When we left
Wellesbourne I was posted to Cosford a very busy base at the time and I was to
teach at the School of Photography there. However there was no
accommodation for married families, so I
eventually found a little cottage in the hills 34 miles away. Quite a commute,
at the time I had no driving licence, so I bought a small motorbike (a BSA
Bantam) to do the journey each day. It was of course second hand and had
developed several idiosyncrasies before I got it.
The first problem
to emerge was a tendency to blow the lights if the revs went up to what we
might term normal travelling speed. It did not affect the commute when we first
got there but as the winter drew on I took to waiting for one of the long
distant coaches to come along and I would tuck in behind it and follow it
lightless down a main trunk road till we came the junction where I turned off
for home. If there was no moon I would wait for some other vehicle to follow,
they were exciting days!
Another time I had
left camp early as it was winter and the roads were icy. Naturally being young
and inexperienced I had convinced myself that if you were confident you could
ride at normal speed without mishap. This proved fine until I came across an
unexpected sharp right hand turn, taken by surprise I applied my breaks. Next I
was sliding along on my bottom following my bike as it went through a five bar
gate making a hole for me to pass through shortly afterwards. Naturally the
contretemps had bent the front forks but it was still ride able if you aimed
off to the left, a technique I maintained for the rest of our stay. (Failing several driving test because of it). Next day on
my way home there was a large notice reading “For the love of Mike turn right”
my students had heard about it.
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