Bikes, public transport, money
I had to take my bike in for it's 12000 mile service this week (I'm ashamed to say that it actually has 23000 on the clock). The last time I had it serviced was at 7000 miles, so I've gone 16000 without one. Considering I almost never use the thing other than my daily commute, which is 35 miles each way, that means approx 450 journeys in and out of London without a service. I expected the worse. It could have been worse I guess, I managed to get away with only having to replace both tyres, both sets of brakes, my chain, both sprockets, oil filter and air filter, together with all the other bits and pieces that come along with a regular service. I got all that done for a princely sum of £430 which I think, considering the extensive work that needed doing, was reasonable. The mechanic told me that if ever I wanted to knacker a bike as quickly as possible, riding 20 miles on a motorway and then 15 through the streets of London was probably the easiest way of doing it. He also said my back brake was so worn it was like I had ridden 1000 miles with my foot hard down on it. Oh well.
Because of the amount of work needed to restore my pride and joy into a roadworthy vehicle, the garage needed to keep it over the weekend and into Tuesday, meaning that I had to rely on public transport to get into work. It's been months since I took the train so I was actually looking forward to it, and also meant I could have a bit of a lie-in which is something I can never normally do on a school day.
When I got to the station, there was a queue out of the ticket office door because the two self service machines outside (in the rain) were busted. No matter, I queued up dilligently with all the others. Farnborough station is about 30 miles from Waterloo, yet my ticket cost £26.70 for a day return. Ouch. It costs me about £5 in petrol on the bike. As I was queuing, a train arrived and about half the queue made a dash for it, risking the 'minimum £20 penalty should you fail to have a valid ticket for the entire duration of your journey'. This is my first moan. Now it's bad enough that you have to pay such exhorbatant rates for such a short distance, but to be fined for not travelling with a ticket is out of order. Especially when, like Tuesday, the ticket machines were down and there are only 2 cashiers working. And there is always some dickhead in the queue ahead of you who wants to cash in a year's ticket that he hasn't used, but wants the money in pound coins and luncheon vouchers, and 'whilst I'm here, can you give me a price for a ticket to Swindon, no, that's too expensive, how about Malsmbury...' You know what I mean. It seems that South West Trains couldn't care less how difficult they actually make it for one to get a ticket, but why should they care, they can sting all non-ticket carrying passengers. Anyway...
So I missed the first train, never mind, I was sure that the next one would be along within a few minutes. Uhuh, 25 mintes until the next one. I pretty much had the platform to myself, so thought that life wasn't so bad, at least there will be less people on the next train. Well, I had that thought for the next 20 minutes but with 5 minutes until the next train, the population of a mid-sized village suddenly appeared. They all gathered in small clumps about 5 metres apart. I thought maybe they knew each other. The train approached so I stood, alone, between two of these clumps. As the train pulled in and ground to a halt, I realised that the reason people accumulate in little groups is because that's where the doors appear when the train stops. Shit man, how long have these people been commuting to know exactly where to stand? One of the groups misjudged the angle of the doors and had to do some shuffling to the left. I, of course, was stuck between two doors so had to join the back of one of the groups. I always think commuters look a little like sheep the way they are all herded together, but as the doors opened, they all turned into wolves and there was much shoving and pushing. But being British, it was ever so polite. I was last on the train but still found a seat to myself with little bother, and I didn't have to deck someone to get it so felt quite happy with myself. The rest of the journey was rather uneventful although slightly delayed. Tube at the other end was on time, empty and I got to work earlier than I expected albeit slightly flustered and a little overheated after the seering temps on the tube.
Going home was fun though. Tube journey, again, was uneventful and I managed to get from my office, to Oxford Circus Tube, to Waterloo in about 15 minutes which has to be some sort of record. At Waterloo there were people gathered around the little televisions and darting about all over the place like bees in a hive. I forgot to check what times my trains were so I had to jostle for a spot by one of the teles. Delays delays delays. Ah, I remember now why I bought the bike in the first place! I hadn't been waiting long before a train that was delayed for 21 minutes arrived on platform 9 3/4 and I pegged it up the steps to get there. Now another moan, on arriving at the platform, the train wasn't there. Why do they announce a train arriving at a platform before it arrives? It just means that every son of a bitch who wants that train ends up on the platform waiting, shoving, jostling. If they announced the platform once the train is ready to board, then it would be a lot more civilised as it would spread out the mass. Or is that just me being sensible? It's a bit like all the pubs and clubs closing at the same time. I learnt from my morning journey and looked about for a clump that seemed to know their stuff. Lo and behold, when the train arrived, the doors were smack bang in front of me. There were about 5 or 6 people ahead or beside me when the doors opened, but I swear I was about 15th on the train, I must work on my shove technique. Finding a seat was trickier, but I managed to get one by a window. Then some f***knuckle wedges himself in next to me and that was it for the entire journey. I'm glad it's such a short commute or else DVT would really have kicked in. I really value my personal space, but it appears that most commuters don't. I wasn't sure whether this guy was just selfish or if he was coming onto me he was so close.
It wasn't a bad journey I suppose, although the 35 minutes it should have taken ended up being 52 minutes. Add the 21 minutes that the train was late arriving at Waterloo, and I'd say that was pretty darn late in anyone's book. I suppose it wasn't all that bad, but I don't know how people do it every day, it is soul destroying. I did for about 4 years and that's why I bought the bike. I do feel sorry for the people that have to spend all that money for such a poor service, and have no other option. Trust me, the Farnborough to Waterloo service is actually really efficient compared to other ones I've travelled on as well. I'm glad I've got the bike back now and will be happy to sit in traffic for the next 6000 miles before another service takes me back onto the rail tracks.
Moan over.
Because of the amount of work needed to restore my pride and joy into a roadworthy vehicle, the garage needed to keep it over the weekend and into Tuesday, meaning that I had to rely on public transport to get into work. It's been months since I took the train so I was actually looking forward to it, and also meant I could have a bit of a lie-in which is something I can never normally do on a school day.
When I got to the station, there was a queue out of the ticket office door because the two self service machines outside (in the rain) were busted. No matter, I queued up dilligently with all the others. Farnborough station is about 30 miles from Waterloo, yet my ticket cost £26.70 for a day return. Ouch. It costs me about £5 in petrol on the bike. As I was queuing, a train arrived and about half the queue made a dash for it, risking the 'minimum £20 penalty should you fail to have a valid ticket for the entire duration of your journey'. This is my first moan. Now it's bad enough that you have to pay such exhorbatant rates for such a short distance, but to be fined for not travelling with a ticket is out of order. Especially when, like Tuesday, the ticket machines were down and there are only 2 cashiers working. And there is always some dickhead in the queue ahead of you who wants to cash in a year's ticket that he hasn't used, but wants the money in pound coins and luncheon vouchers, and 'whilst I'm here, can you give me a price for a ticket to Swindon, no, that's too expensive, how about Malsmbury...' You know what I mean. It seems that South West Trains couldn't care less how difficult they actually make it for one to get a ticket, but why should they care, they can sting all non-ticket carrying passengers. Anyway...
So I missed the first train, never mind, I was sure that the next one would be along within a few minutes. Uhuh, 25 mintes until the next one. I pretty much had the platform to myself, so thought that life wasn't so bad, at least there will be less people on the next train. Well, I had that thought for the next 20 minutes but with 5 minutes until the next train, the population of a mid-sized village suddenly appeared. They all gathered in small clumps about 5 metres apart. I thought maybe they knew each other. The train approached so I stood, alone, between two of these clumps. As the train pulled in and ground to a halt, I realised that the reason people accumulate in little groups is because that's where the doors appear when the train stops. Shit man, how long have these people been commuting to know exactly where to stand? One of the groups misjudged the angle of the doors and had to do some shuffling to the left. I, of course, was stuck between two doors so had to join the back of one of the groups. I always think commuters look a little like sheep the way they are all herded together, but as the doors opened, they all turned into wolves and there was much shoving and pushing. But being British, it was ever so polite. I was last on the train but still found a seat to myself with little bother, and I didn't have to deck someone to get it so felt quite happy with myself. The rest of the journey was rather uneventful although slightly delayed. Tube at the other end was on time, empty and I got to work earlier than I expected albeit slightly flustered and a little overheated after the seering temps on the tube.
Going home was fun though. Tube journey, again, was uneventful and I managed to get from my office, to Oxford Circus Tube, to Waterloo in about 15 minutes which has to be some sort of record. At Waterloo there were people gathered around the little televisions and darting about all over the place like bees in a hive. I forgot to check what times my trains were so I had to jostle for a spot by one of the teles. Delays delays delays. Ah, I remember now why I bought the bike in the first place! I hadn't been waiting long before a train that was delayed for 21 minutes arrived on platform 9 3/4 and I pegged it up the steps to get there. Now another moan, on arriving at the platform, the train wasn't there. Why do they announce a train arriving at a platform before it arrives? It just means that every son of a bitch who wants that train ends up on the platform waiting, shoving, jostling. If they announced the platform once the train is ready to board, then it would be a lot more civilised as it would spread out the mass. Or is that just me being sensible? It's a bit like all the pubs and clubs closing at the same time. I learnt from my morning journey and looked about for a clump that seemed to know their stuff. Lo and behold, when the train arrived, the doors were smack bang in front of me. There were about 5 or 6 people ahead or beside me when the doors opened, but I swear I was about 15th on the train, I must work on my shove technique. Finding a seat was trickier, but I managed to get one by a window. Then some f***knuckle wedges himself in next to me and that was it for the entire journey. I'm glad it's such a short commute or else DVT would really have kicked in. I really value my personal space, but it appears that most commuters don't. I wasn't sure whether this guy was just selfish or if he was coming onto me he was so close.
It wasn't a bad journey I suppose, although the 35 minutes it should have taken ended up being 52 minutes. Add the 21 minutes that the train was late arriving at Waterloo, and I'd say that was pretty darn late in anyone's book. I suppose it wasn't all that bad, but I don't know how people do it every day, it is soul destroying. I did for about 4 years and that's why I bought the bike. I do feel sorry for the people that have to spend all that money for such a poor service, and have no other option. Trust me, the Farnborough to Waterloo service is actually really efficient compared to other ones I've travelled on as well. I'm glad I've got the bike back now and will be happy to sit in traffic for the next 6000 miles before another service takes me back onto the rail tracks.
Moan over.
posted by SkyBlueSnowy @ 8:13 am
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