Saul

As far as I know a DEV is what we know as a blue light card. I have had a little insight into it as one of our current drivers is a retired police driving instructor who taught the DEV and pursuit driving. Very interesting guy, I know him well as he sings in the same choir as me. I would love to be a fly on the wall when my manager gives him the driving assessment.

True, I am lucky to live in a beautiful town.

Twas, luckily it cracked going over a pothole so I bought a standard CG125 one to replace it. £12 from ebay.

Funnily enough there were two other guys in my sorting office with identical bikes same colour and everything, but one was badged a Yamasaki and the other a Hongdu. When they were all parked next to each other they were almost identical apart from the badges. I still have a new Yamasaki seat for it up the shed that my mate gave me.

Well there is a bit of background to that for me. Before I had that little Sukida I had three BMW 1000cc. but we had recently got our first 2 kids and money was tight so the BMW's had to go. Of course I still had my riding gear when I bought the Sukida to commute on, thats why I had all the gear and puny wheels. I still have that suit but the trousers are a bit on the tight side now. The Jacket still fits and the boots are up the shed somewhere.

See it looks different as this pic was taken to sell it in 2014.

It never felt that small really, but looking at the picture I can see your point. It was okay to commute on as I only worked 7 miles away and it was all 30 and 40 mph speed limits between my place and the sorting office where I was based. Like I said before I used it for 3 years and apart from one of the indicators falling to pieces and the headlamp cracking it was completely reliable if very slow. 9 BHP doesn't give many thrills.

Found some more pics of my last commuter bike. Riding that is one way to make a RE feel powerful

No mate we only respond to Urgent and routine home visits. The sort of thing as GP would deal with during normal hours. Also even though we drive the same Skoda Scouts the UK paramedics and emergency service use we are not licensed to break any traffic laws or pressurise other drivers to get out of the way. Also on top of that none of us has a current blue light card.

Not at walking pace at least

Okay

My line manager, who will be asking me to covers shifts before the weekend. Actually all joking aside I get on with him really well, couldn't wish for a better boss. The next in line above him used to work with me at Royal Mail and outside of work is a mate.

Well not really, just my yearly works appraisal, which includes a driving assessment. I will piss it, and the appraisal will give me a chance to get a few works issues off my chest. Always makes me laugh as we are out of hours drivers and predominantly drive in the dark but the assessments are done in the day time. Half the wind broken old codgers I work with can't see their hand in front of their face once the sun goes down.

I know, done it before and will probably do it again. Worse bit was an older lady came rushing over saying 'are you alright love'. Embarrassed I was

Dropped me bleddy bike today, nothing but a few tiny scratches and not hurt at all apart from my pride. Embarrassing though and I thought long and hard before posting it on here. I pulled up to stop at a junction when a dray lorry flashed me out, just as I was about to put my feet down, I got flustered tried to get in gear and pull away and managed to get my foot caught and slowly fell over.

I will be happy if Santa helps me keep the bleddy lights on. I am angling for a some warmer gloves and maybe a leccy vesty thing.

Go Linux Mint, you won't look back and it's free. Mind you I have been Mac OS for 2 years and I don't think about operating systems any more the Puter box or lappy just work now. Obviously I bought new hardware.

Not so bad mate. More about being dry than anything. Not so keen on dark, wet and windy but just wet is ok.

Thanks to both of you thats the real world sort of advice I was looking for. It was more of a random thought as I get plenty of time at work for that sort of thing anyway. Couple of my clinicians don't mind me streaming my music to the car system when we are out. I will give it a miss as I am not looking at crossing continents, my average commute is about 45 mins, shortest about 20 mins and longest 75 mins.

It came to mind on Tuesday as I had a shift in Stratton Hospital near Bude, I was going to take the bike, but given the colour of the sky and that fact that it is a 1.25 hour trip I took my van. It turned out to be a wise decision as it the sky turned black with torrential rain and gail force winds, not really biking weather. And to top it off I got the the Hospital to start my shift only to find I had no clinician for the shift so got sent home. Bit of a bind but I didn't moan as I got my 12 hours pay for driving to Bude and back, I was home in bed by 10 pm.

I know twatish title but I do have a serious question about getting some sounds piped into my full face lid. I regularly listen to a podcast or some music on my commute to work but now I have switched to two wheels not so much. Just wondering what I can do to listen to the same while riding. I have some ear pods but they are a faff to use. I have seen that you can get a bluetooth set of speakers to fit in the helmet. Has anyone done this or have some experience to share before I spend money on the wrong thing.

Day off today and I saw there was a break in the weather this morning so I thought a bimble on the Himalayan was on the cards. I dropped into Parbados on the way to get a photo on the beach as Xtreme suggested then carried on over to the North Coast, as my inspiration for the ride was to copy a Freddie Dobbs video on Youtube and visit Project 83. Locally it is sometimes a bit difficult to choose a destination for a quick ride. Anyway I got to Newquay and it is still as charmless as it has ever been. Sorry if you are a resident but I have never liked the place, to much arcade, public vomiting and cheap tat for my liking. Anyway enough of my old fart prejudice once I was in Newquay I fired up the Tripper nav thing on the Himalayan to find Wesley Yard, and Project 83. After two trips around the one way system I managed to actually follow the directions to Project 83, I will confess that it was user error and not the fault of the Tripper that took me around Newquay twice. Project 83, if you haven't seen the Freddie Dobbs video is a sort of posh boutique type of Biker Cafe and riding gear shop. Very nice place to be fair but quite spendy, the first pair of gloves I looked at were £239. What they had for sale appeared to very good quality but my pocket is more comfortable in a charity shop. I had a coffee, which was only £2.50 and lovely, read a magazine which funnily enough had a RE Interceptor in it that had been converted into a 650 Himalayan by Cooperbs motorcycles. I would like that if I had the cash. Then headed home. I must say that I liked Project 83 and if you are ever near Newquay, Cornwall it is worth a diversion to visit the place. I asked the owner about Freddie and said it wasn't planned and he just turned up, but the visit and Youtube video had been very good for his business. I hope he continues to do well as it is a classy welcoming place and a great destination for a ride out. 50 miles done and home before the rain.

Will do in the future, I am new remember

Morning all, should have got the Camo Himalayan, would be invisible by that bush