there’s a fight coming your way...

Very sorry to hear it, but again, not understanding that warning rais-

es the possibility of passenger safety being compromised.

Joe Brazil

Uber had initially supported the test, but now argues “...the requirement

DaC Board Member

that drivers provide a certificate showing they have an intermediate level of

reading and writing is unnecessary and costly.” Costly to whom? Because it

doesn’t seem that the passengers’ interests are being served.

Not understanding the language may have other hidden consequences, the

possibility of umbrage being taken whilst not understanding a passenger may

lead to confrontation. The diversity of people within London can at times

lead you to become the Henry Kissinger of international relations to avoid

confrontation - and to steal one of his quotes: “The task of the leader is to get

his people from where they are to where they have not been.” He could have

added “Without an argument!”

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The constant dilution sought by interlopers into the London market leaves

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Top Ten London Streets...

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very DaC driver takes passengers to these 10

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

5. Ilchester Place W14:

£13.65m

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6. Compton Avenue N6:

£13.2m

7. Frognal Way NW3:

£12.99m

8. Manresa Road SW3:

£12.62m

Tel: 01322 553313

9. Cottesmore Gardens W8:

£11.85m

10. Albemarle Street W1:

£11.11m

Fax: 01322 523315

Call Sign October 2016

Page 16

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, her-

alded a “new era” for the capital’s

Sadiq Khan: New era

taxi and private hire markets as he

set out an unprecedented pro-

gramme of “far-reaching improve-

for London’s taxis

ments that will drive up standards,

boost the quality of service for

£3,000 will be provided towards the first

9,000 Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) taxis and

Londoners and protect the future

TfL is asking the Government to guarantee

of London’s iconic black cabs.”

the ‘plug-in car grant’ for these vehicles,

The Mayor said he is determined to create

which would take the total grant to £7,500.

a vibrant taxi and private hire market with

From 1 January 2018, no more new diesel

space for all providers to flourish. The Taxi

taxis will be licensed, helping to address

and Private Hire Action Plan, launched by

London’s poor air quality and tackle the

the Mayor includes specific new measures to

unacceptably high number of people dying

support licensed taxi drivers, sets out ambi-

each year because of air pollution.

tious plans to enhance public safety and also

The new plans include new ‘zero emission’

improve London’s air quality.

ranks for drivers who pioneer green technol-

Special new measures being introduced to

ogy alongside a network of rapid electric

help London’s black cab industry to continue

charge points.

to flourish include opening up an extra 20

The Mayor is calling on Government to

bus lanes for use by taxis this year in addition

adding taxi information to TfL’s journey plan-

support this initiative with a national

to asking London Boroughs to consider

ner by summer 2017.

diesel scrappage scheme to help drivers

access for taxis to a further 40 on roads they

The iconic black cab trade - already recog-

dispose of the vehicles and ensure they

control. The number of taxi ranks to be

nised as the finest service of its type in any

aren't used elsewhere in the UK.

increased by at least 20 per cent by 2020 and

city

- will also be helped to become the

Powers are also being sought to deal

the use of new technology will help provide

greenest in the world. From next year, up to

with pedicabs, seize uninsured vehicles

customers with information to help connect

£5,000 will be available to drivers who scrap

and automatically disqualify from driving

them with taxis more quickly and easily -

the oldest and most polluting taxis. A grant of

anyone convicted of touting.

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

Bob Woodford looks at London’s long lost sporting venues

Queens Park Rangers (continued)

Last month I began the story of London’s most nomadic football club, the boys who

started it all off in Droop Street in 1882 - Queens Park Rangers. From humble beginnings

on waste ground near the Kensal Rise Athletic Ground, where no doubt ‘knee scraping’

was a regular hazard, the Royalists (as they were known back then) would move home

another 8 times before the turn of the next century!

They would win lose and draw fixtures at Welford’s Fields, the London and Scottish rugby

ground, Home Park, the Gun Club in Wormwood Scrubs, Kilburn Cricket Ground, Kensal Rise

Athletic Ground and St Mark’s Park before the residents of St Quinten’s Avenue would rise up

and serve notice upon them to move on (yet again) as they were lowering the tone of the area!

In 1902, the club moved back to the KRAG (Kensal Rise Athletic Ground), but they were

attracting quite some following by then and had to seek out a much larger space so that they

could cash in on the higher attendances a bigger site could provide. Just in time for the start

of the 1904/05 season Rangers moved out to the Royal Agricultural Society Ground at Park

Loftus Rd in the 1930s with a tin topped

Royal, which could hold up to 40,000 spectators. This relatively short-lived show ground for

stand in place. The rest was open terracing...

the RAS was already established in 1903 and was intended to be a permanent exhibition site

for the Society’s annual show. QPR played at the Horse Ring which much later became the site for the Guinness Brewery - while decades later,

Guinness would sponsor the team’s football strip!

Just 3 seasons after that, the ever-ambitions QPR would be playing at another venue, this one at Park Royal had a capacity for nearly 60,000 fans. Bizarrely,

the Park Royal Ground was almost an exact replica of Ayresome Park, former home of Middlesbrough FC up in the North-East of England.

But the club were forced to move home yet again, this time during World War One, when in 1915 the ground was taken over by the armed forces. Those

old grounds in Park Royal eventually became the Guinness Sports Club, even hosting the Field Hockey event in the 1948 Olympic Games - but today, all of

this land is simply Park Royal, the largest Business Park in London, occupying 1,200 acres - the equivalent of 1,200 football pitches!

The closest you can get these days to those ghosts at the Park Royal grounds is in and around Coronation Road, but the club that were so used to moving

home, then had to reluctantly return to the old cricket ground in Harvest Road after initially hosting a few games at White City Stadium.

The search was on for a permanent ground and not before time. So when amateur side Shepherd’s Bush FC disbanded after WW1, the Rangers finally

moved to their Loftus Road ground in 1917.

At this time, the football pitch was just an open field with a pavilion, but the club were determined to make this 18th different home ground

permanent - so they schlepped back to Park Royal to dismantle a stand and then re-erected it on the Ellerslie Road side of the ground.

Home sweet home at last, although further ground improvements in 1931 saw the club switch back to White City for a spell - and older readers may recall

the club were back at White City again for the 1962/63 season.

QPR fans - how are you Mr Rice - will recognise the 1960s as a pivotal turning point in the club’s fortunes on the field. In 1967 they became the first Third

Division team to lift the League Cup just up the road at Wembley, defeating WBA 3-2 after trailing 0-2 at half-time. Then in 1968, the ‘Hoops’ were promot-

ed to the top flight of English football (the old Division One) for the first time in their history, while the rest as they say, is history.

As I write these notes, I hear that Rangers have just been thumped 0-6 by Newcastle United in a Championship fixture at Loftus Road - and I guess those

good old boys back in Droop Street over 130 years ago will be looking down thinking ‘no worries, they’ll bounce back like they always do’.

Next month it’s the story of a North London giant’s humble origins as munitions workers in South East London.

Bob Woodford, Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 17

It was around mid-April when

Philip Benjamin tells Call Sign of the one thing he never really expected...

according to the TfL Compliance

Delivery Department, Dial-a-Cab

“AN APOLOGY FROM TFL!”

driver Philip Benjamin (K20) was

approached by two of their offi-

With those words freshly typed, Philip

Benjamin added the following, which

cers who claimed he was not in

explained his anger in a single sentence:

attendance with his vehicle, by

“Kindly expunge any defamatory notes

inference claiming that he was

from my record and please add this email

at another location after naming

to my file...”

Phil sent his reply to Call Sign as well as

Stratton Road W1 as where the

TfL, telling us quite candidly that he would be

cab was parked and where

astonished to get a response. And indeed he

Philip wasn’t!

had virtually forgotten all about it when sever-

The problem was that the letter to Phil was

al months later, the response suddenly

sent around two months later. It claimed that

appeared signed by Kelly Nolan of TfL’s

he had been “parked on an authorised stand-

where Uber and other rogue minicabs were

Compliance Delivery Department. The email

ing at Stratton Road, Mayfair” - not Street!

parked or touting, perhaps to check their

firstly apologised for the length of time it had

Phil’s reply to the accusation was that he was

insurance and the condition of their vehicles.

taken without actually saying why. But it con-

standing behind his cab. He continued in his

He suggested to the duo that the result could

tinued:

letter to TfL:

be the removal of dozens of these vehicles

“I have reviewed the official’s report of this

“As I appeared from the rear of the vehicle,

from the streets in a very short space of time

incident and the information you have provid-

the two young men (one who spoke with an

and perhaps to his amazement, the pair of offi-

ed and have withdrawn the warning issued

American accent) were hovering at the front.

cers agreed with Phil that it would be a far

against you due to reporting errors made by

But I was with the vehicle at all times contrary

more productive way of their time than the nit-

the officials. I have highlighted this incident

to their allegation.”

picking they were carrying out on Philip’s taxi!

with their line manager.

Philip went on to add - perhaps not too

Philip, who has been on Dial-a-Cab since

I apologise for the tone of the letter sent,

wisely but certainly understandably - that per-

1975, added in his letter that he had held a taxi

due to the number of reports received it is not

haps the officers’ time would have been better

licence for over forty years and had an impec-

always possible to personalise warning letters.

served attending mainline railway stations etc

cable record. He said he found the tone of the

However, we are always looking to improve

computer-generated letter they had sent him

our communications and welcome the feed-

to be “offensive and bordering on an effron-

back.”

tery” which in his view only further degraded

Philip told Call Sign: “From April to mid-

Taxi

TfL’s failing relationship with the most revered

August is really pushing the boundaries for an

and properly licenced taxi service in the

official apology, but it’s nice to know that they

insurance

world.

don’t automatically say: Appeal failed!”

for DaC

TFL and Credit Cards

drivers

n 23 March, the TfL

Board agreed that all

taxi drivers must

On behalf of Dial-a-Cab, Hillier Buchan Ltd

accept credit and debit

in Bexley have negotiated exclusive rates

card payments, including contact-

for DaC members. We believe our rates are

less, with effect from 3 October

competitive in today’s market for experi-

2016. Accepting credit, debit and

enced licensed Black Cab drivers.

contactless payment is an impor-

At Hillier Buchan, we understand every driver’s

circumstances are different; therefore our policies

tant step in protecting the status

can be tailored for the individual driver. We offer

of taxis, making travelling by taxi

a 5% discount for DaC members, with additional

and paying the metered fare

discounts for existing protected Bonus policies.

much easier and a more attrac-

Hillier Buchan was established in 2002 by

tive, convenient option for passengers.

David Hillier and myself with in excess of 50

In the consultation they conducted in 2015 regarding this change, 86

years experience as high level Brokers working in

the City of London for major broking houses. We

per cent of over 1,000 respondents were in favour of making it mandatory that all taxis

have established a reputation for professionalism

accept card payments.

and service in our chosen fields.

However, in response to concerns raised by the trade that card payment sys-

We have extensive London Market contacts;

tem providers need more time to install systems, we have made some changes

consequently we are able to offer our clients a

to the dates by which vehicles owners and drivers will be required to comply:

quality of security from companies that are all

available in the world’s pre-eminent insurance

By 31 October, drivers must demonstrate that they have the ability to accept card

market. As a result, our clients achieve quality of

and contactless payments and provide printed receipts for those payments upon

security and service upon which we pride our-

request. This could be a handheld device, mobile solution or device fitted in the pas-

selves and a competitiveness of premium that

senger compartment of the taxi. As long as the driver can demonstrate they have the

our clients find particularly attractive in today's

ability to accept card and contactless payments, they will be permitted to continue

climate.

Our philosophy is to build long-term relation-

working. The taxi must also display TfL’s card and contactless payment signage stickers

ships using balanced service teams providing

in the correct position.

continuity and expertise. Compare our prices

By 1 January 2017, all taxis must have an approved card payment device fitted with-

and give us a call. See our ad inside this issue of

in the passenger compartment. Any taxi found not to meet the requirement by this

Call Sign on page 15.

date will be issued with an unfit notice, which will remain in place until the require-

Phil Buchan,

Hillier Buchan, 01322 553313

ment is fulfilled and the vehicle is presented for inspection.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 18

hat has happened to

Transport for London?

Following the transfer of

WHAT IS THE

power from the former

Public Carriage Office, there were a num-

ber of licensed taxi drivers who briefly

thought it would give us - the finest taxi ser-

vice in the world - some sort of parity with

MATTER WITH

buses and tubes. After all, the two previous

Mayors were very pro-bus and for some

time at least, appeared to be pro-taxi as

well. But it never lasted other than a previ-

ous incarnation at the London Olympics

TFL???

because we were far better known than

Transport for London and were used to

Are they now a form of transport MI5?

show London - and we ARE London -

whereas TfL now appear to be a bunch of

faceless, overpaid people whose only care

your own minds up about any secrecy issue.

regarding private and public transport is

This is John’s letter

spelled with just four letters, the first being

U and the last being R.

Dear Sir/Madam

Many drivers were fed up with the strict dis-

I received a letter from you dated 30th

cipline shown to taxis by the PCO and celebrat-

August giving me notice confirming my

ed the transfer. But even those who were con-

vehicle was unfit for public use. Your letter

cerned about the change to TfL have been sur-

stated my cab was inspected at the Kings

prised at the apparent anti-stance taken against

Cross drop off area at 09.17 on the

taxis by TfL directors because as their money

30/08/2016. The reason you gave for my

has gone up, their care for London taxis has

taxi being unfit was that I didn't have a

seemingly gone down and their love affair with

current MOT / 2nd MOT for licensing.

private hire has taken over.

Firstly you stated in your letter that my

We accept most car firms, but how can we

cab was inspected at the above

accept Uber? They care not a jot about author-

location. Well if it was, the Compliance offi-

ity, yet they are mollycoddled by TfL. They take

cers certainly didn't make themselves

TfL to court and usually win. You have to won-

known to me. If they had approached

John Gerber: Secret Compliance Officers at work?

der why that is? Yet when we ask for just a tad

me and asked about a valid MOT, I would

of commonsense regarding the positioning of

have duly produced one there and then

wrong way, a huge increase in the number

Credit Card Readers (PEDs), we have to beg

dated the 24th August.

of accidents by the PH trade because they

TfL to show any sanity. Brian Rice had been in

I am astonished to be confronted with

are so distracted looking at their satnavs. I

touch with them since March, yet by mid-

such a letter from your office, which is

could go on, but I'm sure you can see where

September - just weeks from their ruling of all

totally misleading and calls into question

I'm coming from.

taxis accepting cards - no answer of any note

what your compliance team is trying to

I await an immediate response and

was received until Helen Chapman called the

achieve. Are you trying to undermine this

expect a full apology from your office. I will

DaC Chairman on 9th September - less than a

cab trade with fabricated allegations? Are

be forwarding this letter onto various cab

month before TfL’s ridiculous ruling was

you trying to put us in a bad light with the

media and also to the Mayor of London.

scheduled to come to fruition. They had previ-

public with mostly frivolous complaints

Yours faithfully

ously claimed they were “discussing” it, but

against the taxi trade, whilst allowing hun-

Mr J Gerber

with whom? Aren’t they the decision makers?

dreds if not thousands of more

So as the sub-heading implies: Do TfL now

Seven months to decide whether putting dri-

serious non-compliance issues by the

operate a form of secret police system. MI5

vers’ lives at risk was worth worrying about?

100,000 plus private hire vehicles roaming

have to operate that way but TfL are supposed

Their answer? A 12 week delay until January 1st

around London daily without

to be transparent - something they most certain-

to “give us more time.” Not a word about our

proper insurance, illegally being hired,

ly are not. So that begs the question; do we real-

safety concerns.

cars that are shared between 2 or 3 drivers

ly need TfL? Do they even know what they are

On page 17 there is a story where two of

of which, if you are lucky, only one of the

doing? Can we go back to the Met? Ask Philip

TfL’s Compliance Delivery Department

drivers is licensed. Then of course there

and John what they think???

approached Dial-a-Cab driver Philip

are the numerous examples of dangerous

Alan Fisher

Benjamin (K20) and accused him of not

driving eg going down one-way streets the

Call Sign Online

being with his cab, even though he was

standing behind it on a rank. It took

months for them to apologise saying they

would “speak” to the officers concerned.

Perhaps the word “sack” should have been

used because they tried to get Philip to lose

his license. But they won’t be; Philip, on the

other hand, if found guilty could have had

his license taken away on a TfL whim. After

all, he isn’t an Uber driver so why should

TfL care?

But are we being unkind? Was that a one-off?

Sadly not! Below is a letter sent to TfL by DaC

driver John Gerber (N62). Like Philip, John

also wrote a letter of complaint to TfL’s

Compliance department. This time Call Sign

isn’t waiting several months for their response

because they will probably just apologise for

the delay and offer some ‘cock and bull’ story

about why John was reported. You can make

Call Sign October 2016

Page 19

From Garry White

book taxis and I feel we have missed out.

PEDs in all licensed taxis. I did get a reply; she

However this would need to be open to the

was understanding of our plight in being over

trade, not just DaC drivers and would be a big

regulated in this matter and agreed that the

challenge to market to our target clientele.

regulatory authority were being too prescrip-

tive in where the PEDs are placed and that it

could lead to unintended consequences.

Night time economy

The Arabs that come to London over the sum-

Tourism Action Plan

mer months have been a saviour to the night

I was recently shown the Tourism Action Plan

time taxi driver, they come out after the sun

and on page 9 they state they would like to see

goes down to eat, drink coffee and walk

the deregulation of PHV so hotels and night

around Mayfair and Knightsbridge, creating

Moving with the times

clubs can run their own car services! There is a

a steady flow of work for the night time cabby.

A 21st century taxi service is going to include

petition on the Change.org website and I urge

Seeing the ladies immaculately dressed and

working with apps; I say apps, because unless

you to sign it to stop this back door deregula-

smelling like a perfume department when they

a radio taxi circuit can provide enough work

tion. You can either copy from below or it is

enter the taxi is always welcome sight (and

for its members in the future, is it fair to

hyperlinked on Call Sign’s website. Look at:

smell), and I hope they choose London as their

restrict drivers from earning a living from

https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-

summer vacation for many years to come.

other taxi work providers? It is something the

stop-the-deregulation-of-phv-as-quoted-on-

next management structure will have to con-

page-9-of-the-tourism-action-

sider seriously as to how this can work to help

Credit cards

plan?recruiter=100863855&utm_source=

you, the driver.

I recently forwarded an email to my MP

share_petition&utm_medium=whatsapp

Obviously, the ideal situation would be for

(Jackie Doyle-Price) which Alan Fisher

Dial-a-Cab to have its own trade app, the

wrote, copying in myself and many others

Garry White

younger savvy generation like to use apps to

about the farce of having to have rear situated

DaC Board Member

LEE BOWS OUT AT ‘HOME’!

(Left) 2006 and the DaC-sponsored Wembley and (right) Lee with David Seaman at a time when Terry Venables was coach

or many years Call Sign had followed the goalkeeping career of Dial-a-Cab driver Lee Pearce (J71) and at

times even sponsored him with the odd pair of goalkeeping gloves - which are much more expensive than nor-

mal ones. In fact, for two seasons, Dial-a-Cab sponsored the tops that his team of the time, Wembley, wore to

play their matches in.

Lee retired two seasons ago and although he had moved around having success with several other non-league clubs

while playing, he always had an affinity with Wembley; so it was fitting that he should be invited for one last match

when two Wembley “legend” teams faced each other.

Call Sign asked Lee to pick out just two magical moments from his long career. The first one Lee picked

was when Wembley literally made headlines worldwide in appointing Terry Venables as the team’s techni-

cal manager to oversee the team in an FA Cup run. But even more astonishing were the signings the team

made for that cup run: Arsenal’s Ray Parlour and Martin Keown, Chelsea and Southampton’s Graeme Le

Saux, Fulham and USA star Brian McBride and Argentina World Cup superstar Claudio Caniggia! In addi-

tion, Lee had his own personal trainer in ex-Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman!

“Playing in goal behind those players wasn’t just a thrill, it was an honour,” Lee told us, “and David Seaman was

a really great help. Even though they were all retired, the skill just dripped off them and while they may have lost

their speed, their ability of knowing where every player on the pitch was without looking was amazing.”

Lee’s second memory didn’t involve Wembley, but another team he played for - Bedfont Green.

“It was a match against local rivals Bedfont that would normally be a tense affair, but the 2008/9 season game

had a carnival atmosphere because regardless of the result, Bedfont Green had already won the Combined

Counties Premier championship and promotion. We were on a 22 match unbeaten run and made it 23 with a 3 -

1 victory. Following the match, league Chairman John Bennett presented the championship trophy to us and our

kids suddenly appeared on the field to celebrate with us. It was truly a magical moment.”

But Lee still calls Wembley his first true footballing love and he was thrilled to be called to play this last game even though he hadn’t played for 17 months

and even happier when his team slammed the opposition 8-2!

“Both knees are shot and my right thigh is sore as hell, but I’m delighted to have got through the match letting in just two goals and making a few good

saves. It was a good way to say goodbye.”

Dennis Latchett, Call Sign Online

Call Sign October 2016

Page 20

The London Taxi Benevolent

Association for War Disabled has

LTBAWD VOTED BEST UK

been crowned the UK’s best vol-

untary organisation. The charity

VOLUNTARY CHARITY!

began in 1948 with 25 taxis and

50 ex-servicemen and is made

...and they heard the news at yet another Veterans outing -

up of volunteer taxi drivers.

a Chelsea Tea Dance!

It is probably best known for its yearly out-

Dick Goodwin and two

ings to Worthing, however, as Call Sign often

Veterans accept the

reports, the charity does far more than that,

award

often supported by its patrons: Dame Vera

Lynn, Joanna Lumley, Vice Admiral Sir

Adrian Johns and Lady Suzie Johns.

name will always be associ-

Last year, the LTBAWD organised a five-day

ated with the charity and

trip to Holland when 90 London taxi drivers

that so much of his early

and volunteers took 120 WW2 Veterans and

hard work on behalf of it,

their carers back to Arnhem where they

while also still driving a cab,

received heroes’ welcomes on the

70th

has helped to lead to its suc-

anniversary of the Liberation.

cess and this award.

Mixed in with many projects such as lunches

Harry once told Call

and other social events in various clubs over

Sign: “The London Taxi

many parts of the southeast that the charity

Benevolent Association

undertakes in aid of Vets from all conflicts,

for War Disabled is my

the dancing then continued - Katie Derham

there was 9 June 1994 when the LTBAWD

life, because as long as there is conflict and

also giving it a twirl along with some the

organised a whole fleet of London taxis to go

war around the world, there will be a need

veterans.

across to Normandy for the fiftieth anniversary

for organisations such as this and for the

Katie Derham said: “I have been bowled over

of Operation Overlord - better known as the

work we do.”

by the special bond between the London taxi

Normandy landings.

We couldn’t have put it better and once

drivers and the Veterans. It’s great that projects

Then there was 2008 when they celebrat-

again we send our congratulations on the

like this receive funding, thanks to National

ed their own 60th anniversary and to mark

National Lottery Award - but more impor-

Lottery players who raise £36 million every

that momentous occasion, took

160

tantly, the thanks of so many Veterans who

week for good causes across the UK.”

Veterans back to Normandy, also coincid-

will forever be grateful to the LTBAWD...

Dick Goodwin, LTBAWD event organiser

ing with D-Day landing celebrations in

Alan Fisher

added: “We are absolutely delighted to have

France where the City of Caen asked the

won a National Lottery Award and would like to

Call Sign Online

charity to be involved in their parade.

say a sincere thank you to everyone that got

Much of the funding they need to continue

behind us - Veterans, Taxi drivers, family,

comes from Lottery awards and the charity have

friends and the British public - this award

often spoke of their appreciation and indeed

sends a great message to our Vets that people

the vote to find the best UK voluntary charity

genuinely care about them and what they went

came in the National Lottery Awards annual

through.”

search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded

The Committee deserve every praise, but

projects. The charity won a £3,000 cash prize in

four people must get special mentions;

addition to an iconic NLA trophy presented on

Frances Luczyc Wyhowska who has taken our

12 September and shown on BBC One.

trade to her heart and was often out campaign-

Fred Glover, a 90-year-old WW2 Veteran

ing for the LTBAWD to win the award; the man

who recently undertook two parachute jumps

known to many cab drivers as Barking Bill but

to raise money for the LTBAWD said: “I’m

otherwise known as DaC’s Terry Ward (W13).

thrilled that this magnificent charity has

He has been associated with the charity for so

won a Lottery award. The cab drivers and

many years as have the Secretary, Paul Davis

committee members are all volunteers.

and the charity’s PRO Derek Leone, the man

They look after us so well on our trips and

who keeps us informed of everything that goes

outings. I’m proud to be associated with

on.

them.”

But there is one man whose name will forev-

It was Friday 26th August; the LTBAWD had

er be associated with The London Taxi

organised a Tea Dance at the Royal Hospital

Benevolent Association for War Disabled and

Chelsea for around 80 guests, including Vets

whose hard work over many, many years has

Your old TX1 Taxi is wanted

and some of the drivers who freely give their

allowed the charity to reach this pinnacle of

time. They were in the State Apartments that

recognition

- former Dial-a-Cab Board

✓ Quick viewing and decision

the Royal Hospital had kindly given permis-

Member, Harry Joel MBE (Ex-B33).

sion for the charity to use on this occasion.

For many years, Harry was the Hon

✓ Cash waiting!

While there, they were entertained by the D-

Chairman until in 2006 when the title was

Day dancers (dressed in forties style) and

superseded by that of Life Long President.

✓ Top price paid for really clean

Singers (in RAF uniforms). Between them,

He often said that much of his tireless work

examples

they managed to coax some of the veterans and

was thanks to his late wife Frances. In 2003,

drivers onto the floor to dance with them!

when Frances illness became too much for

It was soon after a buffet lunch that

her and both she and Harry knew the end

Please ring Graham on

a BBC television team arrived, along with

was near, in her final moments she insisted

Katie

Derham,

who

then

07435 562759

that Harry should still go on that year's War

announced that the charity had won the

Disabled trip to Worthing - indeed the

or e-mail on

National Lottery Awards with a total of 3995

mark of a very, very special woman.

oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk

votes! It was greeted with cheering and

Now at almost 92, Harry takes a place more

clapping from everybody concerned before

in the background but surely knowing that his

Call Sign October 2016

Page 21

MORE FOR MARG!

As Call Sign solves one problem, that solution leads to another question!

Last month’s Call Sign contained an article from

our man in Canada, Norman Beattie, headed by

the strange life of a 1957 Austin FX3 and told the story of Marg

Kentner, who runs The Grande Bazaar gift store in Stonewall.

Forty years ago, Marg started a business in Winnipeg opening a gift

store and gift delivery service. Looking for something different to dis-

tinguish her business against anything similar, she came up with the

idea of using a London taxi to make deliveries and knowing a friend

was going on a trip to England, she asked him to enquire and after

speaking to several cab drivers, he went to LTI and purchased a sec-

ond hand FX3.

Marg later ran the Tin Lizzie auto-museum in Headingley, just

west of Winnipeg and where antique cars were stored for local collec-

tors. Marg’s 1957 FX3 used to give people rides around its grounds.

The cab is now in the hands of Marg’s nephew Brian, who lives in

TXV 111 shows on top as being bought by the London

Boissevain, Manitoba. It is still in excellent running order and occa-

General in 1957. But what about F.G.Duncan at the bottom?

sionally takes part in parades and various festivities.

Was that Frank?

The red and black FX3

had the distinctive licence

But back to the FX3 because the solution to Marg’s request has led

plate number of TXV 111

to another question; Marg’s FX3 tops that page, however, the fourth

but little of its history was

name on the list of Mann & Overton’s sales leger for May 1957 is

known. So via Norman and

F.Duncan. I doubt that even the LVTA can help here because we know

Call Sign, Marg asked if

that Founder ODRTS Board Member and former Treasurer of this

anyone over here could

Society, Frank Duncan, bought a cab at around that time because

help and within 24 hours of

when Editor Alan Fisher wrote The Early Years of ODRTS, he inter-

the magazine coming out,

viewed Frank Duncan and he spoke of his first FX3 that he’d bought

the London Vintage Taxi

in 1957. Was TXN 980 that first taxi of a Founder ODRTS member.

Association PR Mark

Will we ever know...

Cooper

- described by

Our thanks once again to Mark Cooper and the LVTA for the

many within that organisa-

help with TXV 111...

tion as a walking library on

matters involving old cabs -

sent us the information

Marg had been seeking for

Marg's cab in Canada

CORINTHIAN

many years on the cab.

Mark began by sending details from a page of the original 1957

Mann & Overton sales ledger, which showed the entry of TXV 111.

That also showed the cab’s first owner as being the London General

GOLF CLUB

Cab Company, which meant, as Mark pointed out, that like every taxi

of the time, the cab would originally have been all black as against its

Cabbie Specials

red and black colouring today.

The final piece of the jig-saw came with the date that Marg’s FX3

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED JOINING A GOLF CLUB BUT

entered service - 18th April 1957. And as a sort of bonus, Mark

WONDERED IF YOU WOULD REALLY USE THE MEMBERSHIP?

attached the website to a short 1960 documentary that featured the

Now’s your chance to try our course. Any black cab driver who shows us their badge gets a

London General garage and showed what life was like for new cabs of

10% discount for green fees and societies on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and

the time. For those that would like to watch the film, take a look at:

Saturdays, and a discounted membership fee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX9pHzj2Uy4

CABBIE GOLF SPECIAL

For anyone interested in old taxis, you do not have to be the

Our 9 hole course is the perfect place for you to relax and get some fresh air

owner of an old cab to join the London Vintage Taxi Association

in the beautiful countryside of North-West Kent.

- you don’t even need to have been a cab driver! For a member-

Renovated and restructured greens and improved fairways to play on, with

ship of just £29 a year, you get 6 magazines a year containing

food and a bar on site to refresh yourself after a round.

information on

vintage taxis

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER SPECIAL GREEN FEES FOR CABBIES

and details of

£10.00 (9 HOLE) OR £15 (18 HOLE).

when and where

vintage shows

For more information call Jacquie or Sue on 01474 573116 / 573113

are taking place.

A friendly welcome awaits you.

There is techni-

cal advice for

Corinthian Sports Club, Valley Road, Fawkham, Longfield, Kent. DA3 8LY

corinthians@billingsgroup.co.uk / jacquie@billingsgroup.co.uk

those carrying

www.corinthiansportsclub.co.uk

out repairs etc

and of course,

the chance to

liaise with other

members around

the world.

Mark Cooper got the 1957 details for Call Sign

Call Sign October 2016

Page 22

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…

Crowborough Beacon Golf Club

Some courses are hidden gems; Crowborough Beacon is certainly one that liter-

ally falls within that category! That could be because it’s not the easiest course

to get to. But don't let that put you off!

Situated high above the East Sussex Weald - 800ft above sea level to be more pre-

cise - the course provides fabulous views across the South Downs. While it has been

quite some time since I last played Crowborough Beacon, I'm hoping to make a trip

back soon.

This is a course of springy turf, heather and pine. It’s not overly long at 6200 yards

and was originally opened as a 9 hole course, but extended to the full 18 holes

around ten years later in 1905.

A local resident and former club captain was Sherlock Holmes creator, Sir

Arthur Conan Doyle. However, there’s no mystery on how to play the course!

Position is absolutely essential from the tee. The fairways are often sloped to

send a mishit shot further away on the many doglegs.

The standout hole is the par 3 6th, The Speaker. At 191 yards, you’re faced with

a shot across a gully to the green; anything to the left of the green is lost into

another deep drop-off! The hole was named after House of Commons Speaker,

William Gully and is one of Crowborough Beacon’s signature holes, even

though these days it is a different hole than the one originally designed. It is longer in yards, but not as

long a ‘carry’ due to a change in angle from the original tees. It is a fantastic, yet picturesque hole.

Crowborough Beacon an incredibly friendly club and if the weather is clear, the balcony has some of best views of any club I've played. It also has

reasonable green fees for such a well rated club...

Happy golfing

Simon Wallis (M11)

Call Sign Online

Taxi Driver Of The Year Dinner and Dance

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, the Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund presents its annual Dinner and Dance on

Saturday 16th November 2016. It will be held at the:

Holiday Inn Regents Park, Carburton Street, London W1W 5EE

The cost of tickets has been held at last year’s price of £65 per head. As usual, tickets will include an excellent 4 course

meal with half a bottle of wine per person and of course the evening is complemented with dancing to a live band.

With your support, the Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund is able to make substantial donations to the taxi trade chari-

ties that support them. Don’t be the one to miss this great night out; come along to the Holiday Inn Regents Park and

enjoy the good food and great company.

This event will prove to be an enjoyable and memorable occasion for all.

Please complete and return the form together with your cheque made out to TDYCF to: Russell Poluck MBE (Hon Chairman)

5 St Brides Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 6BT

RSVP by 12th October 2016. Please print and make cheque out to TDYCF

Name:

Title:

Company (if applicable):

Address:

Tel:

Email:

Number of tickets:

Dietary requirements:

Veg

□ Fish

□ Meat

□

Dress smart

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

Email: brussella@talk21.com • Website: taxidriveroftheyearcharityfund.com

‘ Remembering those less fortunate than ourselves’

Call Sign October 2016

Page 23

Another true story from Geoff Levene...

I Live in a

(sort of) Village!

The sign above the door bore the legend:

The thing was the whole place was a time

Get well togged at Togwells. What sort of

warp. It was as though I had stepped back

place was this? I think unusual best

forty odd years. Jackets with huge lapels, bell-

ondon is a collection of villages.

described it. To start, the inside of the win-

bottomed trousers, kipper ties. He suddenly

There is a relatively small central

dow was lined with the yellow plastic stuff

asked if I’d seen anything I liked. I commented

area surrounded by a host of once

that stops the sun fading the window dis-

that it was all a bit unusual but he didn't seem

outlying districts that now form a

play. And what a display it was - pride of

to hear me. He opened a drawer, looked

virtually unbroken belt - north, south,

place going to a rather battered male man-

around to see if anyone was watching and

east and west. Camden, Islington,

nequin dressed in a safari suit, desert

whispered: “These are going to be big this

Hackney, Stepney, Wapping, Greenwich,

boots and a bush hat. Was it 2016 or 1976?

summer. Get one before they go.” I asked what

Deptford and on they go. Occasionally

What else? Placed around were piles of

they were? He took another look around him:

strangers think they’ve reached

“the

multi-coloured shirts with very wide collars,

“String vests,” he hissed, “and in a variety of

edge.”

the sort of thing Tom Jones used to wear.

colours!” I asked if he’d had the shop long and

Taking someone to Stanmore one day, I

There were also plenty of tank-tops. It was all

he replied he’d it some years earlier but then

drove along Fryent Way, which cuts through

very odd so I decided to venture inside. A bell

did something else for a while. He was now

what was once a farm and is now a nature

tinkled as I pushed the door. The shop was

starting again. In other words, he was trying to

park. He looked worried, asking if he’d find a

crammed with stuff - suits, trousers, shirts and

flog the same stuff from years ago. I decided

cab there later on. Of course, all of this has

shoes. And that was just what I could see.

I'd seen enough.

been good news for that shy and retiring lot -

Suddenly a man appeared. Slim with grey hair

“ I've got to fly,” I said, “I'll try to look in

Estate Agents. No longer do they have to strug-

and twinkly eyes. He wore a white T-shirt

again.”

gle to flog places in Hampstead, Highgate or

which said ‘I'm Al, fly me’. This was tucked

“Of course,” came the polite reply. “You’re

Wimbledon. They stick ‘village’ on the end of

into floral flared loon pants whilst on his feet

welcome anytime. We're always open.”

the details and it conjures up images of sunny

were sandals.

And I stepped back out into the village,

meadows, friendly pubs, a fat smiling copper

"How can I help you,” he asked quietly,

back into the twenty-first century...

and a postman on a bike - even if the reality is

“are you after anything in particular?” I

slow moving traffic, bored and threatening

said I was just looking. “We've got every-

teens and civil enforcement officers. But the

Geoff Levene (W32)

thing you need here, sir. Have a good look

prospective property owners lap it all up!

Call Sign Online

round.”

I realise, of course, that I myself live in a ‘vil-

lage’. I step out of my door, walk round the

corner and there it all is - the pub (Tuesday is

Round and round the Ring

curry night), the bakers (beigels and Kenyan

specialities), the butchers (strictly kosher), the

“Well, yes, I suppose I am a bit of a petrol head,” John Wiles

greengrocer (last seen 25 years ago; go to

(C60) admitted to Call Sign, “but I do love things mechanical,”

Tesco Express) and the quaint furniture shop

he added with a broad grin. “For the past twenty years, a few of

(fifteen foot laminated minimalist sideboard

us have been travelling to the German race track of

type thing... £10000)! A traditional English vil-

Nurburgring - said by many to be the most challenging race

track in the world - to thrash around the famous circuit in our

lage

oh, I forgot the sixteen restaurants, the

own cars. This year I was accompanied by my nephew who thor-

six hairdressers and the three nail bars!

oughly enjoyed the experience.

There is also a small unisex hairdresser. It’s

“Our group of six cars in convoy took the Shuttle service to

run by two ladies - one is Thai and one

France and then drove through France into Luxembourg, tak-

Colombian. I used to go there until some-

ing in a visit to the Battle of the Bulge site and US War

thing shocking happened. As I was paying, the

Museum at Bastogne, before heading into Germany and on

to the Nurburgring itself. We stay in B + B’s for the few days

South American woman said that the next time

we’re there, booking everything in advance, including our track

I went there...

“Why don't you come on

tickets,” John explained.

Pensioners' day!” So after they pulled me off

“The ‘Ring is actually a one-way public toll road and not

the nearby railway line, I decided to find some-

open every day for public access, as vehicle manufacturers

one new in the tonsorial field!

also use the track for road testing new models etc, so the

And while none of those eating establish-

usual rules of the road apply while participants engage in

whizzing around the track! You buy a ticket for each lap of

ments could be called cutting edge and a few

the circuit that you wish to complete; this time I bought 4

really are not very good at all, it’s great to just

tickets that entitled me to four laps, although you cannot com-

find a selection of restaurants two minutes

plete those laps continuously,” John said.

away. And I don't have to worry about drinking

“There is a barrier on the approach to the track and only when that’s raised can you go. The rush

and driving. But I was amazed to find myself

of adrenalin you get as the engine revs rise in response to the throttle pedal, and as the roadway

seated at a table next to wine expert Jerry

flashes past underneath the car, is indeed a heady mix,” John added with a grin as he remembered his

Boam and his guest, food writer and restau-

most recent trip, almost akin to a child with a new toy! ”Then you come off the circuit at the end of

the lap and return to the barrier for the start of your next lap and so on for however many laps you’ve

ranteur, Herb Crust. The wine man swilled

chosen to complete. It’s not unusual to find yourself mixing it with other road traffic such as coaches,

the golden liquid round his glass, took a sniff

so you really need to concentrate,” he suggested.

and then a sip. With a faraway look in his eye

“Over the two decades I’ve been going, I must have clocked up hundreds of laps, but the thrill of

he declared it “cheeky without being presump-

the experience and the speed rush never diminishes.

tuous.” Oh please!

“In the evenings after the days’ racing, we usually get together for a few beers before heading

Anyway, as I wandered around the area

back to the UK the following morning, looking forward to the next time when the ‘Ring authorities

the other day, I discovered a place I hadn't

organise a Tourist Rides Fun Day.”

Then it was back to his somewhat slower and possibly more boring vehicle... his taxi!

noticed before. It was a menswear shop.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 24

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

Brethren of the Whip

at the Albion. Harriott went round to the back

drew a blank. When Harriott returned to

The great

of the pub and returned with a pail of water,

answer his bail the following month, the mag-

silver coin

giving some to the horse to drink and threw

istrate informed him that there was absolute-

the remainder over the horses feet. Harriott

ly no evidence against him and that he was a

robbery

then asked Griffin to take the pail back and said

free man without a stain on his character.

he did so and was back at the cab “within a

For cabman Henry

Sean Farrell,

minute.” Harriott was standing outside the pub

Harriott, badge num-

Call Sign Online

lighting up his pipe. Griffin then went into the

ber 11725, it was a reg-

bar and ordered a pint of “half and half”, a

ular and profitable job.

porter and ale mix, which they probably

Every Monday he would

shared.

go to the New Cattle Market (now the site of

When he climbed back into the cab,

the Corporation of London housing estate

Griffin called out “My God, Harry, the sil-

between North Road and Market Road), a

ver is gone!” Panic then set in and

large amount of silver coin would be placed

Harriott suggested that the best thing

into his cab and he would then take it to the

was to drive round to the local police sta-

Bank of England in the City.

tion and report it. This was later seen as

The money was collected at the market

a ruse to allow the robbers to get away.

by William Gardner, a skin salesman, who

On route to the police, Griffin stated that

met up with his customers and exchanged

Harriott asked him what sort of tale they

paper money for the coins held by those

should make up. It was looking bad for

customers. On Monday May 31st 1858,

Mr Harriott.

£787 in silver coins was placed in six bags

Corrie, the magistrate at Clerkenwell,

that were then placed within a sack and

was less convinced of the cabman’s guilt.

put on the seat of Harriott’s cab. Along

The only evidence against him was circum-

with Harriott was an employee of the

stantial. But the fact of the matter was the

company, James Griffin, who would

two men maintained the same schedule for

supervise the delivery. The two had

two years like clockwork. Every Monday they

worked together for two years and no one

stopped at the Albion and every Monday,

could doubt their honesty and integrity.

Griffin would return the pail and then buy a

An hour after leaving the market on that

beer. The magistrates gave police a month to

Female driver

fateful Monday in May, Griffin and Harriott

find some real evidence with which to con-

10% reduction for Dial-a-Cab drivers

returned to their manager accompanied by a

vict Harriott.

Contact Debbie (W18) on

detective and told Gardner that his money

A reward of £500 was offered for informa-

had disappeared. Gardner’s first thought was

tion regarding the robbery, but all enquiries

07956 317040

that his man was joking, after all, how could

a sack of coins weighing 2 cwt (about 16

stone) simply disappear? Griffiths explained

that the cab was left unattended whilst they

stopped for a minute at the Albion pub in

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

Thornhill Road in order to water the horses

and it was there that the money was taken.

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

Gardner may have trusted the two men,

variable bank interest rates?

but the police were not so forgiving. Harriott

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

and Griffin were arrested and charged with

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

the robbery. The situation got far worse for

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

Harriott when the next day, Griffin agreed to

at your address also qualifies for membership!

be a witness against him. Having dwelled on

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

it overnight, he had come to the conclusion

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

that he had been duped by the cabman and

up to 3 times your total savings…

the only way he could rectify the matter was

to tell the police what happened.

The cost?

Griffin told the detectives that on leaving the

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

market with their precious cargo, Harriott had

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

been called out to by a man on a chaise cart

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

pulled by a grey mare. Harriott and the man

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

conversed a little while before going into the

nearby Balmoral pub. Griffin remained in the

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

cab with the money and after about five min-

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

utes, Harriott returned and they set off towards

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

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

the City.

Registration number 213263

Just as they did every Monday, they stopped

Call Sign October 2016

Page 25

ny Dial-a-Cab driver who has

Under the Freedom of Information act, Call Sign asked TfL how

been held up in renewing his

refugees from other countries with no paperwork or available history

licence due to delays with DBS

checks will know how frustrating

manage to get enhanced criminal records checks from the DBS that

that can be. Drivers blame TfL for the

are apparently enough for Uber to accept them as drivers...

delays, when it is often the DBS check that

takes an unnecessary length of time. Yet

Uber seem to have no difficulty in getting

drivers, many of whom have trouble speak-

ing English hence the new TfL regulation

re written tests.

On DaC, we have had or still have drivers

from China, Thailand and all parts of Asia

and Europe. They may or may not have dif-

ferent religions or philosophies, but they do

have at least one thing in common - they all

cates does not prevent someone from

speak perfect English. And, adding some

submitting an application to TfL but the

guesswork, another point they probably have

failure to do so will be taken into

in common is that at some time or another,

account when considering their suitabil-

they have all been delayed by the Disclosure

ity to be licensed. Particular considera-

and Barring Service.

tion is given to whether the applicant has

Quite rightly, we should have enormous

suitably demonstrated their fitness

sympathy for anyone who has had to flee

through all of the above.”

their mother country because of war and

Call Sign Comment: Surely if you have

enters the UK as a refugee, often ending up

escaped from a war-torn country, the last

in London because of work opportunities.

thing you will be able to prove is what a

But if they intend taking passengers around -

good person you have been before leaving?

including women and children - should their

The Sun (online) paper recently contained

sad state mean they can bypass the strictness

a piece detailing many of the appalling road

of the DBS check? And how is it that Uber

traffic incidents involving Uber drivers.

manage to get so many drivers who obvious-

Photos and descriptions of overturned cars,

ly fail when it comes to speaking English? So

crushed bikes etc followed just a few weeks

we asked via an FOI request and this is what

after their exposé regarding the number of

we were told...

Uber drivers allegedly involved in sex

“Every applicant who applies for a PHV

assaults, including rape.

(London) Driver’s Licence must provide to

Is it not time that regardless of the enor-

One of many alleged Uber crashes

TfL an enhanced Disclosure and Barring

mous sympathy we feel, anyone dealing

vide a Certificate of Good Conduct from

with transporting the public has to undergo

Service check. In addition, any taxi or PHV

any other country of residence within

the identical checks as every licensed taxi or

applicant who has lived in a country other

the last three years. They will also be

private hire driver has to with no escape

than the UK for one or more continuous

required to provide evidence of their

clauses. If you can’t fulfil the criteria need-

periods of between three and 12 months

Certificate of Registration or a letter

ed, then you can’t get a licence. And it

(other than periods of extended vacation)

from the Border and Immigration

should be backdated. If you feel that we’re

within three years of the date of application,

Agency.

wrong or being unfair, feel free to contact

is also required to complete a Living and

All licensing decisions are made on a

Call Sign and your letter will be published...

Working Abroad form (TPH/205) accom-

case by case basis, assessing all of the

panied by a Certificate of Good Conduct

information provided by the applicant -

from the relevant country. The Certificate of

Dennis Latchett

the DBS check and the certificates

Good Conduct is an extract from the judi-

described above. Absence of these certifi-

Call Sign Online

cial record or equivalent document issued

by a competent judicial or administrative

authority for the relevant country. This

Certificate documents any convictions

Can you afford not to get a copy!!!

recorded against the individual or to con-

firm good conduct. This requirement is in

Produced by Dial-a-Cabs PCN expert, John Vigus,

addition to the enhanced DBS check, which

this book is all you need to know about moving

is required for all applicants.

traffic and parking regulations in one easy to

Where an applicant is unable to pro-

vide a Certificate of Good Conduct, they

read guide!

must explain why and provide refer-

ences from individuals/bodies who can

confirm their conduct for their time in

The Motorists Guide to Moving

the country (the referee must not be a

family member). The absence of a

Traffic And Parking Regulations

Certificate of Good Conduct or refer-

Hard copies £8. Electronic versions to

ences does not prevent someone from

submitting an application to TfL, but the

Dial-a-Cab drivers are £5 per copy. Orders

failure to do so will be taken into

via Driver Services with payment deducted

account when considering their suitabil-

from your DaC account.

ity to be licensed.

We recognise this may not be possible

if an applicant is granted asylum or

refugee status and, where applicable,

Can you really afford not to get a copy!!!

these applicants will be required to pro-

Call Sign October 2016

Page 26

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

magazines of the time with a Flashback…

DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK

This month’s Flashback goes back 47 years to October 1969 and one of the hardest hitting articles ever pub-

lished against our drivers. It came from ODRTS Secretary / Book Keeper, Mr Ives.

From ODRTS News Magazine (October 1969)

SECRETARY'S REPORT

I find it very difficult to express the feeling of disgust that I have for some of you as I write this. I have just finished trying to defend you to a customer

and it may be of interest to you to know about the service given in this instance.

On the morning of 15th September 1969, a customer phoned at 07.17 to book a cab for 08.00 to go to Victoria. At 08.10 she rang

again, only to be told: “We have nothing in the area.” The lady then rang a minicab firm with no better result. Finally, she picked up a

passing cab and went to collect her daughter and two friends, all of whom were in tears as they were going on holiday via the BUA

Terminal at Victoria and being little more than children, they were worried about missing their flight.

Well, gentlemen, they did miss their flight and it cost them cab fares home, lunch and two nights for a hotel abroad as the next available flight was

not until the late evening of 16th September. For three children to miss two days out of a seven-day holiday and for the mother to ask me how I

intended to compensate them, presents a very difficult job.

Wanting to express my disgust to someone, I spoke to ODRTS control room manager Bill Browne; he, poor soul, did not let me say a word before

expressing with adjectives his feelings about your coverage of credit work. He had just dispatched a cab to Regency Lodge, Swiss Cottage, for Mr

Rosen, a customer some of you may know. It was covered by Mr Levy (D80) who ran from Holborn. May I say thank you, Mr Levy; if only we had

more drivers like you.

We recently lost a driver to Mountview, who was not prepared to do Bank work as some of the prices were set just a little under the meter. These

tend to be long jobs and he wanted to be paid his full fare. It would seem that some of you want blood, as I said in my column a few months ago.

If you feel some shame at reading this, it could pay you to reflect on the jobs you could have covered but didn’t because we soon will

have no long rides left! But then again you may have been too busy making snide remarks about other drivers who try to cover account

work that you won’t do and which end up in us losing a good account customer. Those drivers at least get out of the radio what they

put into it. The rest of you might just as well leave the trade unless you realise that taxis are for the benefit of the public as well.

By the way, those drivers who refused to cover long rides for slightly under the meter have now caused us to lose the valuable Midland Bank

account, some of the journeys which came to more than a days’ work just for the one trip.

Fred Ives (D65)

Thanks to all of you who offered condolences on the loss of my father Fred Ives (D65). As a radio cabman, he had a tremendous knowledge of

London and passed that along in a quiet and unassuming manner.

E.Ives (B65)

ODRTS Secretary

me, but I think the biggest

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

change in me was my own

captured as a blog. The continuing story of his time as a butterboy is…

awareness of danger; trust

no longer existed and that

mind-set remains with me

to this very day. I don’t

A Blogger’s Tale

think that’s a bad thing.

It all ended up at a

1993

famous crown court with

My worst punters...!!!

the officer in charge (IOC) of the case bing bonging my name over the

I can’t be too sure about the year, but for the purposes of this blog

loudspeaker for all to hear, various tattooed Neanderthals craned their

we’ll stay in 1993. I had been driving a distinctive cab around for

necks to watch me walk away from the seats outside the courtroom to

some time and lived in Bethnal Green as did some of my relatives.

the front of the building to meet the IOC who had led me this far.

Unfortunately for me, so did a couple of unsavoury chancers...

He told me I was a credit to the trade and should be proud of myself, I

That Saturday dawned like any other; I got up, showered and headed

wasn’t feeling proud at all, I could feel dozens of eyes boring into my back

out in the direction of my usual starting point, Liverpool Street station.

and daren’t look behind me as I walked out and into the sunshine. I think I

Business was brisk and I had done a few short jobs when a hand went up

ran back to the cab, I was just so glad it was all over. I sold my cab and

in the City. It was broad daylight, so I didn’t feel the need to do my usual

bought one that blended in with everyone else, happy in my anonymity.

drive past and stop; I just pulled up and awaited my instructions. Without

That incident and those two individuals were the worst experience I had dri-

consulting me first, he opened the back door and beckoned a second very

ving a cab, I had no phone and no protection but worse things have happened

desperate looking individual out of the narrow side turning he had been

to London Taxi drivers over the years and I believe we are safer now than we

lurking in.

have ever been.

Even after all these years, I feel I can’t go into too much detail

To be continued…

Simon Scott (O40)

about what happened next; but in a nutshell one of the punters

Call Sign Online

was very agitated, probably on drugs and at one point produced a

pair of scissors that looked like the type tailors use to cut fabric.

My sliding partition window was wide open and so when he

pressed the scissors up against my neck, I really did feel that my

Keith Reading

life was about to end.

Professional Toastmaster

The calmer of the two shouted to put the scissors away, but he didn’t -

Master of Ceremonies

he kept making that snip snip cutting noise you can hear when you’re

using them. We went on a long journey and you may wonder why I didn’t

just slam on the brakes and jump out? I’ve got to say that the thought

Tele: 01279 465 938

crossed my mind a few times, as did the thought that propelling this mad-

Mobile: 07774 860 374

man forward might also propel the scissors into my neck. I just tried to

keep calm, I kept telling myself this is the middle of a Saturday in London

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

and I held on to the hope that the calmer one would keep him under con-

trol. The journey lasted an eternity and to cap it all, when they eventually

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

got out they gave me a tip!

I watched them walk off without a care in the world leaving me feeling

Fellow of the Guild of

really vulnerable. That afternoon I screwed the baton back into the sliding

window behind my head, leaving the smallest of gaps I could get away

Professional Toastmasters

with. For ages afterwards I hated people sitting on the flip up seat behind

Call Sign October 2016

Page 27

he 17th-century ‘house of delight’

that began an architectural move-

400th Anniversary Of

ment in Britain will re-open to the

public on 11 October following a

14-month closure for conservation with a

The Queen’s House

startlingly ambitious contemporary artwork

at the heart of its most celebrated room, The

17th-century Greenwich masterpiece

Great Hall.

The Queen’s House, the Palladian villa

re-opens with new work by Richard Wright

Jones, is one of the UK’s most historically

important buildings and an acknowledged

masterpiece of British architecture. Part of

Royal Museums Greenwich, the Queen’s

House is a Scheduled Ancient Monument of

unique architectural importance and forms the

central feature of the UNESCO Maritime

Greenwich World Heritage Site. The heart of

the House is a masterpiece within a master-

piece - Inigo Jones’s Great Hall - a 40ft cube

with black and white marble floor and ornately

carved ceiling and gallery woodwork.

When the House was built, Florentine artist

Orazio Gentileschi was commissioned to cre-

ate nine paintings for the Great Hall’s ceiling

panels, collectively entitled Allegory of Peace

and the Arts under the English Crown. The

paintings remained in situ for a relatively short

time, from 1639 to 1708, when they were

Saved for the country: The Armada portrait of Elizabeth 1 is at the Queen's House

removed and re-sized to fit a smaller ceiling in

Marlborough House, St James’s, where they

painting was sold by his descendants and is in

House’s will present some 450 works from

remain today. Now, one of the most important

the public collection for the first time in its 425

Royal Museums Greenwich, the absolute trea-

British artists to emerge in the last 20 years,

year history. It commemorates the most

sures of a maritime art collection which has no

Turner-Prize winner Richard Wright has

famous conflict of Elizabeth’s reign, the failed

rival anywhere in the world. And fifty magnifi-

become the first artist since Gentileschi to cre-

ate a permanent new work on the ceiling.

invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in

cent works of art will be loaned by some of the

Richard Wright’s no title is his largest

summer of 1588.

great museums, galleries and collections of

work to date. His gold leaf, ornamental

As the House re-opens, one important paint-

Britain.

design reflects the influence of Inigo

ing will return for the first time since the 1650s.

There is no charge for admission to the

Jones’s painted, carved and gilded ceilings

Part of a sequence of pictures commissioned

Queen’s House. It is in Romney Road,

and the elegant wrought-iron leaves, scrolls

for the House by Queen Henrietta Maria and

Greenwich.

and flower heads of the spiral balustrade

King Charles I, Orazio Gentileschi’s Joseph

from Jones’s Tulip Stairs, the first in Britain

and Potiphar’s Wife (c.1630-3) will be on loan

Opening hours: Monday-Friday: 10am-

to be built without a central support and

from the Royal Collections Trust and hang in

5pm seven days a week.

another undeniable British design treasure.

the King’s Presence Chamber.

More information: www.rmg.co.uk

A new contemporary art collections pro-

The newly conserved rooms of the Queen’s Twitter: @TQHGreenwich

gramme, installations, displays, events, exhibi-

tions and acquisitions will aim to establish the

Queen’s House as the art centre for south east

London. An undoubted highlight of the re-

opening of the House is the unveiling of the

famous Armada portrait of Elizabeth I. The

painting became part of the national collection

following a successful public fundraising cam-

paign which attracted thousands of individual

donations as well as major grants and contribu-

EARLY TREATMENT MEANS SPEEDY RECOVERY

tions from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Art

Fund and others.

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

Once owned by Sir Francis Drake, the

The Centre offers fully qualified therapists in Physiotherapy,

Uber challenge TfL decision

Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Remedial

ollowing the TfL changes to private

Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherm, Massage

hire regulations, changes most PH

companies seemed to agree with,

Therapy, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

Uber put in an application to the High

Court for a Judicial Review.

Call us on 020 8507 8169

The challenge was against four of the new rul-

or mobile 07973 639 473 for an early appointment

ings - to be insured for hire and reward, to notify

TfL of any changes to its operating system, for

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

drivers to undertake an English language test

Out of hours enquiries welcome

and for call centres to be within a licensed opera-

tions centre ie a phone number! However, the

Barking Physical Therapy Centre

Judge allowed challenges to be made on three

90 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8SF

of the four. The one he decided could not be

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

challenged was on the insurance. It is scheduled

www.bptconline.co.uk

to be heard before the end of 2016.

Call Sign October 2016

Page 28

DaC driver Graham Waite gives his view on what the only

way forward is...

UNITE THE TRADE???

have a small side-line business buying and

viable to build a purpose built London taxi any

selling old taxis. I started by getting old

more. The number of new taxis currently being

Fairways for London Vintage Taxi

sold to private buyers is very small, only the

Association club members, but now I sell

fleets are buying in order to meet the increased

TX1s to a wide range of customers, including

rental demand from drivers not willing to com-

Northern Ireland and the north of England

mit their finances into buying a new cab. We

where they have no cab age restriction.

are, I think, witnessing the end of the London

Nowadays, I only work my cab at weekends

Taxi trade as we know it.

after holding a Green Badge for 38 years. I hear

I work nights and my takings are down 50% -

more and more drivers - both young and old -

if not more - on previous years. My old TX1 has

telling me when I buy their old cab that they are

16 months left to go and after that I think it will

getting out of the game or retiring. The younger

be Goodnight Vienna!

ones are often going back into trades they did

I remember joining ODRTS at Shirland

before going on The Knowledge, but the older

Road with Jack Taylor, Martin Gellman,

ones are simply retiring.

Peter Fennimore and all the other old faces;

With the drop in numbers doing the KoL, the

what characters they all were and what

enjoyment they all got from being part of

possibility of driver-less cars/cabs and of course

Graham believes the trade

the London Cab trade which was, and still

Uber, the trade will obviously diminish and

organisations should unite

is, the best in the world. God rest them

with those falling numbers it just will not be

all! But things have changed in our trade

and we need to do something.

THE HERTFORDSHIRE

Perhaps one answer is for all the various taxi

trade associations to put aside their differences

SENIOR PAIRS GOLF OPEN

and form a united front to fight Uber and any

other PH enterprise attempting to dominate the

Dial-a-Cab golfers may be interested in a day’s golf on Wednesday 19th October 2016 at the

trade. Why LTC and Mercedes have not assisted

Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club. It will be a Stableford scoring team event for two players per

more is beyond me. However and unfortunate-

team. A 75% handicap allowance is given per player with the maximum starting handicap of 24

ly, there is no real answer because we cannot

for men and 30 for ladies. Play will be from the yellow tees for Men and red for Ladies.

compete against cheap labour with immigrants

The whole day will be organised for you, just turn up with your team. You will be

willing to work for under £7 an hour or Uber

treated to tea, coffee and bacon rolls and following the competition, sit down to one of

drivers on their apparent £5.12p per hour aver-

our delicious two course carvery dinners, followed by the prize presentation. It’s all

age. On top of that, vehicles are being pur-

included in the cost of £64 per team.

chased on lease contracts costing far less than

You will need to arrive at least 1 hour before T-Time for refreshments and registration. Play will

be a shotgun start with the tee time at 10.30am and we anticipate the meal will be served at

half the price of buying a new taxi - beit LTC or

around 3pm. A change of clothes is required after your 18 holes, ie jacket and tie etc.

Mercedes.

If you are interested, please complete the entry form with full details of your team and return it to

TfL should be pushed in regard to making an

us with full payment of £64 as soon as possible; confirmation of your tee time will be given at regis-

early statement on the subject as the invest-

tration. Please make cheques payable to Crown Golf and return to:

ment from both cab manufacturers and taxi

drivers could all too very soon be pointless.

Elaine Cochrane

The Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club, Broxbournebury Mansion

In the meantime, what price trade unity...???

White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7PY

Graham Waite (B35)

Credit card payments can be taken over the phone if you prefer. If you need any further informa-

tion, please contact Elaine on 01992 466666 ext 249.

SENIOR PAIRS OPEN

Wednesday 19th October 2016

Please complete the form below giving full players details.

Lead Contact Name:

Please provide FULL details of both players

Name (1)

Address

Contact number

E-Mail Address

Name (2)

Address

Contact number

E-Mail Address

Your tee will be confirmed on receipt of your entry fee for the team of £64. Please return entry by 12th October 2016.

Cheques made payable to Crown Golf (UK) Ltd. Please phone if you would like to pay by Credit Card or for further

information: Elaine Cochrane on 01992 466666 ext 249

This information will only be used by Crown Golf Ltd and not issued to any other third party...

Call Sign October 2016

Page 29

From 1 December 2016 until 8 January

2017, the London townhouse where

Charles Dickens completed The Pickwick

Papers and wrote Oliver Twist and

Nicholas Nickleby, will host a celebration

of Christmas, a time of year which Dickens

loved. The Charles Dickens Museum at his

first family home at 48 Doughty

Street in Bloomsbury will be

dressed for a beautiful celebra-

tion of a Victorian Christmas;

the historic rooms into which

Dickens moved with his grow-

ing family in 1837 will be filled

with the atmosphere of a

19th-century London

Ebenezer Scrooge sees the ghost of Jacob Marley in a Christmas

Christmas. Dickens House

Carol. Read at CD House (inset) by Michael Slater or performed by

contains the world’s most

Dominic Gerard

comprehensive collection of

Dickens-related material...

which Dickens used, to enjoy an exclusive tour of Dickens’s ‘house in town’,

dressed for Christmas and filled with festive greenery, authentic Victorian

fayre and the scent of citrus and spice.

A rare opportunity to explore Charles Dickens’s rooms by candlelight at

Dates: Sunday 11th & Sunday 18th December. Times: 10, 10.45 and

Christmas. Flickering light will reveal the elegant interiors that Dickens and

11.30am

his family loved, as well as original fixtures and fittings and extremely signif-

icant items and pieces of furniture. These include the desk at which he wrote

Admission: Adults £18; Concessions £14; Children (6-16)

£12

many of his most significant works, his red leather chair in the Drawing

Opening hours: Seven days a week, 10am-5pm (last admission 4pm).

Room, his personal library of books and John Leech’s sketches for his illus-

Closed on Christmas Day & Boxing Day. Admission outside of special

trations reproduced in the first edition of A Christmas Carol. The visit also

events: Adults £9; Concessions £6; Children (6-16)

£4 and under 6 free.

takes in the shadowy chambers of the Victorian basement, the kitchen and

perhaps the most historically important room in the house, Dickens’s study.

More info + tickets: www.dickensmuseum.com / 020 7405 2127 /

Dickens often wrote into the night by candlelight and was fascinated by the

events@dickensmuseum.com

effects created by flames. Guests will be able to luxuriate in what he called

‘a ruddy, homely...glow’ and experience rooms filled with festive greenery,

authentic Victorian fayre and the scent of citrus and spice.

Dates: Wednesday 14th & 21st December; timed entry from 6.40pm.

Admission: £20

A special candlelit performance of A Christmas Carol by acclaimed actor and

Dickens performer, Dominic Gerrard in the rooms in which Dickens wrote.

A magical re-telling of the classic Christmas story, directed by Tim Carroll

and with ingenious puppetry animating the words of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Dates: 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 28th, 29th, 30th December.

Times: Weekdays:

3.30 and 6.30pm; Weekends: 3 and 6pm.

Admission: £22

The great Dickens authority, Professor Michael Slater MBE, brings A

Christmas Carol to life. A much-loved annual festive treat, highly recom-

mended by all at the Museum and the many visitors who return to experi-

ence it each year.

Dates: 12th,

13th & 23rd December. Times: 3.30 and 6.30pm.

Admission: £15

A special day of Christmas celebrations throughout Dickens’s home. An

opportunity to immerse yourself in Christmas spirit and Victorian London,

with carol singing around the piano in the Drawing Room; theatrical perfor-

mances throughout the house by theatre company Equapoise, each inspired

by Dickens’s Christmas stories.

Date: 24th December. Times: 10am-6pm (last admission at 5pm)

Admission: Adults: £24; Children £12. Ticket price includes a festive

drink and a mince pie.

A step back in time to Christmas 1839; while Dickens and his family are out

at a Christmas event, their housemaid takes a break from her duties to invite

visitors through the now-rarely-open original door of 48 Doughty Street,

Call Sign October 2016

Page 30

Either write to Call Sign at

heard that the D-Day for moving our PEDs

Dial-a-Cab House

from the front of the cab and into the pas-

or email us at

senger compartment has been put back

until 1 January 2017. But it isn’t any sort

of victory because in my view - and appar-

ently not just mine - by insisting on a rear

PEDs

fitting for PEDs, Transport for London are

Hi Alan

Hello Alan

actually putting driver’s lives on the line

That was a good open letter regarding the

Once again, very good work, excellent writ-

and that is an absolute disgrace.

PEDs from Alex Constantinou (N05) in

ing and overall, a jolly good show! I see that

I have written to everyone I can think of

the September Call Sign and hopefully

my old friend Charles Rathbone, now a

- including the Mayor - so that they are

common sense will eventually prevail.

Vice Prez at one of SF's major taxi compa-

aware of what is happening. If it goes full-

Where their PED was placed in the passen-

nies, has made it into the pages of Call

term, then we’ll see what happens on

ger compartment was actually one of the

Sign. Good chap is Charles; we go way back

January 1st. I can’t deal directly with them

reasons I came off Radio Taxis. I kept feel-

- decades in fact. So far back that the places

because TfL no longer respond to me with

ing that somebody was always peering over

that we would once go to on our coffee

my views on the topic possibly being an

my shoulder and I also believe it blocks the

breaks, no longer exist! Next year I will be

irritation to them; however, my sincere

peripheral vision from any cyclist coming

70 and will retire. It is really the only sensi-

thanks also go to DaC Chairman Brian

up fast on the inside.

ble thing for me to do.

Rice, Artemis Mercer and all her support-

Sean Farrell (B39)

The same exact problems that you experi-

ers at the Save our Black Taxis website, Jim

ence in London are also here in San

Thomas at Taxi Leaks, the many online

Francisco, with Uber of course being the

PEDs

wives/partners and of course all the drivers

number one problem. They won't go away,

Hi Alan

who have emailed and phoned to say they

ever. But no matter, life goes on...

I am writing in response to your letter pub-

support my anti-TfL stance.

Bob Hunt

lished in the September issue of Call Sign

If something is obviously wrong, how

San Francisco

headed: “How important is the safety of

can it be right??? ...Ed

London Taxi Drivers.” This was a really

Alan

good letter which obviously came from the

Apology from Terry

As usual this Call Sign is great. I love Marc

heart.

Dear Alan

Turner's wit (September issue): “How do

After reading it and noting that the origi-

Having read your reply to my published letter

you make God laugh? The answer... Make

nal had been sent to the Mayor of London

about MP Clive Efford (September Mailshot), I

plans!!!”

and numerous others who your readers

feel I owe him an apology as I was unaware of

John Parker

may or may not be familiar with, I felt the

him doing quite a bit of work on behalf of the

Maui

need to add my voice. I am the mother of a

trade. My assumption was that as an MP and

female taxi driver and the thought of my

former taxi driver, he appeared to have done lit-

Hi there Alan

daughter - or any driver come to that - hav-

tle for the trade. I now know that my assump-

Long time no speak. Can I thank you once

ing to put themselves in the vulnerable

tion was incorrect, so I now hope he puts his

again for allowing me to publish articles

position of leaving the safety of the front of

name to the All Party Transport Group (August

from Call Sign into my little magazine.

their taxi to assist a passenger, who may or

Call Sign) in the near future, that's unless he

Although our circulation is only around 250

may not be having a problem with a cred-

already has and I have got it wrong again...

taxi drivers, they enjoy reading about your

it/debit card, is frightening. After all, isn’t

Terry Farr (Ex-T55)

problems - you know what I mean!

that why there is a screen between the dri-

I always remember a particular letter writ-

Always in fraternity...

ver and the passenger? So why are drivers

ten to Mailshot some years ago, although

Mathéo Mertens

now expected to leave the safety of their

not the name of the writer. In the previous

Bruges, Belgium

taxis and, if I am correct, not be able to lock

issue, I had made a comment that the

Call Sign doesn’t often print emails we

the driver’s door as that would lock the

writer pointed out was incorrect. I

receive from internet readers, but hear-

whole cab thus making the cab easy access

checked and he was right... I was wrong!

ing that we now have the largest internet

for robbery or worse - to steal the taxi!

So I held my hands up, said sorry and for-

readership of all London taxi mags (see

Am I being over dramatic? I don’t think

got all about it.

page 12), I thought I’d put a few in ...Ed

so; any partner, spouse or parent of a taxi

Then a week after the next issue I

driver would feel as anxious as I do regard-

received another letter from that same

ing this. Would my daughter feel comfort-

Uber/Who’s getting

writer. He said he had never heard of an

able getting into the back of her taxi with

editor apologising for being incorrect and

one or more male passengers who may or

all the loot!!!

that they would usually just forget about it!

may not be sober? No. Would anyone who

Alan

So Terry, don’t worry about getting it

makes these decisions want a member of

Take me home, Mr Car. Daily Mail

wrong, we’ve all been there and you’ve

their family to be put in this position? I rest

Motoring editor, Ray Massey, tells us he's

held your hands up. End of ...Ed

my case!

been driven around for a week in two

I hope your letter does receive a

Volvos before explaining that safety pioneer

response from the Mayor and TfL because I

Call Sign Online

Volvo is carrying out government-backed

feel that safety of such an envied service,

Alan

fully autonomous road trials in London

which as you say is respected around the

I emigrated from the UK to New Zealand

from next year and is working with Uber to

world, is paramount. Although the majority

around 15 years ago and still miss the sound

create a self-driving taxi! Not only have we

of the public are good passengers, there is

in the morning of my Fairway starting up! As

been shafted by TfL and Uber, but we are

a minority who feel that hurting/attacking

a regular Call Sign Online reader, I am upset

about to be put out of work by Geely who

others is acceptable and I feel this should

at seeing the problems you guys get nowadays

currently depend on those very people as

and must be taken into consideration.

but I at least still feel part of the trade when I

customers! I fear the game may not be over,

Natalie Ezekiel

read Call Sign. Good luck guys...

but it’s nearly completed. Perhaps that's why

DaC Control Centre

Pete ‘Macca’ McKenzie

the new TX5 will be a six seater... no driver!

Sean and Natalie, by now you will have

Auckland, New Zealand

Secondly, it’s begun, just as you knew it

Call Sign October 2016

Page 31

would. I recently had this sent to me. Of

That said it all and is why I take no notice

course I try not taking any notice...

of his silly attempts to insult me!

‘Brian Rice opens six companies with

They’re out there Jon, so your policy of

member’s money as part of his manoeuvre

taking no notice - just as I do - of anony-

and plan to con the members of Dial-a-

mous rubbish is probably the wisest

Cab

out

their

Society!’

event. But DaC don’t escape completely

Jon Robinson (E88)

because the proposed second meeting

Thanks Jon, I had one which “suggest-

has been set for October 9th and that is

ed” the Chairman was getting £3million

my birthday! Linda wasn’t too impressed

credit card holders and by default, for

for

“assisting” plans to demutualise!

with me having to go, but on the plus side

London’s taxi drivers. Why? How? Simple!

What worried me more was when an

at least I’ll be there in person to collect

It takes around 3 minutes to apply a card

anonymous email - funny how they are

any presents! ...Ed

reader that will also take a note of your pin

always anonymous - asked me what I

number. And as it’s in the back of a taxi

was going to get out of any demutuali-

sation for not revealing who was “on the

Petrol TX4

where most drivers don’t go into, they will

not know. All a passenger (conman

make” at DaC! The answer - which your

Hi Alan

letter suggests you already know - is

I wondered if TfL are aware that a TX4 is

woman) has to do is to fit one onto the

card reader then arrange for the driver to

that every member that has been with

manufactured (since

2010 according to

DaC for over two years will get exactly

Wikipedia) with a Mitsubishi 4G69 2.4 litre

pick them again two weeks later arranging

the same pay-out to the penny should

petrol engine. Would it not have been easier

to go to Gatwick, Luton or any nice job and

demutualisation go through; and the

for TfL to insist on this cab to be supplied in

to show how “sincere” they are by leaving a

Chairman and Board all have one share

the UK rather than have 15 year age limits

deposit. Then when you see them again

just as we all do. I very much doubt

and worrying about emissions all the time?

two weeks later, the conman or woman

whether these anonymous / venomous

Oh yes, I forgot, TfL don’t do simple!

simply takes the card reader off, but now

scribes are on DaC, but I suspect they

Bob Francis (Y98)

he has 10, 20, perhaps even 50 + credit

are just extremely jealous that our

I believe the Chinese version is “born”

card numbers complete with pin numbers

members may get a pay-out if it goes

with it and a number of other countries

and will go on to clone those cards - and

through while still able to carry on

have ordered them. But none are sent

all without the driver knowing a thing. That

working. There are a lot of sad people

from Coventry, they are all Chinese man-

will cost passengers

- and companies -

out there who cannot bear to see others

ufactured. Sadly the words ‘TfL’ and ‘eas-

£1000s if not 10s of £1000s. I do think TfL

get anything that they don’t. One for-

ier’ just don’t go together ...Ed

should know of this risk, as should the gen-

mer driver, who still reads every issue

eral public - a risk that would be greatly

online, takes every opportunity to criti-

diminished if the CC reader stayed where it

cise Dial-a-Cab, Call Sign and myself

PED risk

was - in the front...

online, even though he had to leave

Alan

Mike Appleby (L73)

almost ten years ago! He once took

In your quest to try to get TfL to realise how

Sounds very feasible Mike, but it’s still

Dial-a-Cab to an Industrial Relations

foolish it is to make drivers have CC readers

the possibility of drivers being attacked

court and after losing, was described by

in the back for driver safety reasons, TfL

because of TfL’s intransigence that

the Assistant Recorder as “vexatious.”

should also be told of the security risk for all

bothers and upsets me ...Ed

Thomas Larke was a 16th century surveyor of note and in 1566,

some 25 years after Sir William Petre had built Ingatestone

Hall, his new house in the middle of his Essex estate, he wrote:

“Sir William hath at his own great costs and charges erected and builded

a new house, very fair, large and stately, made of brick and embattl’d.”

What Thomas could have added was that this was a house that would survive

everything thrown at it, including two world wars, because now having passed

through the hands of fifteen generations of the Petre family - who continue to

own and occupy it in 2016 - on 19th September, it fell upon the fourteenth

generation of the fifteen, Sir John Petre, to present Dial-a-Cab’s Mike Son

with his British Empire Medal for services to children’s charities.

Ingatestone Hall stands in open countryside just outside the village of Ingatestone

and has kept much of its original Tudor appearance, mullioned windows, high

chimneys, crow-step gables and oak-panelled rooms. It was in just such a room

that guests enjoyed a traditional English afternoon tea prior to the presentation

that took place in front of his family, friends and many of the committee from

the charity that Mike has spent so many years helping as Special Projects

Manager - The London Taxidrivers’ Fund for Underprivileged Children.

Sir John read out Mike’s achievement on behalf of the Fund with special men-

tion of the organisational work involved. Mike responded as we knew he would

- he was privileged to be presented with the BEM, but in reality it was an award

for everyone involved with the LTFUC, including the committee’s partners because

they also all work so very hard.

Call Sign sends its congratulations to Michael and also to the LTFUC…