So last night I thought I'd finally try a Boris bike. Actually, I had tried to use one before but my membership had not registered properly as the day after I got my new 'fob' the light wouldn't 'go green' and release the bike. I forgot about it with the bad weather before Christams and remained a 'Boris virgin' until now.
It was only supposed to be a short ride. No seriously, I just wanted to get from the LSE in Houghton Street to Waterloo station. I normally walk and it takes about 15 minutes. Last night I thought I would save a bit of time and take a bike. My key fob worked flawlessly this time and the Boris bike was mine. I strapped my bag to the front (note to self: Gucci may not be the ideal biking bag... especially with a bottle of wine in it!), raised the saddle (I'm a lanky lad), and set off.
The ride across the bridge was uneventful and I arrived outside Waterloo station a few minutes later. Terrific. Now where to leave the bike? I soon found the row upon row of Boris bikes outside the station approach. But not a single docking station free. No problem, I thought... ride around and find another. Surely, there must be loads of docking points in the vicinity of a major railway hub? I soon found one south of the station, just off Baylis Road. But they were all full too. So I went to the docking station, inserted my fob and secured my additional 15 minutes of free riding time. Looking at the map nearby showed there was another docking point back up the way I had come in Stamford Street. Off I pedalled.
Of course, I hadn't realised that Stamford Street was closed to traffic eastbound, so a bit of walking and some pavement pedalling (I know, I'm sorry, but by this time I was more than a little frustrated) led me to the next Boris bike park; which was also full! To quote a certain grumpy old man... 'I don't believe it!'
Finally, I find a single spare slot at a bike park down the back of Meymott Street. I park up, leave the dreaded Boris bike behind and walk to Southwark station where I continued by journey by tube.
So my "quick ride" actually took me 40 minutes, 25 minutes longer than had I just walked to Waterloo.
The moral? Walk don't cycle. It's quicker! (At least on a Boris bike)
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