I Pay Road Tax - Latest Comments

Re: When will drivers start paying the full costs of motoring?

carltonreid — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:26:02 -0000

Odd that it's a company account and not just a crazed individual.

Why spout guff and be aggressive for no real reason (other than blind hate, I suppose)?

Re: When will drivers start paying the full costs of motoring?

Mark Skrzypczyk — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:22:37 -0000

I was going to try and post a link to a picture of my side of the exchange but I sent them back about twice as many ;-) Still they can be viewed in my timeline here starting from about here: https://twitter.com/bassjunkie...

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

arthur — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:19:02 -0000

How is the Rain & Lycra going Alistair...?

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Peterk — Sat, 05 May 2012 02:24:04 -0000

I know one of their dispatchers is a cyclist too as I gave him a cycle lesson (I'm an instructor)
Well done for this, maybe they can dig themselves out of their hole and make us happy too.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

stuart — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:29:13 -0000

I will be looking out for you then, flying past in Lycra....

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

carltonreid — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:59:45 -0000

Good to hear all that.

I'll definitely come down for the cycle training sessions. David is said to be excellent and even old hands such as me can learn stuff.
On the app front, make sure you get a handlebar mount for your smartphone. And don't use earbuds when riding...

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Alistair — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:48:48 -0000

I'm flattered you think I am young enough to still be an exec, I am actually the PR manager and have got the budget signed off for the cycle training, so it's 100% happening whatever Stuart says. We'll be inviting Carlton to attend and believe it or not John Griffin has said he might join us too.

Not that it really matters but I am a cyclist - I was a weekend rider, but this whole episode and meeting Dave and Carlton has encouraged me to start commuting during the week as well.

Carlton thanks for the tip on the Bikehub app too, very impressive.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

1dangerouself — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:07:03 -0000

"What you do in the dark will be brought to the light..." With eyes on the conduct of this public target, they will have to AT LEAST go through the motions of living up to their spoken words.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

carltonreid — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:11:42 -0000

PR stands for public relations. PR is more than just media relations and Addison Lee's PR exec knows he has to deliver on his promise.
For sure the cycle training could be just a PR stunt, aimed at the media, but there will be lots of eyes watching.
Addison Lee has started the ball rolling. This is a Good Thing. From small acorns big oak trees do grow.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

stuart — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:00:00 -0000

He is the PR exec, what do you expect....Gull E Bull...!!

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Tony Evershed — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:38:43 -0000

Whether or not it's a PR stunt, it's the right thing to do (and provides a stick with which to beat him if Addison Lee reneges), and may make Mr Griffin et al. think twice before making inaccurate or ill-judged remarks in the future.

On the matter of bus lanes, TBH I think the least-worst solution may be to say the only legitimate reason for a taxi or a minicab to be in there is to pick up a fare (for, say, 50 metres or less) or - that would satisfy the "ply for hire" requirement of taxis as well as (to a certain extent) the question AL have raised of equality between businesses, while keeping the lane from being choked by general motor traffic.

No doubt there's a reason why this wouldn't work, of course. ;-)

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Derek Walsh — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:12:25 -0000

Isn't that the desired result? The company is being threatened with a boycott because of their poor relations with a section of the public (cyclists). They have responded by taking steps to improve these relations.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

carltonreid — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:20:29 -0000

I saw one of their cycle couriers yesterday. Didn't look an awful lot like any of the drivers. None of my pieces - on here or on BikeBiz - have focussed on Addison Lee's cycle couriers. I'll dig into that subject later. For now it's the driver's training I'm most interested in.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Bill Chidley — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:14:18 -0000

Should have asked them whether any of their bicycle couriers have had any cycle training, or carry 3rd party insurance.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

carltonreid — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:20:24 -0000

If Alistair isn't a cyclist he's done an awful lot of research over the last few days on the off chance he be asked whether he cycles: he knew cycle-specific terms, he described the state and placement of bike paths in London which I also know, and he knew terms like 'sportive'. He also described recent purchases of bike kit and told me where he bought the kit, it all rang true.

On one of the videos I've linked to recently, there's snippets from which to reconstruct part of the Addison Lee driver training programme. 'Silver' level has a wee bit of cycle awareness. This part will be beefed up.

The cycle training for drivers is the more welcome of the moves and might, indeed, be little more than a PR exercise but that Addison Lee is even talking about it is progress.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

carltonreid — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:12:18 -0000

Perhaps. But there will lots of people watching.

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Stuartjrose — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:21:22 -0000

Mr Laycock , cyclist......? Next they will be telling you that drivers will have to ride a bike around cones as part of training. The driver training consists of watching videos. I know I was the addlee driver trainer...

Re: Addison Lee to train its drivers to be cyclist-aware

Steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:34:43 -0000

What a load of bollocks, just another public relations exercise

Re: The oddly fascinating history of ‘road tax’ and the Road Fund

GrahamS — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:30:13 -0000

As far as I can tell, VED raises around £5.7 billion pa, NOT 50 BILLION.
The DVLA Annual Report and Accounts states "VED receipts in 2010-11 amounted to £5,782 million": http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/ARA...

Meantime the HMRC figures show that Tobacco and Alcohol tax receipts were £17,776 million: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/t..., plus another few billion for the VAT on booze and fags of course.

So alcoholic smokers subsidise everyone to the tune of over £20 BILLION pa!

Non-smokers and tee-totallers should not be allowed on our roads!
If you want to drive then pick up 20 Marlboro and bottle of Johnnie Walker and pay your way. ;)

Re: Oh dear, Addison Lee’s £23m smartphone app appears to be getting a roasting

Jk — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:04:42 -0000

Try out bit.ly/GeoCab

Re: How could Addison Lee repair its relationship with cyclists?

Guest — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:32:19 -0000

For someone that "employs" drivers that have not done the knowledge to suggest cyclists should "train up and join the gang" is a little ironic.

It's no excuse anyway - even if cyclists did want training up, there isn't anything that would ever make him happy.

Re: How could Addison Lee repair its relationship with cyclists?

Simon — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:07:25 -0000

Absolutely. His claim that cyclists 'need training' would suggest he thinks his drivers are of a high standard. Taking positive steps to ensure his drivers obey the law and treat other road users with respect would seem an obvious step.

Get your own house in order Mr G

Re: How could Addison Lee repair its relationship with cyclists?

Andrew — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:24:00 -0000

I'd wondered about their drivers' employment status too in light of Addison Lee's offer to indemnify their drivers. Their drive for us page makes it clear that drivers should consider themselves to operate under contracts for services, but accepting liability for their actions in this manner creates an interesting wrinkle that could count against them should they be investigated re. this.

More generally it would be interesting to know if drivers are, for instance, allowed to use the car they rent from Addison Lee to work for another PHC (though see Ready Mixed Concrete), and indeed whether drivers are obliged to drive their car themselves while on Addison Lee business. Employee handbook, anyone? :) (Though I'm not legally qualified, so please take with as much salt as recommended for a healthy diet.)

Re: How could Addison Lee repair its relationship with cyclists?

Mark Brewster — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:31:46 -0000

The delusional posting of Griffin's interpretation of events would -- and this is ironic in the extreme -- label him as a member of the extremist Tea Party movement in the USA. To take truth and twist it to be a lie is a favorite tool of that hyperbolic group.

Re: Oh dear, Addison Lee’s £23m smartphone app appears to be getting a roasting

John — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:34:07 -0000

Windows Phone 7 link here. For those who owns on, you know what to do:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en...