..but you never know! I'll try to keep this short! A few year back I looked into starting a courier collective in sheffield (seven hills - no-one was doing it!) but then I got totalled by a taxi on a roundabout and completely lost my confidence, so I shelved it and followed another career path. Well, as messengering has always been a dream of mine and work isn't going too well I'm looking to cut back to three days a week leaving me three days a week to try to get bike work. My main problem? I don't know london and I am still really nervous of traffic so I was wondering if any kind soul who might happen to have a sunday or monday free would mind cycling around london with me so that I might learn the knowledge and regain my confidence in traffic (I used to be such an agressive cyclist and feel totally robbed!). I live and work in Brighton but reckon I could spend half a week in London and the rest at home. It's totally doable if I can learn the knowledge and reclaim my road confidence. Any takers??
Thanks overdrive. I noticed that thread earlier - it was helpful.
fromemory. I may well take you up on your offer although I fear I won't last long keeping up wise! XC MTB with knobbly tyres! That good old catch 22 - need the gear to make the cash, need the cash to get the gear. Not to mention my stupid fear of traffic that I need to overcome and I'm not even going to mention how my level of fitness has dropped since leaving the hilly city, still.. I'm game!
I'm going to come into london every monday and tuesday and set myself little missions in an attempt to learn the knowledge and stop being scared of taxis!
I reckon we should all do what we can to help you. Feel free to get in touch if you want to spend an hour or two regaining your confidence by trailing me at work on a Monday or Tuesday.
Toxic there is only one way to learn and that's not following overdrive around. Just get a job, start at any company and ride. You will be getting paid to learn. You will pick it up, probably get over your fear in the first morning and if you don't the jobs not for you.
arif.. d'you know what? It never even occured to me to search in brighton for messengering jobs, mainly because I have never seen a messenger in brighton! A quick internet search brought up seven companies that offer a bicycle courier service so I shall try those as my first port of call as I am alot more familiar with brighton than I am london - I just hope I can get my traffic 'mojo' back!
Yeah to get the confidence in traffic just go mountain biking on the downs then ride into town down Lewes Road, really fast cos the downhill + quite heavy traffic, you'll already be buzzin from the MTB ride but if you can ride flat out down there no traffic will give you the fear.
+let us know if you get a job in Brighton, that would be a great place for an alleycat.
Thanks buffalo bill. I called at their office twice today but no-one was in so I left my name and number for them to call me. I'm not holding my breath. A guy in the same building was saying that they are the only bike messengers in brighton and contract out but rather than taking on new contracts and increasing their staff they tend to just deal with what they can at present.
Well, the bikes the business aren't hiring at the moment and from what I gather the other couriers in brighton that used to use bikes don't any more. So it's back to my London plan. I'm gonna spend my grocery money on some slicks on monday and spend my current work days off getitng out and about in london so if you see some nervous looking cyclist on a tatty matt black mongoose with shiny new tyres, throw me a nod, yeah?
Hell noooo! Hehe. If I can get p/t work, doing three days then my plan is to get the train (you can buy cheap tickets online - £3 each way) and stay over two nights, either in a friendly squat or on mates' sofas.
I wouldn't cycle from brighton to london if I've a full day of cycling ahead of me. I'd want to start the working day as fresh as a daisy!
fromemory.. book through nationalexpresseastcoast. You can't get 'em same day but 1-2 days in advance. You have to be specific in the search box and specify london victoria. Book two singles. Total six quid. Winner, eh?
It started as one, but thanks to John Major's "Even Maggie Wasn't Mad Enough" Magic Of Privatisation™ many of the train operating companies are now run by coach companies.