London Taxi Knowledge

My Age in Hair....

2013-06-01T23:21:00.002+01:00

I am 42. Or i think I am. My birth certificate says I was born in 1971 so I must be. Is my real age 42? Is my age mental or physical? And how do I know. My dog is 3 so in human years he's 33, so does that principle work the same way for people? Because in my mind I am still 21 does that mean I am actually half my physical age? So when I'm 60 I will only be 30???? And more importantly does this matter???? I didn't think it did, but my 9 year old daughter just told me whilst playing the wii just dance game that "wake me up before you go go" was a really old song. No it isn't!!! it is a song from when I was young and that wasn't that long ago was it??? What makes me old??? Is it the tired cynical outlook I seem to have adopted as life goes on, is it the fact I now get stressed and tired when previously I would have taken on the world and won? Or is it the fact that my ears and nose are now sprouting hair quicker than my head does? This I am convinced is the real true test of getting old, the more hair that grows out of my ears the older I am in real terms.So now when I look back on holidays from my youth, the drunken all nighters in the arms of some anonymous woman, the feeling that I could do anything and go anywhere, I won't feel sadness that I don't feel that way now and can't do those things I will feel sadness that those were the days my ears and nose were hairless.
Stay safe and be lucky.....

Back to the Future

2013-06-01T03:11:00.000+01:00

Well after a few weeks of dithering and deciding, I finally made the move back to dispatching on nights so I can concentrate on cracking on with the knowledge.
Lots of people have asked me why I have done this, and stepped down from a great position with the firm I work for, and why have I taken a pay cut?????
The reasons for this are very simple really. Why I first started working for GetTaxi, the whole reason was to pay the bills while I concentrated on the knowledge. I started working nights so had time to call over, do map work,plus was able to go out in the morning and crack on with the runs. Those of you that read this regularly will know that I smashed the first three books and was making great progress. Then the Olympics happened and my situation at work changed, for some really strange reason they promoted me, not once but twice!!! and although I loved doing the job ( and again for some strange reason they thought I was good at it) and the money was good, it took all my time and left me no time to get out on Aunt Sally and move the knowledge forward. This wasn't in the plans I had made for my future and I was beginning to get to the point where I had to make a decision, either concentrate on building a corporate future (and to be honest the thought of having a boss and spending my life in an office filled me with dread) or commit myself to doing the KOL. The main reason for me starting the KOL was that I didn't want my income and my future dependent on someone else and I was beginning to be back at that place, so I decided that the time had come to step away from being Mr. Corporate and get back to being a proper committed knowledge boy and eventually get to the point where my income is down to me. Obviously that took a bit of time to put into place and couldn't happen all at once, there was no way that I was going to leave the GetTaxi team in a fix with my decisions, so once replacements had been organised, I was able to go back to where I started.
Now I am happier than I have been in a long time, I am able to spend the time the knowledge needs, and I am already getting back into it as I was previously.
So now I have given a quick history lesson what am I up to now? Well now my days are filled with trips out to different postcodes, trying to pick up different points in each, so that I have a strong foundation ready for the dreaded map test. I know everyone has a different way of doing it, but although my method seems a bit weird and long winded it seems to suit my brain, and as I have been told a million times there is no right or wrong way of doing it, I just have to find my own. Calling over is now becoming a habit again, I try to call a book a day, plus doing the points I have found, and having the time to drive around getting to grips with different areas is definitely proving worthwhile. Having spent all last Tuesday driving round NW1 in the pouring rain, at least I have a better idea of Camden and the fun that is all the one ways.
Anyway it's time for me to dive back into book 4 and finish the last 40 runs, so thanks for reading and hopefully now I have more time to call my own I will be able to keep this blog updated more regularly.
Keep safe out there and be lucky....

The joys of pointing....

2013-04-23T13:53:00.000+01:00

Well now that I have finished all the runs, I'm off out pointing. For those that don't know pointing is learning all the points of interest on the roads that I've learnt ( in fact on all roads lol). This brings about many different thoughts and worries. The first is now I understand just how big a task the knowledge actually is and just how daunting it all is. Let me explain, I never thought that it was ever going to be easy, but the other day I decided that I would do some pointing in NW5 because it's near where I work and in my head I was thinking that there isn't that many points in that area. How wrong was I!!!!! I picked up about 50 in about an hour and a half!!!!!.Then when I got in I had to listen to what I had recorded on my dictaphone, write them all up onto flashcards with the entry and exit routes on them, now all I have to do is learn them all. I guess that these are just more of an ever increasing jigsaw of London that I have to learn. I was speaking to a few guys that are out and they have all told me to only do bite size amounts of points otherwise my brain won't cope ( in truth I think maybe learning three or four would fill my tiny brain up lol), so now I am going to visit each postcode once to start with and collect maybe 20/30 points each time, learn them and once I have visited each postcode once go back and learn more. To me this seems to be the way I will learn best. This brings me to the other fear I have, what if I am doing it wrong???? I know everyone has their own way of doing the KOL and each school has it's own way ( all of them seem to think that their way is the only and best way to do it by the way), but I have a fear of spending all this time out on Aunt Sally and it being a waste. I guess time will tell and if I am learning points and roads then I must be doing it right.
I must admit that doing the points is so much more interesting that doing the runs, I get to explore and see things that "normal" people will never get to notice, so that makes it more enjoyable.
I have managed to get into a routine now that I have cut back on work, getting up a bit earlier in the morning to call the blue books and also dong an hour of calling over when I get in of an evening. I only call 20 runs each time, again it's the bite size principle and considering I will be calling these runs for the next two or three years then smaller and sticking in my brain is definitely the way to go.
There isn't much humour in this post but the cruel part of me saw something that had me in fits of giggles last Thursday, someone coming out of their very posh house somehow managed to fall down the steps at the front and was lying there spread eagle with the briefcase open and papers flying everywhere. Possibly not funny but made me chuckle never the less.
Anyway feel free to comment on this and any advice is always welcome.
Till next time.......

Finally finished the Blue books....

2013-03-08T14:41:00.000+00:00

So after nearly 14 months when I set out on Aunt Sally for the first time to do Manor House Station to Gibson Square I have finally completed all the runs finishing up at Charing Cross Station. The last book which was the same size as the other three (80 runs) has pretty much taken me 6 months for various reasons, which I will talk about later. According to the information I have got 70% of people who start the knowledge quit, of these 60% quit before they have finished the blue books, which if my maths is any good means that 41 people quit before finishing the runs. To have completed this much of the knowledge gives me a feeling of immense pride, particulaly as those of you who have read previous posting know I tried once before and gave up. I am very very aware that I am still just past the start of it now and I still have a long long way to go, however pointing ( for those readers who know nothing about the knowledge pointing is when I go out and find points, which are places of public interest ( just think how many of them there are), and find out where they are and the best ways to get to them) does interest me more than the runs because to all intent and purpose it's just exploring.

So why did book four take me so long? Well there are various reasons for this, I had to take a break while the roads were closed for the Olympics, as there were places I couldn't go so it would have been a waste of time, BUT as anyone who is doing the knowledge knows once you take a break it gets very difficult to get back in the saddle, and it is very easy to forget everything that you have learnt.
Then I went away, although I did do a bit of calling over and I bought myself a postcode jigsaw to do while I was away, this is a jigsaw that has your own chosen postcode in the center and extends to about 2 miles either side of this point. Although it took me about four hours to do (without having a map as reference) it was a really good, but different way of doing some "knowledge stuff".
The last and probably main reason though is that I got caught up with work and I let it take over. As regular readers will know I work for GetTaxi and during the Autumn I was promoted to fleet and customer service manager ( with a little payrise!), which meant I was responsible for everything to do with drivers and everything to do with customers. With all the reorganisation I had to do this took all my time, and I can see how easy it is to put the knowledge on the backburner. However now that both of these departments are running really well, I can stand down, take a step backwards at work, and get my head back into the knowledge. As great as working in my current role has been, my aim is to become part of the best taxi service in the world, and I need to crack on and get my badge. Those of you that are reading this and work with GetTaxi, I will still be invoved with the drivers, but in a lesser role.
I guess the reason I haven't mentioned as to why book four took me so long was the fact that naturally I am a lazy sod! Can't really moan about this one, all I have to do from now on is get myself back to being organised and pull my finger out!!!!

So what have I learnt about myself and the knowledge while doing the runs? The main thing is that with the knowledge there is only one way of doing it - you either do it properly and let it take over your life or you don't bother. Someone said to me that while I was working I should do the knowledge as a hobby, well I can tell anyone who is thinking of doing it that way that it doesn't work. If I dont' call over regulaly ( which I haven't been but am now) then I forget, and if I forget then what was the point in driving the run in the first place???? It is so easy to be side-tracked, to make the knowledge less of a priority than it should be and I can only speak for myself, but I want to be a London taxi driver and to become that I need to concentrate on doing this properly.
Also that there is no right way or wrong way of doing the knowledge, each school seems to have it's own way ( and no I haven't joined one yet), but they all seem to think that their way is the only way, to me the best way of doing the knowledge is the way that I feel comfortable and learn the most, even if it's a wacky as some of the ideas I have had.
I am still in love with the knowledge and every time I ride around London I find something new and fall in love with the city even more. Although I have let my knowledge slide, I am still in the game and am now pushing on to hopefully doing my map test in the summer.
There has never been a truer word spoken than the phrase - You can't fail the knowledge, you can only quit, and I won't do that.
I will try not to leave it so long till I write again but in the meantime take care out there, be safe and be lucky.

Sorry but you really are a cock.....

2012-07-22T11:30:00.000+01:00

To celebrate me finally finishing book 3 I thought I would do something completely different to my usual blog entries and have a bit of a moan lol This is (and in no order) things that I have seen over the last six months where the thought in my head is "sorry but you really are a cock..."
TFL/JOHN MASON/BORIS THE MAYOR/SEB COE
With the olympics just around the corner this one really is too easy a target. So that a few people can run and jump about the whole of our beautiful city has been turned into a no-go police state. The ZIL lanes have been introduced for the benefit of the few rich visiting leeches and the misery that has been caused to the majority of hard-working decent Londoners is unforgivable. TFL have had seven YES SEVEN years to make sure that the transport infrastructure can cope, that everybodys needs are met but with 5 days to go hundreds of BLACK TAXI drivers still haven't received their booklets with a listing of which roads are closed,which turns can be made and where the ZIL lanes are etc. This is a disgrace and everybody involved should hang their head in shame ( and do the honourable thing and resign, or the more honourable thing and jump off a bridge). People's human rights are being abused just so a few people/companies can make a vast amount of money, business's ruined just for the ego's of the few. How can a modern city with the best TAXI service in the world not be allowed to pick up disabled people from the kerb?????? Cities like New York and Paris would kill to have the TAXI service London has and yet TFL and Boris seem to want to kill it so to TFL/JOHN MASON/BORIS/SEB sorry but you really are a cock.
JOHN GRIFFIN
No explanation needed, sorry but you really are a cock.
MIDDLE AGED MEN ON BIKES WHO WEAR ALL THE GEAR.
I have nothing against people who cycle, it's a free mode of transport and it is healthy, in fact I have been known to jump on a bike (no rude comments about the women in Romford please) but why oh why do these people feel the need to dress as though they are competing in the Tour De France. You're not you're cycling along Balls Pond Road on your way to work in an office processing insurance claims all day GET OVER IT!!!! You don't have to look like that just to ride a bike to work. It's the same with middle aged men wearing replica football kits - you're never going to get a game and the beer gut you have shows up more on shirts made for athlete's!!!! So to these people I say, sorry but you really are a cock.
COFFEE SHOP SHOW-OFFS
We've all seem these people in Costa or Starbucks, we want a coffee, with milk and maybe a bit of foam on the top so we can be a bit exotic. They come in an order a choca,mocha,skinny latte with cinnamon on top.Why???? Without wanting to sound horrible it's a fucking coffee, it's not a work of art you're just making yourself look stupid. Please walk in and ask for a coffee to go with milk otherwise sorry but you really are a cock.
FAT PEOPLE WHO DRESS LIKE THEY'RE NOT
I'm not fat, I have developed a little pot belly over the last few months, but I don't anyone could ever accuse me of being fat, but even so there are certain tops that I don't wear anymore because they make me look fat, so why oh why do fat people wear clothes that really they shouldn't??? Who told fat women that skin-tight virtually see-through leggings were a good idea???? THEY'RE NOT!!!! I don't want to see what they show, fat men please pull your trousers/jeans up I do not want to see the great abyss of your arse crack when you're walking in front of me. There are some very attractive larger people who dress appropriately for their size but the rest of you, sorry but you really are a cock.
TFL/MET POLICE
Back to the TAXI theme for one, this is for all the officials of TFL and the officers of the MET POLICE that stand around while hundreds of illegal minicabs ply for hire and put the people of London at risk. The law is the law and they are breaking it so get of your lazy arses and start to prosecute these people before even more misery is caused, until you start to do the jobs that you are paid for,sorry but you are a cock.
BOBFOC'S
This stands for body off baywatch, face off crimewatch, and to these people I say please accept your limitations, don't wear really low tops in the hope that we will look at your chest and not your face, we do that anyway we're men. We know you look like a bulldog chewing a wasp, and we know that you have a nice rack, but we will still see your face and we will still walk away. To think that we can ignore your Shek like features is a mistake and if you think that well sorry but you are a cock.
JOHN GRIFFIN
Again no explanation needed but sorry you are a cock.
CELEBS
I have to be a bit careful with this one because there are some people that are genuinely a celeb, but this is for all the wannabe's from show's like TOWIE (twats and wankers in essex), X FACTOR, BGT and the like. You have done nothing, said nothing achieved nothing (apart from earning a shed load of cash obviously) and really you need to stop acting like you're amazing. You're not sorry but you really are a cock.
PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALLERS
Again I want to be a little careful here because I'm sure not all footballers are the stereo typical idiots that we see in the papers etc, but there is a long list of things that make these people cocks. To start with stop falling over when someone goes within a foot of you, and diving around like you have been shot, or holding your head when you got elbowed in the ribs, it makes you look like a bunch of jessie's. Stop buying stupid cars and flashing your money around, as a nation we possess maybe one or two player that could be classed as world class the rest are average, so stop rubbing our noses in it that you get paid an obscene amount of money for having less talent that the spanish players have in their left testicle.And finally stop cheating on your women, most of them are hot anyway and shagging some skanky hairdresser in an alley behind a club isn't big and it isn't clever so sorry but you really are a cock.
THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
Last one for now (i'm sure that this type of blog could go on for ever and ever) but to all the dirty unwashed scumbags that decided it would be a good idea to turn parts of London into a pikey camp sorry but you really are a cock. You had no real idea what you were protesting about, you just decided that you would break the law and take the piss, I hope you all got trenchfoot and and now suffering really serious illness due to you living in a camp and shitting in a bag.
Well there we go my little rant over, now I can get back to finishing book 4 (once all the roads are open) and get down to pointing which I'm really looking forward to. I hope you enjoyed reading this feel free to leave a comment, but please note that some of it is very much tongue in cheek, so I hope I haven't offended anybody. To Naomi, I hope this puts a smile on your face while you're recovering and to JOHN GRIFFIN one last time... SORRY BUT YOU REALLY ARE A COCK!!!!!!!!!!

Halfway through the 320 runs and a reflection

2012-06-05T02:20:00.000+01:00

Well it's been a while since I last posted anything on here, but contrary to popular belief it's not because I am lazy sod but I have been cracking on and now I have finally finished book two of the runs. For those of you that don't know there are 320 runs in the blue book and they are split into four books of 80 runs each so now I have done two books I am halfway through the runs.This for me is a bit of a milestone, the last time I attempted the knowledge I only got as far as the first 80 runs before my bike was stolen, I got a different job and gave up so to be halfway through is very pleasing.
So what have I learnt ( apart from 160 runs of course lol)?
The biggest thing for me being a London Virgin (see previous post) is now I am finally not getting lost either going to runs or getting home from them, I'm even being brave enough to cross over the river if I think that is a better line home ( of course I know that when I finally get my badge and get out there I will never go south of the river especially not late at night lol). I ride along roads and can name certain roads as I go past them which does give me a sense of knowing what the hell I'm doing, however false an impression that may be!
I am still loving doing it, no the novelty hasn't rubbed off yet, I love discovering different parts of this great city of ours, my favourite is parking at Royal Circus and just enjoying the view, for anyone who hasn't taken the time to do that it's sensational. Of course there are parts of London that if it were a child only it's mother could love but you have to take the rough with the smooth I guess.I have been told that everyone doing the knowledge hits a wall between six months and a year and wants to quit ( for the first time) but I still feel as enthusiastic today as I did when I set off on that cold winters evening to go to Manor House Station ( god that seems like a long time ago).
I've got into a proper routine doing it, writing up runs, drawing runs on my map, calling over and then actually doing them on Aunt Sally. For those of you wondering how she is getting on, she's now done 4500 miles had two services, one puncture and several near misses but she is doing me proud. I do find that when I'm on my own rather than just sitting there trying to call the runs parrot fashion it works better for me drawing them on a laminated map as I call them it helps to visualise them, although as I do more runs I find that I am deviating from the runs in the book because I have found a better way to go, and that can be quite confusing.
While I'm writing about my routine I have to mention GetTaxi.co.uk where I do the night shift working in dispatch, the job is going really well, it pays the bills plus I am sitting in front of a map looking at the system so I am learning all the time and when we're quiet ( which is quite often because the system generally books the work and allocates it) I am able to do my knowledge work, I know that for us knowledge boys and girls combining work and doing the knowledge is one of the biggest challenges, well GetTaxi have solved my problems on that side of things ( if any of you knowledge boys or girls reading this are looking for work then let me know we are always looking for good people).
When I first started everyone told me that the knowledge takes over your life, and me in my wisdom thought that they were wrong, I'd be able to carry on playing darts a few times a week and having a life, but guess what I WAS WRONG!!!!! the knowledge is now my life, when I'm not on Aunt Sally I'm, writing up runs, penning runs, or listening to the runs on CD ( I listen to them as I'm sleeping apparently sublimely I will take them in but I have no evidence of this in truth lol) even to the point that during the jubilee coverage I was trying to name the roads as they were sown on the telly,so the darts have gone by the wayside, as has pretty much any kind of life, but I know that it will be worth the sacrifice in the end.
I am amazed at the number of drivers who are helpful, whether it's a driver at work giving advice,suggesting different ways to try things or just being encouraging, or the drivers that I talk to at petrol stations, who when they see the knowledge board always ask how it's going and tell me to keep going and never give up. I would particularly like to thank Micky and John B who have both given me great advice and encouragement.(sounds like a poncy Oscar acceptance speech!)
One last thing before I go, it's the Diamond Jubilee and what a fantastic time in London to see all the flags and street decorations, just shows that this really is the greatest city in the world.
Anyway that is me done for now, half way through and loving it!!!!!!!

The Knowledge Alphabet....

2012-05-01T01:58:00.001+01:00

I thought I would write about something a bit different and slightly light hearted as I am getting very stressed about my progress so far, I'm half way through book two and seem to have hit a brick wall with my calling over, I just can't remember the runs, so I'm having a week off to re-charge my batteries and I thought this would be fun.....
A- Appearances. The meeting with the examiners when we find out just how much we know or don't as the case may be, the joy of sitting in front of someone feeling very stupid and hoping all out hard work shows through.
B- Blue Book. Our bible, all 320 runs in a nice little book this is what our lives now revolve around!!!!.
C-Calling Over. The bane of our lives, we love being out there doing the runs visiting the points but then we have to call over either the BB or P2P hate it really hate it lol
D- Dedication. As Roy Castle used to sing, if you haven't got it give up now it's gonna take years to do, gonna take over your whole life nothing else will matter - if you're not dedicated then may as well not start.
E- Ex. Ex wives/girlfriends, unfortunately many of us KOL peeps can end up losing our partners as they can't put up with what we have to go through - I hope it doesn't happen to you!!!!!!
F- Fifty-six. The start of it the appearances, once the map test is out of the way the real fun begins!!!!!
G- Green Badge. Why we're doing this, the Holy Grail lol
H- Helmet. A KOL boys best friend for the times that you come off the bike due to Addison lee cutting you up!!!!
I- Impossible/Inspiration. How the KOL feels and what you need to get through it.
J - Job. Something most of us have to do to pay the bills while doing the KOL, a few lucky sods give up work but for the rest of us we have to fit in the KOL around it.
K- Knowledge Schools. Somewhere to go to meet other KOL peeps and get help and advice, or somewhere to go to find out you know a damn sight less than you thought you did!!!!
L- Lost. We all do it, don't deny it one of the pleasures of doing the KOL.
M- Maps. Second only to our Blue Book we love our maps we study them, write on them and when I've finished the KOL I never want to see another map again in my life.
N- New Friends. One of the joys of the KOL is meeting new people who are doing it, they are the people we can talk to about it and they understand what we're going through, and even when they pass out we're pleased for them even though we are soooooo jealous.
O- Over and Over and Over. What we do when we call runs, visit points EVERYTHING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER and eventually it sinks in ( we hope)
P- Points. What we have to learn, all of them, every single bloody last one (for those of you that don't know a point is a place of public interest, on any road within a 6 mile radius of Charing Cross. Could be a hospital, church, shop, club police station or government building or anything else, and yes there are lots and lots and lots of them!!!)
Q- Quit. Out of every 10 people that start the KOL only 3/4 will get the Green Badge the rest quit. You can't fail the KOL only quit it.
R- Red-lined. What happens on appearances when you don't get enough points, means you could go from 28's back to 56's happens to the very best of us.
S-Scooter. The KOL peeps best friend, what we use to take us around London in all sorts of weather and hopefully it doesn't break down, I spend more time on my scooter than I do my missus!
T-TFL. The organisation responsible for putting us through this. Used to be the Carriage Office now TFL.
U- Understanding. What our Friends and family need to be while we have 3 years worth of mental breakdowns because we can't remember whether it's a right turn or a left turn.
V- Victories. We have little ones everyday, we find a point we couldn't or we finally work out how two roads link up, everyone of these is personal and no one else will understand just how great it feels when you get one.
W- Weather. Out on the scooter in the freezing cold or the pouring rain or when it's boiling hot - we take on the weather and win because we are on the KOL.
X-XXXX. Pick any swear word you like, and you'll say it a million times when you miss a turn, miss a point, come off your scooter or call over a run wrong, in fact if you dont' swear then you're not doing the KOL right.
Y- Why?. I ask myself this question everyday and it is a great motivator, we all have our reasons for doing the KOL, and we also ask ourselves why we put ourselves through it, but it's worth it at the end.
Z- ZZzzzzz. Sleep, What we all seem to miss out on doing the KOL, and when we do finally go to sleep we're thinking of the best lines to call or where a certain place is. How I wish for the days when I would fall asleep and just dream of me and the spice girls and a very large bottle of vodka.

I hope you enjoyed my light-hearted look at the alphabet, until next time stay safe and be lucky.....

I'm not the only London virgin.......

2012-04-20T01:54:00.001+01:00

For those of you who follow me on Twitter (@knowledgeboy10) you will have seen the conversations this week about being a London virgin.
I didn't even know I was one, and didn't know I wasn't the only one!!!!
So what is a London virgin??? It appears that in the wonderful world of the KOL it is someone who has absolutely no idea of London before they start out, someone who has never driven around London, who doesn't know one area from another or someone who's only bit of knowledge of the layout of our great city was the walk from the train station to their office.
How did I get found out? well during the conversation I had admitted that I only found out last week while doing my runs that The Strand went all the way to Trafalgar Square. Now those of you who already have the green badge or have been doing the KOL a while will probably scoff and laugh at my apparent ignorance, even those of you who have been in town a few times probably knew that but me - not a clue!!!!.
Once a few people had expressed their total disbelief at my admission, a few other people came out and admitted that before they started the KOL they were in the same boat as me, which made me feel a whole heap better.
This then led to a discussion about whether it was an advantage or disadvantage, learning something from scratch or already having an idea, and the general consensus was that a blank page is always better than one that already has scribbles on it.
So there we are I have gone from thinking that Willesden was near Hackney to today being able to call from my front door to GetTaxi's new offices in Highgate Road - so I am getting there slowly.!!!!!
Does this mean though that I have gone from being a virgin to being F@@ked?????
Keep safe and be lucky.

Are we standing by while the trade is destoyed???

2012-03-29T14:20:00.000+01:00

While I am out doing my runs and having lots of contact with different taxi drivers, I do try and keep up to date with the issues that concern my future career. I try to read various blogs to do with the Taxi trade and keep an eye on any postings on youtube or elsewhere on the web and what I read dismays and worries me.
The Taxi drivers I have spoken to have all been polite, helpful,honest and all have a good sense of humour, and yet reading the latest news it seems that as a trade we are hell bent on destroying ourselves. I'm not going to say which of the various Taxi organisations are right and which are wrong, but maybe give a different view on the latest issues.
The biggest concern seems to be the complete lack of policing of the private hire companies, they seem to be able to tout where-ever they wish with no fear of punishment, they now have ranks in various London boroughs (although as private hire have to be pre-booked I cannot see how a rank could be lawful?), the Olympics have shown which trade now have the power with all the ranks having gone in Newham and as the Olympic map shows there will be plenty of consideration for private hire over the "proper Taxi's".
How did it ever come to this? The London Black Taxi has been an icon for many many years, regardless of what some in the media think it is still respected, when I tell people that I am doing the Knowledge they are full of admiration for what I am undertaking, they know how difficult it is. So how come that private hire now has this advantage over us?
It is now called private hire but lets be honest it is and always will be mini-cabs, generally old dirty cars, driven by people that don't know where they are going and the drivers don't have to have the same criminal checks that proper Taxi drivers do, so the possibility of being robbed and raped is higher, especially if the driver has just picked the person up from the street so there is no trace of who did the job.
Who is responsible for this? Is it the Black Cab trade organisations, that all seem to have their own agendas, one of which I have been told (so I don't know if it is true) has a seat on the board of TFL yet also is a share-holder in a private hire firm, now I am not going to comment on this apart from to say that a man cannot wear two hats, if this is true then the person concerned needs to either be fighting for the Black Cab trade or fighting for the mini-cabs, there should be transparency with this surely? I never understood why control of the Black Cabs was ever taken away from the Police and handed to TFL from all I have read this seems to be a corrupt organisation that is more interested in making money than policing the whole of the trade. I am sure if the police were still in charge that the queues of touts outside various night-spots would be dealt with.
Is there not a way that all the different organisations that represent the proper taxi drivers can come together and work for and only for the future of the Black Taxi Trade. The trade doesn't belong to you, it belongs to the drivers and has done since it's very beginning, and you are supposed to be safeguarding it for the future, for people like me that want to be part of its future and be part of the greatest Taxi trade in the world.
I know that the various organisations collect "subs" from their members, I cannot believe that an industry as large as ours doesn't have proper lobbying within Parliament, it seems that none of the candidates for the London Mayor have mentioned anything to do with the future of the trade ( apart from a few comments by Brian Paddock) and yet it seems that the whole thing could quite easily fall apart and firms like Addison Lee and Diamond will force the trade into extinction.

The first 80 runs completed

2012-03-21T04:05:00.001+00:00

I have now finished the first 80 runs, and it's time to asses how i'm getting on and if I can do things better I think.
The first thing I've learnt is that doing runs at night is a nightmare ( pardon the pun) I can't see anything properly and when I have re-done the runs during the day everything looks very very different.
Also, and this is probably the biggest thing, I can't do more than four runs a day, there is just too much information to take in and trying to learn the runs once I have done them is too much with more than four.
From about run 26/27 I started to write out the runs a few times before actually doing them, this really helped when I was out there as I wasn't constantly looking at my board so it gave me a chance to take in what I was riding past, and then made calling them over in the evening easier because I had already got a basis of the run in my head.
When I am calling over it is so much easier to do it with a map in front of me, not close enough to see the road names but close enough to remind me of the direction I'm travelling in, and any strange seeming turns make much more sense.
I guess the scariest thing for me is that I have now done a quarter fo al the blue book runs and yet there is so much more that I don't know, everytime I congratulate myself on doing a run I realise that I am at present just scrating the surface of what I have to learn, however I have learnt other bits and bobs as well, other roads not on any runs that I have used , and writing out the routes between each run has given me a bit more knowledge and also saved me a huge amount of time when I'm out on the bike.
So having reached a milestone, I have many more positives than negatives to take from the experience so far, I am enjoying it and still feel enthusiasm for doing it, and have learnt not to beat myself up when I get things wrong.
Lots of people have given me advice, some good some not so good, but it is all welcome, there is no right way to do this beast, only the way that the person doing it feels comfortable doing it their way, there is no failing it, only giving up and I won't be doing that. This is definitely the right thing for me to do and however long it takes me whatever it throws in my face I will carry on and finish it.

The worst drivers are.......

2012-03-20T14:23:00.000+00:00

Having been riding around London for a few months now, it has given me the chance to see just who are the worst drivers. No it's not women as most people assume, in fact there isn't one "worst driver" there are three so here they are in no particular order:
BMW DRIVERS - OK so it appears that perfectly normal people turn into complete cocks when they get behind the wheel of a BMW. When I see a BMW I know that at some point it is going to do something stupid, cut across lanes, go through red lights turn right/left when there are no right/left turns, speed away at the lights or try to race someone. There isn't a age limit on BCS (that's BMW COCK SYNDROME), I always thought that it would be young people but no it seems to be any age and in fact middle aged men (who are maybe having a mid-life crisis) do seem to be the worst.

CYCLISTS - Now I know that cyclists are trying to do their bit for the environment/save money/get fit, but really do they have to ride like they have a death wish????? if anyone reading this rides a bike let me give you a little hint RED LIGHTS MEAN STOP!!!!! they don't take any notice of the rules of the road and yet seem to think they own them, when I'm on my scooter I have to watch out for them because however stupid or dangerous BMW drivers are cyclists are much much worse. The tax payer is having to fund road changes because there have been a few deaths on the streets of London of cyclists, but maybe the money would be better spent teaching these people how to ride safely rather than on modifying roundabouts, or maybe there should be some form of licensing so that these idiots can be fined or prosecuted for dangerous drivers.

ADDISON LEE DRIVERS - Well I'm saving my best till last, what can I say about these Muppet's that hasn't already been said? I have no idea why their people carriers have wing mirrors they never get used, apparently Garmin are bringing out a special Addison Lee sat-nav, it has extra large maps, speaks very very slowly and the voice is available in any language apart from English!!!!!!. Regardless of the poor service that they provide their customers, the over charging, the fact they are out scabbing of a weekend, and the fact they have no idea where they are going, all of this pales into insignificance when you are stuck behind them and they just cut you up, nearly hit you, stop on red routes and just stop anywhere they feel like.
So there you have it my top three idiot drivers in London, I'm sure you all have your faves feel free to comment, until next time stay safe and be lucky.

The good life and going mad.......

2012-03-05T09:10:00.000+00:00

As those of you who have read my blog on a regular basis will know I have now got into a routine and things seem to be going really well. I am loving working at Gettaxi.co.uk, I am getting my runs done, I am able to call over and do my map work, everything in the garden is rosy as they say, which leads to one conclusion - when is it all going to go wrong?????
This is human nature I think, life ticks over, things fall into place and yet we are always looking for the next puddle to step in and to mess up our day. Now I wouldn't say I am a pessimist in any shape or form, but life has taught me that we get good stuff in the right hand and immediately we get bad stuff in the left - this has been my forty years of experiences and I don't see why things should change now. I've been an Everton supporter since I was a child ( one of my parents is from Liverpool so no I'm not a glory hunter LOL) and I guess Everton is a prime example of life, we win the league (many many years ago) and the manager buggers off to Spain, we have the leagues top scorer (yes Gary Lineker did play for us), and then he too buggers off to Spain, and so on and so on.
And so it goes on, so with work being great and all KOL related things going great where am I thinking things can bugger up??? Well it is simple, I am going ever so slightly mad. A couple of weeks ago I had a puncture in Aunt Sally's rear tyre, and it cost £35 to get it fixed,(the story is in an earlier post on here), and now I have a mental issue with the rear tyre. As anyone who has done the knowledge or is doing the knowledge or in fact has spent any amount of time on a scooter will know, when the rear tyre is flat the bike feels a bit wobbly, well I have had the tyre done and yet in my mind it is still wobbly, I have checked the tyre the tyre pressure and all is good and yet still....... it feels wobbly and there is nothing wrong with it. I know it is fine and yet in my mind there is still a problem. So there you have it the ying to my yang, the cheese to my pineapple - my life is fantastic but I am going deeply mad!!!!!
Be lucky all.

The best thing about a routine is........

2012-02-28T09:31:00.001+00:00

Ok so now I've been working at Gettaxi for a couple of weeks so I'm getting used to working nights, my body has adjusted to different sleeping patterns, different eating patterns and the fact that I see very little daylight lol
My typical day starts with me getting up about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, having something to eat then bathing etc, then it''s off to walk the Dog with the missus have a bit of time with her, have some dinner then off on Aunt Sally to work. The ride into work is about half hour now and i am learning all sorts of little cut throughs to try and shorten it, although I do love the Rotherhithe Tunnel because although it is full of exhaust fumes it is so warm!!!!!
My shift starts at 11, so obviously I have to keep an eye on what is going on and I have to say the drivers are superb, helping out if I'm not sure where somewhere is , also running for jobs that are a bit of a distance if I can't get it covered. There is a strange relationship between a curcuit and the drivers, one of the reasons they are drivers is so they are selp-employed and don't have a boss yet in dispatch we have to ask they to do stuff for us, and on the whole they are superb. I do always make a point of noting who has helped me out and eventually I will give them a better job as a thank you.
During the down time on my shift I am looking at the runs I'm gonna be doing the next morning ( I try to do 4), mark them up on my map and then write them up a few times to get them into my head before I head off to do them, and it worked on Monday morning I had a run from Morning Lane to Silvertown Way, and I didn't need the run on my board, so that was a step forward. My shift finishes at 7 in the morning then it's off on Aunt Sally for a few hours to try and get my 4 runs done, then home for breakfast and some sleep. With this routine I should get book one finished by the end of March and all four books done by July.
I have now got into this routine and I have to say I love it, my life at the moment is centred on the KOL and I'm loving it!!!!!!!!
Sorry if you think this post is a bit dull, but I guess I felt it was time to let you into my life and show you my day to day.
In my previous post I mentioned that I had emailed the Mayor of London to ask for his views and opinions on the future of the Black Taxi in London. Although I was promised a reply within 10 days I have still not heard anything from him, which given that it's an election year probably sums up his committment to our trade. I will keep you posted if anything changes.
well that's all from me for now - Be Lucky and Keep Safe!!!!

An expensive week and an email to the Mayor...

2012-02-17T05:26:00.000+00:00

Well I am finally settled in the Gettaxi office, loving the job and enjoying my shifts and getting to spend some time calling over and doing mapwork so all is good on that front however this week has been a bit on the expensive side let me explain why....
I was doing a run that involved me driving down Finsbury square and as anyone in London will know at the moment it is being occupied by some people protesting about capitalism or something. I decided to slow down and pull into the bus lane to have a look ( thinking that I was allowed to use the bus lane of course) and I wasn't !!!! A few days later in the post came my PCN a fine for £65 for riding in the bus lane. How typical!!!! while I'm on the subject of the protesters let me say one thing I am all for free speech and someone's right to protest however these people have turned a beautiful square in London into what looks like a squatters paradise. They have damaged the walls and ruined the grass and are now building huts to live in. I think this is a disgrace and why the powers that be have to go to court to evict them I have no idea. Surely they are committing criminal damage or causing an obstruction???? why can't the police just go in with a bull dozer and move them away ?? And without wanting to appear prejudice I hope that none of them are claiming any type of benefit to support themselves while they protest against the very society that gives them the right to do this. Ok so rant over lol
Having spent £65 on my PCN the next night I get a puncture on Aunt Sally and that costs me £35 to get fixed so the KOL this week has cost me £100 how nice is that!!!!!
I also this week decided to email the Mayor of London regarding his thoughts on the future of the Black Taxi industry in our great city. I received an email back stating that my email would be answered within 10 days I will keep you posted.
Thats all from me for now sorry it's a bit of a ramble but it's half five in the morning and I'm knackered lol be lucky...

Everything is going great....and doing lines.

2012-02-11T11:44:00.000+00:00

Well I've finally started my new job as a dispatcher for GetTaxi, and I have to say I'm loving every minute. The crowd I work with are great, I enjoy the job and more importantly it gives me time to work on my KOL stuff and obviously as the shift progresses I'm learning places and streets. I was amused when I took a phone call from a client asking to go from the Australian High Commission to Paddington Station (having just done that run a few days earlier) so I think all is good with that. London at night really is beautiful and I can see why people fall in love with this great city of ours.
The weather has disrupted things quite a lot recently what with us actually having some kind of winter, and snow and ice and Aunt Sally really don't mix. The most important thing with the knowledge when I'm out is not learning the roads and runs it's making sure I get home safe and in one piece, I've seen a few KOL peeps on the deck either having been hit by a car or just lost control of the bike. While I'm talking about safety I am wondering if there is a rule that says Addison Lee drivers have to behave like idiots on the road??? I know they don't know where they're going most of the time but I would have thought being able to drive properly would be a must ???? ( or maybe not!!!!).
Anyway (rant over) with the disruption of Xmas and the weather I had got out of the habit of calling over, and was very rusty, so I decided to go back to school and write out the runs i was unsure of 10 times. Now this is very time consuming and boring however it does seem to have done the trick and now all I have to do is get back into a routine of calling over everyday.
My medical has now been booked (22nd of Feb) so my official application can go in this month too so everything is moving in the right direction.
It's all good and obviously my friends I will keep you all updated on my progress on here. Take care and be lucky.

New year New start New Job

2012-01-29T16:12:00.000+00:00

Its been a few weeks since I last posted anything on here and no I wasn't being lazy I had valid reasons!!!!!!
Obviously Christmas and New year Came and went which as any of you who have kids will know is a mad time of year ( and expensive lol). Six days after Xmas I received a letter from the CSA informing me that I had lost my appeal against the amounts they concluded I owed them and that now they could take 40% of my wages to repay this amount. This has been going on for three years and despite doing everything I could to give them all the information they needed, they ignored what information I sent and used their own "calculations" to reach a huge and unaffordable figure for me to repay. Without boring you all the figure is very wrong but hey ho these are the cards life deals us and I have to try and make the best of it. Anyway I had decided last year that the job I was doing wasn't any good for doing the knowledge as it took up too many hours ( and the wages were not good) so I decided to start seriously looking for another job ( and yes that meant trawling through Internet jobsites when I should have been out doing runs) and it all paid off. Having changed my CV slightly to reflect the type of work I was looking for and why I got a phone call and within three days had had an interview and been offered the job ( which I start very soon). I had three things I wanted from the job 1. it be on a self employed basis so the CSA can't take all my money 2. it was nights so I can have my days free for the KOL 3. it would somehow help me with the KOL. AND THE NEW JOB DOES ALL THREE!!!!!!!!
It's working in the office for a company called GETTAXI which is a circuit for black cabs - people use an app on their smartphones to book the cab and the cab is sent directly to them. So how perfect is that I will be looking at maps and learning roads all night during my shift, I'll have a couple of hours to be out on the bike after my shift ( before I go home to bed) and it's self employed!!!!!! happy days!!!!!!!!!!!
So now I can get back and get organised and crack on with the KOL. I've set myself a target of getting all 320 runs done by 1st July and I can finally afford to put in my application form and pay for the CRB and medical.
I'll be back to writing more on here too so when you're really really bored you'll have something to do for two minutes!!!!!!!
Take care all and be lucky.
http://www.gettaxi.co.uk/?gclid=COCT1dvP9a0CFaQmtAod4hMmCQ

Scary traffic lights and posh houses in Dulwich...

2011-12-14T12:17:00.000+00:00

Had a few days back out on Aunt Sally after having to work the weekend, and although managed to sell a car on the Saturday, we didn't see a single customer on the Sunday so that was a waste of a day, and to make it worse I forgot my blue book so couldn't revise any runs!!!
So braving the wind and the rain I managed to get a few more done ( up to 35 now!!) and also subjecting my partner to having to call over ( she'll know it as well as me), and have been exploring south of the river. It was all going so well until I turned left off Brixton road into Atlantic road (run 34) and stopped at the traffic lights, now I'm not a racist in any shape or form but as I'm sitting there a huge black guy with dreadlocks nearly down to his arse stood in front of me and asked me how I was doing. Not a problem in itself you would have thought, however he then proceeded to tell me that anything I needed to know about doing the knowledge I should ask him and if i wanted to go for a drink and talk to him I could!!!! This may well have been a genuine offer and someone being nice, however being the coward that I am I decided to decline his offer, ask him to let go of Aunt Sally and as soon as the lights turned green swerved round him and legged it. Looking back I chuckle but I'm glad that didn't happen when I was out doing runs at night. What is it they say - it isn't the crime it's the fear of crime??????
The next run took me through Dulwich, an area I haven't really ever been too, and I must say I was very surprised, it looked very nice and the houses were huge!!!!
Maybe after a few years of driving my cab round London 24/7 I'll be able to afford one of them!!!!!!
More from me soon......

Where to pee and a visit to the dentist

2011-12-11T11:40:00.000+00:00

Having had a few days off work and been able to spend some days out on Aunt Sally I have discovered a new problem with doing the knowledge, where can I stop to pee!!!!!
Having been asked to not use a pub as I wasn't a customer it leaves me with having to use McDonald's or a deserted street ( which during the day in London isn't that easy to find).
So what are the solutions??? If anyone has any ideas please feel free to send them to me lol At the moment I'm holding it, driving home as quickly as I can and rushing upstairs to the toilet when I get in which I'm sure one day is going to catch me out, Maybe one of the knowledge schools could introduce a form of nappy for us KOL students to take away the need for stopping!!!
Apart from my minor pee issues the week had been going very well, I was doing 4 runs a day even with a very bad toothache ( more of that later) and I found that as I did the runs they criss-crossed and I actually knew where I was going, so that's definitely an improvement and I am still amazed that I am remembering roads and turns from when I started it 8 years ago.Lots of people have said the KOL is a bind and not a pleasant thing to do, well although I have only been it a couple of weeks I am loving it, I'm finding that driving round London is hugely interesting and my natural curiosity at what and where are places and things is being satisfied!!!
The only downside to this week has been the toothache, for 4 days I have been taking painkillers covering my gums in clove oil to try and hope it goes away but without any luck so on Friday morning I booked an appointment with the dentist. As a side note, anyone who knows me knows I have a morbid fear of the dentist, it all stems from years ago, when I had to visit an emergency dentist who was a doddery ( is that a word???) old man and ended up pulling out half my gum as well as a tooth without enough anaesthetic. Anyway so off to the dentist I went and was duly informed that I had to have a tooth out and that I could either book a referral with my usual dentist who knocks me out before doing any work or have it out the old fashioned way- my partner who was with me made the decision for me and out the tooth came. The rest of the day was spent taking lots of pain killers and lying on the sofa feeling sorry for myself so no calling over just time spent feeling sorry for myself and watching sky.
Two days later and it still hurts but having been in work I have had something to take my mind off it and I actually managed to sell a car, but off again for 4 days so will be back out on my bike tomorrow hitting the blue book.
And the dentist never even gave me a sticker for being brave!!!!!!

Closures and Cold Toes

2011-12-03T20:03:00.000+00:00

OK so I've been doing it for 10 days now so what do I think???
It seems the runs are fairly easy to do (although all the road closures REALLY don't help!!!!) and learn, BUT I have only done 12, calling over 12 is easy, I'm sure that when I have done 50 or 100 it will a whole heap more difficult!!!!!
The run into town seems to be taking forever, from Dagenham to wherever the run starts always seems to take about half hour which is an hour of my out time spent travelling to and from home, I must think of a way to cut this down (without getting lost of course lol)
I have a few days off work now so I'm going to try and smash a few runs a day while I'm out that will help in cutting down the travel time cram more into the time I'm out.
For those of you that don't know, I work for a car manufacturer and we are dead at the moment, no customers = no sales = no money and my boss isn't keen on me reading my runs at work so that is 65 hours a week that I'm sitting around and can't practise and that is driving me nuts lol
Sorry this is a bit of a ramble, normal service will be resumed fairly soon lol but I haven't been on here for a little while and had a load of thoughts in my head ( as well as what seems to be a constant mental companion- roads and runs lol)
Also I must invest in some thermal socks my feet get bloody cold!!! (Xmas is coming hint hint!!!!)
Anyway that's my brain empty for now - I'll be back to update this soon!!!
P.S. I must just mention and thank a mate of mine (Darren) who I play darts with once a week it's so nice to do something that doesn't involve a map ( although I would probably be better if I had directions to the treble 20)

My Brain Hurts....

2011-11-25T16:10:00.000+00:00

So I am now having a couple of days off Aunt Sally, trying to memorise the runs I have done, is there an easy way???? please let there be an easy way!!!!, I keep getting my lefts and rights muddled up (which some people who know me will say isn't unusual) whether it is a road or a street, or a place,or a square,or a crescent or a gardens or any other viariant!!!!
So what is the best way? I have recorded the runs onto my phone so I can listen to them when I'm walking the dog, I keep trying to call over with him but he just wants his tummy tickled which doesn't help much when I'm trying to work out whether it's a left turn into Catherine Street off Aldwych ( it is by the way). So tonight I am going to subject my partner to a calling over session, drag her away from her favorite TV programs to listen to me try and call out the runs I have driven this week, not sure whether you should wish me luck or her. I'll let you know how it goes......

First few days and feeling confident

2011-11-24T14:11:00.001+00:00

Finally I'm out on the road, Aunt Sally and I riding round doing the first few runs, and I've encounted a problem I hadn't anticipated, I keep getting lost on the way to the starting point of the run!!!! I took a wrong turn on the way to Manor House Station on Monday having to have a detour through Shacklewell (which was a bit scary lol) and then riding straight past Chancery Lane Station so having to go round the block to get back to it, but maybe I will have to spend more time planning my routes to the runs from now on!!
As for the first few days has it been a success??? well I have now travelled the first 6 runs, I can repeat three and a half of them, I can remember certain places and turns from when I did the runs before, so all in all I think it has to be. However it has highlighted just how awesome a task the KOL is, I can find my way home everytime, but I need to know the names of the roads I'm travelling on, thats the only way i'm gonna learn!!!
I'm getting used to the back ache from riding Aunt Sally there must be a way of getting rid of that I'm sure!, and I am really enjoying exploring London which is something I hadn't thought of so all in all a great start.
Oh and just as an after thought, Aunt Sally did 142 miles on a tank of fuel that cost me £12 - Happy Days!

Aunt Sally and Me....

2011-11-20T19:59:00.001+00:00

Well that's it I now have my CBT certificate, so I can now ride my scooter on the road - I've decided to call it Aunt Sally, don't really know the reason why just kinda fits lol.
So I spent the day riding around the local area with an instructor shouting instructions in my ears when to turn left, right etc, I also learnt how to stop and go forwards, make a u-turn, to be honest having been driving for the last 22 years I must admit it did feel a little bit pointless but it has to be done to keep the powers that be happy.
I was in a group of four and the hightlight of the day was when one of the members of the group was practising his emergency stop, the instructor's best line was " that was excellent but next time try not to fall off", gave me a giggle for a little while.
One thing I learned today was that if I don't wear my bike boots my ankles get bloody cold and I really need a scarf so I guess it was a useful exercise in that sense ( I don't want to be somewhere in north London freezing my arse off!!!)
So after putting my shift in at work tomorrow I'm going to jump on Aunt Sally and do the first run, Manor House Station to Gibson Square, all the KOL peeps that read this will no doubt remember it, I'm not sure whether to do all the runs and a few points first then go back and do more points or to do one run and try to learn as many points as I can, I guess it's trial and error, but I'm sure I should be able to figure it out.
One thing that has hit me the last couple of days is how huge a thing the KOL is, it is very intimidating and to anyone who has done it I am in awe and to the people in my situation doing it, it will be such an achievement when in X number of years we are all driving the city in our shiny black cabs.
Anyway enough from me, time for something to eat and a veg out infront of the TV, something that I am sure will soon become a thing of the past.

Nearly ready to go......

2011-11-17T09:47:00.000+00:00

Right the paperwork is signed, I am now the legal owner of a Honda PS125, I have my helmet, boots, waterproofs and a stack of maps and runs ready to go. Once I have done my CBT on sunday off I go to find Manor House Station so I can ride from there to Gibson Square. Blue Book page 1 list 1 run 1. Has anyone ever wanted to go from Manor House Station to Gibson Square I wonder??????
Anyway back to the practicalities, I have to work out how to get from dagenham to Manor House station - just a minor point lol and looking at the maps there are an awful lot of roads around both the station and the square to ride around and learn, I'm definitely thinking that one run a day done properly is better than two runs half done ( bear in mind I am going out of an evening after work).
Anyway enough of my thoughts, I have to start looking up points to find,and start to learn the run itself.

Why the knowledge

2011-11-16T12:21:00.000+00:00

This is the million pound question - why would I try and learn the 25000 roads and streets and every place of public interest on them? Am I mad???
A few years ago I started the knowledge I managed the first 80 runs before some scumbag stole my scooter and then I landed a job that paid good money and the knowledge was forgotten about, during the last few years I have been reliant on other people for my income whether it was in financial services ( which died a death when the recession hit) or in sales ( which again nosedived with the economic climate) and now I find myself in a situation where I have no money and need to do something drastic!!!
So I'm gonna climb on a scooter and do it properly this time ( while holding onto a full-time job) and then when eventually I have passed out I will be responsible for my income no one else!!!!!
So on a wet windy December evening when sensible people are sitting on their sofas watching the latest Simon Cowell rubbish on TV I shall be riding around our great city learning what I need to know. I now have an aim, a purpose, a goal and I promise this is one thing i will succeed at!!!!!

Getting Everything Organised

2011-11-09T14:15:00.000+00:00

And there was me thinking that all I needed to do was to get a scooter and ride around London learning the runs and points - how wrong was I!!!!!!
Finally ordered my knowledge bike today, after much research and talking to other knowledge boys I've gone for a Honda PES125 complete with board and box ( thanks to Johns of Romford for their help).
Knowledge starter pack ordered from Knowledge Point, waterproofs and helmet sorted and CBT booked.
All thats left now is to find scooter insurance, I can't believe how dear it all is - I've looked at the singing fat man and the meerkats and it amazes me that the same company has different prices for the different sites!
Anyway this is just a ramble as I get myself organised, I promise this blog will become more interesting as I actually crack on with the knowledge!!!!