Twitter for Cabbies......By Dawn Cooper

Demonstrations will be held at Camley St Taxi Cafe Fortnightly 20:00 - 22:00


Next Twitter school 28th September at Camley Street

Twitter is currently being used by an increasing number of London Cabbies. They are using it to share information about what is happening on the Streets/Ranks and in the Trade in general. When venues burst or there is a major function it appears on Twitter.

And on your mobile device as a text message.

Twitter is also currently being used to book Taxis via an account called @Tweetalondoncab.

Messages (tweets) are sent from your Computer/phone (mobile device) just like a text message and can be received by anyone who subscribes to your account

(your twitter feed)

To get involved all that is needed is a basic mobile phone. However it works best with the latest smart-phones. (Iphones, Blackberry's, Androids)

You set up a twitter account on the web via http://twitter.com/ Try to choose a Cabbie type name to make it more obvious to your fellow cabbie Twitterer's and thus attract more followers of this nature.

Once set up your account can be used on a mobile device to communicate with the "twitterverse" (anyone else who has a twitter account) of course this includes numerous London Cabbies.

When you send out your first tweet (message) add #londontaxidriver to the text

This will then be picked up (within a few hours at most) by some of the other London cabbies who will then reply and will be able to field any questions you may have.

The vast majority of London Cabbies subscribe (free) to a private community account. This allows communication amongst London cabbies only.

Once involved you will feel lost without it.

A few tweeting Cabbies (amongst the 100s) to get you going

@cabbiescapital (Richard)

@Markthecab (Mark), @Coopse1 (Dawn), @Cabbytez (Theresa), @Leevonleft (Lee), @Cabbydavid (Dave)

@Legalledoff (Steve), @Jackcabnory (Lee Cox) , @Martthetaxi (Martin), @JasTHFC (Jason)

@Erb66 (Alan), @Turbotaxi (Joe), @Cabgeeza (Paul), @Headlongcabbie (Kevin)

@Thegreenbadge (Jamie), @Supercabby (Jamie)

Further Info.

For Taxi Bookings.

http://tweetalondoncab.wordpress.com/new-driver-info/

Press release 15/10 full of holes...By Seamus

I've just got home from work and started reading Notice 15/10 from the PCO but I can't bring myself to read beyond the first page for fear of what further cock ups I may find.
For example "Any operator found to be employing staff that we find touting in the street will have their licence revoked".

That being the case I look forward to the first AddisonLee driver being found touting in the street and subsequent swift action regarding the operator licence being revoked.
Can anyone see that happening? What a joke!!!

What does this sentence mean "It is important that drivers understand that no specific decision was taken by TfL to licence private hire operators from venues........."

(On reflection I think what he trying to say is that we should understand that TfL do not licence private hire operators to conduct their main business from these venues which are classified as additional operating centres/satellite offices - but I could be wrong)

And thirdly "Establishment of these offices at venues are allowed through the general requirements of the original 1998 Act"

WRONG, WRONG, VERY WRONG

Someone ought to tell Mr Mason that it was the original 1998 Act which only allowed the establishment of PHV operator's licences and the registering of operating centres (mini cab offices to you and me.)
Subsequently it was Section 25 of the 2008 Act that facilitated the establishment of satellite private hire offices in late night venues. (NOT the 1998 Act as quoted)

This done away with the requirement under section 4(3)(d) of the 1998 Act so that staff and vehicle records need only be kept at one specified operating centre (A rapist mini cab driver's dream and an absolute disgrace that this was ever allowed to happen as it undermined the very reason why the original legislation was implemented in the first place i.e. safe travel at night by lone females etc etc.

It is abundantly clear that yet again we have another PCO Notice that is not worth the paper it is written on and was obviously prepared in a very big hurry. (Well that's what it looks like to me)

It may be of interest to note that on 17th November 2008 I wrote an open letter to all trade reps, trade newspapers, PCO, The Mayor etc headed "The Current Plight of the Night Time Driver" which concluded

"I therefore call on all cab trade organisations to genuinely unite with the night time drivers and to come together as one body to discuss and agree a plan of action to eradicate these problems (clipboard johnnies and satellite offices) for the benefit of the cab trade as a whole.

If the private hire/touts succeed in their present mushrooming activities then it is only a matter of time before they move to the popular daytime venues and the London cab trade as we currently know it will become a thing of the past".
What did the cab trade organisations and trade press do about my letter? Nothing apart from an appearance in The Badge.

I subsequently wrote a briefing note to all the above again setting out my concerns and this was ignored by all. That was BEFORE implementation by the PCO of Section 25 of the 2008 Act in the summer of last year.

I remind you again of the date I first high lighted my concerns "17th November 2008". Thank God for the LTDF.


Taken from the LTDF Taxi forum

A few words from our roving reporter....Travis B

John Mason,

To quote William Shakespeare
'Methinks you doth protest too much'

A clear sign of the success of the demo.

On Tuesday and at recent outings (UNITE & LCDC Meetings), you said we can do no more except bring 4 extra(Yes folks Four!) enforcement officers to police us, 70000 PHV's and too many to count touts (they must be quaking in their boots at this 'Crackdown').

So:

Tuesday
'We can do no more'.

Wednesday THE DEMO,
You come on the radio and say:
'we can do more', Boris comes on and is very unhappy.

Thursday: Bollocking from Boris?

Friday:
Some small action for the future and yet another round of talks with the same Muppet's who allowed this mess to be created in the first place.
'The Mafia of the Mediocre'.

Statement saying we were going do to do this all along with the help of my bosom friends in the UTG and their new buddy (or is it old buddy?) Steve Wright of Private Hire.

What else could he say?
That the demo worked and admit he has let events dictate his decisions?

Does any employer ever say that a strike led to a pay rise?

In those Immortal Words 'Well, he would say that wouldn't he'


REMEMBER:

Even if a there is never any more Satellite Offices, There is enough now that are crippling us.

The rules are already in place to control them , CBJ and Illegal Ranking.

Alan Fleming ran a fantastic sting with the Met Years back with 100% conviction Rate.

Its all about resourcing enforcement not 'pow wows' on another set of rules for CBJ to laugh at!

Our demand remains a simple one:

ENFORCE THE LAW.
ENFORCE THE LAW.
ENFORCE THE LAW.

See you all Wednesday.


Surprised we did not have a photo on the press release with the 'great and the good' looking at another blank piece of paper with those blank stares.

Posted by Travis B to The Anderson Shelter at 28 May 2010 22:19

Sorry not good enough Mr Mason...by Thomas the Taxi

click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

In plain.....Blah de blah de blah, now carry on as if nothings happened.

This Demo could have been avoided Mr Mason, but then again you know that.

The organisers asked for a meeting and you arrogantly refused.
It seems that TfL are issuing these statements almost as fast as PHO licenses and they are just as meaningless.

Legislation has been created by your office by people who have no idea exactly what they are trying to legislated. Mary Dowdyes dropping of the need for planning permission before a PHV operators license could be issued has decimated our trade.

And you say "its not the money!"

We have made our points crystal clear to you and your predecessor over a ten year period and now you say you need more time to collated evidence.

You said on the news you were disappointed with the trade, but I can assure you Mr Mason its nothing like the disappointment felt by the trade towards you.

While you slip away now to have a nice little bank holiday break, over this week end, London will revert back to its third world status of touts and sexual predators waiting for victims, unabated by the authorities.

We have heard nothing in this release that will stop us from turning up again next week and the week after then perhaps on a more frequent basis.

Its not about the money, do me a favour...TtT

Homeless people 3, Cyclists 13....by Thomas the Taxi

27 may 2010:

An Addison Lee driver who left his passengers screaming in terror after running over a homeless man in the West End was convicted of Manslaughter yesterday.

Imran Raja, 37, was ferrying a married couple and two friends to a bar in November last year when Robert Scott, 58, splashed drink over his car and banged on the windscreen. Raja knocked down Mr Scott and drove over the body, the Old Bailey heard.

Prosecutor David Fisher QC said it was dark and raining as Mr Raja pulled up at a junction in Mayfair, preparing to turn right.

He said that Scott then stepped out into the road in front of the Black Ford Galaxy and began squabbling with Mr Raja.

Queens Council Mr Fisher told the court: "He was very close to the front of the vehicle and for whatever reason he appeared to be cross and agitated."

Fisher went on to say "He squirted or splashed liquid from a bottle on to the windscreen of the vehicle and then struck the front with the bottle.

Fisher continued, 'Instead of turning right, Imran Raja drove forwards and left towards Robert Scott, striking him and knocking him to the ground. He then drove over him crushing him to death.

Mr Fisher concluded by saying "The passengers could hear and feel the bump as the tyres of the Addison Lee mini cab went over Robert Scott.

"The three women were screaming and Chris Watson shouted at the defendant to stop."

The driver, who worked for London's largest cab firm Addison Lee, insisted he was unaware he had hit the victim until he was alerted by his passengers.

Raja, from Ilford, was convicted of manslaughter rather than murder on the basis he did not intend to cause serious harm. He was jailed for three years and nine months.

07 May 2010:

Driver who deliberately knocked down and killed cyclist is Jailed for Murder

A driver who deliberately knocked down and killed a cyclist has been convicted of murder and jailed for life.

A judge at Warwick Crown Court ordered Sean Richard Fitzgerald, who claimed the collision with Paul Webb was an accident, to serve at least 13 years before being considered for parole.

Editorial comment:

Just a few years ago, a London Taxi driver was convicted of murder for chasing after a cyclist and running him over, on the kings road by Parsons Green, not too sure of all the details, but I think he got 13 years for murder.

So according to the law if you drive a mini cab for Addison lee and run down homeless people and drive off with your passengers screaming, this constitutes manslaughter and you get 3 years in prison, of which you are likely to serve roughly half. This will entitle Mr Imran Raja, some time in the future, to sign on the knowledge and become a PCO licensed Taxi driver, because he will have served less than three years in prison.

If you're not a mini cab driver who works for Addison Lee and chase, run down and kill a cyclist, then you are a murderer! You will serve at least 13 years and be barred from every holding a PCO license.

Another example of the level playing field, (not). One rule for them and another rule for us...or is this just a cyclist thing. Is their life worth more than a homeless person?

Driver arrested spends night in hospital with broken wrist....By Thomas the Taxi

London Taxi driver John Melvill was subjected to a humiliating and painful assault at the hands of an over zealous bully boy, who overstepped the bounds of his office as an officer of the peace.




This comment has been posted by Steve 8829 a well know and respected taxi driver who, through family commitments was unable to attend the Demo in person, but felt he had to make this comment on the video.


"I found the over zealous and bullying 'arrest' dished out to our colleague John Melville, despicable and gut wrenching. What on earth was that sergeant, who should have known better, thinking of ? Rolling around on the floor like a big iron, in the most pathetic and unprofessional handcuff technique, that I have ever had the disenchantment to watch.


Fortunately for that sergeant, John was merely a law abiding Licensed London Cabby, attending a demo with his mates. Can you imagine if he had wanted to get serious, what he could have done to that wimp of a bulling copper ? I would like to have seen Sergeant Bully Boy try the same operational tactic with a tooled up mini cab tout. He would have shit himself and got plunged in the process. It is the unprofessional and useless Police service that we have to pay for these days, that really wind me up. I have got close and personal ties with the police, and coppers like this berk should be signed off sick or sacked.


Absolutely no need whatsoever for that pathetic and bullying over reaction, unless John had pulled a blade out on him ! I hope you have a nice period of sickness off work as a result of the Met's finest John, and hope you end up with a few quid out of it too. Meanwhile, I hope the sergeant involved in this disgraceful assault, shows his kids how brave their Dad was at work yesterday".


Thanks Steve. It also worried me that some of the officers who were clearly provoking the peaceful drivers had their numbers covered up and at one time I had to ask one officer what his number was as it was not on display. He just walked away and said nothing. Try this the next time you are stopped in the Bayswater road and asked for your badge and bill!
will they pull you out of the Taxi and handcuff you, is this the way Joe Royal has told his officers to behave now?

Serious Reflection.... By Jim Thomas.

My dear friends and colleagues.

To coin a phrase from the football world, this had been a day of two halves. In the first half I saw a look of faith, hope and belief in the eyes of the drivers who filed past my Taxi on the Aldwych. I saw the same look in the eyes of the knowledge boys and girls as I walked past filming them cheering. I watched their joyous expressions, as more and more drivers joined in to protest. Drivers from the LTDA, LCDC, Unite and the RMT, all proudly wearing their lanyards of yellow, black, red and green.

Famous faces in the crowd

Even a few of the "No To Bike Parking Tax" lobby, who had already had their protest joined the procession around the block.

I stood back and watched the handshakes, the hugs and smiles as drivers from different trade groups met and introduced themselves, then worked together to foil the police attempts to disrupt the drive-in.

And for two hours the whole area around the Aldwych ground to a halt.

Aldwych bought to a standstill.

Just before five, as the police peeled off cabs in different directions a large contingent of taxis made their way to the Palestra in Blackfriars and made their presence felt by surrounded the building that now houses the PCO.

Union street at a standstill.

All day and through most of the night, our demo was discussed on all London's Talk stations including BBC Radio London. In an interview John Mason was forced to say on air that they must do more against the touts. He also said he was disappointed (well not as disappointed as the Licensed Taxi trade is with him)

This protest had been a huge success, apart from the brutal and apparent unnecessary heavy handed arrest of a driver by a Cab enforcement officer

See Storm Cabs Photo's. Click here

Videos by Stormcab...

.

See the disgusting treatment dished out by Cab enforcement officers under the command of Inspector David Brown. I feel every Taxi driver should complain to their MP about this piece of footage. It was completely over the top and shows the bias way in which the Cab enforcement deal with Licensed Taxi drivers.

This officer should be suspended immediately. As a fellow member of the RMT I will be expecting the Chairman and secretary to take up this case of police brutality.

..................................................................................

In my second half, I saw the drivers who just carried on regardless as if nothing was happening. Drivers who are too apathetic to give up a few moments of time to support their colleagues in their fight for survival of the trade they have to work so hard to become part of.

It would be wrong I supposed to expect every driver to show support, but I must admit its not a pleasant feeling to witness this type of attitude.

The closing minutes of my second half has really filled me with dismay.

I arrived home from a couple of hours work tonight to find twenty comments on the Demo posting, left by drivers, who are supposed to be fit and proper persons. The contents of these comments are nothing more than disgusting, unwarranted, vile attacks on the drivers who showed up today. The authors of these comments purport to belong to the LCDC and the LTDA.

My message to these gentlemen (and believe me, you really do not deserve to be called that) is a simple one!

"I have been campaigning against touting for over twenty year. I stood shoulder to shoulder with Jim Wells in the early days of the Cab drivers club. I personally warned the PCO/TfL of the threat of a car bomb outside a London club just weeks before the attack on Tiger Tiger. I have tried to bring to the attention of the trade the dire mess it is in under the threat of satellite office expansion. I am proud to be a member of the RMT, part of the LTDF hit squad and Twitter action Group (TaG) but I have never been so ashamed, as I am of the (Taxi) drivers who tried to leave these comments".

This whole epoch of political propaganda and the discrediting of fellow drivers, I find completely unpalatable.

I will leave this post with a comment from a driver who also has become the target of these anonymous attacks.

Dizzy has left a new comment on your post:

The comments about me on the LCDC blog are nothing more than incitement to racial hatred towards me, and that is very serious indeed. If they had the brains to actually understand what I have written, they are NOT racist comments, but simply state that the balance is uneven where racism is concerned. I am not racist. I judge people by what's on the inside and not what they look like or where they come from.
These posts were made a long time ago and are all of a sudden put together now (all out of context) as a smokescreen to try and disguise the fact that I am doing what they are not, and that is trying to unify the trade and fight for it's survival. They have tried everything to try and portray this demo as an RMT demo, unsuccessfully, because the simple facts are that it wasn't, but was organised by normal Taxi drivers from every organisation, who care about their future, and they are attacking me now because their own members are unhappy that they do not want trade unity are not doing anything about the trade's problems.

Just to brighten up the post a bit of glamour

United Taxi Drivers Demo Huge Success......By Thomas the Taxi

The real coalition!

Large numbers of Licensed Taxi drivers, disregarded advice from their respective trade leaders to boycott the "Demo" and joined together with unaffiliated Taxi drivers to bring central London to a standstill this afternoon.

A united taxi trade made it clear, we are not happy with the way our licensing authority is dealing with our problems and complaints. The laws that apply to private hire are not being enforced and licensed taxi drivers are being persecuted by aggressive compliance officers on a regular basis.

A spokesman from the organisers, The London Taxi drivers forum (LTDF) said "we will carry on complaining and continue to demonstrate until the authorities do what we pay them to do and that is protect our sole right to ply for hire on the streets of the capital".

A big thank you to every driver who stopped work for a couple of hours to join in the demonstration, Plus a special big thanks to all the knowledge boys and girls and members of the "No to bike parking tax" campaigners who also supported the demo, same time next week...

Radio ads banned for depicting foreign minicab drivers as 'underhand'

First, the little group of ex-Taxi drivers from Woodfield road, accused the RMT of being just a bunch of left wing communists.

Just because the General Chairman of a union is of a certain political persuasion, doesn't always follow that the membership will be of the same leaning. After all Peter J Rose (Unite the Union) is a committed Tory and yet the Unite union sponsor mainly labour MPs.

Then they referred to an officer in the RMT as being a gay rights "activist".

Now, believe it or not, their unsigned covert, propaganda blog (you know the one you can't leave a comment on) is accusing the RMT London taxi branch of being English Defence League militants. That's the complete spectrum then...

From far left to far right.

Funny thing is, it was their (LTDA) advert that was taken off the radio for having racist undertones.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/19/radio-ads-minicab-banned

The advert in question received complaints from concerned members of the public who said the add was racist and offensive because it implied that eastern European drivers were "unreliable and underhand characters".

The LTDA said the ad was intended to discourage people from using cabs not licensed by the Public Carriage Office.

Initiatives backed by the Metropolitan police and Transport for London to identify unlicensed cabs in recent years had revealed that "in excess of 95% of unlicensed drivers who were arrested, originated from overseas and many were illegal immigrants", the LTDA added.

Reasons behind our DEMO !!...Video by Stormcab.

I realise there has been some apathy towards the planned demonstration, with drivers saying "its not that bad, I'm still taking my money!".
But most of these comments have come from drivers who do not work at night, within the time frame of the worst examples of the touting seen outside the clubs.
You can of course drive round and take no notice of what is happening because to some people, even Taxi drivers, this has been going on un-dealt with by the authorities for so long, that it almost seems normal to see illegal, predatory touts waiting outside night venues.


In this video, put together by London Taxi driver Stormcab, we are shown just how bad this problem has become.


If you need a reason to believe in the Demo tomorrow (26th May), watch this....

In the recent cut backs made by the new Con-Dem Government, TfL have had 100 million pounds slashed off their budget. I suppose this will mean they will to have to sell extra PHV and satellite office licenses to make up for the short fall and will probably be spending even less on enforcement.

From the heart of a "Butter Boy"...An anonymous comment.

I have had my badge and been a night driver for about a year now, and I am sick and tired of returning home seething mad after witnessing countless incidents of law breaking by CBJs and licensed/unlicensed touts EVERY night that I work. What are the authorities doing about any of it?....sweet F A , that's what! It is so infuriating.

I have lost count the amount of customers that complain of being constantly harassed by CBJs/touts/rickshaws wherever they go in London these days! If we drove around all night blatantly harassing people to get in our TAXIS, we wouldn't keep our badges for long.

The reputation of London itself as one of the top destinations for people around the world to visit is slowly but surely being eroded. You can be guaranteed of that.

Who the hell wants to be harassed by law breaking vermin/parasites on every street and every corner you turn? Nobody, that's who....yet you are gonna get harassed whether you like it or not!

The so called "authorities" should hang their heads in shame. Turning a blind-eye is a loathsome quality.God knows how they all sleep at night.Very easily, no doubt!!!! While they're tucked up cosy in their beds all night, I am out having to work amidst the chaos that they have created.

I should be returning home happy and proud in the knowledge that I have given every one of my customers that night the best TAXI service available. Not just the best in London,but the best on the planet!!! That is a fact that TFL/PCO should be mightily proud of and they should be doing everything in their power to maintain and nurture that reputation......fat chance of that,it seems.

The demos really must keep momentum and be repeated until the message hits home. Those in authority who have control, really do need to start taking control. They would soon be on my case if I put a foot wrong....

To whoever is organising the demos, you have my utmost admiration. Your dedication to the Licensed Taxi Trade is very inspiring and the more I hear and read about it, the more motivated I feel to give it 100% of my support....no doubt about it.


This article was left as an anonymous post. It really does sum up the feeling of the trade.

TfL consultation on changes to the Congestion Charging Scheme

TfL consultation on Variation Orders to remove the Western Extension to the Congestion Charging zone and implement a number of other changes to the remaining Congestion Charging zone.

Transport for London (TfL), on behalf of the Mayor of London, has begun a consultation on changes to the Congestion Charging scheme. This statutory consultation will close on 2 August 2010.

The Mayor’s new Transport Strategy, published on 10 May 2010, includes Proposal 128, which states that subject to public consultation, the Western Extension of the Congestion Charging zone will be removed.

The Transport Strategy also states the Mayor’s intention to keep the Congestion Charging scheme under review to ensure the scheme reflects best practice, and to make changes where appropriate to improve its operation, and to help it deliver the desired outcomes of the Transport Strategy.

Full story click here

................................................

TfL's New Bus Presentation

Just how far should we go with this "Demo"? ALL THE WAY...

John Mason's PCO has on the one hand granted the taxi trade the right to fly this countries national flag, for the duration of the World Cup tournament.

And yet, in the other hand he waves a white flag at the clipboard Johnnies and touts that infest the streets of the capital. He recently told an audience of angry London Cab Drivers Club members there is nothing he can do about the satellite office and touting problems.

.................

John Mason, Since taking over from Ed Thompson, what has he done to protect the Licensed Taxi trade, the "Best Taxi Service in the World", from the onslaught of open touting seen every night on the streets on the capital...NOTHING.

.................

Joe Royal BA (Hons), Chief Superintendent of the MPS Safer Transport Command (STC), said at the LCDC AGM last year, he could not enforce the laws appertaining to touting clipboard johnnies and satellite offices, which he proved by being mugged off, along with John Mason, Bob Oddy, Peter Rose and Martin Low, by the doorman of Nobu's in Berkeley Street.
But what has Joe done about this situation... NOTHING

.................

Bob Oddy encouraged the taxi trade to vote for Ken Livingston, "Ken is our man" said the Taxi paper and for his reward was given a seat on the board of TfL.
But what has he done for the trade since he was given this prestigious position...NOTHING.

.................

Boris made much of the fact that he was the man to save the London Taxi trade, we all voted for him and he scrapped the six monthly inspections. Since then what has Boris done for the trade that got him elected as Mayor...NOTHING.

.................

TfL's answer to the thousands of complaints, Photo's, video's and witness statements is to stop licensed taxis for badge and bills in locations all over London. One TfL taxi stop point is regularly situated just yards from Touts, openly touting illegally in full view of the compliance officers.
What has this done to cut done the instances of touting....NOTHING.

.................

No one in authority is listening to our fears. No one is taking any notice of our complaints.
This being the case, we might as well take our plates off and stop paying these parasites to gold plate their civil service pension.
If we had the mind to do so, we could become the best touts in the world.


TfL are strapped for cash, its no secret. They've had to lay off thousands of staff that have given many years of loyal service. They have sold off most of their central London properties and moved to less expensive offices in North Greenwich.
Funny none of the highly paid managers got made redundant. Just the ordinary, everyday workers got the boot!


Now they are targeting the Taxi and Private Hire industry, to raise cash to plug the huge holes in their budget.


As if that wasn't bad enough!!!


Westminster City Councils transport commissioner Martin Low has erected CCTV cameras all over the borough costing the rate payers a fortune. Has it put an end to the lines of illegally parked touting scabs outside every Club, Pub, Bar and restaurant in the west end?
What has it done to stop touting, sexual assaults and muggings... NOTHING
Have we seen an increase in the issuing of penalty tickets to licensed taxis just going about their lawful business? you bet your bottom dollar...

Next Wednesday is D Day make no bones about it. This is probably the last throw of the dice for us as we head downhill towards the Olympics. This event has already been planned with the absence of the worlds best Taxi Service, replaced by large company PHV's, driven by third world drivers happy to earn the minimum wage.


If you stand up and fight, I can't guarantee you will win.
But if you just lay down and do nothing I can guarantee you will lose.