honestlyreal

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The #tweetbike

Tube strikes…

Inconvenience and disruption…

Localities and real-time information…

Movement and behaviour of people…

All things that fascinate me. It’s got me thinking…

Say hello to the #tweetbike (the one on the left).

tweetbike

The #tweetbike will be heading into London from the south, from around 7.30am. At frequent intervals from Croydon onwards I will stop and tweet its location. I will have with me a med/large helmet and a ‘go over anything’ huge bike jacket that will keep the rain away. And some cool spare supermoto gloves with like carbon fibre knuckles. A shoulder bag is fine if you’ve got one, but a dozen box files will probably rule you out.

If you want a free lift, just say so. Within reason, you’ll get one, if the #tweetbike is near and you’re aiming to go reasonably centrally, or later in the day, southwards. (I might ask for some sort of cheesy picture and your permission to blog in the most discreet terms about the experience, and where I end up, but that’s all there is to it.)

Why on earth am I doing it? Because I like riding bikes, can work anywhere on the move (from the roadside if necessary), and I like people. And disruptions, like large snowfalls, are great times to look at things afresh. Oh, and you could call it research for an idea… :-)

Legal bit: I will ride immensely sensibly (and have 25 years of experience) but all lifts are at your own risk. There is no commercial aspect to this idea. No transaction, nada. You are not hiring transport; I don’t need a taxi licence; and I’m not doing this for gain. I am also not racing, pace-making, couriering or all the other things it says I can’t do on my insurance – I just checked.

All I am proposing is to give lifts to friends who need them, and are otherwise stranded by the Tube strike.

Best case – I get a very interesting day, meet some fun people, and have something to think about.

Worst case – nothing happens and nobody is remotely interested in riding the #tweetbike.

(ok. Real worst case: death and mayhem. Let’s hope not, hey?)