Yesterday

I worked in Brighton. I was on a project that needed feedback from someone in Spain - so I completed as much as possible and decided to send it over - get the train back home and be at my desk 2 hours later to work on the amends when they had been able to respond. I left the office at 4 with the intention of getting home at 6. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

I've been working in Brighton regularly for years - I take my bike and cycle to the station and from the station there to the office - saving about an hour either way. It makes it viable to work there - otherwise it would be too expensive ( with cabs ) and take too long.

In the morning I checked the train fare online - it was £14. - when I got to the station at 8, he said it was actually £19 ( huh??? ) but if I lied and said I was traveling to Brighton via the station at Battle - which is actually closer - he could sell me one for £15. So I lied - to keep him happy ( but not me ).

Got on the train as usual - stowed the bike in the rack. I do this every time - I've had my ticked checked, met inspectors and all sorts of official people - no problem for 4 years.

On the way home - arrive at the station at 4pm - jobswork on the barrier said I can't pass until 7pm, absolutly no way I'm allowed on the train - and would have to wait 3 hours on the platform.

You can imagine my feelings - especially as there were people with bikes getting off trains and trundelling them through the barrier the other way. At this point an old woman decided that the best way to get passed me was not round - but through me, knocking me over and dragging the chain off my bike.

In the end - rather than sit in a pub or macdonalds for 3 hours I went to see some friends and had a drink. Get back to the station in good time - to find all my trains cancelled ( the twat who stopped me was still there - and I saw him point me out to transport police ). I eventually managed to get a train to Eastbourne - and then changed to a train for Hastings, arriving home at 12.30am.

There was no food or milk in the house, I still have work to do before I go to work ( for what will be a really busy day today ) and I'm not in the best mood, to say the least.

Can't understand why it's been OK for me to travel with a bike for 4 years - but not now. It's going to make it really hard for me to justify working for that company - which affects my income.

Really fucking hate this country, sometimes.