Toby's journal

Something I like about London: Cycling along the pretty canal towpaths, as the flagstones clank under my tyres, on a sunny day.

Something I dislike about London: Crackhead (black/white)-trash teens under canal bridges, baring their teeth at me like animals as I cycle past.

What is it with me and trouble.. Sometimes it feels like I get far more than my fair share of it here.
On Friday night I wandered over to the bus stop on Essex Road, only to discover there was a mob of around 20-40 youths wearing tracksuits and hoodies, engaged in pitched battle, roiling back and forth across the road in waves of attack/defence. Pedestrians fleeing down side streets, and shops locking up their doors - and then staring out in morbid fascination.
An armada of police cars approached, and the mob fled at the sound of the incoming sirens - still flinging bottles at each other as they stampeded past the flinching pedestrians who had been hiding around the corners.

The other week there was a "minor" gun battle between two cars in rush hour, near Hackney Central - I gather the only injuries were bystanders hit by ricocheting bullets, rather than the gangs involved. That's only 1.3 miles east of my place! I believe that's something of a first for the area (although of course it has nothing on Lower Clapton).

I thought this area was getting BETTER, not worse! WTF?


In other news: Went to Matt's birthday drinks and dinner. Practically rolled home on my stomach afterwards and had to have a lie down. It's now 1am, and although I've perked up, I suspect my window of opportunity to go clubbing has expired.. :(

FFS! I've been back in London for not much more than 24 hours, and I've already become witness to a crime. Hurrah. I love this city, so much.

I was walking home when I heard some screams from down the street and a woman shouting for help. I saw a middle-aged woman struggling with a young guy, who looked like he managed to grab something from her, and ran off. I yelled "STOP THIEF" (corny, but what else do you say at a time like that?) and chased him down, but after we got around the corner there was another guy on a bicycle with a vacant bicycle for the thief, who hopped on and they rode off.

I reckon I'd have caught up before or as he got on the bicycle, if he hadn't had such a head-start down the street. However, while I'd take my chances at knocking a bloke off a bicycle from behind, I don't think I'm quite suicidal enough to take on two thugs in the street - even if a good portion of the street was looking outside to see what the screams were about by now.
This is mainly because my faith in Londoners is severely limited; I doubt a single one would do anything to help, other than dial 999.

Meh. Anyway, also, the woman who had her stuff snatched wouldn't even be convinced to call the police to report it because she didn't think it'd be any use. Which isn't the point, if you ask me.

Meh. It's rather crap.