Addison Lee chairman provokes controversy with his views on London cyclist deaths

Cauld Lubter I was referring to their ability to control a vehicle, as in just being dragged from the past and dropped into one for the first time without any clue how to drive it. Perhaps I should have directed it towards the missing link, primordial ooze amoebas rather than our granite browed forbearers I apologise for any offence me bad.

Time for the " Politicians " to institute 10 year licences with a variety of grades as in Oz !
New drivers could even be required to re-licence after 2 years but having moved through the grades to " Gold " licence with some privileges attached , most motorists would be reluctant to find themselves downgraded through behaviour that only they control ?

SMIDSY is an unacceptable excuse , since all drivers with eyesight defects are legally required to use appropriate equipment to continue using their driving licence ! Think back to the truck driver who is now responsible for two deaths in less than two years ! Could it be that in the rush to reduce Departmental costs that the ministry involved with “ Road Safety “ cannot be bothered to be more effective on the roads ? Breath Testing , document checking , vehicle emission control , etc , in Random Road Control Exercises could quickly do “ Eye Test “ checks !

Whilst these random exercises will not punish the driver , since these are only control tests , it would be a case of issuing a notice requiring the driver to take an eye sight test within 7 days and produce same at the Police station or other such venue . Of course Drivers licences state the holder should be wearing “ Glasses “ and “ Blind Freddy with his white stick “ should having stopped a driver be able to see if that driver is wearing “ Glasses or contact lenses ,etc “, of course , no Police Officer can tell if they are currently sufficiently effective !

As for the excuse , the sun was in my eyes , would any driver deliberately drive towards a tree knowing that it will damage their vehicle ? So what is the hurry to drive at speed , into an area that you cannot see , in the hope you will remain unscathed ?

“ Licensed to Kill ” is not printed on the “ Driver’s Permit ” in ANY Country , so why do the authorities assume that the V R U is in part , the major part , responsible for their misfortune ?

" MY comment to the IAM report " lost by the internet shuffle !

Time for the " Politicians " to institute 10 year licences with a variety of grades as in Oz !
New drivers could even be required to re-licence after 2 years but having moved through the grades to " Gold " licence with some privileges attached , most motorists would be reluctant to find themselves downgraded through behaviour that only they control ?

SMIDSY is an unacceptable excuse , since all drivers with eyesight defects are legally required to use appropriate equipment to continue using their driving licence ! Think back to the truck driver who is now responsible for two deaths in less than two years ! Could it be that in the rush to reduce Departmental costs that the ministry involved with “ Road Safety “ cannot be bothered to be more effective on the roads ? Breath Testing , document checking , vehicle emission control , etc , in Random Road Control Exercises could quickly do “ Eye Test “ checks !

Whilst these random exercises will not punish the driver , since these are only control tests , it would be a case of issuing a notice requiring the driver to take an eye sight test within 7 days and produce same at the Police station or other such venue . Of course Drivers licences state the holder should be wearing “ Glasses “ and “ Blind Freddy with his white stick “ should having stopped a driver be able to see if that driver is wearing “ Glasses or contact lenses ,etc “, of course , no Police Officer can tell if they are currently sufficiently effective !

As for the excuse , the sun was in my eyes , would any driver deliberately drive towards a tree knowing that it will damage their vehicle ? So what is the hurry to drive at speed , into an area that you cannot see , in the hope you will remain unscathed ?

“ Licensed to Kill ” is not printed on the “ Driver’s Permit ” in ANY Country , so why do the authorities assume that the V R U is in part , the major part , responsible for their misfortune ?

COMMENT TO THIS ARTICLE ! hope it works ! Didn’t make it into the comments either !

"Didn't realise that the " Cameron Administration " could be bought for a mere £100k ? Sounds like the 1% getting their way once again !

Mr-andrew's POV of 14:17 says it all ! Jack of 15:58 is spot on !

Glad i am living in Europe , this week riding at the Giro Del Trentino , where miserable snowy weather would have been intolerable in London !

Comment on “ Addison lee chairman “ article :
good job I am able to save and post from “ Microsoft Works Word “ !

Appears that “ al cabs “ are about to find they are being driven into the ground by a “ would be if he could be “! Time that cyclists became active in letting Vehicle Owners know what their employees are doing to their reputation on a daily basis !
Been cut up recently by a placarded vehicle ? Then let the owner company know about it ! Most large vehicles have “ free phone nos “ to express your POV on the driver !

This time the driver missed you , but will you be so lucky next time ?

Hurray this time success !!

Can we have Mr Griffin's email address please?

Being cyclist and a driver, and therefore up in arms about the cost of fuel, £10 a gallon wouldn't be the end of the world for me, but it would for this cretin's empire. (No, I'm not condoning higher fuel prices, but every cloud and all that....)

'The rest of us occupying this roadspace....are paying extortionate amounts of taxes on our vehicle purchase, parking, servicing, insurance and road tax.'

Eh? But cyclists don't use up parking space! They DO pay for servicing (??? - what a weird comment) and often insurance as well. They don't need the same insurance as car drivers anyway. And, as mentioned above, there's no such thing as 'road tax': there is 'excise duty' which you pay to use certain damaging vehicles on publicly funded roads. Bikes are not included in this, they don't pollute or use the same roads or features of roads that motor vehicles do. These comments don't make any sense.

I dont expect I shall add any more to the justifiable outrage over this. It has been my experience as a cyclist and a motorist in London that since the Addison Lee cabs took to the roads London has gained a public enemy. I would also note that incitement to break the law is itself breaking the law - why hasnt Mr Griffin been locked up?

This reminds me of cycling in Cornwall over the Easter break, lovely quiet roads, cars giving you plenty space, and the first and last car to screech past and cut in with an inch of space . . . yes you guessed it, an Addison lee stickered taxi!

Disdain for cyclists knows no boundaries for those guys, its a deeply engrained ethos.

Apart from anything else, his views are based on a simple misconception. I pointed out in a recent blogpost - http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/it-may-be-fun-but-is-c... - that Transport for London research attributes blame for around three-quarters of bike-vehicle accidents to the driver, not the cyclist. And that's based on figures from the not-very-bike-friendly Metropolitan Police.

Addison Lee vehicles have struck me since the company's inception as being particularly poorly driven. I am now happy to call for people to boycott them.

Further, the receipt and processing of the fares paid by customers involved in the bus lane infringements is at least arguably an offence of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering regs and the proceeds of Crime Act. Any firm which needs to maintain a clean status in regard to meny laundering, ie any bank, insurance company, law or accounting firm, and many others, should take not of that and indicate to Mr Griffin that if he persists, they will hav eno alternative but to remove their business.

You bugger! I am a Lawyer and I never considered that possibility. Could be right!

Addison Lee vehicles are often very poorly driven. It's interesting that the boss takes such an aggressive attitude to cyclists. It'd be good if Alan Sugar or Paul Smith, both well known as avid cyclists, took him to task. I doubt either would mince their words. I don't like using Addison Lee as the vehicles are badly driven, this makes me even more likely to use other firms.

If I was part of anonymous I would be tempted to suggest they take down their website. Still if everyone in lcc and all those who look at this page were to email customerrelations [at] addisonlee.com, and do so on a weekly basis demanding that he change his tune and issue a public apology, it might cause them a bit of a headache?

The stuff about cyclists, however offensive, is just taxi-driver-done-well bluster. The bus lane thing is altogether nore serious.

TfL has made it clear that they regard deliberatel infringement of bus lanes as a criminal matter and will prosecute it as such. In "instructing" his drivers to use bus lanes he is suborning them to commit a criminal offence. Offering to pay their fines is insufficient remedy, and the instruction is isetlf unlawful and oppressive to his staff.

Further, the receipt and processing of the fares paid by customers involved in the bus lane infringements is at least arguably an offence of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering regs and the proceeds of Crime Act. Any firm which needs to maintain a clean status in regard to meny laundering, ie any bank, insurance company, law or accounting firm, and many others, should take not of that and indicate to Mr Griffin that if he persists, they will hav eno alternative but to remove their business.

My wife works on the busy trading floor of a German bank, which if I'm correct is the cities largest employer.
She also has a 14 year old son and a husband who are regular cyclists.
After John Griffin's recent buslane and cyclist rants, she will not be booking Ad Lee in the future and will be persuading colleagues likewise.
Hopefully word will spread.

Oops, hat should read green tomatoe cars!!

Well written and perceptive, nice piece.

This is one occasion where I'm relishing my ability to decide which cab company my department uses. Ad Lee just lost about £500 per month from us. I'm going to research good (ideally green, well, as green as a car can get) alternatives. I'll post back what I find.

Er I am trained and yes I do pay up ie I am insured!

If London is the same as other cities, the Black Cabs (Hackney carriages) pay a premium to be able to pick up people from anywhere and use the bus lanes. Private Hire vehicles do not pay anything like that amount of money so they are not able to have these privileges. (That's how it works here so I assume it is similar nationwide). So why does Mr Griffin think he should have these privileges over any other road-user?

Makes you wonder what other rules and regs he is flouting!

Don't know about anyone else, but this makes it clear that I will NEVER book and Addison Lee car.

Drivers attitude normally really, really grates me as a cyclist.
But to be honest this blokes comments aren't that offensive to me.
I mean I'd say to any novice cyclist thinking of riding in London - don't do it. Or at the very least get used to riding in traffic somewhere less congested first.
Personally I've ridden 3000 miles over the last 12 months or so, but only recreationally and I simply wouldn't view cycling as a form of commuting into London, I value my life and limbs too much.

Of course this fellas comments are wrong, it is really the cab, bus, lorry and car dirvers in the city that need ADDITIONAL training to cope with the influx of cyclists, but it wouldn't help to have some kind or education in place to help cyclists understand the risks either.

I will be urging all I know to discontinue using Addison Lee.

A couple of people I know are very large corporate customers who spend large amounts with them.

I urge everyone to do the same if your in a position to do so.

Also making this article viral it'll be picked up by the mainstream media.