February 2009 From the home of Dial-a-Cab International Inside this issue… DaC in Kenya helping to FFFFFFF save the environment DaC driver gets PCN for stopping on Armistice Day! FFFFFFF Strange timings on the Charterhouse St taxi rank… FFFFFFF Keith Cain: When you should press your arrival button… FFFFFFF DaC driver’s hellish trip to Ipswich… FFFFFFF How to park in Marylebone? Ask Westminster – no one else understands! Part of Brian’s five portions a day? FFFFFFF Or is it the Mad Hatters Tea Party! Bernie Madoff scam catches DaC client for £millions! FFFFFFF Ever been hit by a UFO? What you can do if you are…! FFFFFFF DaC driver: “Insurance hike is a liberty…” Call Sign February 2009 Page 2 NASH’S NUMBERS By Alan Nash (A95) Last visited by Call Sign 10 years ago, an update of large department store opening times. If Sunday hours show open times of 6 hours, then the first half hour will be for browsing only. The general opening hours of Westfield are different from M&S and Debenhams; I guess they have separate entrances, as I have yet to have the privilege of being dragged there by my wife… Debenhams Debenhams Habitat Habitat Oxford St Westfield Kings Rd 121 Regent St Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Mon 09:30 20:00 Mon 09:00 22:00 Mon 10:00 18:30 Mon 10:00 19:00 Tue 09:30 20:00 Tue 09:00 22:00 Tue 10:00 18:30 Tue 10:00 19:00 Wed 10:00 21:00 Wed 09:00 22:00 Wed 10:00 20:00 Wed 10:00 19:00 Thu 09:30 21:00 Thu 09:00 22:00 Thu 10:00 18:30 Thu 10:00 20:00 Fri 09:30 21:00 Fri 09:00 22:00 Fri 10:00 18:30 Fri 10:00 19:00 Sat 09:30 20:00 Sat 09:00 20:00 Sat 09:30 18:30 Sat 10:00 19:00 Habitat Harvey Nicks Harrods Hamleys Tott. Ct Rd Knightsbridge Knightsbridge Regent St. Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 11:30 18:00 Sun 11:30 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Mon 10:00 18:30 Mon 10:00 20:00 Mon 10:00 20:00 Mon 10:00 20:00 Tue 10:00 18:30 Tue 10:00 20:00 Tue 10:00 20:00 Tue 10:00 20:00 Wed 10:00 18:30 Wed 10:00 20:00 Wed 10:00 20:00 Wed 10:00 20:00 Thu 10:00 20:00 Thu 10:00 21:00 Thu 10:00 20:00 Thu 10:00 20:00 Fri 10:00 18:30 Fri 10:00 21:00 Fri 10:00 20:00 Fri 10:00 20:00 Sat 09:30 18:30 Sat 10:00 21:00 Sat 10:00 20:00 Sat 09:00 20:00 Heals Heals Peter Jones John Lewis Kings Rd Tott. Ct Rd Sloane Sq Oxford St. Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 11:00 17:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Mon 10:00 18:00 Mon 10:00 18:00 Mon 09:30 19:00 Mon 09:30 20:00 Tue 10:00 18:00 Tue 10:00 18:00 Tue 09:30 19:00 Tue 09:30 20:00 Wed 10:00 19:00 Wed 10:00 18:00 Wed 09:30 20:00 Wed 09:30 20:00 Thu 10:00 19:00 Thu 10:00 20:00 Thu 09:30 19:00 Thu 09:30 21:00 Fri 10:00 18:00 Fri 10:00 18:30 Fri 09:30 19:00 Fri 09:30 20:00 Sat 09:30 18:30 Sat 09:30 18:30 Sat 09:30 19:00 Sat 09:30 19:00 M&S M&S Pantheon M&S M&S Kings Rd 173 Oxford St Ken. High St. Marble Arch Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Mon 08:30 21:00 Mon 09:00 20:00 Mon 09:00 20:00 Mon 09:00 21:00 Tue 08:30 21:00 Tue 09:00 20:00 Tue 09:00 20:00 Tue 09:00 21:00 Wed 08:30 21:00 Wed 09:00 20:00 Wed 09:00 20:00 Wed 09:00 21:00 Thu 08:30 21:00 Thu 09:00 21:00 Thu 09:00 20:00 Thu 09:00 21:00 Fri 08:30 21:00 Fri 09:00 20:00 Fri 09:00 20:00 Fri 09:00 21:00 Sat 08:30 21:00 Sat 09:00 20:00 Sat 09:00 20:00 Sat 08:00 20:00 M&S M&S Selfridges Westfield Edgware Rd Westfield Oxford St. General hours Sun 11:00 17:00 Sun 11:30 18:00 Sun 11:30 18:00 Sun 12:00 18:00 Mon 08:00 21:00 Mon 09:00 22:00 Mon 09:30 20:00 Mon 10:00 21:00 Tue 08:00 21:00 Tue 09:00 22:00 Tue 09:30 20:00 Tue 10:00 21:00 Wed 08:00 21:00 Wed 09:00 22:00 Wed 09:30 18:00 Wed 10:00 21:00 Thu 08:00 21:00 Thu 09:00 22:00 Thu 12:30 20:00 Thu 10:00 22:00 Fri 08:00 21:00 Fri 09:00 22:00 Fri 09:30 20:00 Fri 10:00 22:00 Sat 08:30 19:00 Sat 09:00 20:00 Sat 09:30 20:00 Sat 09:00 21:00 For the latest ‘What’s On’ guide visit www.nashsnumbers.co.uk/extras… You can also visit www.nashsnumbers.co.uk for all previous issues back to 1997. To register for the UID (useful information document), which is packed with information you will need on a daily basis, simply click on the UID button on the web page or to register direct, email [email protected] with the subject of the email as ‘UID’ with the body of the message containing your name, callsign, badge number, mobile (only used if I have problems with your email address) and your email address… Call Sign February 2009 Page 3 from the editor’s desk Bus lanes and for any royalties, but we felt that Donna should receive something. Again they said no - and so spilling the beans! did Donna. Call Sign came in for some criticism last month Of late, we’ve had several enquiries regard - following an article headed “ the mystery of the ing DaC driver Natalia Shalom (A34) . Like the taxi bus lanes .” others, Natalia is very photogenic and again, The article wrote of the mystery surrounding following publication in Call Sign , there have the sudden and totally unexpected opening to been enquiries about reproducing her photo licensed taxis of two bus lanes that we had along with articles about her. Natalia once told always been banned from – Bishopsgate north us that while she dresses up to the nines when bound and the southernmost part of the going out, she would never dress in any way Islington (Angel) bus lane. Messages from dri - provocatively when working. Her main inter - vers were flying across DaC terminals telling ests as a cab driver are how to eliminate tout - other drivers they were ok to use both lanes. ing and female drivers’ safety when in their After making a few phone calls – to TfL, the cabs. As a result, she accepted two offers to PCO and the LTDA – I came to the conclusion speak to organisations that had read about her that the signs had been altered in error, with my in Call Sign at her own expense because they ber since day one and can’t understand why involved safety in the cab. mind going back several years to the ludicrous every driver and their families are not queuing goings-on at Hammersmith Bridge Road where I do not consider myself to be mercenary and up to join. John has written of a new savings will often give comments to papers if asked. the southbound bus lane was divided into four plan, which sounds very interesting in these sections. According to the signs, we were One long-term client has asked if I can assist days of ultra-low interest rates. He says that if with a history they are doing of their company allowed to use the first and third sections! That you have money sitting in a current account or was obviously incorrect (it should have been so far as taxi usage in the 70s and early 80s with interest account and are getting around 4%, the DaC was concerned. No problem. But when I the first three sections, but the painters had Credit Union are offering 7%! You would have missed out the second sign). Even after Call occasionally speak on radio (usually BBC Radio to keep the money in for 1 year before touch - Scotland) I don’t have to ask for a fee, I know Sign complained that we could not be expect - ing it, but unlike banks and building societies ed to pull in and out of the lanes, nothing was they will send me one. Too many people our DACCU have a heart and if you were to fall expect something for nothing or want articles done for several months.