Taxi in hanoi 689 by Phim hoat hinh

HIGHLIGHTS THIS ISSUE

TAXI The official publication of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association | www.ltda.co.uk |

THE BORIS AND BERNIE SHOW By Steve McNamara

TRAGIC JOURNEY A driver’s nightmare story

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No.329 | 14 OCTOBER 2014

I X A MA

UBER

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NEWS

Taxi app takes on Uber

News in brief Witness appeal

Technology New taxi trade app Maaxi will be going toe to toe with Uber by the end of the year after the US minicab giant claimed it will launch a ride sharing service called Uber Pool in an effort to further thwart Maaxi and London’s taxi trade. This follows 12 months of Uber’s operation in which it caused disruption to the taxi and private hire landscape with its pricing and operating practices. Maaxi’s financier backed taxi app stole a march on the controversial minicab firm and is appealing for as many taxi drivers as possible to download the app and help in the fight back against Uber. Maaxi’s binding legal agreement with drivers stresses it is a black taxi app forever. UberPool is being tested in San Francisco but the company has been banned or threatened with a ban in a number of countries and the new option would cause more controversy. Uber, in its normal controversial manner, made the announcement about Uber Pool at an Institute of Directors

conference earlier this month in the knowledge that minicab ride sharing as operated in San Francisco is almost certainly illegal and will face strong calls for a ban. Maaxi’s technology allows black taxis to operate shared journeys and its pricing promises continued journeys with little downtime. Drivers go to a pickup location, turn the taximeter on, go to another pickup or drop off location and punch the taximeter fare at the end of the shared journey into the Maaxi Driver App. Maaxi’s instructions to the drive are very easy to follow and make it very easy to operate a shared taxi. The app, which has the backing of prominent investor Nat Rothschild as well as a hard core of taxi drivers who put it through its paces during the development process, is at pains to say it is not another Hailo – and is black taxi only. App creator Gabi Campos said: “Taxi drivers should give us a chance. They have nothing to lose and we have nothing to hide. Maaxi charges 0% commission on normal fares because Maaxi makes money on shared rides,

which we believe is a larger new inflow of business into the taxi trade and of course, for us. There is no more disincentive to working apps: it makes the same as street jobs. “In the first 4 years of operation, Maaxi will also split a bonus pool with drivers who invite as many other taxi drivers as possible to join Maaxi via the Invite menu option. We estimate the bonus pool to be millions of pounds per year by the time shared taxi rides become commonplace.” Meanwhile, Uber continues to face objection. After its troubles in Berlin, earlier this month the authorities in Spain said Uber drivers in Madrid could receive fines up to £14,000 and have their cars taken away for three months because of Spanish transport regulations surrounding private and commercial vehicles.

Download Maaxi Driver at the Android Google Play store or for iPhone go to www.maaxi taxi.com/download. To find out more about the app go to www.maaxitaxi.com

A TX4 was struck by a dark blue Mercedes Benz large saloon at 11.40pm at the junction of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Neat House on August 26, but the driver failed to exchange details. Witnesses are asked to email Laurence at lol.rolfe@btopenworld.com

Victoria Warning Warning letters are being issued to drivers making the illegal left turn from Buckingham Palace Road into Terminus Place at Victoria Station, by the Shakespeare pub and camera enforcement is due to follow.

Bilker alert A chatty young blonde woman in her 20s, who claims to work for Vogue magazine, ran off without paying a fare from Euston station to Hoxton Street, the print works apartment block.

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Top Trade Story

THE BORIS AND BERNIE SHOW STEVE MCNAMARA LTDA General Secretary

London’s most important people are missing a golden opportunity and letting us down hey are probably the two most important people in London, and both of them have the fantastic opportunity to make the greatest city on earth even better. Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is responsible for all matters relating to crime and it’s his ultimate decision and responsibility as to where resources are allocated, and which matters take precedence over others. Unfortunately, Bernie doesn’t understand the law regarding electric rickshaws and is obviously not concerned that an army of transient unlicensed and uninsured rickshaw riders are ripping off tourists, blocking up our streets and making a mockery of just about every traffic law in the book, all over Central London.

“”

RICKSHAW RIDERS ARE RIPPING OFF TOURISTS, BLOCKING UP OUR STREETS AND MAKING A MOCKERY OF TRAFFIC LAW

In an effort to educate the public about the calibre of leadership the police service employ, we have commissioned a series of posters and adverts, which will start appearing over the next few weeks and months, starting with our advan. The decision

The advan drives home the message at Scotland Yard to launch the campaign follows a succession of unanswered letters and broken promises to the LTDA from various senior police officers about tackling the rickshaw menace. The decision was not taken lightly but the minimal response to the crisis from the police so far, leaves us no option but to raise the profile of the problem.

Men in Black Boris Johnson was elected London Mayor thanks, in part, to a massive groundswell of support from within the taxi trade and since then, it’s fair to say that our relationship with him has had its ups and downs. The low

points were when he introduced the 15 year age limit (his proposed 10 year age limit was only defeated by pressure we managed to bring.) His repeated statements, when questioned by cab drivers on radio phone-ins, that he supports the “black cab trade” (as he calls us) have a bit of a hollow ring when, as head of Transport for London, he did nothing when his officers refused to act over the blatant illegality of Uber. When we took to the streets to exercise our democratic right to protest, somebody sent the “Men in Black” to try and intimidate us, and as yet Boris has not told us what he knew of the

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whole sordid affair. The final straw could be looming in the shape of his soon to be announced plans for the trade, regarding his Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), and his support for the Cycle Cross Route that will seriously hinder our ability to move passengers around and earn our living. It really is crunch time with Boris. The wrong decisions on age limits, or access to the central area of London for certain cabs, would be enough to tip the financial pendulum too far and virtually price us out of the market. Anyone got a slogan for the Boris posters? n

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NEWS LTDA Plus is the newest addition to LTDA membership Membership benefits We would like to remind you, that as a member of the LTDA, you also have access to LTDA Plus, a portfolio containing money-saving discounts, designed to support you both personally and professionally. Remember, there is no additional fee to access these benefits, you are automatically eligible to access these by virtue of your membership. This month’s highlights include:

Open Fairways – golf membership LTDA members can now enjoy an 18 month subscription to Open Fairways for only £22.50! A 12 month subscription would usually cost £89, however LTDA members and their family will pay just £22.50 for 12 months (and receive an extra 6 months free!). This is a massive 75% discount! The Open Fairways concept is simple – to provide discerning golfers with the unique opportunity to play the best courses at exclusive green fee rates

(e.g. 2 for 1, 4 for 2) at over 1600 top golf courses in the UK and Ireland, as well as courses in France, Spain, Portugal and beyond*. Visit LTDA Plus or call 02890 393 990 and quote LTDA2014

Travellers Advantage – ski holidays If you’re looking to get away this winter, ski holidays are fantastic fun and regardless of whether you're new to the slopes or a more experienced skier, you can book a huge range of ski resorts throughout Europe including France, Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy and Andorra and further afield to the USA and Canada. LTDA members can also save an additional 5% discount on winter sun holidays with many of the major tour operators including Thomas Cook, Thomson, First Choice, Virgin Holidays, Cosmos, Airtours, Crystal, Neilson and Kuoni to name just a few (Crystal and Kuoni are only available to book by telephone)*. Visit LTDA Plus or call Travellers Advantage on 0800 085 3422.

Save 75% on Open Fairways golf with the LTDA

Cinemas – discounted cinema tickets

romance or action thriller, LTDA Plus can help to avoid paying a small fortune – letting you get on with Want to catch the latest blockbusters enjoying the film*. on the big screen, but don’t want to Order cinema tickets via LTDA pay the hefty prices that the cinemas Plus www.ltda.co.uk/membercharge? Let LTDA Plus help. LTDA members can save an average of 40% discounts/ltda-plus *Terms and conditions apply to all on cinema tickets at major cinema benefits. See website for details. chains like Cineworld, Showcase, Offers and prices subject to change Empire as well as loads of without notice. Cinemas – Discounts independent cinemas! You can vary between cinema venues. Please purchase up to five pairs (10 tickets) per calendar month and they are valid check when booking. LTDA Plus is for at least 6 months from ordering. So managed on behalf of LTDA by Parliament Hill Ltd. whether you’re after a comedy,

LTDA PROTECTS Phone 0207 286 1046 for details or visit www.ltda.co.uk

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

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FEATURE

TRAGIC JOURNEY A routine journey turned into a nightmare for one of the association’s members, but the hard work of the LTDA’s expert legal team saved the day LTDA member Keith Coldrake , in his 14 years of cab driving, had driven passed Euston station on countless occasions without incident, but November 5, 2012, would prove to be very much the exception.

Run of the mill Keith picked up a couple in Tottenham Court Road who asked to be taken to Liverpool Road, Islington at 6.30pm, a run of the mill job. Keith decided that Euston Road, York Way, then Copenhagen Street, would be as good a route as any. Just past Euston station, at the junction with Churchway, he was involved in a collision with another vehicle; which unfortunately resulted in the death of an 86 year old woman. A few days later Keith was arrested and charged with causing death by careless driving; an offence which carries a jail sentence of up to five years.

Difficult task Keith contacted the LTDA and his case was referred to John Luckhurst, one of the association’s in-house legal team. John immediately visited the scene of the incident and scoured the area for CCTV evidence that might assist in preparing Keith’s defence. Surprisingly, for such a busy location, the only cameras covering that section of the road were the TfL surveillance type, which did not possess a memory facility. The LTDA then arranged a photographic survey of the location and commenced the difficult task of tracing any witnesses, whose evidence might add weight to Keith’s version of events.

Specialist barrister The initial court proceedings were convened at Hendon Magistrates’ Court, the traditional venue for Metropolitan Police Traffic Division hearings; but after many months the case progressed to a jury

trial at Harrow Crown Court. During the build up to the trial the LTDA commissioned an independent forensic post mortem of the deceased woman and undertook an enormous volume of research and preparatory work in order to mount the best possible defence case. Tom Stern, a barrister who specialises in defending persons involved in road accidents which result in death, was briefed to represent Keith. On March 25, 2014, the trial was heard before Judge Kay, and following three days of expert evidence, the majority of which had been commissioned by the LTDA, a not guilty verdict was recorded.

“

THE LTDA WAS FANTASTIC, THE LEGAL SECTION LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED... JOINING THE LTDA WAS THE BEST THING I EVER DID

”

Keith told TAXI: “I couldn’t believe how such a routine journey could turn into a nightmare. It was tragic that the old lady died, but I didn’t expect that events would turn against me the way that they did. The LTDA was fantastic, the legal section left no stone unturned and did a mountain of work, which cost the association thousands of pounds, but saved my licence and kept me a free man. Joining the LTDA was the best thing I ever did!” n

Editor’s note: The LTDA will invest whatever sums are necessary to defend the livelihood of its members. If you are an LTDA member you are fully covered – no small print and no restrictions! TIME YOU JOINED? Call 0207 2861046 now!

SUPPORT OUR DRIVERS The LTDA will pay the out of pocket expenses and compensate for lost time, any drivers (members or not) who attend court to give evidence on behalf of an LTDA member

John Luckhurst wades through the evidence

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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The Massett File

LEON THE LIAR? RICHARD MASSETT LTDA Executive, Chairman of the London Cab Ranks Committee

Claims that TfL protected bus lanes for cabbies are ludicrous: the clue is in the name fL’s Director of Surface Transport, Leon Daniels, recently appeared on television to confirm the good news of Addison Lee’s apparently failed attempt to gain access to London’s bus lanes through the European Court of Justice. Incredibly, Leon stated on TV that TfL had spent half a million pounds “in order to defend the rights of taxi drivers to use bus lanes” and that he hoped that they would be pleased with the outcome. What he did not say in the broadcast, which went out following the trade’s recent demo, was that bus lanes are so called because they are primarily intended for the use of TfL’s buses, which use them extensively to navigate a route through the capital’s horrendous

traffic. He also failed to mention that the efficiency of its services could not possibly be helped by having 70,000 minicabs using the lanes. Does anyone actually believe that TfL would spend £500,000 on defending taxis use of bus lanes when it spends practically nothing on the trade, even when it is asked to find relatively small sums on comparatively minor projects like the provision of cab ranks? So, do you think that Leon was being truthful in his TV interview or do you think that he was at best deliberately misleading viewers or worse, telling outright lies? You can make your own minds up by viewing the footage on the LTDA’s website at www.ltda.co.uk.

LTDA Policy Statement It is more essential than ever for drivers to be fully appraised of the various trade organisations’ policies. In order to clarify the LTDA’s position on the important issues facing the industry, the Association reaffirms: 1.

Its determination (despite opposition from certain trade organisations) to exclude taxi drivers from any form of restriction on working hours or the compulsory fitting of tachographs in cabs.

Its total opposition to the proposed computerised Knowledge testing system (Quickie Knowledge), which is intended to speed up and churn out new licences.

Its support for a regular review of taxi usage in London in order to provide effective management of the cab fleet which will prevent the streets of London being flooded with empty cabs.

Its support for the introduction of ‘rest ranks’ to enable drivers to legally leave their cabs unattended whilst visiting adjacent toilet facilities.

Its support for a complete ban on pedicabs.

Its insistence on meaningful consultation with Transport for London.

Its support for an effective minicab enforcement team, trained to eradicate illegal touting by minicab drivers.

Its campaign for taxi access to all bus lanes.

Its insistence that taxis continue to be exempt from congestion charges.

10. Its policy to recruit, support and represent licensed taxi drivers only.

If you require clarification on these or other important issues, please: POLICY

Call the LTDA on 020 7286 1046

“Misleading, or a blatant lie?”

Cycle superhighway Have your say on the east to west cycle superhighway. Say “no” to lane closures and

banned turns and object to cycle priority at consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cyclin g/eastwest. n

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

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NEWS Minicab operator quizzed on Syria links

News in brief

Court

Accident witness appeal

An East London minicab operator ran a Bangladesh terrorist cell recruiting jihadists to join Islamic State militias in Syria, police in Dhaka have said. Samiun Rahman, a radio-cab controller of Bangladeshi origin, arrived in the country in February and began targeting local Muslims through the Facebook page of a moderate Islamic television channel, it has been claimed. Two of those he is alleged to have recruited were arrested last week as they prepared to travel to Syria via Turkey posing as religious students. The 24-year-old appeared in court in Dhaka and was held in custody for three days under Bangladesh’s AntiTerrorism Act. He is accused of criminal conspiracy and supporting a banned militant organisation. If he is found guilty he faces life imprisonment. Dhaka police said in a statement that he had confessed “he was staying in Bangladesh to recruit jihadists for the IS and Nusra brigade, a group affiliated to Al-Qaeda.

He further disclosed he took part in jihadi activities in Syria between September and December 2013”. Detectives are now investigating how his alleged recruitment operation was funded. Seven alleged Islamic militants were arrested last month and claimed a British man known as ‘Ibn Hamden’ was recruiting militants to join Isil fighters in Syria. He arrived in Bangladesh on

Rahman “recruited militants”

February 25 this year to begin his Isil recruitment drive, detectives said. Mr. Rahman denies the charges and says he has no involvement in terrorism or with jihadist groups and that he had simply returned to Bangladesh to deal with a family property dispute. He claimed he had visited Syria last year on a humanitarian aid mission. He said he believed police had arrested him after they intercepted a telephone conversation in which he discussed his work in Syria with another suspected militant who was recently arrested by police. He conceded the person he was talking to may have been involved in terrorism but declined to explain what they had discussed. At Mr. Rahman's family home near Grays Inn Road, Holborn, a woman who said he was his sister said the family had “no idea what was going on”. Mr. Rahman is accused of recruiting would-be Isil fighters in Dhaka and in Sylhet, in the north of the country, where his family are believed to have relatives.

A taxi driver is appealing for witnesses to an accident at the junction of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Neat House Place on August 26. Laurence Rolfe’s cab TX4 was hit by a large saloon type Mercedes Benz in dark blue at around 11.40pm. Drivers who witnessed the incident are asked to email Laurence at lol.rolfe@btopen world.com.

20mph campaign launched Campaigners have renewed calls for a 20mph speed limit along the Holloway Road after a plan for cycle superhighway in the area was torn up by Mayor Boris Johnson. CS12 would have run from Archway to Angel Station, but was revealed to have been scrapped by the Mayor in a letter to green assembly member Darren Johnson.

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NEWS

Uber under fire International Uber’s polished public image is being damaged by a string of high profile incidents involving poor driving and assaults in the US. Die Hard star, Bruce Willis's daughter was injured in a crash while travelling in one of the app firm’s cabs – but complained that she was still charged the fare. Rumer Willis, the daughter of Willis and Demi Moore, was taken to hospital after the incident. But another driver is accused of Image: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Rumer: Crash was “terrible.”

attacking a passenger with a hammer and ditching him by the side of the road in San Francisco following a dispute about the route the driver was taking. And yet another passenger complained that her driver made lewd comments and drove around aimlessly before sexually assaulting her. Rumer Willis was taken to hospital after the UberX car crashed near her home in Hollywood. She described the crash as ''terrible,'' and said: ''I had the accident sitting in the back of an Uber car. My back is really hurting. I went to my doctor and they looked at everything. They had to really check me out.'' She complained that she “still had to pay for the ride I am very disappointed.” A 26-year-old Uber X driver has been suspended following allegations that he launched a hammer attack after collecting a couple from a club at 2am and a dispute about his choice of route. Uber has responded with the following statement: “Safety is Uber’s #1 priority. We take reports like this

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SIMRO LONDON

seriously and are treating the matter with the utmost urgency and care. It is also our policy to immediately suspend a driver’s account following any serious allegations, which we have done.” A man from Orlando who is a driver for Uber has been arrested after police said he groped a woman whom he had picked up on a job. Officers said the victim's boyfriend

requested an Uber driver to pick up his girlfriend. But the driver making “creepy comments” to the woman instead of taking her to the agreed destination and then groped her, and said she was asking for it because of the way she was dressed. The company has also suspended his account while it investigates.

Customer complaints continue to grow...

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Uber “no threat,” says Hendy Uber poses no significant danger to the taxi trade according to Transport for London’s commissioner Sir Peter Hendy. Speaking at the Guardian’s transport debate at the Conservative party conference, Hendy claimed that the minicab app firm was operating legally. He said: “There’s always likely to be a future, in the centre of one of the world’s great cities, for a taxi service

that you can hail.” But, he added: “There’s a dispute that we have with the taxi trade about whether or not an iPhone is a taximeter or not. It’s pretty obscure because the legislation was written before mobile phones were invented.” Hendy did admit that safety concerns surround the rise of minicab sharing apps generally and likened it to “hitch-hiking.”

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14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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Brain Matters

THE CABS WE DRIVE CHRIS ACKRILL

What strange snobbery makes a businessman want to opt for a minicab over a taxi? ailo recently confirmed the introduction of a ”high-end car option” at the request of business users. Hailo has had a lot of flak recently and I’m not about to make criticisms here. I’m just wondering why certain people demand “high end” cars rather than taxis. Is there something wrong with the good old London taxi? The high-end cars considered the epitome of prestige tend to be BMWs and Mercedes. These cars are quiet and comfortable, but they lack the space and character of a traditional taxi. I’m sure they are wonderful cars to drive, but for the passenger, are they anything special? On the occasion that I need to hire a car and driver it’s unthinkable that I’d go for anything other than a taxi. For one thing, the purpose-built taxi

has space and accessibility. I don’t like to bend down too far to get into a saloon as it sets my arthritis off, and once inside I welcome the space in which to stretch my legs. It’s the character that I really go for though – even though I might get a silly little van living up here in the Midlands.

The luxury of choice Unfortunately, we are currently restricted to two models of new taxi. Private hire operators have a wide choice of vehicle at their disposal, and unless individual drivers sign up to a company supplying a uniform vehicle, they can make their own choice based on personal taste and economy. We don’t have the luxury of choice, and what we can offer doesn’t seem to satisfy the tastes of certain business users.

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We’re not allowed to drive a BMW, and we can only drive a Mercedes if it’s a van. We can’t advertise our vehicles as “green.” Until things change our vehicles will always be associated with noise and air pollution, and black smoke (check your cab after your MOT and you’ll notice that you’re still pumping out horrible black smoke). New taxi models are coming though, including the exciting prospect of electric vehicles. There must be other models in production that can be adapted to satisfy London’s turning circle requirement, with the comfort, if not the character, of a taxi. The forthcoming Nissan NV200 taxi has been tweaked to give it some uniqueness. Time will tell if drivers and passengers take to it. Initially offered with a petrol engine, an electric version is likely to be added later.

“”

THE NEW ELECTRIC NISSAN IS BEING LAUNCHED IN BARCELONA BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RAPID CHARGING POINTS IN LONDON!

The biggest concern over electric vehicles is over charging. Although Boris wants us to go electric in a few years, the new electric Nissan is being launched in Barcelona because there are no rapid charging points in London! I doubt that there is any where I live in Northampton either, and I wouldn’t like to run out of charge before I get to Milton Keynes every day. If electronic vehicles ever take off here, you can be sure the cost of charging will soar. The government makes a lot of money out of fuel duty, but it isn’t going to let you top up for a couple of quid each day, once people have made the switch. Despite the sleek lines and fancy badges of the BMWs and Mercedes, these cars are still private hire vehicles. The users and suppliers of

these “executive” vehicles might try to dissociate themselves from regular private hire, but the vehicles are still mini-cabs, driven by minicab drivers.

Snobbery Surely, the fussy business user isn’t objecting to the driver of the taxi? The so-called executive car driver looks resplendent in a suit as back and shiny as his car, but it’s all about appearance, style over substance. When his satnav packs up we’ll see who the real professionals are. I suppose some of our drivers could smarten themselves up a bit, but many of us went into the cab trade because we don’t like rules, or being told what to wear. We guard our freedom fiercely. For me, only shorts will do in the hot summer months (do you remember the summer?). I’ll leave the shiny suit and tie for special occasions. Let’s get things into perspective: all we’re doing is driving people around, we’re not trying to get them to invest in our hedge fund. Customers on ComCab sometimes stipulate “No Vito” or “Vito Only.” It shouldn’t really matter, but as a cab customer arriving at Northampton train station, I admit I hold back a bit at the taxi rank to ensure I don’t get a van. The game is then to try to secure the prize of a fairway, the living dinosaur of sherbert dabbery. it’s not just business users who show a seemingly irrational preference. On the surface, HailoExec customers seem to be exercising a strange kind of snobbery by sacrificing the expertise of a taxi driver, for an anonymous black car driven by a bloke in a black suit. Then again, we all know how fussy some people are. Me included. n

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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NEWS

The cab you drive Business The suspension of KPM’s Mercedes franchise has put a major spanner in the works of the second hand taxi market. As reported here previously, KPM/Mercedes had a major problem brewing when the first of the Vito’s came back under the agility scheme, or optional purchase scheme. The guaranteed buy back price was, in some cases, more than the cab could be resold for, and if a warranty was factored in the whole equation was totally out of kilter. This was a loss making catastrophe, which coupled with low sales and the resulting stock pile of unsold new Vitos, forced the shutting down of the production line and caused a total loss of revenue for one80, its steering system company, which led to its demise. The question for all the dealers now, is how to value a second hand Vito? So much hangs on what Mercedes decides to do long term. Will it stick with the taxi trade; redesign the Rear Wheel Steering (RWS) system to fit the new Euro VI

Vito and start selling cabs through its dealer network? Or will it cut and run? So far, Mercedes has been making all the right noises about maintaining its involvement with the trade in the long term. Mercedes is planning to do a complete recall on all Euro V cabs to enhance and upgrade the RWS, which is a serious financial investment and is encouraging. It hopes to solve the problem of the returning agility deal cabs by contacting drivers whose deals end in December and January and offering to extend the current agility deal by one year with an extended warranty. However, it still has a substantial stock of unregistered Euro V cabs and faces the problem of producing a zero emission capable cab by 2018. It’s no secret that the Germans are well behind both LTC and Nissan in the zero emission stakes, having invested heavily in diesel engines rather than taking the hybrid or petrol route chosen by its competitors. The end result of all this is that

Newly Licensed Taxis - January 2014 to August 2014 300 250 200 150 100 50

TO TA L LTI

VITO Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

LTI

223

157

Merc Vito

Total

118

264

118

102

101

190

pre-owned TX4 prices, especially one owner low mileage cabs, are now at their highest ever levels. Sales of pre-owned Vitos have virtually stopped and won’t pick up until the trade knows what Mercedes plans to do with regards to appointing a new dealer. New taxi sales in September were buoyant with a total of 190 new cabs

joining the ranks, with Mercedes registering 33 of those, or 17%, prior to KPMs closure, which was in keeping from previous months. October will now be the month to watch. Will LTC achieve its first 100% market share since the arrival of the Germans or will Mercedes be back up running and selling again by the end of the Month?

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14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

www.ltda.co.uk |

@TheLTDA

NEWS Cabs are phone ‘black holes’

United Trade Group protests at City Hall

Trade

Almost 200,000 mobile phones are left in the back of London taxis each year, according to a security firm. A survey of 300 London taxi drivers found that on average a driver finds around eight forgotten mobile phones in their taxi each year, according to Internet security firm ESET. Around half of the phones had not been secured by any type of pin code or other means, which the firm says left people’s private data vulnerable. Other more bizarre items found by drivers included £100,000 in stocks and bonds, an inflatable banana, a dog, 400 packets of jelly and a Nato chief’s briefcase. Mark James, security specialist at ESET, said: “Our study shows that despite the huge publicity cybercrime receives in the media today, consumers still do not see themselves as a real target. This is naive and wrong. Cybercriminals are well aware of

A protest against the failings of Boris Johnson and TfL was staged outside City Hall. The demo was led by the United Group (UTG) and backed by the International Transport Workers Federation and highlighted the growing anger at the lack of enforcement in London. Under the banner “We Deserve Better” the UTG (The LTDA, Unite the

the fact that our mobiles contain connections to corporate networks and sensitive information and they will take advantage of this. “Consumers should as an absolute minimum use a password to protect their device in case it is ever lost, however a good security posture would include encryption and a remote wipe facility.” The survey revealed the honesty of taxi drivers, with around 70% saying they would not even try to have a snoop on a phone they found in their cab before attempting to return it to the owner.

“We deserve better”

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Union and LCDC) handed out leaflets declaring “Boris Rats Out London” to onlookers and employees, explaining their grievances on Wednesday, October 8. The growing list of complaints raised included allowing the rickshaws the Mayor vowed to ban from London, to operate with impunity and the ongoing dispute about TfL’s licensing of the Uber app, which has undermined the taxi regulations the rest of the trade abides by.

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

More readers than the rest put together!

GET SPOTTED! Lucky for Leigh and joyful for James

£ 200

M&S vouc

won every

Marks and Spencer vouchers simply for using his LTDA tax disc holder. James Gadd said: “Great stuff. I will have some fun spending those on some new clothes or maybe some nice food.” Each year we give away almost £8,000 worth of vouchers, so the odds of coming up trumps are pretty good. Just make sure you have your LTDA membership diary and taxi disc holder on display and let us do the rest. The taxi disc was scrapped on October 1 and Diary Watch will change in the coming months but until then keep yours in place and your fingers crossed.

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DA DIARY DiSPLAY YOUR LT

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hers

fortnight!

Leigh: “Fantastic.”

HOLDER W ATCH

W IN

ith autumn in full swing, it’s time to put away the shorts and to think about wrapping up a bit warmer and what better way than with some new togs courtesy of the LTDA. Our diary spotters armed themselves with £300 worth vouchers, and headed out amongst the ranks looking for someone to hand their goodies to. It wasn’t long before they stumbled across Leigh StuartEvans, who was pleased as punch to be handed £200 worth of vouchers for having his LTDA diary in the windscreen. Leigh, of Collier Row, said: “Fantastic. Thanks very much – I can’t wait to get stuck into those.” A short while later one of our spotters caught up with James Gadd who was delighted when our man surprised him and handed over £100 worth of

DIARY WA TCH

£100

M&S vouch

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] James: “Great stuff.”

ffor or licensed licensed H Hackney ackney Carriage Carriage drivers drivers

THE AL LT TERNA ATIVE T ALTERNATIVE T A AXI A TAXI APP HAIL FROM YOUR PHONE

-in TaxiToo T axiT a iT Too o is i the th alternative alternati lt ti taxi app for drivers, with built built-in i card d payment technology and simple to use navigation, for both it’s ’s only available to the Hackney Hackne drivers and customers and as it ’t be competing with private hire won’t Carriage trade, you won rcuit, no risk, fair.. No subs/circuit, operators for jobs. Our rates are fair ’t touch your tips. Ever don’t Ever.. you pay as you go and we don Find oo.co.uk k or come and meet mee et us for a tea F ind out more at taxitoo.co.uk below.. & bacon roll at one of the Green Cab Shelters listed below

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Simply download and show the app p on your phone, ph when you order order.

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

www.ltda.co.uk |

@TheLTDA

[FIRST TWO MONTHS FREE FOR NEW MEMBERS] ✁ APPLICATION FORM

CALLING ALL CABBIES

JOIN FOR £16.80 PER MONTH WITH £12.80 ALLOWABLE AGAINST TAX! Name Address Postcode Tel

Mobile

Email Date of Birth Badge No. Green (G) or Yellow (Y) When obtained - Month Have you been a member of the LTDA before? (Please tick) YES NO

Year

Please tick if you DO NOT wish to receive information from the LTDA and other related organisations in the future I understand that my application for membership of the Association must be approved by the Council of Management and that a Share Certificate will be issued to me if my application is confirmed. Signed

Date

Please complete parts 1 to 5 below to instruct your branch to make direct payments from your account. Then return the form to the LTDA, FREEPOST, (PAM 2005), London W9 2BR For Office use only

LTDA Basic Direct Debit Instructions

Originator’s Identification No. 9 1 4 4 2 8

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BANK/BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY DIRECT DEBITS: To the manager of Address

1. Please write the name and full postal address of your branch in the spaces above. 2. Name of account holder

Originator’s Reference

5. Your instructions to the Bank/ Building Society, and signature: • I instruct you to pay direct debits from my account at the request of the LTDA LTD. • The amounts are variable and may be debited on various dates. • I understand that the LTDA LTD may change amounts and dates only after giving me prior notice. • I understand that if any Direct Debit is paid which breaks the terms of this instruction, the Bank/ Building Society will make a refund.

3. Account number

Signature(s)

4. Bank sort code

Date

Bank/Building Societies may not accept instructions to pay Direct Debit from some types of account

Phone 0207 286 1046 now!

[

LT DA

]

CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO JOIN?

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

More readers than the rest put together!

LETTERS STAR LETTER

True honesty and integrity

am writing to tell a heartwarming story that involved one of your associates. My daughter and I were on a short trip to the UK for the first time and while it was fabulous and full of precious memories, one in particular will stand out forever. We arrived via train to London Euston station and chose to take a taxi to Victoria station, being a bit overwhelmed by the underground. After being dropped off I realised to my dismay that I'd left our camera bag in the taxi. It contained not only my camera with all our photos from Scotland and Wales, but my phone charger and some important papers. Clearly, we never ever expected to see any of it ever again. We were terribly upset as you can imagine and another driver we queried suggested trying the lost and found at a nearby police station, but we went to our hotel near Gatwick assuming it was a loss.

We were shocked to discover that the driver, Stephen Thompson, was making every effort to locate us using some contact information in the front pocket of the case, which lead him to our travel agency, which was then were able to get hold of me. We couldn't believe it and after phoning Stephen were equally overwhelmed with gratitude to learn that he was willing to meet us with the case, back outside Victoria station the next morning. Talk about above and beyond the call of duty and restoring faith in the kindness of strangers! Words fail to explain our gratitude and we felt you should know this story and this unexpected gesture of true honesty and integrity by one of your taxi associates. London was amazing as well, but it was good to return home, especially with all our belongings and memories! Deb (and Selena) Colarossi

Cycle scheme madness

My taxi driver hero

ooking at the Mayor’s cycle scheme to run along the Embankment towards Tower Hill, it would be a complete nightmare for every driver in London. The trade must stop this before it’s too late, all members must do all they can, along with the AA and the RAC and anybody who will be affected by this proposed nightmare. The “superhighway” would add some 20 minutes to all journeys anywhere around the area and cause gridlock from the highway to Parliament Square 24/7. I would consider leaving the trade and trying to find another job if this were to become a reality.

just want to thank a cab driver very much for kindly putting my house keys in the letter box, after I left them in his taxi at around 7pm during a trip from Hay Hill, W1, to Clifton Gardens, W9, on Wednesday, October 1. I had an awful fright last night when I realised I have dropped them in the back of the cab. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!

came down to London from Newcastle upon Tyne on Tuesday, September 30. I took a taxi from the rank at King’s Cross station - just after 2pm - to go to 52 Jackson's Lane in Highgate. I stupidly left my mobile and reading glasses on the back seat! When I realised they were missing, I phoned the mobile number from my friend's landline - the driver answered - he'd already been handed the items by his next passenger. I'd earlier told the driver that I'd come down for a jazz gig that evening at the Pizza Express Jazz Cafe in Dean Street, Soho. He offered to take the phone plus glasses there so I could pick them up when I went there for the gig. My taxi driver hero even phoned my friend's number to confirm that he'd done this. I said a big thank you, of course - but I didn't get his name. I just hope he reads this so he will know how grateful this passenger is.

Francesca Galloway

Patti Durham

Michael Francis

All part of the service...

Well done to the drivers that went to the demo

Don’t let us become history W

ell done to all the drivers who bothered to turn up for the demo, and shame on those who could not be bothered. Is it too much to ask for people to give up a couple of hours to save the industry? Surely, after sitting on a moped in all weathers for years, you would want to save our status rather than let it slowly erode. Because the powers that be won’t stand up to the illegal operations going on in London, such as pedicabs and touting. It’s amazing how many police were provided to marshal the demo, yet they can’t even remove a few electric rickshaws from the

roads. However, I did speak to a few officers in Whitehall and to be fair they were 100% behind us. One told me he would like nothing more than to arrest the people on electric trikes outside Hamleys and the like. The feedback that I got from the public was very encouraging, even though their journeys were disrupted. So, if there is another demo, please give it some thought and spare an hour of your time because if you don’t, the only place you might see a black cab is in the Museum of London next to the Lord Mayor’s coach. D. Cronin Loughton

Do you have a gripe you want to raise or know someone in the trade that deserves praise? Contact us at editor@ltda.co.uk or Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Rd, London W9 2BA

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

www.ltda.co.uk |

@TheLTDA

THE BIG 40 ONE!

The membership of the LTDA is times greater than some other driver organisations! HERE’S WHY... CAUTION The LTDA legal service is the only trade scheme which defends members for ALL alleged offences (traffic, hackney or criminal), anytime, anywhere in the UK. Non members are advised to check carefully the exceptions and exclusions contained or imposed by other legal protection schemes circulating in our trade.

BADGESAFE SCHEME The LTDA retains experienced barristers with specialist knowledge of the London cab trade. Normally when drivers accumulate 12 points on their licence they receive an automatic 6 month ban, but in the case of LTDA members over 90% of those represented by our barristers receive a ban of just 1 month or in most cases no ban whatsoever. EXPERTISE = SUCCESS The LTDA’s in-house lawyers are proud of their unrivalled record of court triumphs; in fact the rate of acquittals for members defended in court by the LTDA is 4 times higher than the national average. This unparalleled level of success is due entirely to the expertise acquired by the LTDA over many years of specialising in cab related legal matters.

YOUR FUTURE The LTDA remains the only trade body resolutely opposed to the computerisation of the Knowledge of London testing system. (No to the quickie Knowledge campaign). INLAND REVENUE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE Many drivers and accountants refer to the LTDA for specialist advice on Inland Revenue investigations. (Free to members). SICKNESS AND ACCIDENT PROTECTION When trouble strikes it’s comforting to know that you’ve got the strength of the LTDA around you. (Scheme available to members only). LTDA HOLIDAY CLUB Many members have saved thousands of pounds by taking advantage of special offers and prices (members only). WIN £5,000 EVERY MONTH IN THE LTDA LOTTERY 12 big prizes every year, but you have to be in it to win it (members only £5 per entry). ACCESS TO ‘SIMPLY HEALTH’ Great value health care from the LTDA. The Association pioneered this scheme in the taxi trade and it still offers the cheapest rates. (Special rates for LTDA members only).

HEATHROW OFFICE AND REPRESENTATION Call in to the LTDA office at Heathrow, first door on the right in the canteen block. The LTDA’s representatives will give you a warm welcome. (Open to all). WELFARE DEPARTMENT LTDA officers make home visits to members who are in severe distress or with special needs and authorise contingency payments where appropriate. RANKS AND HIGHWAYS REPRESENTATION The LTDA has negotiated taxi access to most bus lanes and leads the way negotiating on issues that affect you, the licensed taxi driver. GENERAL ADVICE If you are new to the trade and you don’t know your `roader’ from your `legal’, give us a call. We’re always here to help. (Tel: 020 7286 1046 - non members are welcome to call). 24 HOUR TOUT LINE Seen a tout in action? Take the details and phone them in, we will do the rest. (Tel: 020 7266 4769).

VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS Continually representing members’ interests in disputes with vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA The LTDA is the largest and most respected driver organisation in the trade. We lead the way when negotiating with the Government, GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office, Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local Councils and when dealing with all sections of the media. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Many cab drivers are discovering to their cost that their licences are at risk due to the TfL’s interpretation of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical Standards. The LTDA has successfully challenged many decisions by the TfL to revoke members’ licences on medical grounds. FANTASTIC VALUE LTDA subscriptions have not increased for 12 years! It costs just 4 quid a week to join the trade’s biggest organisation and 3 quid of that is tax deductible! (Payable monthly).

HEALTH AND SPORTS PROMOTION We regularly run promotions with leading health and sports companies resulting in big savings to members. LEISURE DISCOUNTS Huge savings on weekend breaks at fine hotels and holiday centres. You will not believe these prices! (Members only).

To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offers

call: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

More readers than the rest put together!

Taxi Talk

TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE ALF TOWNSEND

Alf takes a break from the hurly burly of London and volunteers for the House of Lords he invite from my daughter to join her for the weekend at her seaside flat was too good an offer to turn down. Okay, so it meant moving from my comfort zone, but flopping around in an empty flat and ‘pinging’ ready meals in the microwave is not much of a life! My first challenge was to try and banish my childhood fear of getting in a lift and descending to the platform of a tube station. The London Blitz may well have been over 70 years ago, but the memory of us being scared kids at the time, entering the lift at Caledonian Road tube and feeling your stomach churning as it plunged down to the bottom, has stayed with me, even in the Hampstead lift. I walked gingerly onto the platform that was almost deserted – not like the Caledonian tube in 1940. In those dark days the platform at night was covered with double – bunks and literally hundreds of people. The noise coming from the screaming kids and mums telling them to be quiet was deafening. The police were there – as were the air raid wardens in their white helmets - but what fascinated me at the time was all the old boys puffing away at their roll-ups and reading their papers, seemingly oblivious to the bedlam - or later the bombs. I recall very early in the morning, hearing a deep rumble and feeling the air rushing down the tunnel, then the panic when the “red devil with one eye” sped through the station at high speed. This was the early morning train, which was heading to King’s Cross to start the service, but to me it will always be the “red devil with one eye!” Despite my inner fears, I eventually made it safely to Waterloo and continued my journey.

Fisherman’s Walk Emsworth is a little village in West Sussex on the far end of Chichester Harbour some nine miles from Portsmouth. It lies on the banks of the River Ems – which was named after the village and not as many people think, before the village- that in itself shows the long history of Emsworth. At first glance the village

is nondescript and could be any one of the hundreds of other villages dotted all around the coast of the UK. But walking the back streets and seeing all the many beautiful, red brick Georgian houses makes you realise that this seemingly quiet and peaceful village has got a major past that needed checking out! In the 1800s, Emsworth was a major port with ships being loaded with grain, wood and coal, but their major trade was in oysters that thrived on the mud banks. At the height of the oyster trade some 100,000 oysters were shipped to London every week! They even built a sea wall halfway across the harbour so that the oystermen could use it for their horses and carts. The oysters were stored in man-made pools on Fowey Island and were shipped over to ‘Fisherman’s Walk’, as the sea wall was known, for the oystermen to load up their carts. The village only had a population of around 2,000 – but because of the many workers coming in daily, the village boasted 30 pubs – there are still nine remaining.

Pride But in 1902, an incident occurred that was to decimate the oyster trade in Emsworth. The Dean of Chichester was holding a party at the cathedral and seven of the guests fell ill, including the Dean who sadly died. An investigation was formulated and it was found that raw sewage had poisoned the Emsworth oyster beds. The local council started updating its sewage pipes, which in those days – as was the practice in all other coastal villages - discharged raw sewage into the sea for the ebb tide to wash it away. Emsworth became one of the first places to process the sewage and link up all its pipes, but the damage had already been done – nobody wanted to chance the oysters and the industry never recovered. There are still 11 oyster fishermen remaining trying to scratch a living. I had a great weekend break with my daughter and the late September weather was sparkling. My daughter is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her lovely

mum last year and her marriage has suffered. But, like me, she is getting on with life and teaches teenagers with learning difficulties at Chichester College. She has recently gained her second degree and is now a BSC and MA. Mum would have been so proud of you Jo – as I am, keep going babe!

Giss’ a job!

partner to rely on. After trawling the streets of our great city for over half a century and earning just a fraction of that daily dosh, I hearby offer my services to the Lords. Three hundred quid a day and only having to sign in if you’re not required to speak in debates, would suit me just fine. I might even put the cab on the rank outside and earn some extra dosh! n

Apparently, a senior Lib Dem peer Baroness Gender, deputy chairman of Nick Clegg’s general election team, believes that a £300 per day tax free allowance is too little for a sole income in the Lords and stops normal people from working there. She claims you don’t get hairdressers or bus drivers in the Lords “because it’s unaffordable for most people,” unless they have a

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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@TheLTDA

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

More readers than the rest put together!

NEWS Pearly cab steals the show

News in brief

Charity

Writers wanted

The world’s only pearly cab became one of the star attractions during the annual Pearly Kings and Queens Costermongers' Harvest Festival Parade. Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch scores of participants in their ornate traditional clothing as

they marched from the Guildhall to St Mary-le-Bow Church, home of the Bow Bells. The organisation, which has raised millions of pounds for the capital's charities since it was founded in Victorian times, was out in force for its annual Harvest Festival. The London Taxidrivers' Fund for

Volunteers with the amazing pearl taxi

Underprivileged Children was once again invited to take part joined in the parade which featured 30 families daubed from head to toe in white buttons. A spokesman for the trade charity said: “It was great to see such huge crowds out in abundance at the Guildhall and also along the City streets cheering the parade along. “Committee member Steven Bell and his wife Wendy had worked tirelessly converting Steve's taxi into a 'Pearly' taxi adorned with thousands of magnetic pearl buttons and what a brilliant job they did. The taxi attracted so many people with their cameras anxious to take photos. Well done to them for doing such an amazing job, which takes hours of hard work.” The parade is held every year to mark the changing of the seasons and raise money for charity. The tradition was started by the original Pearly King, Henry Croft, and has been kept alive by the Pearly families who pass on their titles through the generations. Volunteer or donate at www.thelondontaxidriverschildren scharity.co.uk

A publisher compiling a book “filled with what makes London great by those who make it great” wants a contribution by a cabbie. Interested drivers should to write up 600 words about what they love most about travelling around London and the best one will win £100 and will be included in the book. Entries can include “where they like best, what they like, and stories that make laugh about London,” and should be submitted by October 31. Email entries and details to Conrad at conradgamble@googlemail.com

“I witnessed your accident” A cab driver contacted TAXI to volunteer as a witness to an accident in Campden Hill Road in West London. A black TX4 had its door damaged by a dumper truck but the culprit drove off without giving his details. Contact Robert on 07846845951.

New address from 1st October We are moving to a new premises as from the 1st October

0208 305 1721 Unit 9 VIP Trading Estate Anchor and Hope Lane Charlton London SE7 7RY

Business as usual More parking 3 mins from Blackwall tunnel

New telephone number from 1st October

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

www.ltda.co.uk |

@TheLTDA

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

More readers than the rest put together!

CAUGHT ON CAMERA If anyone can, cabbies can... nother fine and varied selection of pictures has dropped in the TAXI inbox for the Caught on Camera page over the past few weeks. It’s always a difficult shout choosing which snaps to use, but here’s some of the best, as chosen by a show of hands. The winner by a nose was the unfortunate rickshaw driver who got caught in the Dumbbell Demo, inadvertently calling for action against people just like himself. Mind you, his passengers probably had their smiles wiped off their faces when he

That’ll be £60 please officer

Top Marx

THE WINNING PIC!

told them the bill. As ever there is £30 in it for the winning entry, which is not bad at all for just a few seconds work. Anything that makes you laugh, sends your blood pressure soaring or just leaves you baffled is fair game. Keep your eyes peeled and your cameras, or phones, at the ready. Send your entries to us via the MMS line on 07908 640017 or email them to editor@ltda.co.uk.

]

pIC! Send us your

[

£30 PRIZE!

Newsflash: Rickshaw driver supports action on rickshaws

Room for one more?

Lights, camera...

Caution: genius at work

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

www.ltda.co.uk |

@TheLTDA

The TX4 VM Motori Engine has been through more than 1,000,000 miles of specific taxi-duty cycle testing. When maintained properly, like any modern engine, it is absolutely fit for purpose and for the taxi trade. That’s why we collaborated with Morris Lubricants to launch an affordable range of oils and coolants, to keep maintenance costs as low as possible. It’s also why we can offer a market-leading three year, unlimited mileage core engine warranty with confidence. We’ve got the knowledge when it comes to our engine. Have you?

Find out more: The London Taxi Company, 39-41 Brewery Road, LONDON N7 9QH 0207 700 0888 london-taxis.co.uk london@london-taxis.co.uk TheLondonTaxiCompanyUK LondonTaxiCoUK LondonTaxiCompanyUK

of subsidiary of wholly-owned subsidiary A wholly-owned orporation. Corporation. axi C Taxi ondon T London he L The off T ademarks o trademarks e tr are ompany logo ar Company axi C Taxi ondon T London he L The XTM and T TXTM sign; T design; egistered de X shape is a rregistered TX ©T orporation. Corporation. axi C Taxi ondon T London he L The off T ading name o trading ompany is the tr Company axi C Taxi ondon T London he L The T

14 OCTOBER 2014 | TAXI

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NEWS Sex assault minicab driver jailed Court Police ignored a sexual assault by a minicab driver on a woman leaving him free to strike again 10 days later. Alaksur Rahman fondled the woman’s leg and put his hand on her shoulder after driving her home from a party in Hoxton in June last year. The woman fled the vehicle and frantically rang the doorbell of the house she lived in and Rahman drove off. Police decided to take no further action against the 39-year-old following the attack, and 10 days later he sexually assaulted a PR executive

as she headed home from a night out in Shoreditch. Rahman, of Poplar, was jailed for 30 months at Snaresbrook crown court after he admitted two charges of sexual assault. He has a previous conviction for touting for business as a minicab driver. Sentencing, judge Martin Zeidman said: “The message is this, woman have a right to be treated decently and that applies whether they are sober or drunk. “If a drunk woman gets into your cab, as happened on both these occasions, you as a minicab driver, are on trust not to take advantage of those women who are intoxicated and vulnerable.” The father-of-three, who worked for a firm called Crescent Cars, was arrested after the second woman made a complaint and charged him with two assaults.

RICHMOND ROAD

Skating sessions up for grabs Taxi drivers and their families are once again being offered the chance to snap up some free early sessions at the outdoor skating rink installed in Somerset House. The rink opens to the general public on November 11 but hundreds of tickets are being made available over two 60 minute sessions on November 7 and 9. Drivers can apply for up to six tickets and they are available on a first come first served basis – so be quick because the sessions fill up fast every year.

There are 320 tickets available across the ice skating sessions on... n Friday, November 7, between 8.30–9.30pm n Sunday, November 9, 4.30-5.30pm The skate lounge will be open to skaters and spectators who are also very welcome to come down and enjoy the festive atmosphere. To find out more about Skate at Somerset House with Fortnum and Mason visit: somersethouse.org.uk/skate Book online by using this unique link www.ticket master.co.uk/somerset housetaxitickets Or telephone Ticketmaster on 0844 248 5148 and quote “SKATE TAXI TICKETS” PLEASE NOTE: Booking and transaction fees apply Location: Skate at Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

195 Richmond Road, Hackney, London, E8 3NJ

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All Insurance Work undertaken n Fault or Non Fault accident

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NEWS Man dies after minicab fall London A 26-year-old man died after falling from the back of a moving minicab in Harrow and suffering severe head injuries. Padraig O'Dea, of Kilmaine in County Mayo in Ireland, was taken to a central London hospital after the incident at the junction with Clitheroe Avenue in Harrow at 1.05am on Sunday, September 28. Police were investigating how the man ended up in the back of the

vehicle without the driver knowing he was there. It is believed he had been with a group of men and women outside Domino’s Pizza in Alexandra Avenue in Harrow, north west London, next to a parked Renault minicab. The driver of the minibus drove away but after about 400m noticed the tailgate was open and a man was rolling along the road. Scotland Yard has appealed for witnesses to come forward to help

“A happy character who people loved to be around.”

officers discover how the man ended up in the minicab. Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne said: "We know this man was with a group of what appeared to be friends or colleagues moments before he was injured. "He has now died and I would urge anyone with information to come forward so that we can establish the precise events." Tributes have been paid to a “great footballer and “happy character” by his club. The Kilmaine GAA Club - a galeic football club – said: “Padraig made an outstanding contribution to Kilmaine GAA Club during his life and gave great commitment as a footballer. Above all, Padraig was our friend and his untimely passing has brought great sorrow and grief amongst the Kilmaine GAA Club community. "Padraig had a love of Gaa and was a very happy character who people loved to be around.” Anyone with information should call 020 8991 9555 or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Urgent Notice DRIVER LICENCE RENEWAL NOTICE If your licence expires in less than four months it is vital that you contact TPH on:

0343 222 4444 and request a renewal pack. Failure to do so could result in you being out of work Once the pack is received you must submit your application (especially the CRB disclosure application) A.S.A.P. Please refer to tph notices 18/13 and 19/13 on their website for ‘official’ advice http://www.tfl.gov.uk/bu sinessandpartners/taxisa ndprivatehire/26836.aspx

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ROAD WATCH

MASSETT’S CAMERA HOTSPOTS Extreme Hotspot 1: Berkley Street J/W Piccadilly Yellow Box Camera Extreme Hotspot 2: Terminus Place Bus only left turn. TfL to issue PCNs

Old Brompton Road

Loading bay outside late night chemist

Hammersmith Broadway

Over-ranking

Bagleys Lane/New Kings Road

Yellow box

Harrods

Zig-Zags behind the rank in Brompton Road and no U-turns

Great Marlborough Street

Zig-Zags

Waterloo Road

Zig-Zags

Selfridges

Over ranking

Eldon Street

Do not set down on Zig-Zags

Clapham High Street

Zig-Zags

Marylebone Road/ High Street

Ahead only, traffic signal change

Red Routes

TfL is actively enforcing yellow box restrictions

Tower Bridge

20 mph speed limit – average speed cameras

Limehouse Link

30 mph speed limit

Craven Road

Zig-Zags

Smithfield

Do not park in load in boxes, they are enforced by camera

A13

Average speed cameras in operation

The City

20mph limit

TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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Comcab radio circuits fitted in all TX4 loan cabs

C&S Taxis London Ltd - have now purchased new Vito Merc's to coincide with six existing TX4s, specially allocated for their crash repair body shop - A Class Of Their Own

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NEWS Bike lane delays released

Stay in the know with the LTDA

London

DVLA reminder

Car journey times across London will increase by at least 16 minutes when the Mayor’s £48 million cycle superhighway is put in place. Official data was released by the Mayor’s office showing average delays on the roads caused by the east-west superhighway from Barking to Acton and the north-south super-highway from Elephant & Castle to Farringdon. East London will be the worst affected area, which has raised fears staff will face extra delays and

Businesses fears the worst

will arrive at Canary Wharf late for work. Westbound car journeys from the Greater London boundary to Hyde Park Corner in the morning peak will increase by 16 minutes to 90 minutes. The journey in the opposite direction from Hyde Park Corner to the Limehouse Link will be eight minutes longer. The figures were released after pressure from business leaders. Sean McKee, of the London Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said: “It took business to generate pressure to get City Hall to be transparent. Questions remain about the cost of these delays.” Motorists travelling from Knightsbridge to Westminster Bridge face up to nine extra minutes on their journey. Boris Johnson has made promises of improvements to reduce this particular delay. Mr Johnson said: “We must make cycling safer for all types of cyclists – and segregated lanes must be part of the solution. In a congested city like London it is simply not possible to do this without taking some road space.”

The photo card part of the driving licence lasts for 10 years and must renewed after that period. The licence becomes invalid if it is not renewed with a current picture.

15 year reminder The London taxi 15 year age limit refers to the cab’s ‘birthday’ (in the log book) not its plate date. For example: A cab passed when it is 14 years and 11 months old WILL be granted a further 12 months of life. Cabs may be booked in for testing in the normal way when the plate has 28 days or less to run. The cab can then work up to the test date. If the plates are taken off with more than 28 days to run, both the plates and the paper licence must be surrendered to one of the six NSL inspection centres in and around London. The ‘unplated’ cab must then not be worked, and at least one week should be allowed before attempting to book the next NSL

test, to allow the computerised booking system to recognise that the plates have been registered.

Lost/stolen identifiers If your Identifier is lost or stolen you must notify LTPH immediately (0343 222 4444 / tph.enquiries@tfl.gov.uk) You may then continue working. A letter of confirmation will be sent out to you by Transport for London, prior to a replacement identifier being processed.

Shop a tout Anyone who sees touting or any other form of illegal cab-related activity is urged to contact TfL with the details. Take down the registration number and make a note of the date, time and location where incident took place. Type “cab enforcement” into your internet search engine and follow the links to the ‘report illegal activity’ section of the TfL website.

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© LTI Limited reproduced with permission. Fairway and TX shape is a registered design. FairwayTM, TXTM, the LTI device, the LTI, London Taxis International and The London Taxi Company logos are all trademarks of LTI Limited.

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Two Fingers

I’VE GOT AN ‘ISM.’ AL FRESCO

Al discovers that he has something in common with the “wabbit” hunter Elmer Fudd t the tender age of 70 I’ve discovered I’ve got an “ism.” It’s nothing serious; nothing life threatening and really, at this stage in my life, not the slightest bit important, but it still came as a bit of a shock when I discovered I was suffering from rhotacism. It wasn’t a GP who broke the news to me, or a specialist in his particular field peering over the top of his spectacles, it was my daughter in law, Joanne. Just after I helped her clear the dinner plates, she took me aside. ”Grandpa,” she said, “what’s your surname?” I laughed, ”you should know, you’ve been stuck with it for the past 20 years.“ She gave me one of those “stop being a prat and be sensible for once in your life,” looks and said ”just tell me, what’s your name? It’s not a trick.” “Is this about the possible onset of Alzheimer’s disease? Is it a test?” “Yes,” she said, “but not for loss of memory or anything like that. It’s about - a speech impediment.” I was astonished. “You may not have realised it, but you have a definite speech impediment. Say ‘Fresco!’” “Where’s the impediment in Fresco?” I challenged. “There you are,” Jo exclaimed excitedly, “you said it.” “I know I said it,” I said angrily, “I heard myself say it.” “Ah, but that’s it. You THINK you heard yourself say ‘Fresco’....” “Hold on, hold on.” I butted in, “If I didn’t say Fresco, what DID I say?” “That’s the point,” she said, “people who suffer from rhotacism can’t help themselves. They might THINK they’re saying FR, but it actually comes out FW, like Jonathan Woss.” I pondered her indictment. ”So, you’re saying I can’t pronounce my fs and my rs together, and when I say ‘fresh,’ or ‘frequent,’ or ‘friendly,’ it comes out like an Elmer Fudd impersonator, saying ‘fwesh,’ ‘fwequent’ and ‘fwiendly?’ And that’s called a rhotacism? Now you come to mention it, I’ve often wondered why people, over the phone mispronounce my surname as Alf Resco, or Alf Prescot. It’s not them it’s me!” For the rest of the evening, I mused on my pronunciation malfunction. I was never bullied at school even though, from an early age, my class-mates called me

Fweckily Fwesco in part, I guess, cos I had lots of “fweckles,” and partly cos my surname WAS Fwesco, I mean Fresco!

Biggus dickus I may not have suffered at the hands of the “impedementista brigade,” but England football manager Roy Hodgson, aka Woy of the Wovers, certainly has. When Hodgson was appointed England Manager, the Sun newspaper came out with the infamous headline, “Bwing on the Euwos (we’ll see you in Ukwaine against Fwance.)” It caused outrage, but Roy was used to it. At Fulham, fans waved a banner which read “In Woy we Twust.”) It certainly didn’t seem to bother him then. So, a Sun headline wasn’t going to cause him any sleepless nights. Presenter, Jonathan (Wossy) Ross, famous for his inability to pronounce the letter “r” said: ”It hasn’t ever bothered me. I’m used to it; and I’m sure it doesn’t bother Roy. He is an incredibly wellread, intelligent man. He will take it as a joke.” I feel the same way although it has been pointed out that I am in the same company as the “wabbit” hunter, Elmer Fudd and Michael Palin’s character, Pontius Pilate, in The Life of Brian... Pontius Pilate: So, yaw fatha was a Woman? Who was he? Brian: He was a centurion, in the Jerusalem Garrisons. Pontius Pilate: Weally? What was his name? Brian: 'Naughtius Maximus'. [the Centurion laughs] Pontius Pilate: Centuwion, do we have anyone of that name in the gawwison? Centurion: Well, no, sir. Pontius Pilate: Well, you sound vewy sure. Have you checked? Centurion: Well, no, sir. Umm, I think it's a joke, sir... like, uh, 'Sillius Soddus' or... 'Biggus Dickus', sir. Pontius Pilate: [guard chuckles] What's so funny about "Biggus Dickus? " Centurion: Well, it's a joke name, sir. Pontius Pilate: I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called “Biggus Dickus”... So, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and watched myself mouthing “Fresco, fresh,

free…” Yes, it was there OK. Rhotic, mildly distinct, but not overt. I pouted...”Fwesco.” I pursed... ”Fwesco,” I mumbled... It was “Fwesco,” that emitted. I tried baring my lips like Poppy the puppy, who was watching me, showing my fangs and growling. It still came out as “Fwesco.” I can’t even pronounce my own name. How pathetic is that?

Home and dwy Jo came to my rescue. “I used to take elocution lessons, grandpa. The best way to pronounce your ‘fr’s’ is to do it in three stages. Put your top teeth on your bottom lip and say “ph” Then, put you lips together like you’re gonna kiss someone and say “reh.” Then... make a hissy snaky sound and add “ko.” That should do the trick? Try it!” I took a deep breath... ”Ph...reh...ssssko”

“Now, grandpa, put the three parts together, but a bit quicker... Ph, reh, sko... Ph, reh, sko... Ph, reh, sko... I felt like I was doing a scene out of My Fair Lady. Any moment I expected Professor Higgins to appear at the bathroom door at shout... ”He’s got it! By George, he’s got it.” All I got was Poppy barking like her tail was on fire, again; and Jo crying. “You did it, grandpa,” she sobbed, happily. “You did it!” I grinned at myself in the mirror. I’d conquered my rhotacism. All I had to do, is break down all my ‘Fr’s’ into three parts and I was home and dwy. I’d forgotten how to do it, alweady...Fffffffff! Joanne pulled me towards her and gave me a big hug. “Never mind, Grandpa. I think you’re vewy, vewy, wonderful...” n

NT A LOOKING TO REAB? BLACK TAXI C ! LOOK NO FURTHER Just taken delivery of 20 brand new TX4 Elegance’s £255 p/w

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HALVEY ENGINEERING ECO-TAXIS CABS TO RENT

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Licensed to Chat

GLAMOUR vs GRUNGE MUSHER MEG

It seems obvious but at the time boarding a plane via conveyer belt seemed reasonable r Meg took a short hop flight recently and I dropped him at Heathrow in the cab. I had to help him out the back because he was so trussed up wearing two of everything; trousers, shirts, nik naks and socks. The man would rather commit hari kari than pay £40 to an airline to check in a bag! I waved him off and decided to invest in a one-off trip to the feeder park, with the intention of cuddling my Kindle for a few hours. My first surprise was the £5.22 entry fee, which had actually reduced since I last put on at the flyers! The second shock was the barely 20 minutes that I had to wait before being despatched to the new Terminal 2, because the Heathrow Express had been down for a couple of hours. I picked up two Italian girls who were

returning from a home trip to Rome. They were a proper pair of scruffpots who, like Mr Meg, were wearing all the clothes they needed for three days away to save the cost of checking in a case. This new trend to wear all your gear, even if it makes you look like Wurzel Gummidge, made me nostalgic for the days when going on a plane was a proper dressing up event.

Uncle Bob In my family we were too skint to go abroad for our holidays. A dodgy chalet in Sunbeam Avenue, Camber Sands, was our Mediterranean for seven days each year. But I did have an Uncle Bob who won a few quid on the pools, back in the late 60s and booked

two weeks in Benidorm with his windfall. Flying was such a humungous event in those days that a dozen of his family, including me, took a bus ride to Heathrow airport to wave him off.

“”

A FRACAS ENSUED BECAUSE UNCLE BOB HAD NO INTENTION OF BEING SEPARATED FROM HIS SPONDULICKS THAT WERE INSIDE A SOCK IN HIS SUITCASE

My mum cried at the check in desk. Not because she was upset that her brother was leaving London for two weeks, but because she was so jealous of his posh holiday. Uncle Bob had dressed up to the nines for his flight - going for a 70s style Jason King look – white suit, waistcoat and patterned kipper tie and a pair of white crocodile pattern shoes. We all watched in awe as the airline rep beckoned him over and instructed him to place his suitcase onto the conveyor belt. Inside, he’d secreted holiday cash and his camera for his fortnight in the sun. The case got tagged and sent

on its way - and then Uncle Bob climbed up onto the conveyor belt right behind it. He assumed that he would be taking the same route to the plane as his suitcase. We certainly got value for our bus fares. Uncle Bob was ordered off the belt and pointed in the direction of a departure gate. Seems so obvious now, but he was the first person ever to attempt to fly in the family and had no idea about the drill. But a fracas ensued because Uncle Bob had no intention of being separated from his spondulicks that were inside a sock in his suitcase. In the end two policemen hauled him off the conveyor belt and frogmarched him to the departure gate. Suddenly, air travel didn’t seem so glamorous after all. As we all trooped out of the airport to the bus stop we passed the taxi rank and there was a collective sigh as the whole family, including me, said how much we’d love to ride in one. See, dreams do come true! n

To plan your ad campaign in Taxi magazine contact:

Jonny Knight t: 01727 739 193 e: jonathan@centuryonepublishing.uk w: www.centuryonepublishing.uk

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.com

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NEWS 20mph fines ‘enforcing’ first

Taxi drivers ‘worst ever’ memoirs released

Roads

Entertainment

Islington has become the first borough in Britain to enforce issuing on-the-spot fines to drivers who break its 20mph speed limit. Police highlighted the “new phase” which will mean the existing restrictions will be enforced with the threat of fines and prosecution. The limit was imposed on all roads apart from TfL red routes in the area last year. Campaigners dubbed the switch a pointless exercise when it was revealed that noone had been fined for travelling between 20mph and 30mph in the first 12 months. Around 900 drivers were however given advisory notices and warnings.

North London’s

The move was given a mixed reception by local residents, with many of them calling for a “common sense” approach. Taxi driver Gary Ricketts, 41, told the Evening Standard, he though the “speed limit should be 20mph only during the day and then at night it should go back to 30mph because at night driving down a main road at 20mph with no one around is a bit of pain. “It’s actually hard to drive that slow, people will get annoyed and my customers will start moaning.” Islington is one of eight London boroughs to have made a commitment to 20mph zones, including Camden, Southwark, Haringey, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Lambeth, Lewisham and the City. Chief Superintendent Gerry Campbell said the fines were designed to make Islington one of the safest in London. The council’s transport leader, Claudia Webbe welcomed the move.

BLACK

A cab driver and sometime contributor to TAXI has written a series of books about his travels before and after the trade. The Worst Books Ever Written, parts one and two, tell Stuart Wilder’s funny stories about his early days in the police, a failed vineyard venture, pub management and, of course, driving a cab. Stuart became a police officer in Bethnal Green in 1965 and later moved into pubs, running the Rising Sun and The Cartoon in West Croydon. In 1989 he sold up and bought a vineyard in France which was destroyed by a frost in 1991, prompting his return to England to study the Knowledge. Stuart told TAXI: “I have known loads of great characters in my life, and

been involved in some incredible scrapes and I thought it was about time I put them down on paper. The only thing is, once I’d started I couldn’t stop.” Stuart lives in a cardboard box in Surrey and remains a thorn in the side of authority figures such as Bernard Hogan Howe, by writing vexatious letters which have also been collected in the Worst Letters Ever Written. All three books can be downloaded for phones, computers and tablets for around £2 each from Amazon.

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LTDA Last minute deals

LTDA Exclusive Deals

Save up to 50%

Country Hotels 2/3 nights weekend, from £159 4 nights midweek, from £179

on selected rooms

A Warner break is full of choice Whether you opt for a stunning Country Hotel or prefer a Coastal Hotel or Village, there’s something for everyone. Dine on delicious food, try new activities and enjoy dazzling entertainment, all just for grown-ups. You can do as much or as little as you like...

Don’t forget… All Warner breaks include: Stylish accommodation Delicious breakfasts and 3-course evening meals Use of sports and leisure facilities Fantastic live entertainment every night Range of daytime activities Just for grown ups!

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Coastal Villages 2/3 nights weekend, from £134 4 nights midweek, from £144

Terms and conditions: Full terms and conditions apply, please contact us for full details. Discount does not apply to dining options. All persons in your booking must be aged over 21 years of age. All offer breaks apply to new bookings only, are subject to promotional availability which is reviewed daily and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Warner Leisure Hotels reserves the right to change or withdraw any offers without prior notice. Bourne Holidays Ltd (trading as Warner Leisure Hotels) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 01854900 whose registered office is 1 Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL.

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PUZZLER Crossword competition! o complete our prize crossword and be in with a chance to win £50 send your completed entry to Crossword

329, Taxi, Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before October 28. First name out of the hat gets the cash.

ACROSS 1 Sage (6) 4 Scant (6) 9 Distress (7) 10 Bean producing tree (5) 11 Muslim legal expert (5) 12 Painful punishment (7) 13 Bedroom toilets (7, 4) 18 Similar to upright piano (7) 20 Happen ( 5) 22 Undo (5) 23 Dangerous tide for boats (3, 3) 24 Uncover (6) 25 Work pass, say (2, 4)

DOWN 1 Changed into (6) 2 Small person (5) 3 Bravery (7) 5 Sets the speed (5) 6 Tell (7) 7 Guided missile (6) 8 Beyond words (11) 14 Summit (7) 15 Go ahead (7) 16 Point the finger (6) 17 Pal (6) 19 Glasses (5) 21 Asian country (5)

CROSSWORD NO. 329

Overheard by Brad Ashton SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD 327 “Autumn leaves are falling even faster than George Osborne’s popularity. His interim budget is this month. He writes his own budget speeches and agonises over every word, but not as much as us when we hear them. It’s all cuts. I can’t help wondering if the government will pass the budget or just the buck? And then pass the plate around. We’d do better if Osborne left politics and became an obstetrician. Then at least we’d know he could actually deliver. The government’s come up with an idea to make the NHS more affordable. They’re scrapping prescriptions and giving everyone an apple a day. Looks like their financial plans are more farcical than fiscal. The word “think” in their Think Tank would be more appropriate with a “c” instead of an “n”. “These days an antique is last year’s mobile phone. I hate the way technology is moving so fast. Last week my computer was down. My wife threw it out the window. I’ve bought a new one with the broadband speeded up so fast I can make twice as many mistakes in half the time. I still yearn for the old days when a laptop was something your grandchildren sat on instead of telling us how to work the darn thing. We have to accept that computers are a necessary evil.

We have to have computers to assess the impact computers are having on our society. But I’m a belt and braces man. On the wall next to my computer I keep a glass framed pen and notepad with a sign “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS.” “My wife’s always comparing me to George Clooney. She says compared to George Clooney I’m ugly. She’s always putting me down. Yesterday she called me at work to say the garden shed door was stuck. I asked why she called me instead of a carpenter. She said “all it needs is a jerk.” Our marriage problems started between the words “I” and “Do.” She’s never learned how to cook. Everything’s frozen, including our love life. The planet may have warmed up, but she never did. On our wedding night she said “let’s skip all the chit chat and get right to the point where I say “no.” I found out her previous husband was a transvestite. When they divorced, she kept the house but he got custody of her wardrobe. They wouldn’t fit her now anyway. In those days she had an hour-glass figure, but she’s gained at least fifty minutes since then. She’s become one of life’s movers and shakers. Every time she moves the whole house shakes. For weeks she’s been trying to buy a bikini, but they just don’t make them in her shape."

Across: 7 Au pair, 8 Enigma, 9 Espy, 10 Vivacity, 11 Faux pas, 13 Delta, 15 Eject, 17 Enquire, 20 Accustom, 21 Horn, 23 UNICEF, 24 Relief. Down: 1 Suss, 2 Larynx, 3 Trivial, 4 Reeve, 5 Circle, 6 Imitator, 12 Adjacent, 14 Anymore, 16 Crutch, 18 Unholy, 19 Stiff, 22 Reek.

Congratulations Issue 327 winner D. Dougall, Stoke Newington

Just for fun

Have a go at this medium level Sudoku puzzle. Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9.

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

TAXI

A selection of our numerous

Distribution Points

n A1 Taxis, Sidworth Street E8 n Abacus Accounts, Southbrook Road, Lee SE12 n Astral CafĂŠ, Regency Place SW1 n Bubbles Car Wash, E2 n C & S Taxis, Dunbridge Street E2 n Cabsurance, Seven Kings n Camberfield Taxi Services n Computer Cab, Mitre Way W12 n Coney Allen, Dunbridge Street E1 n CP Beehive Service Station, Beehive Lane, Gants Hill n Cricklewood Carriers, Cricklewood n Dial A Cab, City Road N1 n Edgware Station Rank n Euston Station Rank n G & L Taxis, Crayford Road N7 n Globe Transmissions, Cudworth Street E1 n The Ham, Brentford n Heathrow Airport Canteen n Hexagon Garage, Lukin Street E1 n Jet Garage, Clipstone Street W1 n Knowledge Centre, Caledonian Road n KPM, Hemming Street E1 n London City Airport Canteen n LP Motors, Dunbridge Street E2 n Martin Cordell, E3 and Stanmore n Paddington Station Rank n Putney Bridge Taxis, The Arches, Putney Bridge Station SW6 n Richmond Road Taxi Centre, E8 n Safewise Supermarket, Harrow n South Bank Service Station, Great Suffolk Street SE1 n TAXI HOUSE W9 n Taxi & Private Hire, Blackfriars Rd SE1 n Temple Place Shelter n Tent Street Taxi Centre E2 n Turbo Accessories, Three Colts Lane E2 n Waterloo Station n Wimbledon Station Rank n WizAnn Knowledge School, Watts Grove E3

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PUBLISHED BY LTDA Taxi House 11 Woodfield Road, London W9 2BA T: 020 7286 1046 | www.ltda.co.uk @TheLTDA MANAGING EDITOR Steve Still T: 0207 121 0523, F: 0207 286 2494 E: taxinewspaper@ltda.co.uk THE MASSETT FILE Richard Massett INTERNATIONAL NEWS Wim Faber TWO FINGERS Al Fresco TAXI TALK Alf Townsend OVERHEARD Brad Ashton LICENSED TO CHAT Musher Meg PRODUCED BY Century One Publishing ltd Alban Row,27-31 Verulam Road St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4DG. T: 01727 893 894, F: 01727 893 895 E: enquiries@centuryonepublishing.uk www.centuryonepublishing.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION Sarah Astington ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Jonny Knight T: 01727 739 193 E: jonathan@centuryonepublishing.uk PRINTED BY Century One Publishing Ltd COVER IMAGE Shutterstock.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means electronic, mechanical or by photocopying without prior permission of the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this publication may not necessarily be those of the publishers. Please note that the last day for inclusion of Classified lineage advertisements is five working days prior to publication. No liability is accepted by the publisher should advertisements not appear in the requested issue(s). Whilst the publisher will take every care to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for loss or damage resulting from errors.

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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TAXI |14 OCTOBER 2014

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LINAGE RATES Up to 15 words £24, up to 25 words £35, up to 35 words £42 (Plus VAT)

PLACE YOUR LINAGE IN TAXI ISSUE 330 BOOK BY WEDS 22 OCT CALL JONNY ON 01727 739 193

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