Thanks for ending jam-maker fumble

2:57pm Tuesday 11th December 2007

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CONGRATULATIONS to the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and everyone else involved in bringing the 20p motorcycle toll on the Itchen Bridge to an end.

It's not the money but the disadvantage and time involved in removing one, more often both, gloves to unzip a pocket then scrabble round for that diminutive little coin.

Ever since the bridge opened I've been one of the thousands of bikers causing frustrated drivers to fume while performing the I know it was here, I put it in this pocket so I'd find it easily' dance while balancing a lumpy motorcycle and trying to ignore the booth operator's despairing looks.

At first, to make things easy, I would pop the coin between my teeth (Mother would have been horrified, she always told me that filthy lucre meant money was germ-ridden) but eventually HSE put a stop to that.

I was humiliated when asked to remove the coin and put it into a plastic bag that was sealed before my eyes to "prevent contamination and spread of disease" - although I immediately realised the unhealthy and unsanitary act I'd been perpetrating and genuinely regretted my inconsiderate actions.

After that I would put a 20p coin inside my right glove for easy access, which worked well apart from the times I've pulled off a glove and catapulted the coin into the air, had to prise a stuck 20p piece from the lining of a tight and sticky glove or, more usually, been struck by butterfingers and dropped the little beggar either on to road or watched it disappear somewhere among the engine.

Not as embarrassing as the very first time I crossed the bridge from the city side in the early hours of the morning.

I took the absence of toll booths as indication that charges only applied from the Woolston side and roared across on my old Bonnie, straight through the gap for bicycles, and set off a klaxon and some loud shouting.

Sheepishly and red-faced I parked the bike, rushed back to hand over the toll charge and mumbled my apologies. Well, no more, so congratulations all and thanks from all powered two-wheel riders - especially to the council which has bravely abandoned a lucrative source of income.