Keeping up the good work....by Thomas the Taxi

If anyone had any doubt, whether we could keep up this pressure, their fears were answered last night. While Dial a cab led from the front again, for the first time, live updates were posted on the Anderson Shelter and with the help of the “Twitter” micro blogging application, we attacked them where it hurts the most, their wallets. Thousands of jobs are being taken back nightly.

The first updates started to arrive from our man at the scene around 9.30pm when it was reported that taxis had started to rank outside Nobu. After a while it became clear that the London taxi trade had united once again. Taxis started to form ranks outside most clubs and bars.

It appears this policy is working and they have no idea how to counter the action we are taking. Door staff have been heard screaming down their mobiles requesting help from (can you believe it) the police.
Clipboard men are finally writing on their clipboards, scribbling down Taxi registration numbers and waving their arms a lot.
For years the scabs have been allowed to escalate like a virus. Using simple mobile technology, through hand held palm top PDA’s and even just mobile phones, they received vital information from doormen, who make it uncomfortable for Taxi drivers wishing to legally rank outside their premises. Now we have attacked them with a better, more up to date technology, a better cheaper service and they don’t like it.

We have won the first battle but the war is not over. Soon they will receive help from the police, traffic wardens, Westminster’s video cars and even the PCO.
But we must not be disheartened. As long as we stick together and keep up the pressure, victory could soon be ours. We have the law on our side and the only way we can be defeated us now, is if they actually changed the law.

It wasn’t all good news.
There was a bit of a do at the Brewery tonight and at chucking out time, the police arrived, moved the licensed taxis on and generally assisted the mini cabs to illegally tout. Could be a good place for Bob Oddy to win back some kudos with the membership of the LTDA, by actually doing something positive. Or it could be a great place for the RMT to show their first hand.



Photo credit Cabby Dave.

Photo 1. The OXO Tower, Looks like touts are making their own video, should be interesting.
Photo 2. Bedoun, taxis right back to Farringdon.
Photo 3. Nobu Just Taxis, no touts.