Call Sign February 2017

Call Sign March 2017

Page 3

Reflections of the Chairman

decrease in Operators and the massive

End of an Era

increase in drivers and I’m sure we can

If you have not read the page 4 Editorial yet

work out why that is!

and perhaps wondered why I have suddenly

There is one piece in the figures I do find a

been promoted to page 3, you might be sur-

bit puzzling and that is regarding their vehi-

prised to learn that our Editor, Alan Fisher, is

cles, the figure dropped to

86,676

- a

going to retire from publishing Call Sign mag-

decrease of 14 on the previous week. Yet TfL

azine after the April edition; so this is the

are saying that 523 cars were licensed that

penultimate issue.

week, so that means 539 came off the road,

I initially gave Alan the job way back in 1997,

seems quite a lot to licence and lose in one

some twenty years ago and what a good choice

week? So TfL passed an extra 539 vehicles in

I made! In my opinion it is - and always has

addition to their regular workload?

been - the best publication within our trade;

We now get onto we licensed taxi dri-

not does it only go to our Shareholders but it

vers. During the same period there was an

is also reproduced on-line where it has some

overall decrease of 19 on the previous

ten thousand regular readers, which I think

week, including the 28 new licenses that

you will agree is quite an achievement.

Finally, I would like to say a massive thank

were issued. There are now 21,330 Green

I have always given the Editor a free hand in

you to Alan from everyone at Dial-a-Cab for

badges and 3,267 Yellow badges, making

running the magazine and we are both equally

the fantastic job he has done over the last

a total of

24,597 licensed taxi drivers

proud of the fact that it is - and again always has

twenty years, I never knew Alan before he

against 117,834 minicab drivers.

been - the only uncensored publication within

started editing the magazine. I have lost an

TfL have produced figures for the last

our industry.

Editor, but gained a friend…!

seven years and the current figure of 24,597

Some years ago I was approached by the

is the lowest number of licensed taxi drivers

LTDA for permission for them to speak to Alan

Saturation Point…

during that period and of course the figure

regarding him taking over the editorship of

I have just seen the latest figures released by TfL

doesn’t include those drivers that may have

Taxi Newspaper (bit like a football club). I had

regarding Taxis and Private Hire and let us all

sought other employment without actually

no hesitation in agreeing to their request

hope the minicab industry has reached satura-

returning their licence to TfL.

because as I told them at the time, I knew he

tion point. Up to the week ending 12 February

Moving on to taxis; there was an overall

would not accept their offer no matter what

2017 there were 117,834 Private Hire Licenses

decrease in the number of vehicles, down by

they offered him because I was certain that they

in circulation, although

141 licenses were

39 although 18 new vehicles were licensed.

would not - and indeed could not - offer Alan

issued that week the total number of licenses in

Again during that same seven year period, we

the most important aspect of the job to him -

circulation actually fell by 29. I can actually

currently have the lowest number of licensed

that was to have no interference from

remember when TfL were issuing in excess of

taxis - 21,200 against 86,676 minicabs!

Management together with a totally uncen-

600 licenses a week to minicab drivers.

Surely there must be at least one person at

sored publication.

There was also a decrease in the num-

TfL that can interpret these figures and

Needless to say Alan never took up their

ber of Operators down to

2,448, a

endeavor to explain to the Managers respon-

offer and he remained firmly with the mag-

decrease of 15 on the previous week.

sible that there is a big problem within our

azine, which gave him the added pleasure

However, I remember when there were

industry that needs to be addressed.

of nagging me every month for a contribu-

Or could it be that there isn’t a soul at

3,662 Operators licensed by TfL with only

tion to Call Sign - something I believe he

65,656 drivers and that was back in

TfL that actually cares???

really enjoyed!

2013/14. So a year after Uber came into

Whilst on the topic of contributing to the

Brian Rice

existence, there were

1,214 more

magazine, I am equally proud of the fact

Operators but with 52,178 fewer drivers;

Chairman

(assuming I contribute next month) that an

there must be an explanation for the

Dial-a-Cab Ltd

article has appeared from me every single

month for the last twenty years. He even bad-

gered me for an article back in 1998 when I

was unwell in hospital; I duly - albeit reluctant-

ly - complied with the request, but got my own

back by not sending it to him, but making him

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and I don’t believe anyone could have sur-

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know Linda can handle Alan - no problem!

Call Sign March 2017

Page 4

from the editor’s desk

when you knew him, you also discovered how

Where has it gone?

sincere he was. That came across so well just

In April 1997 I was one of three candidates

before his sad death from lung cancer in April

applying for the vacant editorship of Call Sign. I

2014 when he asked me to visit him in hospital

was amazed to get the job and I am even more

and dictated two poems to be published after his

astonished that twenty years on, I’m still here!

death - in addition to dictating his own obituary.

Where have those twenty years gone! But at least

That, after announcing that he was donating his

I guess I must have passed my six month trial!

body to medical science! How else could new

But it occurred to me recently when Linda

doctors learn if they didn’t have real people to

and I were thinking about a holiday, that for

look at rather than dummies, he asked me? A truly

those twenty years we had only ever gone

brave man.

away in May because I had the June issue off!

Putting it all together, I came to the conclu-

Love on the Internet

sion that twenty years was enough and that it

Coming more up-to-date, there was Tom

was time to step down - and that is what I

Quigley (Y33) who up until a few months ago

intend doing.

it was abbreviated to email. It was Vince who

gave his views on what the world was like as

So ladies and gents, next month’s April

organised Call Sign going online in early

against how it should be in his Looking at

issue - which completes that twenty year

1998 within months of me taking over and at

Taxi Life. But one of the most controversial

point - will be my last one... and no, it isn’t

a time when most people hadn’t even heard

series probably in any taxi mag appeared

part of an elaborate April Fools’ hoax!

of the Internet - and that includes the rest of

between 2007 and 2008. It featured the true

Leaving Call Sign will be a huge wrench; but

the trade press. We were first with the runner-

love story of a Dial-a-Cab driver and a

there have been months when it has literally taken

up coming some 10 years later!

Californian beauty that met and fell in love on

over my life with normal stuff having had to go

Astonishingly for the time, on Wednesday

the internet in 1998. Sam lived in London and

onto the back burner. But I always felt it was

12th November 1997 Vince created the UK's first

drove for Dial-a-Cab, while Jenny lived on the

important to have continuity so that drivers knew

taxicab discussion forum/list on the Internet. It

USA west coast. With their permission

that usually - barring it falling on a Sunday - that

was a first for any taxi trade in Europe; adverts

although with changed names - Call Sign pub-

on or very close to the first of the month, a copy

went out in each issue of Call Sign to try and get

lished their amazing love story. Love on the

of Call Sign would come through their letterbox.

drivers to go on email so that they could join “the

Internet was so popular that numerous dri-

Those that didn’t want to read it for whatever rea-

list.”

ver’s partners and wives wrote to ask for

son could just throw it away, but the incredible

Numbers gradually crept up and after opening

more - even Chairman’s wife, Brenda Rice,

number of letters I often received and the drivers

wrote in to say how upset she was when the

officially a few months later, the first subject to

that told me how much they enjoyed seeing it

appear on Taxicab.co.uk was the possibility of a

story ended after a year! “Jenny” is now a reg-

each month suggested that the large majority did

ular online reader, but the romance ended

Dial-a-Cab floatation!

read it and that always made the hard work worth-

Nowadays there are lots of chat sites...but

many years ago.

while.

As Call Sign’s internet site grew in popularity,

there could only ever be one that was first!

Sometimes I look back in astonishment at

we had drivers from around the world queuing

Thanks to Vince, Call Sign now has more reg-

how the mag always came out each month;

up to write for us and another American writer

ular online readers than any other taxi maga-

there was my son Reed’s death in January

was Wendell White, who not only drove a taxi in

zine in the UK.

2013 and for the following 12 months - and

Denver, Colorado, but was also voted 2008

more - drivers seeing me around would com-

We’ve had numerous drivers over the years

TLPA International Taxi Driver of the Year! His

miserate, something I very much appreciated.

writing columns on a range of topics, as well as

‘Out and about in Denver’ appeared for around

Then there was Linda’s quadruple by-pass

those who just wrote depending on what was

a year and led to many international taxi organi-

around 6 years ago. I can’t even remember

happening around them. And it wasn’t just men.

sations enquiring about going onto our mailing

putting the following issue out, but somehow

There was young Zara Gee with her Teen World

list, which nowadays consists of PDF versions

it appeared! For so much of that, I have to

column; “older” ladies were entertained by our

emailed out.

thank Linda for encouraging me and being a

Back Seat Driver Poppy, the partner of a Dial-a-

For several years, former DaC driver Mickey

constant support to me over those 20 years.

Cab driver, with her views on life, love and the

Lappin was on the lookout for anyone connected

I know I have picked up a name among current

laundry basket!

to DaC who was also involved in music and

and past Board Members for constantly nagging

Lee Pearce (J71) kept us updated for several

Mickey’s Music became hugely successful, giving

them to put out articles, but I can’t remember a

years with his goalkeeping progress on the non-

publicity to up and coming musicians. We also had

single time when they didn’t accede to the

league football scene. We sponsored some of his

former fireman and taxi driver Richard Potter giv-

request - albeit occasionally with just minutes to

goalkeeping outfit and in return, appeared on the

ing his views on the cab trade in ‘Potter’s Wheel’.

spare! The best example of my nastiness must

BBC’s Match of the Day when Lee’s team tasted

I must also mention Ray Sorene, who died in

surely have come in 1998 after Chairman Brian

some success in early rounds of the FA Cup.

March 2015. He joined the Society when the

Rice had a major heart attack! I did give him a day

Hope Liebersohn was on the Law Society

Chairman was Eli “Trixie” Solomons (1959 -

or two but then nagged him so much that he

Personal Injuries Panel and offered advice to

1962). Ray wrote for the magazine occasionally,

finally wrote a Chairman’s report from his hospi-

any readers that may have needed it in Call Sign

but more importantly for me, if at any time my

tal bed! Mind you, he made me go to the hospital

Legal Matters. Stephen Berndes (R14) wrote his

regular photographer Alan Green (E52) was

in Tooting to collect it in person as a form of

taxi related chat in ‘It’s a Cabby’s Life’ while

unavailable, I only had to phone Ray and he’d be

revenge - even though I found him sitting on the

Steve Shaller (ex-R75) has had lots of stuff in

there with his camera as a stand-in.

ward balcony sunbathing and by the time I

the mag over the years ranging from taxi mechan-

As for Alan Green himself, he too has been

reached home some two hours later, he had

ics to taxi gossip, to life in both sunny Spain and

with me for all my 20 years in the Call Sign

emailed it anyway!

on the Finz!

hot seat and been my right-hand man for

But of course Call Sign is - and always has

Of course there is Jery Craig, the mag’s for-

much of that time. Alan often did day-time

been - a magazine for the drivers and large parts

mer editor as well as a cartoonist extraordi-

interviews while I concentrated on the

of it are written by those drivers. In addition to

nary. Jery has been with me for all of my 20

evenings and night-time. I only had to phone

Mailshot, there is Alan Nash with his Nash’s

years, just as I had been with him as Big Al for

Alan to ask him to chase up something and 99

Numbers that has been in the mag for the whole

his 14 year stint from 1983 and his predeces-

times out of 100 the answer would be “yes

of my 20 years. How much knowledge is there in

sor, Phil Emden, from

1975 as the first

the world to help drivers in their daily work?

boss, on my way!”

reserve poet alongside Dave Kupler.

However much there is, Alan Nash has published

A sad loss was that of Bernie Pressman, who

John Edwardes (ex-H02) was 81 when he had

died in 2002. Bernie did many pieces for Call

it at least once!

to retire through health problems and spent the

Sign - usually of an historical nature. His most

next year writing in Call Sign about his fascinat-

popular ones were those detailing London’s

Going online

ing life as a taxi driver. But the one person I can

There was Vince Chin and his Computer

blue plaques, long before Google became the

never forget is David ‘Kupkake’ Kupler who

fountain of all knowledge!

Chinchat, where from 1997 he wrote about

sent me poems about the taxi trade every single

how computers would one day be in practi-

Another thank-you has to go to former dri-

month of my 20 years. They were pertinent and

ver and ex-DaC driver Sam Harris for many

cally everyone’s home and how in the future

often poignant. David could be very deep but

we’d all be using electronic mail - well before

articles over the years detailing his exploits as

Call Sign March 2017

Page 5

from the editor’s desk

continued...

an evacuee during the war, his time command-

ning several marathons for charity and followed

took me out for lunch at the Garrick Club! He

ing HMS Vengeance on its Pacific duties whilst

that with a charity killer run across the Sahara

was - and still is - a real gentlemen and his wife

he was in the Navy and his early experiences at

Desert! He has done London tours for us, written

Victoria, the MP for Kensington and Chelsea, is

the formative ODRTS in Pentonville Road

stories about his wine growing experiences when

still a licensed taxi lover!

under the Chairmanship of Bonnie Martyn.

he moved to France and currently writes football

The Ascott Cab Co and accountants Martin

Speaking of our founder-Chairman, I consider

stories with It Is Now!

Cordell & Co have both been with the mag for

one of my most happy memories so far as Call

much of my time and I thank them both most sin-

Sign is concerned, to be after I tracked him down

Uncensored

cerely. But I have dealt with so many people over

and reintroduced him to Dial-a-Cab. The look on

I’ve thanked Board Members

- and that

the past twenty years that I must have left out

his face as he was shown around the Society he

includes those from past years too - for

many others; to those I apologise but thank them

founded in 1953 was just one of sheer amaze-

responding to my “hints” that their articles

anonymously!

ment and from that day, he became a regular vis-

are overdue, but I have to give a special men-

Just one more... I must thank the several

itor and Brian Rice made him the guest of honour

tion to Chairman Brian Rice who throughout

thousand people that have written into the

at the amazing dinner & ball organised by Brian’s

my 20 years has given me the freedom to pub-

Mailshot pages over those twenty years. I

PA Jacqui Chart in 2003 to celebrate DaC’s fiftieth

lish whatever I liked, never telling me I could-

hope those of you that required an answer got

anniversary.

n’t publish something. Even now after 20

one that satisfied you. If not, then sorry but I

And then there’s now, with subscribers

years, some still believe the magazine is cen-

hopefully did my best!

such as Simon Wallis (M11) who visits the

sored! Well it isn’t and never has been.

I’ll be back next month for my last issue as

best golf clubs for DaC drivers to play at;

Indeed, that was the reason that I turned

Editor and Call Sign contributor, going back to

Simon Scott (O40) who is a trade ‘blogger’

down the Editorship of TAXI Newspaper when

1975 when I wrote for then-Editor Phil Emden’s

and transferred much of his taxi talk to Call

it was offered to me because however much

Poet’s Corner in his News and Views magazine.

of an honour it was to be approached by

My first “masterpiece” came after someone had

historian Sean Farrell (B39) whose knowl-

them, I knew I could never get the type of edi-

thrown up in my cab. It was called Sick and

edge of this trades’ history is second to none

torial freedom that I have with Call Sign.

began thus:

- even though its success brought out a copy-

I must also thank the many advertisers I’ve

Has anyone ever been sick in your cab, has

cat column in another trade magazine! If you

dealt with over the years and hope that the many

it ever happened to you? It’s always diced car-

want to know how anything in this trade

DaC drivers I helped out with freebies have found

rots and tomatoes, as if all they ate was stew!

started... just ask Sean! There is also the mag-

them to be useful. When I took the mag over in

It got worse but we’ll leave that there! I then

azine’s resident story teller, Geoff Levene

1997, I phoned Jamie - now Lord - Borwick,

became Big Al, Lana Sherif, Mr X, J.P.Duval and

(W32) with his numerous tales detailing what

then the Chairman of LTI parent company

many others - some would say I was searching for

could happen to you as a cab driver and also

Manganese Bronze Holdings to ask if LTI would

an identity! But at the end, there was just one sig-

Marc Turner (R97) who keeps readers updat-

be interested in advertising their taxis in Call

nature. It went like this...

ed with the more serious stories that affect us

Sign. He said he’d never heard of us, but if I sent

Alan Fisher

via his alter ego as the Drumslayer!

him a few copies over the following months then

Former DaC driver Bob Woodford has proba-

he’d think about it. He obviously liked it because

Editor

bly reinvented himself more times than any other

not only did Mann & Overton contact me, but so

Call Sign Magazine

driver I know! He first started writing after run-

did Sir Geoffrey Robert James Borwick - who

callsignmag@aol.com

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Call Sign March 2017

Page 7

Steve the Taxi driving hero!

all Sign usually sticks to pro-

Steve helped save a lady's

moting Dial-a-Cab drivers, but

life

in the case of Steve Teague we

lady was rescued and taken to

feel that an exception should

a place of safety, while a shak-

be made. Details came in an Evening

ing Steve Teague drove home,

Standard article when it told how Steve

describing his feelings as being

had saved the life of a young lady who

“a bit emotional.”

was apparently attempting suicide by

Lambeth

Borough

jumping off Lambeth Bridge.

Commander, Richard Wood,

Steve had been driving home over

said later: “I’d like to thank

Lambeth Bridge towards the Bromley area

everyone that assisted in the

when another vehicle pulled up sharply in

rescue of a distressed young

front of him, someone got out and ran over

woman from Lambeth

to the side of the bridge where a young lady

Bridge. Several members of

was balancing on a ledge. The man was hold-

the public showed remark-

ing her back and begging not to jump.

able courage, risking their

Steve jumped straight out of his cab, bolted

girl and managed to get hold of her wrist

own safety to save her as she came per-

across the road and grabbed hold of the dis-

while she was trying to fight off the other

ilously close to falling. The London Fire

tressed woman’s arm. A third person joined

guy. I was telling her to stand up but she

Brigade and my own officers also did an

the two men; this one also holding Steve by

was really struggling. She was adamant

exceptional job in difficult circum-

his trouser belt as there was a real danger

she was going to throw herself off, but I

stances.”

that the taxi driver could have been pulled

told her there was no way that I was

According to Steve, he only did what any

over and into the Thames below.

going to let her go.”

The three men successfully stopped the

licensed taxi driver in that position would

Steve added that what he called a “real

young lady’s apparent attempted suicide and

have done. Either way, the trade is proud of

hero” then turned up, a man in a business

then waited with her, holding her back, until

him and we are happy to write about it in

suit and tie who climbed over the bridge rails

police arrived and took her to safety.

Dial-a-Cab’s in-house magazine...

to get a better grip of the woman while trying

Steve told the Standard: “I jumped over

to calm her down. All those involved were

Anyone who feels they need support

the top of the bridge so I was off my feet.

holding onto each other because as Steve

because of the way they feel can call the

There was a guy behind me who was

said; if one went over then in all probability,

Samaritans on 116123, email them on

hanging onto the back of my trousers to

they would all go over!

jo@samaritans.org or visit a local

stop me going over. I was hanging over

The police arrived after around five min-

Samaritans branch.

the top of the bridge reaching over to the

utes alongside the RNLI and fire brigade. The

Go to www.samaritans.org for details.

Call Sign March 2017

Page 8

ondon’s congestion charge - ini-

tially one of the most successful

London Assembly:

IT-based public policy initiatives

for a generation - has now been

beaten by a rising tide of delivery vans

Change in road pricing?

and private hire cars, according to a

report by the London Assembly Transport

Committee.

It has proposed that the charge should be

replaced by a road pricing system, charging by

distance travelled and time of day. This is one of

a package of measures in the report, London

Stalling, published by the committee in the run-

up to a new transport strategy for the capital.

Any move towards sophisticated road pric-

ing would be controversial. Plans for a

national scheme were ditched by the last

Labour government eight years ago in the

face of fierce opposition from the motoring

and civil liberties lobbies.

Excess wait time

By contrast, central London’s fixed

charge, currently £11.50 a day supported

by automatic number plate recognition

(ANPR) technology, has been seen as a

success since its introduction in 2003.

The number of cars entering central

London fell by 39% between 2002 and

2014. Meanwhile the scheme’s operator,

Transport for London, raised £168 million

when licensed with London Taxi and

'click and collect' depots at Underground and

from the charge in 2015-16, representing

Private Hire, do not. The committee rec-

rail stations. Pilot schemes involving Tesco and

5% of its income.

ommends that this exemption be

Sainsbury’s were abandoned in 2015 because

However, after a decade of success, conges-

removed. It also calls for reform to the

of a lack of interest from customers. The com-

tion seems to be rising again. A standard mea-

charging model, suggesting a driver who

mittee has asked TfL to pilot a scheme in which

sure of congestion, average vehicle speed on

has paid for the day may have an incen-

multiple retailers and/or freight operators can

major roads, fell 11% from 2012 to 2015.

tive to drive more in order to get their

deliver packages to a station for collection.

Another, “Excess wait time for buses” has

money’s worth.

In the foreword to 65 page London Stalling

risen 20% since 2012-13.

report, Caroline Pidgeon, chair of the

The report says the increase is not caused

London Assembly's transport committee,

Stockholm model

by use of private cars, which has been falling

“The recent increase in congestion should

said:

for at least 10 years. On the other hand, the

lead to a reassessment of whether the policy

“We recommend in this report that the

number of light delivery vans and private hire

is achieving key objectives, and how it may be

Mayor should make plans now to introduce

vehicles is increasing: the number of licensed

modified or replaced,” the committee says. In

road pricing in London. This idea has long

vehicles by 70% in less than four years.

the short term, the system should be

been discussed, but until now the political

Delivery vans pay the congestion

replaced by one that charges vehicles more

will to make it happen has been lacking.

charge, whereas private hire vehicles,

for entering the zone at peak times and for

Delaying further is not an option.”

spending longer in the zone. Stockholm

already has such a charging model.

Call Sign Says:

In the longer term, the charge should

As an assist to the London Assembly, we

Immaculate White

be integrated with others that drivers pay.

have looked at our files and present the

The committee proposes that this should

following numbers collected over a ten

Cab Available for

include vehicle excise duty (road tax) -

year period in order to help them dis-

which it wants devolved to Transport for

cover just who is causing the traffic

Weddings

London “so it can be replaced with a sys-

problem:

tem fairer to motorists.”

Year

Lic PH drivers Lic Taxi drivers

The committee does not explain how such

a tax regime would work for vehicles regis-

2007 38,000 24,600

tered in London but used outside the capital.

2008 48,300 24,700

2009 58,904 24,837

Real time displays

2017 117,588 24,617

However, other solutions proposed by the

committee appear more realistic. Among

So, in

10 years, the number of

some of its recommendations are those to

licensed taxi drivers in London has

consider expanding the use of displays on

risen by 17 while the number of pri-

the outside of buses to show real time

vate hire drivers has risen by 79,588.

information about congestion. Buses on

Therefore, Call Sign asks the London

two routes already have such electronic

Assembly whether the above figures pre-

Female driver

boards, supplied by Equitech IT

sent enough evidence as to which of

10% reduction for Dial-a-Cab drivers

Solutions, which give accurate and up-to-

TfL’s two sections - ie public and private

Contact Debbie (W18) on

date traffic information taken from the

hire - gives the largest cause towards the

TfL Variable Message Sign network.

appalling road traffic conditions we

07956 317040

It also recommends trying to reduce the

have to endure on a daily basis..

number of delivery vans by reviving the idea of

Call Sign March 2017

Page 9

Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund

LPG ENGINE

GOLFERS:

DO YOU

REPLACEMENT

WANT TO

UPDATE

WIN A CAR!!!

all Sign gets constant calls

from drivers with older cabs

- and indeed some with

newer models - but all

enquiring as to whether there is any

news on the promised LPG conver-

sion engine that will replace current

diesel engines with a brand new Opal

petrol engine conversion.

The conversion will give drivers an

extra five years of service on top of

the 15 allowed years for their cabs. It will also dramatically help to reduce air pollution

while making substantial savings on fuel costs of around 20 percent.

Over a five hour period at Dial-a-Cab House on July 20th at an open day held

A hole in one could win you a

jointly by Call Sign and the engine converters Autogas in association with Shell and

£10,000 car!

Calor, an estimated 120 drivers turned up to test drive and find out exactly what

ell now is your chance!

LPG converted taxis meant. There were three LPG test drive cabs and four experts

You can win a car up to

on site. A large majority of the drivers loved the performance of the converted cabs.

the value of £10,000 in

But TfL’s wheels turn very slowly and as we hadn’t heard any news for several months,

we contacted Autogas for an update. The vehicle had its Individual Vehicle Approval

the next Taxi Driver of

(IVA) inspection on 9th January and two weeks later had the TfL pre-road test inspection

the Year Charity Fund annual golf day

carried out.

on 8 June 2017.

The converted vehicle will go to Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) centre

The cost for the day is £70; that

for emission testing at around the time you read this issue of Call Sign and if successful

includes 18 holes of golf, a light breakfast

it can then begin the 10,000 mile road test.

at 10am and a meal later on. Tee off time

Once completed, the vehicle will then return to MIRA for final emission testing and

will be at 11am.

then hopefully get a final sign-off from TfL with Autogas then looking toward the begin-

The TDY committee have also

ning of May for that. Soon after that, they should be able to begin taking some orders at

announced that the first person to get

long last!

a hole in one will win a brand new

Alan Fisher

£10,000 car! The competition takes

Call Sign Online

place at the Hendon Golf Club, Ashley

Walk, Devonshire Road, Mill Hill,

London NW7 1DG.

You can enter as an individual or make

up a team of four with friends. If you,

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

your family or friends would like to partic-

ipate, please contact the TDYCF - details

376 Strand, WC2

are below.

As usual, all money raised will be

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

donated to the five taxi charities sup-

ported by the Fund. They are the

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

Albany Taxi Charity Fund for Children

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

with Special Needs, LTFUC, Southend

Fund for Underprivileged Children,

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

London Benevolent Association for War

offer you a genuine 15% discount on your bill

Disabled and East London Cabbies

Outing. The presentations will be made

We are certain that you will be delighted

at the annual dinner dance of the TDoY

on 25 November 2017.

All cheques made payable to T.D.Y.C.F.

Please complete and return forms to: 5 St

Brides Avenue Edgware Middlesex HA8

6BT. A £10 deposit will be required with

completed forms and full payment to be

received by no later than 18 May 2017...

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

Write: Russell Poluck MBE,

5 St Brides Avenue,

Salieri Restaurant

Edgware, Middlesex HA8 6BT.

Phone/ Fax: 020 8952 1357

376 Strand, WC2

Mobile: 07850 056 765

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

Email: brussella@talk21.com

Call Sign March 2017

Page 10

t used to be something from spy sto-

Another true story from Geoff Levene...

ries; but nobody in the real world

had any need for one. If you had

money in a Building Society, you had

a little book in which all your transactions

were noted. If you wanted to know your

Passwords

current value, then a clerk would do a

quick calculation. It's different now

find one and do the business. And of

because the fear of computer hackers

course no money was forthcoming. But as

means everything is shrouded in secrecy.

he stood there wondering what to do, his

Suppose you open a Five Year Fixed

phone rang. It was the Bank’s head office

Rate Account; you pay in once, there are

wanting him to confirm that he had just

no withdrawals and they tell you each

tried to withdraw cash. As it was such a

year how much interest it has earned.

rare thing, it was classed as an ‘unusual

That's it, nothing else to do. But then per-

transaction’ and they blocked it.

haps after four years there's something

The security was certainly impressive

you want to check. You click on, put in

and at least he remembered the number...

the account number and the dreaded

which is more than you can say about the

password, but you’re then told the pass-

young chap I picked up in Portland

word has been blocked and you have to

Place at around 7.30 one morning. He

submit a new one! But you can’t do that

wanted to go to Bushey. Nice ride,

as you can’t access the website - you no

although I should mention he was rather

longer have a valid password! When you

drunk and very tired, obviously having

finally get to speak to someone, they tell

been partying all night. The first thing he

you the password was blocked because

in order to do the Brexit thing because

did was get some money from an ATM. I

you didn't use it! Telling them that you

Brexit means Brexit, you know. What

could see he was going to be out of it

had no need to has no effect.

does Brexit mean?”

soon, so I got his address first. Sure

I've got a piece of paper full of websites

“Er... Brexit?”

enough he fell asleep and off we went.

and passwords, but I’m always amazed

“Yes, that’s spot on.”

Forty minutes later we arrived with £60

when they work. Despite all the warnings,

“Okaaay,” says Mahindra, “I’ll need

on the meter. Then the fun started.

I tend to use the same password for dif-

to ask you a few questions. Firstly,

“Wakey, wakey,” I hollered. But nothing.

ferent sites, so when I really can’t find a

your full name.”

I opened the back door. “We’re here.”

password I just try my regular one and

“Theresa Mary May.”

One eye opened and then closed again.

hey presto - it often does the trick!

“Is that May as in the month?”

“Come on, mate, pay up and you can go

But really the whole thing is crazy.

“That’s right. What's the weather like

to bed.”

At the end of the month the Prime

over there,” asks Theresa, trying to get

“Owmuchzzit?” he slurred. I told him

Minister makes a phone call to

friendly with the European official.

and he gave me the ATM money he had

Brussels. A recorded message comes

“Quite hot and sticky today.”

been clutching. It was two twenties. I said

on the line...

“Really? In Brussels and in March???”

I needed another twenty. The former par-

“Thank you for calling the European

“I'm not in Brussels, I'm in a call

tygoer had gone back to slumbering.

Commission. We are currently experienc-

centre in Calcutta. First line of your

“Take the card,” he mumbled and I

ing a high volume of calls and all our

address please?”

operators are busy helping other

shoved it in the machine.

“10 Downing Street. Do you work

Europeans. Stay on the line and we will

“Pin number?” I asked? I might as well

full time?”

have asked him to recite The Rhyme of the

deal with your call as soon as possible.

“Yes, but tomorrow I’m on national

Your call is very important to us.”

Ancient Mariner. He had completely for-

rail enquiries and Thursday it’s the

So she waits. Then another message:

gotten the PIN since earlier and was

Beth Din helpline. First and third

“Do you know that most queries can be

asleep again. I shook him and he began to

number of your security code please.”

dealt with by contacting www.gravy

come back into the real world.

“Eh? I don't think I’ve got one.”

train.co.org.”

“OK,” he said, “I'll direct you. Take the

“Yes you have, we sent it in 2003 to

Suddenly: “Thank you for calling the

next left.”

someone called A.R.P.Blair. Does he

European Commission. Mahindra speak-

We arrived at a beautiful house. He told

still work there?”

ing, how may I help you?”

me to go in with him and wait while he

“No he doesn’t. So what happens

The PM clears her throat: “I am the

looked for some cash.

now?”

Prime Minister of the UK and I should

“This is nice,” I said glancing around.

“I'll send you a temporary password

like to trigger Article 50 of the Charter

“Wanna buy it,” he asked sounding

so you can set a new security code.

quite serious!

You should get it within five working

There were photos of him with his pret-

Call Sign

days. Now is there anything else I can

ty bride, but the house was empty. Maybe

do for you?”

March 2017

that’s why he was out all night. He

“Obviously not...”

Editor: Alan Fisher

crashed about upstairs. I heard the sound

“Thank you for calling the European

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

of drawers and cupboards opening and

Commission and have a lovely day.”

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

closing. Finally he came down and asked

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

And so the future of this country hangs

how much more I needed?

Website: www.22-callsign.co.uk

on old security codes and the vagaries of

“Well it was twenty, but it’s probably

Printers: Premier Print Group

the Post Office. I suppose the thing that

E6 6 LP

around thirty now.”

most of us have to remember on a daily

Design: Aldan Publications

“Here’s fifty,” he said, “sorry to mess

basis is the humble PIN. Four numbers

Tel: 07958 300 428

you around.”

that control our lives and once again, if

Email: debbiefresco@googlemail.com

“No problem,” replied this Dial-a-Cab

you don't use it you lose it, just like my

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

driver. “Now you go to bed...”

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

friend Mike...

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

Dealing in cash as he does, he never

either manually or electronically without the express

Geoff Levene

had the need to use an ATM. But there

permission of the Editor.

came the day when it was necessary to

Call Sign Online

Call Sign March 2017

Page 12

mbarking on the Knowledge

Call Sign’s Marc Turner (R97) is also known as Drumslayer. This

of London over thirty years

month he writes on how things have changed in the taxi business

ago, like all newcomers I was

more than happy to do the

since TfL took over from the PCO...

time, when required to sport a suit,

do the occasional jump through a

hoop and perhaps bow and scrape

The death of deference!

with a “Yes sir, No sir, three bags full

sir!” We knew that at the end of it all

of transport was then virtually told to go

was the exclusive prize on offer... the

and multiply as it was banned from the

right to ply for hire.

Olympic Route Network, which killed

That was an age when deference in our

London stone-dead for a month!

trade was still alive and kicking. The

As TfL managed the London Streets

Examiners were ex-police and the

Traffic Control Centre (LSTCC),

Knowledge process, with its expectations,

telling us it was nothing to do with

were those of fable and legend.

them was pointless, as it was they

Once you’d achieved your goal, a pre-

issuing the non-compliant tickets to

sumed job for life beckoned. The Public

taxi drivers!

Carriage Office - known to all as simply

We now have social media where frus-

the PCO and administered by the

trated, disconsolate drivers and their

Metropolitan Police - was the ogre we

families air their views and opinions

avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, more

forthrightly. Most posts are definitely not

often than not, they found us! Their

deferential in the least; they are straight-

Carriage Officers would appear as by

talking and hard hitting. In fact TfL have

magic at ranks eager to inspect cabs, issue

now under the auspices of Transport

retaliated by warning that in future

stop notes and generally ruin our day if all

for London. Never in our history have

licenses could be revoked or suspended

was not satisfactory. They even did early

we been so put upon, with demos

if offence is taken! Democracy and free

morning visits to our homes - often ring-

against TfL being commonplace. The

speech seem to have been thrown out of

ing your doorbell at around 7 in the morn-

old PCO at least understood the Taxi

the window by our governing body.

ing! You were a night man? Well tough!

trade and had its best interests’ at

So it appears we're all fit and proper

To give an example of how strict - even

heart, although most of us probably

persons of good character... until we

absurdly so - they were, my mechanically

never appreciated that at the time.

disagree with TfL! It’s another nail in

sound droshky was once given a ‘stop’ for

From day one, Transport for London

the coffin of deference!!!!

‘excessive ornithological droppings!’ That

never pretended to give a damn about

Marc Turner (R97)

reason was actually written on the stop

any aspect of our service, one that hap-

Call Sign Online

note! Yet there was always polite interac-

pens to be a feather in the cap of our

tion. They obviously had the public’s best

great city and envy of the rest of the

interests at heart. In retrospect they were

World. When Boris Johnson advertised

firm but fair. I remember going on demos

the

2012 London Olympics, which

back in the day, but never against the PCO.

mode of transport took centre stage dur-

Three decades on and our trade is

ing those same Games? Yet which mode

TX1

TAXIS

WANTED

Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher and his wife Linda already have

four grandchildren, ranging from 11-year old Imogen up to 21

year old Taylor. But

they were still excit-

ed to welcome their

first great-niece,

Your old TX1 Taxi is wanted

Sofia, into the fold.

✓ Quick viewing and decision

Born with an

amazing amount of

✓ Cash waiting!

thick black hair,

✓ Top price paid for really

Sofia is a first child

to Nicole and Stelios

clean examples

and first grand-

child to Alan’s

Please ring Graham on

brother and sister-

07435 562759

in-law, Derek and

or e-mail on

Anne.

oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk

Call Sign March 2017

Page 13

“I’m really rather disappointed,”

Paul Campbell (W68) told Call

Vito Power Problems?

Sign as he rolled his two day old

Vito taxi into our Roman Way

there, all the necessary paperwork was ready

and waiting and the cab was taken into the

depot sporting a very disgrun-

workshop without further ado. I was shown

tled look on his face.

every hospitality while the work was being

“I’m having real trouble with the Dial-a-

carried out... with regular apologies coming

Cab terminal playing up and displaying

along the way! It transpired that an electronic

‘error’ messages,” he sighed.

component had failed, which meant the bat-

Even though it was late on a Friday night

tery was not achieving full output and seri-

and they were busy attending other cabs, a

ously affecting the performance of delicate

techie checked out Pauls’ MDT, diagnosed a

electronics, including the Dial-a-Cab MDT!

power problem to the terminal and swiftly

“But while the MB dealership was very

replaced the errant unit. To everybody’s dis-

apologetic and did all they could to get me

may, the second monitor gave similar ‘error’

back on the road with the minimum of delay,

message as did a third terminal that was fitted

I’m not too impressed that a vehicle costing

on the assumption that the previous two

over £47,000 should be screwed up by a

units were faulty and had somehow slipped

small component wreaking such havoc!

through the ‘returns’ net with others await-

“Perhaps my experience was a ‘one-off’

ing repair.

as the Vito Euro 6 taxi is a new model on

But when the third MDT gave the same

the production line, so I mention this

problem, Depot Manager Dana Thananjeyan

episode as a warning to other MB Vito

ordered a forensic powerline check, which

New Cab - but with a problem!

owners and potential buyers if they have

showed the brand new cab’s battery was hold-

similar symptoms,” Paul emphasised.

ing just 9 volts, even with the engine running,

Cab system, there was nothing more Roman

But Call Sign checked with our Roman

instead of the usual 13.5 volt output!

Way could do. However, they pulled out all

Way technicians who confirmed that a few

“I’m very grateful to the Depot staff for

the stops trying to rectify the mysterious

Vito Euro6 cabs had indeed being subject to

their efforts to get things sorted so that I

problem and I’m grateful for that.

similar MDT symptoms.

could work over the weekend,” Paul said,

“I called Mercedes on the Saturday morn-

Alan Green

“but once the problem was pinpointed as the

ing and they offered me a booking first thing

Call Sign Online

cab battery being at fault and not the Dial-a-

the following Monday morning. When I got

Funny thing this internet

Call Sign has

he told us he enjoys reading each issue of Dial-a-Cab’s in-house

been online

magazine! As befits his position, John has sent a photo of him-

since around

self standing next to his vintage Austin FX3 taxi - Sir Leslie -

1998 and our

which John tells us is currently enjoying “its winter nap!”

readership

Sir Leslie??? “Yes, indeed,” John told us. “It’s named

since then has

after my ancestor, Sir Leslie Brian Freeston KCMG.”

run into many

The LVTA was unsurprisingly founded in the UK, but nowa-

thousands of

days has members around the world. Most members own and

taxi-connected

restore historic London taxis, although some belong purely

people around

because they enjoy the vehicles and its history. The oldest taxis

the world.

date from the Edwardian period, but most originate from the

Last month

1930s and go through to the 1980s. The LVTA takes part in vari-

we featured the

ous classic vehicle shows throughout the year where they exhibit

CEO/President of

their pride and joy.

San Diego com-

If you are interested in joining the LVTA, details of

pany,

what they do can be found at lvta.co.uk.

RadioMobile.

Jim Moore sup-

plied and main-

tained part of

John Freeston with Sir Leslie!

our infrastruc-

Keith Reading

ture as well as

Professional Toastmaster

our modems when we operated on a private network. Back

Master of Ceremonies

then, Jim’s American accent could often be heard around the

Dial-a-Cab IT department.

Jim is also the grandfather to the three beautiful and wonder-

Tele: 01279 465 938

fully talented girls of Southern Halo, one of America’s hottest

Mobile: 07774 860 374

country groups. Nowadays Jim settles for just reading about DaC

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

in Call Sign.

This month we have a taxi as our guest… well, what

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

else would you expect from the Vice Chairman of the

American section of the London Vintage Taxi Association!

Fellow of the Guild of

John Freeston hails from Windham in New Hampshire and

Professional Toastmasters

Call Sign March 2017

Page 14

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

Brethren of the Whip

four-wheeler cab causing £5 of damage and then

an area where over 90% of the work was to be

hit a 19th century private four-wheeled horse-

found. It was hard to enforce, but in 1928 two

drawn carriage known as a Brougham, before

drivers were each fined 5shillings for reversing

soon after coming to a complete stop.

their cabs in Wigmore Street, “which was with-

When a policeman arrived on the scene, he

in three miles of Charing Cross.”

told Newbold to get down; but the cabman

In 1959, Transport

couldn’t - he was so drunk he had tied himself

Secretary

Ernest

into his seat, so tight in fact that the rope had to

Marples (left) intro-

be cut to release him! He was later sentenced to

duced the Pink Zone

one month imprisonment and his licence was

in order to avoid con-

revoked.

gestion before the

The cab trade threatened to strike over the

Christmas

rush.

banning order. The Commissioner of Police

Empty cabs

were

stated that any empty cab travelling at a fast

once more banned

NO ENTRY: But only to

trot would not be stopped; but the drivers

from using certain

taxis!

refuted this, stating that every empty cab

streets and were also

was stopped, regardless of speed.

prohibited from per-

With the Corporation of London trying to

The Commissioner of Police Order did not

forming U-turns, as

ban us from using Bank Junction, and

prevent Joseph Keen from being arrested for

were all other vehi-

Camden doing the same with Tottenham

causing an obstruction. Far from looking for

cles.

Court Road, the 2017 trade is facing a crisis

work, Keen was actually on his way home and as

A cabman once described loitering as “...what

that will see many of our customers resort to

he was driving along the Strand, a policeman

the police call obstruction and what we call

other forms of transport just in order to get

directed him up Bedford Street. As this was not

looking for work.” The Abstract of Laws I was

from A to B - something we have been spe-

in the direction of his home, he refused and was

given when I received my badge in 1987 stated

cialising in for over 400 years.

charged with obstruction.

that I may not “loiter” in the following streets;

Cabs and taxis have at one time or another

Keen was fined 15 shillings plus costs, but

New Bond, Old Bond, Oxford, Regent,

been banned from entering whole swathes of

as he was a member of the Cabdrivers Union,

Wigmore and Coventry Streets, as well as

central London in a bid to ease traffic conges-

an appeal was launched. Despite two Appeal

Strand, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Avenue,

tion. Problems with cruising cabs slowing up

Court judges thinking a miscarriage of jus-

Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court

traffic was often a frequent complaint in the let-

tice had taken place, the conviction was

Road. The restrictions were in place from 8am

ters column of The Times. Cabs at one point

allowed to stand, which in effect gave legal

every day, some until 7pm with others continu-

could only enter the central zone where all the

force to the prohibition of cabs from central

ing until midnight.

work was, if they already had a passenger on

London.

Attempts by the authorities to ban us from

board. Those who were empty and looking for

Scheduled Streets, as the prohibitions were

the Bank and Tottenham Court Road are not

work suffered a double whammy in not being

later called, were by no means limited to the

new - but they have to be fought with as

allowed to go where the work was.

horse drawn days of the Hansom cab. In 1926,

much vigour as the trade can muster.

Any cabman accused of driving slowly - how

no taxicab could ply for hire unless on a rank

slow was slow was always a moot point - could

within the Magic Circle, an area which extend-

Sean Farrell

lead to the driver being charged with loitering.

ed three miles from Charing Cross. It enclosed

Call Sign Online

When the Marlborough Street Magistrate Knox

noted that there were 200 cabmen before him in

one week and all charged with loitering, he

asked the police to come up with a different sys-

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

tem as an expected 10,000 cabmen charged with

loitering a year would be unfair to the trade -

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

and increase his own workload disproportional-

variable bank interest rates?

ly!

The answer was the Metropolitan Street

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

Act of 1867 which gave the Home Secretary

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

the power to ban empty cabs from entering

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

central London. Why was it that only cabs

at your address also qualifies for membership!

were prohibited? The Cab Menace was a fre-

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

quent headline in the letters column of the

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

newspapers. The Crawling Cab was deemed to

up to 3 times your total savings…

be the biggest ‘evil’ with many calling it the

evil that London faced. In truth, licensed

The cost?

taxis were the only vehicles the

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

Commissioner of Police had control over.

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

One of the first streets to be so designated was

Drury Lane. Burton Newbold did not take

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

kindly to being told by a policeman that he was

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

not allowed to drive up Drury Lane whilst

empty. So angry was Newbold, that he struck the

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

officer on the side of his head with the butt end

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

of his whip, knocking him to the ground.

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

Newbold then drove off at an estimated speed of

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

Registration number 213263

15mph though the crowded street. He struck a

Call Sign March 2017

Page 15

Peter v The Montcalm!

We all know the Montcalm Hotel group in London;

there’s The Brewery, two at Marble Arch, one in

City Road that they refer to as Tech City and which

is situated right behind Dial-a-Cab; now there is

one at the home of DaC’s EC5 rank... Finsbury

Square!

Other than The Brewery, they all have a rank for taxis outside and they

now want a two cab rank for their new hotel at the former Royal

London House - the problem is that it’s pretty much where Peter’s cof-

fee stall has stood for the past 26 years.

If you work from late afternoon onwards and right through the early

hours, you will probably have at least seen his stall and very likely had a

tea and sandwich there while having a chat with other like-minded taxi

drivers. But if the Montcalm get their way, Peter will be banished - along

with his business.

The new Montcalm at Finsbury Square - no sign of a tea stall!

Peter has been sent diagrams of the proposed rank and it goes exactly

where his pitch is. Of course, if you look at the Montcalm website, it

being moved is because a 5 star hotel doesn’t want them outside. You

doesn’t take you long to see that these are all either 5 star hotels or as

would have thought that the bike bays would have been much easier to

close as you can get to that status; just as if you look up the new Finsbury

move with Christopher Street being perfect for Peter. But no, too many

Square hotel and a photo of the lovely building, one thing you definitely

pedal cyclists use that route according to the council.

won’t see is any sign of a coffee stall.

Let’s hope it is sorted out soon as taxi drivers do build up a thirst

When Call Sign spoke to Peter, he told us that if the Council can-

quickly!

not allocate him a new spot, then they will revoke his licence.

“I don’t want to stop a rank being put anywhere, after all, most of my

customers are taxi drivers and I want them to have as many facilities that

help their business as possible. We know how tough things are at the

moment and I would be happy to move my pitch to almost any part of

Finsbury Square. I suggested the blocked-off part of Christopher Street

but the council said no as the motorcycle parking places currently next

to my stall are going to be moved there and the old parking bays will be

replaced by double yellow lines.”

Whether it’s the hotel that didn’t want parked bikes as well as a coffee

stall outside the new hotel or just the council is unknown, but the sug-

Invitational Organisers Golf Day

gestion was made for Peter to possibly move to the south side of the

Square - where traffic comes in from Sun Street.

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

“That is by far the busiest part of the Square and I had to refuse,” Peter

Groups of up to 16 welcome, places are limited so

continued. “It would surely have put my customers in danger from pass-

your early response is requested.

ing traffic. But there must be many other parts of the Square that a small

Stableford (best 2 scores on each hole),

stall could be placed. Besides serving refreshments to London’s night

shotgun start at 10.00am (depending on numbers).

workers, it has also been my business since 1991 and to just get rid of

Coffee & bacon rolls on arrival at 9.00am. 18 Holes - Shotgun 10.00am.

me is surely wrong? I suppose they could put the rank on the other side

2 course meal following golf. Change of clothes after is optional.

of the hotel rather than on my one, but they don’t seem keen on that

Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams + individual prizes for

Nearest the Pin & Nearest the Pin in 2.

suggestion either!”

Cost per team of four is £100.00...

It does appear that the only reason Peter and the motorcycle bays are

Wednesday 22nd March 2017 Organisers Invitation Golf Day

Name:

E-mail Address:

JOHN TOWNLEY

Address:

“John Townley was an ex-sub-

scriber and long-time journeyman

from DaC’s Shirland Road days. He

Tel. No

has sadly died after a long illness.

Society Name:

John was an old fashioned night-

man who would always help out

others in trouble. He was also very

TEAM

well known in many of our cab shel-

Player 1:

Handicap:

e-mail:

ters and I hope that any Dial-a-Cab

driver reading this that uses a cab

Player 2:

Handicap:

e-mail:

shelter on a regular basis, will pass

Player 3:

Handicap:

e-mail:

the sad news along so that those

who remember John but wondered

Player 4:

Handicap:

e-mail:

why they haven’t seen him for some

time, will at least now know.

Please enclose payment with entry form. Cheques made payable to - Crown Golf

John’s passing is truly sad loss.

& return to: Golf Days, The Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club, Broxbournebury

Rest in peace mate...”

Mansion, White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire EN10 7PY

Email: hertfordshire-golfdays@crown-golf.co.uk

Ray Buckland (P66)

or call Elaine Cochrane at 01992 466666 ext 249

Call Sign March 2017

Page 16

Dial-a-Cab driver Tony Dee (E97) was sit-

ting quietly

- and patiently

- on the

Notting Hill to Notting... Ham!

Hammersmith Broadway rank when a gen-

tleman with a strong Dutch accent

although I had already determined I would

approached him and asked in perfectly fluent

help him unload at his destination, right out-

English for what Tony was convinced was

side his house, of course!

Notting Hill.

“He went on to explain that he had trav-

“So off we went towards W11, Tony told

elled from afar and was tired, so would like to

Call Sign recently. “He had a great deal of

sleep and asked if I could wake him up near

baggage with him, suitcases, brief case, lap-

Nottingham when he would direct me to his

top case and assorted bags that looked like

house. So I plodded on up the the motorway,

gifts for his family. He settled back into the

waking him up as we peeled off the M1 and

cab, carefully arranging the freight so that it

sure enough he directed me to his front door

didn’t move around on the cab floor. As we

where he was eagerly greeted by his wife and

got nearer to Notting Hill itself, he suddenly

children. I assisted by taking luggage from

enquired: ‘So Nottingham is alright with you

the cab while he disappeared into the house

driver? Have you been there before?’

and emerged a few minutes later with cash to

“I took a deep breath, NottingHAM I

pay me off.

repeated, as I realised my initial mistake, to

“We bid farewell and as I turned the cab

which the passenger casually confirmed our

around to head back to London, his wife called

ultimate destination as though he did it fre-

out to thank me for bringing her husband

quently. Naturally I explained that it was a

home safely, which for some reason I found

long way from London and would be very

Well anyone can make a mistake!!!

quite touching. I finally got home at around

expensive. The passenger again confirmed it

chatted amiably and he explained that his

05.30 hours and completely shattered!”

was indeed Nottingham that we were going

wife was supposed to meet him in London

Tony admitted with a twinkle in his eyes

to, saying simply that he’d had a very bad day

but their car had broken down near their

that the next time a passenger asked him for

and just wanted to get home!

home. Because of all his luggage, a taxi was

Notting Hill, he would double check that

“So I headed up towards the M1, which,

the most practical way to travel, assuring me

they didn’t mean Nottingham...!

because of the traffic took some considerable

I would be paid when we got to his house.

Alan Green

time. As I weaved along roads taking me up

Clearly he was a businessman and a gentle-

toward Staples Corner for the motorway, we

man so I had no qualms about payment,

Call Sign Online

How much is your licence worth???

Taxi

hen shock news from the

Victoria (New South

insurance

Wales) government came

into the Call Sign office,

for DaC

we were stunned. Their State govern-

ment wants to deregulate the taxi indus-

try and abolish taxi licences so that there

drivers

would only be one single registration for

taxis, hire cars, ride-share services such as

Uber and they were offering taxi drivers

a compensation package that the drivers

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

claimed was a long way from what the

in Bexley have negotiated exclusive rates

licences were worth to them.

for DaC members. We believe our rates are

Drivers demonstrating in Melbourne

Taxi drivers in Melbourne unsurpris-

competitive in today’s market for experi-

enced licensed Black Cab drivers.

ingly staged demonstrations in protest

At Hillier Buchan, we understand every driver’s

against the Victoria government and their plan to buy back taxi licences issued by them.

circumstances are different; therefore our policies

Several hundred taxis reportedly blocked Bolte Bridge in the Docklands area of

can be tailored for the individual driver. We offer

Melbourne as part of the protest at 8am causing huge tailbacks and major delays for

a 5% discount for DaC members, with additional

commuters for over 2 hours.

discounts for existing protected Bonus policies.

Hillier Buchan was established in 2002 by

Drivers clad in bright yellow t-shirts later gathered in streets around state parliament

David Hillier and myself with in excess of 50

demanding full licence compensation. Many carried signs emblazoned with the message:

years experience as high level Brokers working in

“Fair go for hard work in Victoria.”

the City of London for major broking houses. We

Victoria proposes to compensate taxi licence holders by paying A$100,000 for

have established a reputation for professionalism

their first licence and A$50,000 for up to three others. However, there are some

and service in our chosen fields.

licences costing up to A$500,000 with many of those licence holders fearing that

We have extensive London Market contacts;

consequently we are able to offer our clients a

the buy-back scheme will send them broke.

quality of security from companies that are all

Drivers are now planning to bring Melbourne Airport to a standstill with organiser

available in the world’s pre-eminent insurance

Linda De Melis confirming that everything was on the table and that unless the

market. As a result, our clients achieve quality of

Government stepped forward into “good faith” discussions, they would continue the dis-

security and service upon which we pride our-

ruption.

selves and a competitiveness of premium that

our clients find particularly attractive in today's

Taxi driver George Goutzioulis said he would fight for proper compensation of his

climate.

family's three licences, with the current offered deal set to refund just 20percent of their

Our philosophy is to build long-term relation-

investment. He said they had bought the licences under the impression that it was a reg-

ships using balanced service teams providing

ulated industry, but now that had been ripped away from them.

continuity and expertise. Compare our prices and

The story got us thinking; how much do you think your licence is worth? Are

give us a call. See our ad on page 19 inside this

issue of Call Sign .

there any circumstances when you would consider accepting a pay-off from TfL

Phil Buchan,

in return for your licence???

Hillier Buchan, 01322 553313

Call Sign March 2017

Page 17

In early January, Call Sign was

sent a video which allegedly

Cross Border hirings and TfL

showed a London Uber driver

working in Brighton telling his

Mayor. A national change is needed to

since May 21 1971 and over those almost 46

address this issue so that all taxi and pri-

years, my record is pretty much immacu-

passenger who filmed the jour-

vate hire vehicle journeys either start or end

late. Feel free to look at my files - your

ney and resulting conversation,

in the area in which the driver, vehicle and

records on me start from 1965! I had my

that Uber told him and other

operator is licenced. As part of the Taxi

share of cursing the old PCO but always

and Private Hire Action Plan, we com-

accepted them as the authority, knowing

London drivers to go to

mitted to lobby government for a change in

they would always push the taxi trade as

Brighton to work, even though

the law and both the Mayor and the Deputy

being the best in the world of its kind. Now

they were licensed to work in

Mayor for Transport, Val Shawcross, have

that has changed.

raised this issue with Government Ministers

Thanks to TfL, the taxi trade is on its

London.

and the Department for Transport.

knees while PH is taking over. If we need

The video was published by the

In the meantime, we are in the

help it's down to central government legis-

Brighton and Hove taxi section of the

process of bringing in a number of reg-

lation; PH do as they wish.

GMB Union. It shows the driver, who said

ulatory changes for all London licenced

On the plus side, your dancing at the

his name was Rashid, telling the passenger

private hire drivers, including an

TDoY dinner was almost as good as mine!!!

that he is really busy in the seaside town as

English language requirement and an

Alan Fisher

the local companies do not have enough

enhanced topographical assessment, in

Editor, Call Sign Magazine

drivers and repeated that Uber had asked

order to raise safety standards within

him to go down to Brighton. Rashid says

the industry.

My thanks to Helen Chapman for

this is his first time in Brighton, which is

responding, however, it shows that

why he has difficulty finding his way

cross border hiring now has affected

around. He admits not being licensed by

London, while TfL admit there is noth-

Brighton and Hove City Council, which

ing to stop the reverse happening. It

apparently has much stricter regulations

means private hire vehicles licensed

than London. Whilst talking to the passen-

elsewhere can legally come into

ger, Rashid goes through a red light.

London to work and we can’t do a thing

Uber was granted a Brighton and Hove

about it. Meanwhile

100s of TfL

licence last October and told the council

licensed PH drivers - mainly Uber - are

it would only use Brighton licensed dri-

working all over the country under the

vers; as a result of doing that, they would

TfL licensing banner.

be abiding by the same rules as the city’s

As I pointed out to the Taxi GM, what

existing minicab firms. However, Uber

is the point of TfL???

tried recruiting from the City’s three cab

firms, but only one driver took them up.

Rumour had it that the three cab compa-

nies told any driver that left them for

Uber that they would not be welcomed

back.

According to GMB section secretary Andy

We were made aware of this video when

Peters, the Union were pleased that at the

it was posted online, however there is not

Uber council licensing meeting in 2015,

enough information in it for us to identify

Uber had declared they would only use

the driver. Having said that, I would like to

Brighton and Hove licensed vehicles. But he

reassure you that we are in touch with

added: “It appears that London has become

Brighton and Hove City Council about this

the licensing centre to send London mini-

matter.

cabs all over the UK, rendering local councils

Helen Chapman

redundant in taxi licensing.”

General Manager, Taxi and Private Hire

Call Sign sent a copy of the video to

several members of Transport for

Call Sign’s reply to Helen Chapman:

London including Helen Chapman, Leon

Hi Helen

Daniels, Garrett Emmerson and the

Thanks for the response.

Mayor’s Deputy for Transport, Val

I know about the regulatory changes for

Shawcross, asking if any of them would

London PH drivers. Anyone connected to

like to comment. We said the video gave

TfL that I write to 'copies and pastes' the

• Immaculate Fairway taxi available

the impression that anyone could do

same response - just as yours was!

for Wedding Hire

anything they liked

- providing they

The thing that puzzles me is this: If the

weren’t taxis! We received a response

• Covers most north, east and

Mayor and TfL have to wait for HMG to

from TfL Taxi & PH General Manager,

central London locations

bring about any changes, then what is the

Helen Chapman. She wrote:

purpose of TfL? It appears that taxis and pri-

• Used in Olympic closing ceremony

Dear Alan

vate hire are treated identically nowadays,

with the Spice Girls!

Thank you for your email of 3 January. As

yet anything that benefits taxis needs to be

you will be aware, PHVs are not legally

• Full leather interior

addressed nationally, while we all can see

restricted from taking bookings anywhere

any PH difficulty as they seem to get away

• Discounts for DaC drivers

in England and Wales, provided the vehicle,

with anything they want. Travis Kalanick

driver and operator are licenced by the

has already come out and said that Uber

same licensing authority and the booking is

Ring Graham (B35) on

will do as they want regardless of TfL.

accepted within this authority. This is com-

Re the Brighton video, I can obviously

monly referred to as ‘the triple licensing

understand problems re identification, so

requirement’.

what could you actually tell Brighton and

or email oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk

Issues of cross border hiring are concern-

Hove City Council?

ing both for Transport for London and the

Helen, I have been a licensed taxi driver

Call Sign March 2017

Page 18

Since returning after the Christmas break, Dial-

a-Cab’s Sales team has been busy completing

some tenders and setting out our marketing

strategy for the year. We have also opened a

DaC Sales Report

small number of new accounts and seen a sub-

stantial number of personal credit cards being

registered with us.

With Keith Cain

We have also been working on one new

account for many weeks, which will be a sig-

clients who order an executive car - which can

nificant addition if we are successful. I real-

work out very expensive - if it is necessary for that

ly thought it would have been finalised by

vehicle to be taken? If there was a choice of a taxi

now so that I could make this report more

for the same price, would that be an alternative

upbeat than my last one.

option. So far we have had a good response to

The trend by all clients is to cut down on their

the question, which should start to work in our

transport spend. As well as generating new busi-

favour moving forward.

ness, we constantly speak with our existing clients

- especially those where we see their usage falling.

All say how expensive and time consuming it is to

Total ground

travel around London, with instructions being

transportation service

issued to use public transport and only take a taxi

We have been promoting our total ground trans-

if absolutely necessary.

portation service and received some good

Those clients who use both cars and taxis

enquiries asking for more information. Our

are reporting their car usage is down slightly,

Concierge service was renamed Encompass

mainly because of the time journeys take

and just to reiterate to everyone, the Encompass

with no bus lane access for them.

booking platform is another part of the Dial-a-

Cab service we offer. It is not owned by any one

Fixed prices

person within DaC; neither does any individual

We continue to offer fixed rates for all journeys in a taxi, the cheaper the journey cost is com-

benefit personally from the service it provides. It

and have been stating that the further you travel pared to private hire companies. We ask those-

is purely a tool that allows us to offer clients the

facility of ordering all their vehicles in one place,

receive one invoice and one set of management

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

information.

We have our large customers using the

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

Encompass platform and apart from two, their

taxi usage per day is between 75%-85% of their

total number of bookings. One client uses the

A Blogger’s Tale

facility with no car vendors’ - just 100% taxis. This

is because the Encompass facility offers so much

1992

more than just ordering a vehicle. The manage-

Mardy Bum...Arctic Monkeys

ment information clients have at their fingertips

Now then Mardy Bum, I see your frown and it's like looking

of their usage on a daily basis is without doubt

down the barrel of a gun!

the best on offer. Our IT team designed it to be

In the 1990s, marches and road closures seemed to be far less fre-

simple, quick and intuitive to use, which clients

quent and so avoiding them was much easier than it is today. Even

like enormously. Since we introduced the total

so, when you’ve got passengers in the back, it can still be difficult to

ground transportation solution in 2004, all our

avoid a Gay Pride march that is about a mile long and steadily

accounts have been migrated to use the booking

snaking its way through central London. In 1992, it was the first

functionality part of the tool and more clients are

ever Europride march, with an estimated 100,000 people snaking

using our On-line and Smartphone app facilities

their way through the West End to Trafalgar Square.

to book their taxis.

There was no Twitter and no Google Traffic info to assist in

making life easier; you had to rely on your instincts and the occa-

sional gamble.

And an old chestnut!

You may have guessed by now where this is going; if my memory is correct then I

There is just one old chestnut that I have to

was traveling eastbound along Bayswater Road and heading towards Marble Arch

make drivers aware of... coverage! Since the

when the traffic began to slow down rather dramatically! I could feel the tension in the

introduction of dispatching work to the nearest

back rising as we edged forward very very slowly.

vehicle, we see some trips not being covered in

Eventually we reached Marble Arch and it became obvious that a highly exuberant Europride

our usual quick time; it is amazing to see drivers

march was making its way across the junction towards Park Lane - and it wasn't stopping for

who are within yards of a pickup still rejecting

anyone or anything! The drivers in front and either side of me had taken advantage of a small

the trip.

gap in the proceedings, leaving me at the head of the queue and straining at the leash to get

The old system would show how many dri-

through.

vers looked at a trip, the new one still does but

I glanced to my left; there were thousands of brightly dressed men and women tight-

it also logs the distance a driver was from the

ly packed in, but I thought I could see a slight chink in the armour. A small gap had

pickup location when it was rejected.

opened up and I was desperate to exploit it. The tension in the back was rising steadily

Coverage is still an important part of our ser-

- I could hear the low grumbling noises and the foot stamping, but the small gap was

vice and has received many compliments from

getting nearer and nearer until eventually with the engine revving I released the hand-

customers. If we don’t service all the trips in the

brake and thundered forward.

same way, by just one having poor coverage, it

I had committed myself - I had to make that gap! But as I got closer to squeezing through, a

sets off the alarm bells because our drivers have

Margret Thatcher lookalike threw ‘himself’ in front of my cab, bringing me to a grinding halt.

set the bar extremely high when it comes to pro-

He was wearing high heels, fishnet stockings, lacy knickers, a corset and a big blonde wig. He

viding a service to our clients. Customers get

stood right in front of the cab, hand on hip and pointing his finger straight at me and then gave

used to receiving that service but if it was ‘don’t

the kind look that the Arctic Monkeys so eloquently described in the opening lines of Mardy

expect a vehicle to turn up in less than 20 min-

Bum - Now then Mardy Bum, I see your frown and it's like looking down the barrel of a gun!

utes’ then that is what they would expect.

I wanted to get out and take the tube home! The embarrassment was overwhelming as

Dial-a-Cab clients have come to expect a

dozens and dozens of marchers whistled, laughed and waved at me. I daren't look in the back; I

vehicle to arrive within 10 minutes - more

just had to wait out in the middle of the junction whilst kisses were blown at me from all angles!

often within 5 minutes - and when we don’t

Eventually I made it through and dropped the passengers off, all of us very grateful

give our normal service, it makes it look a lot

that this journey was over.

more serious than perhaps it really is...

To be continued…

Simon Scott (O40)

Keith Cain

Call Sign Online

DaC Head of Sales

Call Sign March 2017

Page 19

or those that read the financial

columns, you may have seen that

Dido Harding is stepping down as

FAREWELL DIDO HARDING!

TalkTalk CEO after around

And good riddance...

years. The fact that shares in TalkTalk

went up on the news probably says more

TalkTalk being hacked last year when a cyber-

than I can about Baroness Harding. But I

attack on its website saw nearly 157,000 cus-

will anyway.

tomers' personal details accessed, with over

An article in a 2016 online version of the

15,600 bank account numbers and sort codes

Daily Telegraph from Dido praised Uber

stolen - under Dido’s watch? And did I men-

and came out as being against any moves by

tion the Which survey published in

TfL that involved placing restrictions on the

September 2015 where 3,501 members were

PH trade. She expressed a love affair with

asked about the large brands they had inter-

what she referred to as Uber’s innovation and

acted with during the previous 12 months.

how they offered customers a solution to the

Each brand was rated on whether they made

“nightmare” problem of getting around in

their customers feel valued, knowledge of

London. The fact that customers already had

their products and services, helpfulness of

a solution called taxis or legitimate private

staff and how well they resolved customers’

hire never got a mention.

complaints and problems etc. Number 1 on

So let’s take a brief look at Diana Mary

the list and the best company to deal with

“Dido” Harding, Baroness Harding of

was cosmetics firm Lush, which was said to

Winscombe. She “earned” her title by

have very knowledgeable and welcoming

being the daughter of Lord Harding and

staff. The worst brand and in 100th place was

granddaughter of Field Marshal John

Scottish Power.

Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton

Uber user Dido Harding: Under her

They just beat Chief Executive Diana

who was deservedly immortalised for com-

Mary “Dido” Harding, Baroness Harding

watch TalkTalk was hacked and voted

manding the famous Desert Rats in WW2.

almost the worst company!

of Winscombe’s TalkTalk to the title that

So I doubt that Dido was brought up in a

no one wanted - that of worst company to

minimum wage family and undoubtedly

that approval of Uber’s drivers - many of

deal with. They finished in 97th place.

had a privileged lifestyle as a youngster.

whom are said to earn below £5 an hour, far

The Lady may not need our help, but we

She went to Oxford University and gradu-

below the minimum wage. But, of course,

certainly don’t need any advice from her

ated in Politics and Economics, studying

THAT is why people such as Diana Mary

either and bid her a not-so-fond farewell.

alongside a certain David Cameron, before

“Dido” Harding, Baroness Harding of

Look out Uber... she may want to “help” you

jetting off to the Harvard Business School

Winscombe like Uber! Hands up if you

out. Please, PLEASE, say yes to her!!!

where she gained a Master of Business

thought that slave labour ended in July 1833

Administration (MBA). She must have

when a Bill to abolish slavery was passed by

learned business practice well because she

Alan Fisher

MPs in the House of Commons!

became the CEO of TalkTalk, while offering

Back to good old Dido; anyone remember

Call Sign Online

Mayor’s dirty

diesel scrappage

adiq Khan has made air quality a top priority and con-

sulted on plans including a ‘toxic’ charge for the most

Exclusive Taxi Insurance Scheme

polluting vehicles, bringing forward the introduction of

the Ultra-Low Emission Zone and expanding it up to

dedicated to DAC members only

the North and South Circular Roads. But the Mayor says that

without a clear plan to tackle emissions from diesel vehicles, the

city’s air will not improve.

In his manifesto, he committed to put forward a proposal to

Government for a diesel scrappage scheme and has now pub-

✓ 5% Discount for members

lished a report with TfL and Cambridge Economic Policy

✓ Additional discount for existing protected Bonus policies

Associates on its merits. The package of proposed measures

could be delivered by Government over a two-year period and

✓ Public Liability

would help fulfil the UK’s legal obligation to comply with

✓ Breakdown Cover

European pollution limits, incentivise ‘dirty’ diesel drivers to

✓ Much more available

switch to cleaner vehicles and protect the health of people in

the capital and across the country, says the report.

Call below for quotations

The key recommendations have now been presented to

Chancellor Phillip Hammond, Transport Secretary Chris

Grayling and Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom.

On taxis, it says: Payments of £1,000 to help scrap up to

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

10,000 older polluting London taxis (this is in addition to extra

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

TfL help for drivers to upgrade to greener taxis). Traditionally the

Company Registration No: 4319231

taxi trade has had a limited choice of heavy, polluting diesel vehi-

cles but this proposed fund would be used alongside wider exist-

Tel: 01322 553313

ing support to help drivers switch to new zero-emission models.

Fax: 01322 523315

Call Sign March 2017

Page 20

DaC driver and experienced cyclist learns an important lesson..

s a seri-

Donald finishing his story, “I don’t like to think

Don asked this magazine to pass on his

o u s

what might have happened if my head had

story and respectfully suggest to a wider audi-

a n d

struck a tree trunk - but all this was because in

ence that however careful you are, always

o n e -

one moment of excitement and speed to get

wear suitable protective head gear!

time long-distance

our bikes, I forgot to wear my cycle helmet! I

Jamie Corum

charity fund-rais-

should have known better!”

Call Sign Online

ing cyclist, Dial-a-

Cab

driver

Donald

Dacas

An occasional review from a struggling 14 handicapper at some of the

(P76), on his own

marque golf courses I've had the privilege to play in my golf days

admission, should

away from the taxi…

have known bet-

ter. However, as

he recently pointed out to Call Sign, his momen-

tary lapse into forgetfulness cost him dear.

Donald explains…

Royal Blackheath Golf Club

“It was a dry, sunny Sunday afternoon last

When you drive along

autumn. I was sitting in the house with our boys

Shooters Hill Road and

as my wife had gone out. The children seemed a

through the open expanse

bit quiet so on the spur of the moment I suggest-

of the common, spare a

ed we all got on our bikes and took a ride into the

moment to picture how a

nearby park and forest. The boys jumped at the

golf course would have

idea, so we threw our coats on, grabbed the bikes

looked over 400 years

from the shed and headed off into the country-

ago!

side. We soaked up the late sunshine, filling our

Royal Blackheath Golf Club

lungs with fresh air and observing all the wildlife

is the oldest one in the world

outside of Scotland.

out there. It was a real joy!

Reputedly, club minutes only

“But on the way back home, my youngest son

go back as far as 1745; how-

challenged me to race him home along the last

ever, there is some evidence

block of the street. He was just slightly ahead of

that a society of Scottish

me and I clearly remember my front wheel clos-

golfers, emanating from King

17th century clubhouse

ing the gap on his rear wheel as my feet pounded

James VI court enjoyed a

the pedals; but the next thing I recall is waking up

game there as early as 1608.

inside an ambulance. What happened was a com-

In 1923, it was deemed too dangerous thanks to the traffic on the A2 that travelled through the

plete blank. I remember asking the medic where

now 18 hole golf course, so a merger was agreed with Eltham Golf Club and the Royal

I was, only to be told that I’d had an accident and

Blackheath Golf Club moved to its present location.

fell off my bicycle. The ambulance crew patched

That’s the rather impressive history, so you now want to know about the golf course

me up as much as they could before taking me to

itself. Well, I have been reviewing courses in Call Sign since March 2015 - bet you didn’t

Whipps Cross Hospital for further treatment.

realise there were that many to review! But I have to say the RBGC is not the best one

“I had broken my collar bone as I fell off the

I've reviewed!

bike, bruised several ribs and needed many stitch-

In some ways and given its history, I've always thought this to be quite disappointing. It’s a fairly

es for a head wound that was gashed wide open

average course with some nice holes but which aren’t too testing; it finishes with a rather short

as I hit the ground. The consultant looked at my

par 4 that has a hedge in front of the green to stop you going for the green. That is a rather

X-Rays and told me in no uncertain terms that in

ridiculous finishing hole... that, of course, is just in my humble opinion.

his experience and with the injuries I had sus-

Let me also add that from a personal point of view it’s worth playing for the impressive

tained, I should have been in a coma! That made

17th century clubhouse with its lovely views across the course and the museum upstairs!

me feel slightly better,” Don said, “because at least

Other than that, let's just say I've played it once and whilst it was fun because it’s golf and I love

it meant I had survived!” At least Donald was smil-

golf, it’s not a course that I’d rush back too.

ing now!

As always, happy golfing...

Simon Wallis (M11)

“Talking it through afterwards with the chil-

Call Sign Online

dren, it appears most likely that my bike wheels

skidded sideways on the paving stones with the

bike going in one direction and me going in the

other. I probably landed on my shoulder and hit

my head on the stones. Apparently the boys

thought I was messing about at first and feigning

injury, but when I failed to respond to their calls

and gentle prodding, they changed their mind

and even thought I might have been dead, pan-

icked and started banging on neighbour’s doors

shouting for help while telling people I was dead.

Fortunately one kind soul dialled 999.

“I was off work for a month while my injuries

slowly healed to the point where I could move

around a little bit and I now have full movement

in my shoulder and ribcage again. But I do have a

lengthy scar on my head.” With that Don pointed

to his scalp to a rather squeamish Call Sign

reporter. Why do people like showing their scars!

“If it had happened while we were riding in

the nearby woods a few minutes earlier,” said

Call Sign March 2017

Page 21

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

Bob Woodford looks at London’s long lost sporting venues

his month I want to wrap up West London’s football club’s ori-

wander too far around Fulham Broadway seeking out a boozer with

gins, having previously featured Queens Park Rangers and

that name - these days it’s called The Butcher’s Hook.

Fulham - who both have their roots based at religious institu-

The chief backer was millionaire Gus Mears, who had already con-

tions. Both St Jude’s (QPR) and St Andrew’s (Fulham) may

structed a huge, ambitious stadium across the road from the pub,

well have considered drink to be refreshment of the devil, but pubs

opened in 1877 and home to the London Athletic Club.

seem to be a common theme around the beginnings at both Brentford

Mears built up a huge arena to hold 60,000 fans and to ensure the

and Chelsea football clubs.

terraces were often well-packed, he made sure his player manager

An historian once said the first recorded instance of football in the

Jack Robertson head-hunted some of the best professionals in the

capital was when Julius Caesar kicked a skull over the River Brent after

country. Long-time buddy of Gus was Lord Cadogan, who not only

drinking copious amounts of wine - but it took another 1800 odd years

took on the role of Club President but also got the players running

before Association Rules took hold in London!

out in Eton Blue, which also happened to be his racing colours!

The Oxford and Cambridge Pub formerly of 18 Kew Bridge Road

Football’s first ever

4-page match day programme appeared at

is now demolished, but it was on land adjacent to it that a new recre-

Stamford Bridge in their debut fixture - a 4-0 demolition of Liverpool

ation ground with a pavilion was provided for the formation of a new

FC; and when promotion to the First Division (equivalent of today’s

club ground for the Brentford Rowing Club by the Brentford Local

Premier League) was achieved in just 3 seasons, the newly nicknamed

Board in 1889. The BLB is now engulfed by the London Borough of

Pensioners attracted the biggest crowds ever known in Great Britain at

Hounslow; the Rec was swallowed up by Sainsbury’s and Costa

the time.

Coffee. A quick nip around the back to The Hollows is the closest you’ll

The swagger that accompanied this fledgling club continued to

get to a playing surface these days. The nearest pub is One Over the Ait,

be very apparent and in just a few brief years the personality and

a little closer to the banks of The Thames.

character of Chelsea FC was being laid down; ambitious, wealthy

One would have thought that the rowers would have plumped

and fashionable, just the sort of pulling power needed to attract

for Rugby, but perhaps many of the 13 committee members voting

players and enough spectators for such a large stadium!

had indeed had ‘one over the eight’ - because Association Football

The Bridge has hosted various other sports down the decades - crick-

won the day by 8 votes to 5!

et, rugby, greyhound racing, speedway, baseball and even American foot-

Negotiations to utilise the land to be provided broke down just ahead

ball, but Chelsea FC have never moved ‘home’ away from their home on

of Brentford FC’s first fixture against a Kew XI from across the water,

the Fulham Road.

the clearing for the pitch never got laid out and it was the nearby Clifden

Bob Woodford

House ground that witnessed a 1-1 draw in that inaugural match. If you

Call Sign Online

want to go snooping around the back streets of Brentford looking for

the sacred turf that played hosts for the first 3 years of the clubs’ exis-

tence, I’m afraid that site is now covered by a school and housing

between Clifden Road and Lateward Road.

Brentford FC were on the lookout for a new home ground when the

owners of Clifden sold out for property development and a suitable

field (owned by a mysterious Mr Benn) was found behind the

Wesleyan Chapel on Little Ealing Lane - quite apt as many of the row-

ing forefathers worshipped here anyway - although these days many

locals worship in The Plough Inn instead!

Benn’s Fields was short lived, as was the next move to Shotters

Fields off Northfields Avenue and the following move to Boston

Manor Park where the cricket ground gave way to football in the

winter; but the cricket club came to the conclusion that getting

their field churned up wasn’t much of a tea party.

The pivotal point in Brentford FC’s history came in 1904 when they

grabbed the offer from Fullers Brewery - Fuller, Smith and Turner

back then - to take over an old orchard on Ealing Road for a nominal

peppercorn rent. Within no time, supporters fell over in the rush to cut

down the trees (they got to keep the wood!), cleared away a camp of

gypsies and fetched the grandstand from Boston Park to sit on the

Braemar Road side of the ground. The closest pub to the new home

ground was called The Griffin and so it made sense for fans to started

coining Griffin Park. London fans will now know that Griffin Park is the

only Football League ground to have a pub in each corner - The Royal

Oak, The New Inn and The Princess Royal being the others.

Millwall fans may remember back in the 70s when the game was

so dull that one of the visiting spectators lobbed a hand grenade

onto the pitch to liven things up a bit! But there is life in Brentford

FC these days, as they are holding their own in the second tier of

English football. Mind you, Millwall in the FA Cup quarter finals

against Tottenham is far from dull!

Chelsea FC fans would also know of the pub connection to their

club’s formation in 1905, one of the newer kids on the block in histori-

cal terms of London football. It was in an upstairs room at the Rising

Sun pub in Fulham Road, which saw the birth of The Blues. But don’t

Call Sign March 2017

Page 22

tephen Field (F99) has been on

Dial-a-Cab since 2006 and over

those 11 years has never been

STEPHEN’S SAD

afraid to ask pertinent questions

of Board Members or even the Chairman

via Call Sign - not to cause trouble, but to

benefit the Society in the long term.

However, in March 2016 Stephen had a

RETIREMENT

non-fault accident that left him with limit-

ed sight to such an extent that he is now no

He then went on to write about Uber.

longer deemed fit enough to continue dri-

He told them that their drivers should be

ving a taxi and as a result has had no other

forced to have proper insurance and quot-

option than to retire from the cab trade.

ed just one of many incidents involving an

Stephen’s last big campaign that he

Uber car. This involved an accident at

shared with Call Sign came, ironically,

in the February issue of the magazine -

Trafalgar Square where the driver then

just weeks before his accident - when

ran away leaving his passenger in the car. It

he felt that the only people left to write

was later discovered that there had been

to complain about this trade’s treat-

no insurance, no CRB test and no licence

ment that he hadn’t already written to

for the Uber driver.

was the European Court of Justice.

Stephen continued his diatribe with the

He told them that he and the trade in

ECJ over several months. Then the acci-

general were just fed up with the way

dent happened and everything changed.

things were going and the way we were

Stephen told Call Sign: “To all Dial-a-

continually being pushed around. He said

Cab drivers and people at the DaC Credit

that the taxi trade was in as bad a state as

Union that I may have upset over the

he could ever remember, although he then

years, I apologise and wish everyone at the

Stephen has been forced to retire fol-

went on to praise Brian Rice for being the

Society a bright future. Hopefully, if there is

lowing a non-fault accident

first to recognise the signs and referring to

a dramatic improvement, my sight may

them at an AGM several years earlier as a

ver. To get a licence I must first do the

one day get good enough allowing me to

“race to the bottom” - a phrase that many

Knowledge of London. I must then

come back, but at 66 already that seems

in the trade later picked up on.

undergo an enhanced Criminal Records

very unlikely.

Stephen also told the Court that he was

Bureau check and if that is not enough, a

My sincere thanks go to Jackie and

irritated our trade organisations didn’t

medical too. I must also have public liabil-

Marie in Drivers Services. Good luck to

appear to be doing enough to stop the rot.

ity insurance so that if I carry your partner

you all at DaC...”

His letter to the European Court of

or siblings in my taxi, I am fully insured.

Good luck to you too, Stephen.

Justice continued:

That insurance costs me £220 per calendar

Here’s hoping you eventually get

“I am a licensed London black cab dri-

month, so it’s not cheap!”

some good news.

From June 1997 for the next 10 years, Vince Chin wrote a monthly column in Call Sign telling readers how wonderful something called the Internet would be

for the radio circuits. They all listened eventually, but it took years. With Alan Fisher announcing his retirement as Editor next month, Vince, who still is

responsible for Call Sign Online, reprises his column for one final time...

COMPUTER CHINCHAT

With Vince Chin

On 21st April 1988 I passed The Knowledge; in July 1995 I graduated from the Southbank University with a 2:1 Hons in Computing and it

was in 1994 that I was introduced to the Internet at Uni. It was there that I realised it was going to be massive! I remember talking to

punters and telling them how fabulous it was going to be, streaming movies straight to our houses. I presume most people thought I was mad at that time!

What has this got to do with Call Sign, you ask? Well around 1997, I went around the Radio Circuits, trying to get them to realise the benefits of the

Internet. I remember a conversation with the “IT Guy” in a north London radio circuit (Radio Taxis...Ed) who said the Internet would never take off; how

wrong he was!

At that time, Dial-a-Cab were already well into their booking system so were not interested, however Alan Fisher quickly realised the

benefits and Call Sign Online was born. In those early days, it was very time-consuming converting a paper version to HTML and as a result a

limited number of pages were put online. Web pages consisted of simple text and images where you could spice up pages by including

animated GIFs.

Client devices were either PCs or laptops and that was it. Nowadays, there are a plethora of client devices including Mobile Phones, Tables, PCs and

Laptops where each of these devices have vastly different screens and resolutions and web pages can seem more like interactive experiences that resize

according to the screen size of the client device.

How things have changed in 20 years. Yahoo and AltaVista were the major search engines and Google was a late-comer arriving in 1998. Google now

is the search engine of choice for 80% of all browsers and is also the search engine for Call Sign Online since 2015.

I had such big ideas in those days, especially once I managed to grab the taxicab.co.uk domain name. In 1997 I started the first UK online

taxi discussion forum on taxicab.co.uk called Discuss - only the second in the world after Canadian Terry Smythe released Taxi-l onto

unsuspecting North American taxi drivers, with just Alan Fisher and myself in the early days representing the UK.

I wanted my Discuss to unite the trade in an open forum for all licensed taxi drivers, especially Londoners, because since passing the Knowledge I could

not understand why such a great trade was being ruined by in-fighting. Sadly it was just me being incredibly naïve as it didn’t last very long thanks to in-

fighting. I’m also afraid in-fighting will ruin this great trade before it unites to fight the elephant in the room, Uber.

Another area I thought would be huge was GPS and navigation software. My final year thesis was based around The Knowledge of London where you

would select a blue book run and the software would display a taxi travelling along the route on a map of London - this was in 1995! I got ‘a first’ for this

where it was deemed as one of a few final year theses’ that was actually commercially viable. After University, I approached a very well-known cartographer

who quoted £100,000 for a single licence to use their map of London in one copy of my software. That was extortionate and as a result I didn’t take it any

further. Now everyone has GPS navigation - I often wonder if I gave them the idea!

Call Sign Online was the first monthly online magazine and its readers are spread throughout the world. It has been a great pleasure

working with Alan Fisher and I will miss his monthly chaser emails asking when the mag will be online!

All the best in your retirement, Alan...

Vince Chin

Call Sign Online

Call Sign March 2017

Page 23

Last month’s Call Sign published

a two-page report on the mag-

nificent London Taxidrivers Fund

for Underprivileged Children’s

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. LTFUC

Press Officer, Raymond Levy, has

sent the following to Call Sign...

Thank you Call Sign for your coverage of

our Mad Hatters Tea Party in your February

issue. There were so many wonderful people

to thank and although you mentioned all the

performers, the Committee would be very

grateful if you could find room in your March

issue to also mention some of those that

worked so hard behind the scenes.

Following the disco finale, the children went

through our famous Toy Grotto piled high

with lots of toys, goodies and chocolates; here

we must thank Jelly Cats for their kindness

and support and Justin for his help in deliver-

ing the toys on a Sunday. Can we also thank

Hon Alderman of Westminster, Anne Mallinson

1966 Entertainment for their donation to

help pay for the toys, Mars bars and chocolates

to go in the goody bags. Thanks also to Jelly

Belly for the sweets and of course to the grot-

to’s crew of helpers.

Important additions to the party are those

who stay on the surround of the Great Room

and work tirelessly all afternoon, some without

a break; so our thanks go to Denise of Angel

Faces and her wonderful team of face painters

and balloonists, portrait artist Danny Green,

Colour Sergeant Richard Angel and his army

cadets, Soho Fire Station (Green Watch),

Oxford Street Policing ORB Team and DG

Leisure who provided the chocolate fountain.

The Army protected the Crystal Girls - lucky chaps!

Grateful thanks also go to Amanda Miller

and the Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham

& Westminster Volunteer Police Cadets who

helped keep the children safe at the party and

what a great job they did. They are a credit to

the Metropolitan Police Service.

Thank you Sainsbury’s at Waltham Cross

for sponsoring and supplying food for the

‘rink’ buffet. Special thanks going to Susan

Ramthor for organising and coordinating the

catering. Sincere thanks go to the Red Cross

and also to Ears Radio for providing two way

radios. In between acts, LTFUC Hon Chairman

Mike Son introduced Olympian Anne Wafula-

Strike MBE and we thank her for giving up her

valuable time to be with us. We must also thank

Some of the stars from Diversity on stage

the Editor of Dial-a-Cab’s Call Sign magazine,

Alan Fisher, for sponsoring Anne’s return taxi

Honey Monster, Entertainment One’s

ver’s party and it never disappoints. This year

trip, enabling her to join us.

Peppa Pig), Kent Balloons for the helium,

was no exception with great food and enter-

We were also pleased to be joined by the

magician Matthew Buckley, Maurice

tainment and of course an eye-popping treat

Hon Alderman of Westminster, Mrs Anne

Gilliam’s video, the Met Police of West End

at the end. My wife and I remarked how kind

Mallinson and her husband Terence and

Central and Miss Ballooniverse.

it is that so many people put so much effort

grateful thanks also go to Vicki Michelle for

The Hon President, Hon Chairman and

into the event with very little recognition. This

joining us. We are especially grateful to them

Committee are grateful to all the wonderful

isn’t something the taxi drivers or committee

for staying after their interviews and signing so

people who helped us to make this party such

need to do, but they do it anyway. It’s a great

many autographs for the children.

a great success and look forward to next year’s

gesture of kindness and compassion that is

There are so many wonderful people to

90 anniversary celebration! The children had a

too often lost in today’s world. The whole

thank and we apologise to anyone we may

magical afternoon that they will treasure forev-

event is a throwback to the days where people

have omitted. However, further special thanks

er. Unfortunately Hon President, Bill Tyzack

genuinely cared about each other and provid-

also go to the following:

BEM and wife Grace could not be with us

ed communal support.

Management and Staff at the Grosvenor

again and we send them our love.

Well done and thank you again. We look for-

House and Event Manager Felix Persijn, Mark

In finishing, we would like to share with you

ward to next year and will surely have a

& Sarah Cohen from Genie Events, Nick

one of the numerous letters we received after

‘Frozen’ song in our heads until then!

Thompsett of Manic Ltd, Steve Davis and the

the party…

Noah & Melissa

technicians at the Grosvenor House, John

“Dear Committee,

Raymond Levy

Lewis, Peter Jones and Harrods. Radio Taxis,

I want to thank you on behalf of my two sons.

LTFUC Press Officer

Nintendo (Mario & Luigi), Brecks Food

Each year they look forward to the taxi dri-

Call Sign March 2017

Page 24

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 looks at the October 2001 issue of Call Sign and a football match that saw

the end of the Dial-a-Cab football team...

Near riot as DaC footballers storm off!

The reputation of the football team who were as difficult to

Lee Morland

break down as the gates to the Bank of England and who

was sent off

recently won the Champion’s Cup, took a further knock

soon after being

recently when Dial-a-Cab, said to be the best team in the City

sandwiched!

Lunchtime 5-a-side League, fell to pieces during what looked

Inset: Joe Brazil

like being their second consecutive drubbing.

At 5-1 down against middle-of-the-table Jago - a team

said the whole

we had never lost against - DaC were refused a blatant

team might have

penalty decision by a rather weak official. Immediately,

been sent off!

the Dial-a-Cab players surrounded the ref and within the

melee, team captain Lee Morland was shown a red card

for “unbecoming conduct.” Then Paul Richards jumped in

to speak up for his captain and he too was shown a red

card leaving the DaC team with just three players - Joe

rubbish referee

Brazil (K16), Warren Barbieri (K19) and Paul Roma (G70).

and it certainly

At a signal from Lee Morland, the three remaining players

won’t be with

walked off the pitch, leaving a stunned looking Jago team

me.”

together with an equally stunned referee!

The DaC team are currently facing a 6

“No referee is perfect,” DaC captain Lee Morland told Call

week ban after the referee’s report was

Sign after the match, “but this is the third time this season

believed. The question is whether they will

that we have had this guy and he has never been better

actually return after their treatment in this

than hopeless! It may be a bit of fun for him, but we take

match...

our football seriously.”

J.P.Duval

Both Lee Morland and Paul Richards now face automatic

Call Sign sport

three match bans, while the rest of the team may well face simi-

lar or even longer bans for failing to finish the match.

Lee had intended retiring last season when his knees started

to show unpleasant reactions to match batterings, but agreed

to continue for one extra season.

“But that’s it,” said a furious Lee, “you won’t see me on a

pitch again, not while we have referees like that. That

was my last match - I’m retiring…”

Joe Brazil chimed in: “Two sending-offs from a five man

team was a disgrace. Lee and Paul shouldn’t have sworn,

but when referees give such awful decisions - not once

but constantly - it becomes difficult to stay quiet. In all

honesty, had we not walked off, it would have been just

seconds before the whole team got their marching

orders!”

DaC’s super scorer, Trevor Smith (V78), wasn’t playing in the

match, but explained to Call Sign that he often acts as a buffer

EVERY SATURDAY AT WEST THURROCK BOXING &

for Lee.

FITNESS GYMNASIUM

“Lee has a temper on the pitch, but when controlled, it works

in our favour as a hard but fair form of aggression. When I’m

From 10.15-12.15 - £10 per pupil

playing and see him about to boil over, I seem to have this way

Minimum age of 16

of calming him down, but I wasn’t in the team this time and it

just blew up. But don’t you worry, we’ll be back…”

Kids Class: 12.30-1.30pm from age 8yrs to 15yrs

Just six weeks ago, DaC were at the top of the league when

£5.00 per pupil

holidays disrupted our small but successful squad. Then we

Suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to

played the mid-table team of The Zeds. At half time, we went

accomplished boxers

in leading 3 - 0, but in the second half and for no apparent rea-

son, the previously undefeated DaC just crumbled and we held

Female ONLY classes subject to demand

on for a 4 - 4 draw.

With our confidence battered, the next match against Willis

saw DaC put in our worst-ever performance resulting in a 9 - 4

thrashing. That has now been followed by almost a riot against

another team we should have beaten easily. What’s gone wrong

with the Dial-a-Cab football team? The last word came from Lee

Morland…

“At the moment, even Mountview could beat us and they are

next to useless! But have no doubt about it, the Dial-a-Cab

team are by far the best in the league and capable of beating

every single other team in it. We’ll soon be back at the top

where we belong - although hopefully it won’t be with that

Call Sign March 2017

Page 25

With Sadiq Khan approaching

his first year in office as Mayor

How is Sadiq doing as Mayor???

and head of TfL, Call Sign went

out to gauge the views of Dial-

“May I respectfully suggest that the Mayor

reduce the traffic congestion is

a-Cab drivers as to his success or

has the power to statistically separate taxis

up for debate; more traffic,

otherwise by posing a question:

from PHV and we return to the old PCO

more emissions, more pollu-

regime as TfL always group us together with

tion, so widening and increas-

private hire, even though we are the profes-

ing the cycle routes does not

Do you think Sadiq is

sionals and the old PCO supported us, main-

and has not helped! As he has

tained our high standards, understood us

only been in the job less than a year of a four-

doing a good job as

and appreciated our commitment and profes-

year term, I’m prepared to give him a chance,

sionalism.”

but I’m not holding my breath.”

London Mayor?

Debbie Hope (W18): “Let me

Roy Phillips-Brill (O04):

Dennis Rayner (V72): “I do

ask him this: What is he doing

“From what I understand,

not really have an opinion

despite the prestige of the

from the viewpoint that I do

about the appalling traffic con-

office of Mayor of London,

not feel he has been in the job

ditions? I don’t listen to hous-

Sadiq Khan would have

long enough to have made his

ing reports - important though

they are - I’m only concerned

expected to have more control

mark. Anyway, I think his pow-

about traffic and pollution and it seems to me

than he actually does. I listen to LBC radio

ers are restricted by government statute and

and whenever he has been interviewed, he

TfL. But having said that, I am aware that the

nothing much is happening there!”

says there is little he can do about the preda-

expansion of cycle lanes and their inevitable

Phil Jacobs (D13):

“Doing

tory pricing policy of Uber, whereas licenced

encroachment into valuable road space will

what exactly? Has he even

private hire has a regulated fare and pricing

seriously affect our trade.”

started? The traffic is getting

structure. He claims he does not have total

worse by the day and air pollu-

Mark Holmes (J26): “Done or

control over TfL.

doing a good job? No! If some-

tion is high; so when is he

“Change the pricing structure of Uber, reg-

one can tell me what he has

going to start doing some-

ulate their fares, demand a physical general

done, I’ll be happy to listen -

thing? Cycle lanes are ridiculously wide,

office like Dial-a-Cab or Addison Lee as an

encroaching on already limited road space

but I won’t be holding my

example - for admin, lost property, dispatch

and now there is talk of closing the Bank

breath. If he would like to

or complaints. In fact, other countries see

come out in the cab with me, I’ll show him

Junction to most road users except a select

them as illegal, so, why don’t we? And that

exactly what is going on - and I will do it for

few, which naturally includes cycles of course!

brings us back to Mayor Khan in London! If

free too!”

“We taxi drivers have to take an advanced

he is helpless, then he isn’t doing a good

” Call Sign Magazine MMXVII

driving test to ensure the safety of our travel-

job...”

ling public, and yet statistically we are lumped

David Burnetts (S43):

“I

in with Private Hire Vehicles. We have not

would have hoped he could

knocked any one down or worse as a result of

Book Aiden Kent

have been more pro-active

poor driving, yet we are all grouped together.

We are the safest form of road transportation

than the previous incumbent

regarding traffic flow for

for your event

and have no need to constantly refer to a sat-

instance, but the cycle lanes

nav screen and so take our eyes off the road

...and make it go with a swing!

expansion seems to be going ahead with

to know where we are going. So, I think the

vigour and the mutterings about closing cer-

answer to your question of whether the

Mayor is doing a good job is... NO!”

tain roads to vehicles are very concerning. He

must surely have conversations with council

Mick Gentry (M52): “Is he

leaders regarding the closure of Bank

doing a good job? No! Totally

Junction and Camden’s cookie ideas for

ineffectual! Nothing! He must

Tottenham Court Road? Unfortunately, he

be aware that Uber are subsi-

appears to be all gas and gaiters... or should

dising fares by around 60%, ie

that be all pollution and traffic!”

passengers pay some 40% of a

James Barwick (J68): “Well,

realistic tariff. It was in the Financial Times

he’s only been in the job 5

so TfL must also be aware of their business

minutes, but I don’t think it is

model to eliminate all opposition and con-

quer. That done, then they will substantially

Mayor Khan so much as more

increase their fares to realistic levels - possi-

TfL - but he is responsible for

the cycle and bus lanes and he

bly quadrupling them - and by that time there

is talking about extending and expanding

will be no-one left to compete, as we will all

those. But in fairness to him, he has opened

have been driven out of business.

“That applies nationwide as well, going by

up some bus lanes to taxis from which we

what I read in the trade press about what is

were previously barred, so I guess he is

damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t!

going on in the provinces. As I understand it,

And it was he who introduced the English

the Mayor and TfL’s remit is to protect the trav-

Test for PHV drivers (currently been put on

elling public as well as licenced taxis and pri-

vate hire, but they seem to be doing nothing to

hold...Ed), as well as the requirement for

Tel: 07956 456 360

assist the taxi trade. If Sadiq Khan allows TfL to

PHV to display a valid insurance certificate in

the vehicle at all times.”

Email:

renew Uber’s licence in May, he will be allow-

ing TfL to fail in their ‘duty of care’ to the trav-

aiden.kent@btinternet.com

Jackie Kott (Y88): “I haven’t really heard of

elling public. And I haven’t even begun on the

anything he is supposed to be doing or done,

Web: www.aidenkent.com

cycle lanes, North London Cycle Route or

but in all fairness he cannot be as bad as the

Bank Junction closure. Totally ridiculous!

last two! Whether anyone can do anything to

Call Sign March 2017

Page 26

“My Dial-a-Cab

returned to his cage.

He slowly settled on

terminal gave a

the perch as Eddie

familiar beep,”

Squawk! Squawk!

carefully took him

Ergan Halil

down the rickety

staircase and placed

(Y57) - his

him on the floor in the back of the cab.

friends call him Eddie - told Call Sign,

“He seemed comfortable and was very quiet,” Eddie con-

“with the trip offer being an As

tinued. “He was looking around warily but not making any

noise, so I opened the envelope the woman had given me

Directed cash ride for Charlie. As I

containing the cash and my delivery address where I had to

like an adventure, I readily accepted

take the multi-coloured bird to and had to look twice... it

the journey from Ledbury Road in

was to a farm in Norfolk!

“I moved off carefully so as not to startle Charlie and con-

Notting Hill,” said Eddie.

tinued driving as gently as I could because I didn’t fancy the

“I rang on the doorbell and a strange looking lady

idea of him being sick on my cab floor! After an hour or so

answered dressed in a skimpy white dressing gown

into the journey, the bird had not made any noise at all - he

and silver hair piled high on her head. She beck-

was just totally silent - which certainly had not been the case

oned me to enter and I momentarily felt I was on

when we first met! So I pulled over to the kerbside and cau-

the film set of the Addams Family as we climbed

tiously looked into the back of the cab to check him out. But

the creaky stairs to meet Charlie. I entered a room

Who's a pretty boy!

I must have spooked him as he caught sight of me from those

that looked like a bomb site; litter was strewn all

beady eyes because he started jumping around inside the

across the floor, books were stacked up on the carpet and American style

cage, noisily squawking his head off and flapping his wings like crazy - a

car number plates from just about every US state adorned the walls. She

bit like a Demon in a horror movie!

pointed to a cage with a parrot perched on a bar inside and mumbled

“I was quite worried that he would hurt himself while in my care, so I

Charlie, motioning me to pick up the cage by the hook at the top.

tried to calm him down by calling his name and repeatedly asking him

“As I gently lifted the cage, Charlie decided he was not having any

‘who’s a pretty boy’ as I thought that might do the trick! Sure enough, he

of it and noisily flew out into the room and temporary freedom

eventually regained his composure with the response of ‘Charlie’s a pret-

from underneath the cage. That’s when I realised there was no floor

ty boy’!

to his cage!”

“Much to my relief, I found the farm soon after. The farmer told me that

The lady in the dressing gown coaxed Charlie down and he slowly

the lady sent Charlie to him to look after whenever she went back to the

States to visit. With a deep sigh of relief, I returned to the cab and headed

Bubbles carwash closure

back to London, far more relaxed than when I started out!”

With that, a smiling Eddie got back into his cab with a Call Sign

reporter calling out to him as he drove away... “Who’s a pretty boy then!!!”

OWNER JAILED:

WORKER ELECTROCUTED

Alan Green

There must be hundreds of Dial-a-Cab drivers that used the Bubbles

Call Sign Online

carwash in Malcolm Place off Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green.

The wash was ok, the price reasonable and within minutes you

were back in the City, as shown by the never-ending queue of taxis

waiting...

But it came

out in Court

that below the

surface not

everything was

that good

when Bubbles

owner, Shaip

Nimani, was

jailed for

manslaughter

after one of his

workers, Sandu

Bubbles: A favourite wash for DaC drivers

Laurentiu, was

electrocuted taking a shower next door in what were described as the

dilapidated conditions provided by Nimani in premises provided under

the railway arches.

Mr Laurentiu was said to be living in cramped, rat-infested condi-

tions with five other Romanian men who all worked at the carwash. The

Court heard that the wash area was so dangerous that workers told

investigators it was not unusual for them to get electric shocks while

showering, but they believed that it was normal. It transpired that the

mains electric meter had been bypassed to avoid paying for electricity

used with electric plugs overloaded and extension leads plugged into

more extension leads. Fuses had been tampered with so they didn’t cut

out when overloaded.

Investigators also discovered that the electrical installation to the

shower had no earth connection and had not been properly maintained.

An ambulance was called to the carwash on August 19, 2015, when

Mr Laurentiu collapsed in the shower. He was taken to the Royal

London Hospital, but died later that evening.

Nimani, 52, was jailed at the Old Bailey for four years and ordered to

pay £20,000 to the family of Mr Laurentiu after being convicted of

manslaughter. He was also banned from becoming a company director

for 10 years and has to pay £20,000 costs.

Call Sign March 2017

Page 27

ook at this cover of

Call Sign presents Uber boss Travis Kalanick with an award...

Forbes Magazine and

the Travis Kalanick

quote claiming that the

Funniest story we’ve

“opportunity is in the trillions!”

That must have made those

seen this year!

banks currently owed the

money by Uber quake in their

subsidies to undercut their rivals in the

boots!

hope of one day achieving a total

In the first nine months of 2016, Uber

monopoly.

are said to have lost over $2.2 billion. In the

He added that since 2012, Uber’s earn-

third quarter alone, they are said to have

ings before interest, taxes, depreciation,

lost in excess of $800 million and that does-

amortisation and rent/restructuring costs

n’t include its now-defunct business in

(EBITDAR) has reportedly been worse than

China, when they came to an agreement

negative 100 per cent, with the total loss

with rival Didi Chuxing to leave the

increasing and not decreasing with time.

Chinese market in exchange for 17.5 per

Forgetting finance, Uber also has prob-

cent of the Chinese company.

lems thanks to its total disregard of

Yet Uber’s valuation has risen to almost

authority - TfL included, although they

$70 billion, although they are always reluc-

seem to go along with anything that app

tant to talk financial figures. The company

comes up with. As an example, recently

are said to have generated $3.76bn in net

Uber began testing self-drive vehicles in

revenue over those first nine months of

San Francisco, even though they failed to

2016, yet still lost that $2.2 billion and no

get a permit from state officials. Then on

matter what it does, it keeps losing money

the first day of testing several of the self-

- money that must be coming from banks

driven cars were spotted going through

and private backers who by now are proba-

red lights and committing various other

bly afraid to stop the lending process for

traffic violations. They had previously

According to Uber boss Travis Kalanick,

fear of what would happen if Uber were to

said they had a problem with the way the

the opportunity to make money is in

pull the plug.

vehicles crossed bike lanes.

the trillions! In his case - to lose them!

Writing several months ago, transport

So yes, the award must go to young

industry expert Hubert Horan (see

billions pumped into the company by

Travis for his quote that the “oppor-

January 2017 Call Sign) explained that

investors. He suggested that Uber pas-

tunity is in the trillions!” We just

Uber’s current operations depended on

sengers were only paying 41 per cent of

aren’t sure whether he is referring to

$2 billion in subsidies funded out of the

the actual cost of a trip, with Uber using

profits... or losses!!!

CORINTHIAN

GOLF CLUB

Cabbie Specials

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED JOINING A GOLF CLUB BUT

WONDERED IF YOU WOULD REALLY USE THE MEMBERSHIP?

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

badge gets a 10% discount for green fees and societies on Mondays,

Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and a discounted membership fee.

CABBIE GOLF SPECIAL

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

in the beautiful countryside of North-West Kent.

Uber are taking one step at a time!

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

fL favourites, Uber, are apparently taking things just

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

one step at a time as one of their drivers showed

when taking a shortcut through the Broadgate Circle.

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

Most sensible drivers would have dropped their customers at the

A friendly welcome awaits you.

nearest accessible point, but this Uber chap obviously felt that he

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

should take his passengers right to the door and wasn’t going to

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

let a set of steps stop him! After all, TfL had licensed him as a fit

www.corinthiansportsclub.co.uk

and proper person to do whatever it was he was doing!

Uber said the driver hadn’t signed on to their app for some time

and wiped their hands of him. The driver was reported for dri-

ving without due care but not charged.

After all, he was only taking one step at a time...!

Call Sign March 2017

Page 28

ROY PERKINS

Roy enjoying his pipe while making a

The Beardmore MkVII model that Roy once sold and then later drove

Channel 4 documentary on the

London taxi trade

duction restart, albeit in penny numbers com-

MkVII and Roy joined the sales staff at the

With the death of Roy Perkins at

pared to the Austin cabs of Mann and

Beardmore showroom in Great Portland

Overton.

Street to sell it, the only alternative to the

the age of 100 years and 10

Roy suffered an injury to his leg as a child,

Austin FX3 and FX4 to a small number of

months, the London cab trade

which left him with a permanent limp. In

mushers. He stayed with the company until

has lost its last living connection

1938, at the age of 21, he became the first dis-

1967, when it ceased trading. He returned to

abled man to be given a London cab driver's

driving a cab full time until 1987 when his

with the pre-war years.

licence. Exempted from military service by his

wife, Alice persuaded him that, at 70 years of

Most people in the cab trade will not have

disability, he drove the prototype Oxford cab

age, it was time for him to stop.

heard of Beardmore Motors, the company

through the Second World War, covering an

Roy was also very keen motor sport fan and

with which Roy was involved for thirty years,

astonishing

300,000 miles. Beardmore

until just a few years ago, also a regular pipe

but through most of the 1920s it was the

Motors subsequently took over the sales and

smoker.

biggest maker of London taxis. Bad business

servicing of the Oxford at their premises at

decisions drove the parent company into

Bill Munro

The Hyde, Hendon, but when production of

administration, but a management buyout of

Earlswood Press

the Oxford stopped in 1953, Beardmore's

the taxi making and sales companies saw pro-

introduced a new model of their own - the

www.earlswoodpress.co.uk

New LCA

Can you afford not to get a copy!!!

destinations

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

ritish Airways is offering

almost two million seats

this book is all you need to know about moving

from London City Airport

traffic and parking regulations in one easy to

this summer and launching a

read guide!

new three-times-a-week service to

Skiathos. This is the third Greek

Island route, alongside Mykonos

and Santorini, from LCA but is the

The Motorists Guide to Moving

first time BA has operated to

Skiathos, a destination favoured by

Traffic And Parking Regulations

tourists for its many pine forests and

Hard copies £8. Electronic versions to

over 60 beaches. In addition, flights

to Mykonos will increase from four

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

to five flights a week. Last month

via Driver Services with payment deducted

British Airways also announced the

launch of a new weekly service

from your DaC account.

between London City and

Manchester from May.

Hopefully it will mean more taxi

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

work to and from LCA..

Call Sign March 2017

Page 29

With the news that Alan Fisher intends stepping down as of next month from the editing role he will

have carried out for the past 20 years and together with Dial-a-Cab’s change of status, Call Sign staff

have put together some information and photos on this Society’s history...

A glimpse at the past...

The photo of the Board of Management (bottom right) is interesting because it was taken at the 1972 ODRTS dinner & ball - something that

used to happen every year. It’s interesting because it provides the last BoM with a link to very beginnings of ODRTS in 1953.

L-R: Former Chairman Jack Taylor, former Chairman Jack Russell, founder Chairman Bonnie Martyn, 1972 Chairman Martin

Gellman, founder Board Member and former Chairman Frank Duncan and former Chairman Eli “Trixie” Solomons...

Every one of the group is not just a former Board Member but also a former Chairman. Bonnie Martyn and Frank Duncan were both

in Bonnie’s cab parked on the Grosvenor Gardens rank on Sunday 29 March 1953 where they - together with Arthur Cutmore, Doug

Naismith, Albert Hall, Eric Stoffel, Alec Cobden and David Fiertag - decided that London needed an owner-drivers radio taxi circuit.

Eight months later (November 1953) we were registered...

DaC / ODRTS Chairmen, Secretaries and magazine Editors

Chairmen

Secretaries from 1953 to now

Bonnie Martyn

1953 - 1957

Doug Naismith

Frank Duncan

1957 - 1959

John Robinson

Eli (Trixie) Solomons

1959 -1962

Eric Ives

Frank Duncan

1962 - 1964

John Bernadout

Jack Russell

1964 - 1969

Trevor Clarke

Jack Taylor

1969 - 1972

Howard Pears

Martin Gellman

1972 - 1976

Peter Fennymore

1976 - 1984

Ken Burns

1984 - 1990

Phil Messias

1990 - 1992

Aubrey Siteman

1992 - 1996

Brian Rice

1996 - present

Editors

ODRTS Newssheet

Bernie Lyons

1955 - 1957

ODRTS News Monthly

Joe Toff

1965 - 1969

ODRTS News ‘n Views

Phil Emden

1971 - 1983

Call Sign

Jery Craig

1983 - 1997

The first two editors:

Call Sign

Alan Fisher

1997 - 2017

Bernie Lyons (left) and Joe Toff

This DaC

Can’t think

driver was

what this

told to

DaC taxi

park as

was doing

close to the

outside a

pick-up as

Soho strip

possible!

club!

Those were

The last

the days!

BoM with a

Diesel at 2/1

link to the

per gallon,

beginning

which for

of DaC at

younger

the 1972

drivers

ODRTS

works out at

dinner &

just under 6p

ball

per litre. No

wonder they

were sold

out!

Call Sign March 2017

Page 30

The latest in an occasional series where DaC drivers write about

what they’d like to see happen to the trade. This month: Bruno

Manfredi (F23) who joined DaC in July 1979...

What I wish for...

account for the damage they have caused.

Then there’s the poor traffic light co-ordi-

Looking back on my 44 years as a licensed

nation, road works and cycle lanes that all

taxi driver, there have been a litany of disas-

seem to be part of a concerted effort to kill

ters; starting with the type of taxis we have

London.

had to purchase, fitted with the most obso-

If only all of our trade leaders could

lete, useless expensive-to-run engines that

unite, forget their differences and imple-

could be imagined.

ment a really serious protest. After all,

We have had to deal with overheating,

22,000 determined, angry voices might

engine fires and complete engine failures at

just get heard in the Westminster bubble.

around 70,000 miles, as many could attest to,

We have the brain power. I just hope we

including my colleague, Paul Hammett (V42).

have the courage to fight for what is left

Through all these trials and tribula-

of our future.

tions, we have had little or no support

Finally regarding Dial-a-Cab; I hope the

from our trade leaders and we’re now fac-

Board of Directors will consider sending a

ing a huge attack on diesel. All of this, as

print-out of our yearly accounts so we can see

I understand it, is our fault!

exactly what our financial position is. Attending

irstly, on looking at what has hap-

Thankfully there are some

- such as

at the office in person can prove to be really dif-

pened to our working environment,

Tommy Whitford and Georgie Pool of Pool

ficult at times due to parking restrictions...

I think it is about time the politicians

Motors - that have offered solutions and

and civil servants at TfL were held to

Bruno Manfredi (F23)

assistance to help keep us on the road.

Liverpool Mayor: We don’t want TfL cabs here!

Minicab drivers are reportedly going into Liverpool from as far away as London, making

money in the city and then heading home. Now Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has said

he is taking steps to clamp down on the “free for all” private hire trade has formed across

the city region.

The Mayor said: “We have evidence of drivers coming into Liverpool to work in the city

centre. There was an Uber driver who came from Leeds on a match day in Liverpool and

stayed to work until 3am, picking up a few hundred quid, then going back to Leeds - that

does not help Liverpool. It is a free for all at the minute, with people working here who do

not understand the city.”

One group of local taxi drivers appeared to take matters into their own hands

recently by blocking in an Uber driver who was allegedly displaying a Transport

for London licence and then “escorted him out of the city!”

Now the Mayor says he is taking steps to clamp down on the “free for all” private hire trade.

TX5 windscreens

from Croatia

Lipik Glas, one of the biggest auto

industry suppliers in Croatia, will this

year start manufacturing windscreens

for the new electric powered TX5 taxi.

Based in western Slavonia in the east

of Croatia, Lipik Glas have won the

contract to produce windscreens for

The London Taxi Company’s latest

cab, which is scheduled to arrive by

the end of this year.

Director Danijel Zadjelovic said:

“This is a very important job because for us it is a very large quantity.

The planned level of production is up to 7,000 taxis per year, which in future

will make up 10% of our income.”

This is not the first UK contract the company has had, having produced the glass

for the Aston Martin DB10, famously used in the James Bond movie, Spectre.

Call Sign March 2017

Page 31

Either write to Call Sign at

Dial-a-Cab House

Or email us at

callsignmag@aol.com

because they have been redirected, do not

give destinations with no reject button.

LPG conversion

Hi Alan

Do we need this 10 minute delay anymore?

Brighton and Hove Council have a repu-

Would you happen to know the date that

I don’t think so and with GPS dispatch, why

tation for being tough with both taxis

the LPG engine will be approved by TfL?

can’t work in the EC zones be dispatched up

and private hire, which is why Uber are

Karen Menpes (E01)

to 21:00 at which time EC5 can be opened

finding life there so difficult and why

There is an update inside this issue,

and drivers can book in, thus alleviating “the

hardly any of the current Brighton PH

Karen; but you have to remember that

twilight zone.”

drivers wanted to join the Uber ranks.

we aren’t Uber. Anything new on our

Alan Sullivan (F20)

On the other hand, TfL have a reputa-

side of the business has to be checked

The DaC IT department now have this

tion for being tough in London... but

and double-checked before TfL double-

documented as a request. It is a rather

only with London taxis! It appears that

check the double-checking. Uber just

complicated update due to ASAP and pre-

PH can do as they wish in the capital,

tell TfL they are doing something and

bookings having to behave differently, so

while more and more London registered

then do it... Ed

it isn’t a quick change; but it is on their

PH cars are working all over the coun-

‘to do’ list... Ed

try.

There is also the question of whether

Good question!

Uber are a transportation or technolog-

Hi Alan

Uber in Brighton

ical company and whether its drivers

Not sure if I’m going mad, but I don't seem

Dear Alan

to have seen anything in Call Sign to

It seems that Transport for London are

are self-employed or employees entitled

remind drivers about attending our AGM -

to sick/holiday pay etc. The recent

earning themselves a reputation as the ‘go to’

usually in February - or even voting in it. Is

Employment Tribunal case brought by

licensing authority for Uber private hire dri-

there one this year?

two Uber drivers has suggested that it is

vers who want to work in more lucrative

Alan Nash (A95)

areas such as Brighton, while London

the latter while Brazil is now the latest

Company Secretary Howard Pears

remains saturated. Uber, the “cheap as chips

country to say that a driver using the

responds: “Dear Alan, I can put your

get freebies while you can” ride app has been

Uber app was an employee and entitled

mind at rest and you are not going mad.

blown away - they claim - by the demand they

to workers' benefits. The Brazilian

As a result of the demutualisation of

are receiving in the south coast resort.

Judge ordered Uber to pay one driver

ODRTS Ltd, there will be no AGM this

However, there is a slight hiccup.

around 30,000 reais (£8,000) in com-

year as the entity no longer exists as a

Brighton and Hove Council are proud of

pensation for overtime, night shifts,

mutual trading organisation. I envisage

their strict high standards of licensing for

holidays and expenses such as fuel,

that the next shareholders AGM will be

both private hire and Hackney drivers, who

water and sweets for passengers!

around this time next year for Dial-a-

all have to pass a topographical knowledge

Uber will undoubtedly appeal both

Cab Limited with an accounting period

test. However, if you get licensed by a less-

decisions, but if the rulings are upheld,

end of 31 August 2017. However, once

strict regulator such as TfL, you can work

more drivers will follow suit and it will

the audited results for ODRTS Ltd for

anywhere in the UK! No wonder Brighton

be interesting to see whether TfL re-

the year to 31 August 2016 have been

cabbies are up in arms about Uber drivers

licence them next month. After all,

signed off, copies will be available for

not knowing their way around and picking

there is a huge amount in licensing fees

inspection or if necessary, individual

up and setting down their passengers on

at stake for the authority... Ed

copies can be requested and emailed

Brighton taxi ranks!

accordingly.”

Brighton and Hove Council have said they

don't condone what is happening, but are

DaC and Southern

powerless to stop it, at least for the time

EC5 and the Twilight

being. They hold TfL in a very low light.

Halo

Uber drivers are now going to the cheapest

Zone!

Hello Alan and the DaC family

councils with the lowest standard of PH reg-

Hi Alan

Wow! What a surprise! As I was looking

ulation - such as TfL - but not actually oper-

As you know, EC5 opens at 20:50 and there

through February’s Call Sign, there on

ating there! They were only granted an oper-

is a 10 minute delay between 20:50 and

page 14 I read about my three granddaugh-

ators’ licence in Brighton if they used

21:00. For those that don’t know, this was

ters who make up Southern Halo. It was

licensed Brighton drivers but have so far

brought in when EC5 was physical and it

so nice and I thank you. I am forwarding

failed to recruit any. Uber say their drivers are

allowed cabs to rank up on Finsbury

the magazine to them and I know they will

getting torrents of abuse in Brighton, just as

Square at 20:50 and book in one after the

be very impressed.

Call Sign said last month and that their dri-

other until 21:00 when EC5 started. All

Jim Moore

vers are now being imported from London to

work during these 10 minutes was dis-

President/CEO RadioMobile

work there.

patched from their own zone. Over the

San Diego, California

I spoke to someone in the Taxi and PH sec-

years and with various operating systems,

Some years back, Jim Moore used to

tion of Brighton and Hove Council and they

this 10 minute delay has been replicated.

told me they were powerless to stop London

pay regular visits to the DaC IT depart-

However, with the advent of VAD and the

licensed Uber drivers going down to

ment at Brunswick House as the CEO of

GPS dispatch system, this 10 minutes has

Brighton to work, even though they had

the company that supplied and main-

now become “the twilight zone.”

managed to worm their way around the strict

tained part of our infrastructure when

I don’t think that the new VAD system

Brighton regulations! However, they do not

we operated on a private network, in

lends itself to this delay anymore. I have

condone and certainly do not encourage

addition to supplying and maintaining

found that after booking into EC5 and get-

what’s going on. They said we should keep

our modems. Jim’s three granddaugh-

ting a queue position, any jobs in the EC

an eye on the legislation, which could soon

ters, Natalia, Christina and Hannah,

zones between 20:50 and 21:00, instead of

change.

form hot country group Southern Halo

being dispatched from their own zones,

Dave Heath (Ex-W27)

and recently won the best up and com-

somehow get transferred into EC5 and

Brighton and Gloucester

ing new artist group in Nashville… Ed