Tuesday, April 25, 2006

On taking bikes on trains.

  1. It's much easier than you might think. Booking isn't really necessary unless you're heading into or out of a big city.
  2. The bays allegedly designed for two bikes to rest side by side are *tiny* though, and barely wide enough to get the handlebars in.
  3. People trying to get onto the same train you are trying to get off are *rude*. Think, people! If you wait for me to get off before barging on you would have more space than the two inch gap between me, the bike, and the cabin wall. Whatever happened to manners?
  4. Trains take bloody ages to get anywhere.
  5. And they are expensive too.

The car is still brokefied. Apparently the spring has damaged the shock absorber too - they were going to recommend replacing both shocks, until I pointed out this was done just a year ago. I hope that this won't make the pap-pap a moose to drive.

So for one more day at least I have taken the bike to work. It's actually mostly a pleasant experience, much more so than driving. But getting up at six to get to work for eight (and even that's a half hour earlier than my normal work hours) isn't funny, nor is the wearing of shorts when it's cold outside. I'm just glad it's not January.

On the plus side, I get to watch the deer on the way from the train window, read a good book, cycle past ducks swimming in the river and write a blog before I even start work. That's got to be worth something?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the list of good points! I recommend doing that for ever.

Rude people on trains are no match for a strategically placed pedal: their shins will hurt all morning if you get it just right. :)

Kourosism said...

They are indeed very good things, but they come at a price (both literally, and the time factor).

I'm also not keen on buying a season ticket just yet - I don't even know if the salad packing plant will still be here in two months time, and even that's assuming I don't get my arse in gear and find a new job.