Cockney Rebel
‘without a causeʼ
Letʼs all have a pop. substantiated I will say this, I AM NOT AND an alarming rate to the RMT and you donʼt like
Blimey Guv… what a funny old two weeks Iʼve NEVER HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE it. Thatʼs not the fault of the RMT it is squarely
had. I think someone must have had a meeting RMT. One misinformed fool on one of those at your door because maybe you are not doing
and decided to have a go at yours truly… well taxi (ahem) Internet sites quoted: “Bernie said. enough perhaps? When this chap was asked
guys, bring it on, you show me yours and Iʼll Proud to be in the RMT.” What they may not be why this letter was put in the cabinet he blamed
show you mine aware of on this site is that this dope actually his Chairman, who in turn told me he knew
quoted the official logo of the RMT… what a nothing about it. Now whoʼs telling whoppers?
Some strange guy thought heʼd have a pop at plonker! Anyway, back to my new found friend
me in that London only paper, you know the one who ends his waffle in that paper by stating:
Whatʼs your business plan for the next
the mouth piece of the “we do everything for “I donʼt know about Cockney Rebel, more like
three years?
the trade, you canʼt afford not to be a member” Cockney Reject.” I like that title and take no
Need a bank loan for a new taxi? Not cheap
outfit and all things “we hate minicabs and fixed offence from it whatsoever, I might even start
given the recession and I wonder if they would
penalty notices”. He wrote: “Bernie writes a using it in my articles in the future and say I
lend you the money. The first question they
column in that small glossy mainly out of town thought of it. We canʼt all be perfect and anyway
usually ask is what is your business plan for
magazine supporting taxi drivers whilst taking at least my wife loves me
the next three years. No taxi driver in London
bookings for minicabs on a website is inviting
grief. Er… not true. Apparently, I have my own Now who else is having a pop?
buying the usual on offer can realistically
website? Not strictly true again as I donʼt ʻownʼ You know I can take any criticism thrown at me,
forecast for the next three months let alone
any website at all. The site me ʻole son you but Iʼm sorry not from some hypocrite down at
three years. What happens if after a year you
have been directed to is not owned by me or ʻthe flyersʼ. This geezer put a dubious extract
cannot afford the repayments? What will this
John Pace who has also had false accusations from a website in the Heathrow canteen with an
new taxi be worth then? Nothing near what they
aimed at him. In fact, your rather large proboscis address supposedly of John Pace of the RMT.
would want to cover the debt, so you may have
friend, as usual, mixed it up in the wrong The website was tampered with probably again
to hand the keys back and still owe the finance
direction, yet again. He goes on to write: “he from the little twit down Walworth Road and the
company money even after they had sold it.
also takes bookings for minicabs.” Complete address was Johnʼs sons address who is not
No one appears to have the confidence in the
and utter nonsense, I take booking for taxis after even a taxi driver, or anything to do with private
current LTI vehicles at the moment in view of
the client has asked for minicabs and have done hire This guy was tackled by some drivers
the past problems with it. However, the relatively
so for quite a long period, from the website you at the canteen, who told him to take it down.
new competitor into the London trade, the
have been given, although slightly altered for Apparently, one threatened him and he ʻlegged
Mercedes Vito is well talked about and seems
some reason by the little retired weasel living itʼ for all he was worth. Itʼs fair to say I have to be quite popular by all accounts, but is still
down Walworth Road. Letʼs not worry about been quite vociferous of London taxi drivers in viewed with suspicion by some who seem to
that for now because I will go into slightly more general of late and maybe a little too vocal in think that it will conflict with private hire, but from
detail later. This geezer seems to think that my strong opinions, but one thing is for sure what I gather from those that own them, they
anyone who has driven a mini cab and bettered and that is the taxi drivers at Heathrow deserve are pleased so far with the product.
themselves, and managed to go through the far more than they are getting at the moment.
knowledge and get his/her badge is some sort Working the flyers is not for some, certainly
But what about this recent case in the High
of low life. So, all those who were minicab not me, but for those who do itʼs a long boring
Courts with Liverpool City Council? Could
drivers should all leave the trade? Thatʼs your day hanging around for the call to go down
this guide The Carriage Office to change the
membership down by a good few thousand now to the terminals. The facilities are better than
conditions of fitness regarding the turning
aint it? Those who want something better arenʼt twenty years ago but nothing says they couldnʼt
circle? If they do, and I am somewhat sceptical
all murderers, or rapists; they are simply taxi improve it for the people who pay huge amounts
they would abolish the stupid turning circle in
drivers who work damn hard to keep afloat. I of money to go through the feeder park… far
favour of vehicles without it. After all, was it
would have thought he would have more things too much money in my opinion. I would have
not someone at the Carriage Office who said
to contemplate in the trade. thought this so-called airport rep would be better
taxis and private hire do the same job? It must,
employed sorting relations with BAA and the
therefore, follow we donʼt actually need the
The reality is that it has nothing to do with me cab trade. He could have stopped the situation
turning circle because private hire donʼt have it
or John Pace but is all about certain people with Addison Loo and Riesel trying to take over
who have a gripe with the RMT union who work at Heathrow long before it reached the
at the moment. This would open the floodgates
are making big dents in all the other taxi trade point it did, if he wasnʼt bothering with bogus
to manufacturers to present taxis that are able
memberships and one or two have it in for John web sites and attempting to blacken my name…
to carry wheelchairs without the turning circle. If
Pace who has also had his name put up for yea like I give a stuff! He could negotiate and
this was to happen then I believe we would see
these lies and backstabbing because he does demand a decrease in the high cost of entering
a radical change in the cab trade that could only
some work for the RMT. Funny how I never the Feeder Park and maybe find out exactly
further improve the service we already give to
saw any other so-called representatives of the where all the money is actually going. Iʼm sure
the public. More than likely the fuel consumption
trade pushed around by doorman at certain the drivers would like to be informed. What
would be far better thus cutting our already
restaurants late in the night where drivers took about the marshals on the terminals, sorted that
inflated overheads. I would like to change my
the initiative and reclaimed the work back into out yet? The guys are saying that you have let
cab but the choice is thus far not viable even
taxis. I did see John Pace though challenging them down at Heathrow and you should make
when they knock off a few thousand quid from
these thugs and he took photos to prove it. For a grovelling apology to them for this bogus
the final price. Could an alternative muddy the
those of you who are bashing away at your website you have bandied around. You are waters between taxis and private hire? Maybe.
computers on those taxi internet sites conjuring doing it for the same reason as the other unions But we will be able to compete on price and
up crap about me and John that cannot be and associations. You are loosing members at service where they only compete on price.
10
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52