Date: 01-05-24  Time: 00:57 am

Author Topic: Old London courier vids  (Read 3902 times)

Fuzzy

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Old London courier vids
« on: 21 January 2014, 05:57:40 pm »
Stumbled across these vids ages ago but thought I'd share in case you haven't seen them as I genuinely enjoyed them! An insight into the daily lives of the courier boys' (of which we have several resident here as foccers). Guess the game's changed a bit since these were shot though.

London Dispatch


Motor Bike Courier Ride in London

red98

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #1 on: 21 January 2014, 07:05:40 pm »
nice one fuzzy....only watched the first one...what did i see ?

                     honda cx 500,one red one black
                     honda cb250rsa......electric start !!!
                     kawasaki gt 550 or gt750
                     kawasaki z400 or z500

pretty much had all of them back in the good old days.....oh...nearly forgot


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Fuzzy

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #2 on: 21 January 2014, 07:17:43 pm »
Wonder what the bike on the 2nd vid is? CX500 with a fairing?

Punkstig

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #3 on: 21 January 2014, 07:41:52 pm »
Little has changed apart from the bikes!
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darrsi

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #4 on: 21 January 2014, 07:51:27 pm »
The thing is, if you don't have a hint of maniac in you riding around central London then you literally won't get anywhere.
I used to go into London quite often to visit film sets and by the the time i'd got back i found myself riding quite aggressively without even knowing i was doing it.
I couldn't do it all day in bad weather as a job though, that would send me nuts.
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Punkstig

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #5 on: 21 January 2014, 08:11:48 pm »
For such a densely populated city it's possibly the loneliest job Going!
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Razgruff

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #6 on: 22 January 2014, 01:10:11 am »
Looks about my era,  :)
I used enter London from the M40 mainly, used to feel something click in my head around Northolt.
Haven't ridden in London for years, used to enjoy a London ride out, when it wasn't work related.
No Sat navs or mobiles then, AtoZ on the Tank and a pager stuck in the Helmet, (no radios for us out of towners)
Hated any address that had Mews in it, usually meant trying to find a turning no bigger than a doorway with no sign post, off a busy street. :'(

One thing I did notice because I was operating out of Banbury and got to go to most big cities,.
Not stuck on a city circuit, is the difference in filtering experiences in different places.
What you can get away with in some towns you can't in others.


red98

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #7 on: 22 January 2014, 06:57:21 am »
just looked at the second vid.....not sure about the bike,looking at the lower edge of the screen it has an un usual shape , remember this type fitted to the cx500,just a half fairing but very bulky....think they were called "polaris" or something like that.......no sound on my pc,if its a cx it would be easy to identify by sound,big 500cc v twin  ;)
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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #8 on: 22 January 2014, 08:45:44 am »
I'm sure I saw that first one on the telly a while ago. Very interesting, wonder if the couple ever did get out of town...

Punkstig

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #9 on: 23 January 2014, 08:03:47 am »
Not stuck on a city circuit, is the difference in filtering experiences in different places.
What you can get away with in some towns you can't in others.
I've always made similar comments-There's a massive difference between filtering in London/ big cities, you can see from people's road position and awareness that they're just not used to bikes being around them!
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Davebo

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #10 on: 23 January 2014, 09:04:32 pm »
CX500? Not with those dials. Sounds like a twin but with less power maybe ?

...and is that blood on the screen ? Probably.

RobG UK

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #11 on: 23 January 2014, 09:34:47 pm »
And at a guess wearing jeans or belstaff.  Steel toecaps with metal plate were compulsory as well
 
I did West End - London , A cars - out of Luton, Hand Delivery -  St Albans and ASAP out of Luton.
 
Killed about 5 bikes in London, mainly in Winter cos it was when the money was best, and risks highest
Didn't stay with the London one for too long cos I got so frustrated with the radios, ended up having to phone in half the time to get conformation of the drop.
 
Good old days (or maybe not lol)

wannafazer

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #12 on: 23 January 2014, 09:54:33 pm »
Defo not for me !
The only real Fazer is a carbed 600.

ChristoT

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #13 on: 23 January 2014, 11:20:01 pm »
Looks like I job I wouldn't mind doing for a season (not much more though) to get a bit of extra income!
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Fuzzy

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #14 on: 23 January 2014, 11:49:47 pm »
CX500? Not with those dials. Sounds like a twin but with less power maybe ?

...and is that blood on the screen ? Probably.


 :lol

As for the clocks, not knowing what bike it is bothered me so I had a closer look at them @ 1.36. You can also see the MASSIVE camera he's got strapped to his shoulder!

The clocks tell me it is a CX500..... but the CX500 "Eurosport" which had something that looks like it was pinched from a car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Cx500-Ec-Eurosport-Clock-Set-Clocks-Classic-80s-Motorbike-/271357444233?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item3f2e2a0089

fireblake

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #15 on: 24 January 2014, 11:20:31 am »
A great couple of vids. I worked for Addison Lee in 1986 for a few years untill i had my big off. I loved it but watching the 2nd video had me wincing at some of the indiscretions he was taking. but you did, all the time. i rode a Honda VT500e and it was a peach for courier work, so much better that the 'Maggot'.
On a Friday, if i was coming home i would leave Chandos Place, near Trafalgar square at as near to 5pm as possible, preferably with a job going Sarf and be in my village in about 65 minutes. not bad considering the traffic was solid as far as Guildford. That little Honda did 112mph(on the clock) and would spend most of the ride home very close to it.


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Skippernick

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #16 on: 24 January 2014, 01:13:31 pm »
I couldn't be a courier, not after watching that second video, my sense of self preservation kick in after about 20 seconds. :eek
Respect to those who do.
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Punkstig

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #17 on: 24 January 2014, 01:56:36 pm »
Looks like I job I wouldn't mind doing for a season (not much more though) to get a bit of extra income!
A season?
3 days tops till you was under a truck Christo!
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Exupnut

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #18 on: 24 January 2014, 02:41:16 pm »
Or a merc lol
Just flapping about on this stagnant little pond on the outer rim of the internet.....yup....  :-))

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #19 on: 24 January 2014, 03:06:02 pm »
Great vids! I think if I was a courier in London I'd prob make about 12p a week!

taylor

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #20 on: 24 January 2014, 08:49:07 pm »
one  of my mates was in London in the eightes doing it, came home after a crash with the brain of a three year old, still alive today,   6 foot 4, I bet he takes some looking after, so be carefull lads.
sent from my carafan in tenby, ;)

ChristoT

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #21 on: 24 January 2014, 09:12:10 pm »
Looks like I job I wouldn't mind doing for a season (not much more though) to get a bit of extra income!
A season?
3 days tops till you was under a truck Christo!

You want to make that bet official?
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Punkstig

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #22 on: 24 January 2014, 09:57:55 pm »
How you gonna pay me when you're under a truck?
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ChristoT

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Re: Old London courier vids
« Reply #23 on: 24 January 2014, 09:59:29 pm »
How you gonna pay me when you're under a truck?

Who said the truck would win?  :eek

Anyway, if that happens, doesn't society end up winning?  :lol :lol
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