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July 2011 DaC driver wins £50,000 in poker tournament! DaC’s Simon Massey takes AFC Wimbledon into the football League! Call Sign July 2011 Page 2 NASH’S NUMBERS From Alan Nash (A95) A quiet month so here is a “What’s On” guide to try and give you the edge… By the time you read this the new Eurostar Arrivals timetable should be available on the www.myfav.co.uk website, but you need to be registered with the unlock code ‘taxi‘. Call Sign July 2011 Page 3 from the editor’s desk Yep, it’s nice to be back and while the month off models added, by November Addison Lee will be does recharge the batteries, it’s amazing how 100% Ford Galaxy and 100% black. They will much I miss putting out a mag in June. I’d also eventually take over as being ‘black cabs’ then like to thank those drivers that took the trouble those who object to the name will be able to say to tell me that while they enjoyed reading Call that we are again licensed London taxis. The only Sign, also told me to enjoy the month off. problem is that the general public call us all cabs So as I do what no other editor of this maga- or black cabs. No one except some trade papers zine has ever done – start a 15th year in the hot refers to us as licensed taxis and we’re now in seat – let me thank everyone that has always danger of even losing our ‘black cab’ title. been so nice to me… And in a Call Sign memo to our taxi manu- facturers, AL’s new Ford Galaxy 2.0 140PS TDCi Fixed prices… PowerShift cars in test mode achieved an aver- Call Sign is not an independent magazine, how- age fuel consumption figure of over 57mpg on ever it is uncensored by anyone other than me. the MPG Marathon – accepted as the UK’s pre- It proudly supports Dial-a-Cab, but also supports mier economy driving event. the taxi business as a whole. But this issue is The next time you pass the old Granby Grill, slightly different in that it pits Board member you will see all their 2007-2009 minicabs up for against Board member. Mike Son is someone sale. They refer to them as “older models.” Need who considers that more fixed price trips could I say more…? touts in Kingston who are said to be making life help in the battle against private hire. Keith Cain very difficult for the local yellow badges. disagrees and in this issue both views are put Memo to the Mayor The article claims to have “exposed” the STaN forward. In addition, the Chairman, Brian Rice Sometimes you have to wonder just who’s kid- Report in their first issue and adds that none of gives his view with an assurance to those disbe- ding who? I like the Mayor; he may sometimes the other trade papers even mentioned the situ- lievers who will say that Mike’s article is there give the impression of bumbling, but let’s not kid ation. They specifically mentioned Taxi, The ourselves – there is a very intelligent man under purely to get drivers ready for the introduction of Badge and Cab Trade News – in addition to tak- that blond thatch, one who I believe wants the fixed prices. All three articles are interesting. ing a dig at the RMT for having no magazine! best for London. But to be Mayor, you also have to be seen to practise what you preach. We see Call Sign policy No mention of Call Sign, of course, because we showed concern about the Kingston situation the odd letter with his name on planted into the I doubt there is any trade magazine or paper trade papers, but we need more than that. We where the readers put themselves out more than way back in the April 2006 issue when Brian Rice wrote in his Chairman’s report: need to see that he doesn’t just want to see those from Call Sign, be that writing an article London moving, but that as Mayor he is prepared for publication or forwarding an advertising “It appears to me that some organisations with- in our industry are extremely vociferous when it to do something about it and that involves getting enquiry. There is rarely a month that goes by a grip on roadworks because someone, some- when I don’t get a phone call from a company comes to certain topics that quite honestly seem insignificant to me. Yet when something extreme- where has to show that they care. Take the late enquiring about advertising after a Dial-a-Cab afternoon and early evening of Saturday 4 June… driver has told them how well-read this mag is. ly important comes along - such as the situation in Kingston, which is the first step to PH picking It was a beautiful sunny evening and Londoners However, whilst I don’t want to seem ungrate- were getting ready to go out for the evening. The ful, I feel I should repeat the views that I have up in the street - I do not see or hear of any action. It just seems strange to me!” radio was beginning to buzz again and drivers held from day one. I’m certainly not a prude but were doing their best to clear the mounting back- Perhaps things may have been different had I do realise that unlike every other trade paper, log of prospective passengers waiting for their one of the trade organisations taken notice then, Call Sign is delivered by post and is read by all cabs to get them to their theatre or restaurant. So the family. As a result, I feel it would be wrong although it was nice to see The Anderson Shelter my question to the Mayor is this: In a 2008 Call for me to accept advertising from table dancing website acknowledge the fact recently. Sign, leading up to the Mayoral election, we ques- or strip clubs – and I’ve had enquiries from both Speaking of the UCG new mag, United tioned you as to why roadworks seemed to be just varieties over the past few months. I understand Cabbies News, like their first issue the May mag a 9 – 5 job? You agreed that where possible, 24 that a possible “thank-you” to drivers is always was very interesting but they still write anony- hour working could cut the time that the roads useful and I wouldn’t refuse one from a club, but mously. If you are going to criticise John Mason were up for and promised to look at the sugges- I’ve made a decision and nothing I have seen has or anyone else, then at least have the balls to put tion if elected. Even though you were then elect- made me change my mind. your name to it, because in my view that is a ed, that still doesn’t happen. And so back to June The same applies to online casinos and a cowardly way of writing and detracts from a 4 and the roadworks in the City. Blackfriars under- recent Radio 5Live programme has reinforced my good story’s believability… pass was shut both ways, so the traffic was heavy view that these casinos present a danger to chil- along all the remaining roads. But wait! Cannon dren. What the parents do is not my business Addison Lee Street was also shut eastbound with all traffic and I have no doubt that many enjoy a flutter via In this issue’s Mailshot, DaC driver John being forced left into New Change. That closure the internet, but I have also heard horrific stories Stowers (K40) asks about an email he read on put extra pressure on Newgate Street – or it would about teens using credit cards that belong to a taxi chat site which purportedly dissects have done had that not also been shut both east their parents and who have then lost small for- Addison Lee’s financial report and asks Brian and westward with traffic along Cheapside being tunes. My stand won’t stop them, but at least Rice if he could comment on it. As I don’t go forced left into New Change! Motorists were going they won’t have gained the info from Call Sign. onto that site, the first time I saw it was when I round in circles trying to find a road that would However, that has nothing to do with our story read John’s email. What I do know is that lead them to some kind of sanity. Fortunately Dial- on DaC’s Alan Mansbridge (M61) who recent- Addison Lee have unlimited funds behind them a-Cab drivers had a helpful dispatcher in Curls ly won £50,000 in the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour and part of their success has been bought. As an who at least was keeping us up-to-date, but even when he beat 171 opponents to take home that example, Call Sign has seen a document from she couldn’t do miracles and if you were picking huge amount. Alan plays against real people and the Ford Motor Company which says that AL up from London Wall or Aldermanbury, then you not in front of a screen. Neither can he try to have just taken delivery of the first of 1200 new were already in a hold-up with cars trying to find recoup any losses, because once you lose your Ford Galaxy MPVs they have ordered.

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