I had planned to meet Mr Mustard at around midday at a library somewhere in Ealing Broadway (the reasons for visiting the library will be revealed later), but as usual I was running late when I finally turned off the North Circular onto Uxbridge Road which leads to where I wanted to be.
Having consulted Googlemaps I knew that Ealing Broadway was a fairly long road, but I was confident that I would easily spot the library as I was going along. I was wrong.
I knew I had gone a fair distance, but I wasn't sure how far I had gone down the Broadway so I stopped and asked someone where the library was. I was directed round some back streets, which I thought was a bit odd, but I was confident that I had found the right place. Wrong again. I had found Hanwell library.
So it was back to the main drag and as I headed back towards Ealing I stopped again to ask someone where the Ealing library was on Ealing Broadway. "Ah yes" said the man, "you would have missed it when you went past because it is tucked away behind some shops just off the Broadway." Off I went again and followed his directions, confident in the knowledge that I would be meeting up with Mr M within mere minutes. I was wrong. Again.
When I arrived outside the West Ealing library there was limited parking as its front is on a pedestrianised piece of road, so I gave Mr M a call to find out where he had parked, since I could see no sign of his bike. After about 5 minutes of confusion we finally worked out that I was at the wrong library. Again.
Armed with yet a further set of directions I set off towards the centre of Ealing, fully expecting that with Mr M's guidance I would be with him in a few short minutes after arrival. I was wrong. Again.
After going past the main parade of shops where I thought the library was located I stopped again to ask for directions. I had indeed passed where I should have stopped and it transpired that I had also passed Mr M's bike parked opposite the entrance to the shopping mall within which the library was situated. So off I went again on a lap of the one way system where I once again completely failed to spot the entrance or Mr M's bike. I knew I was within touching distance of the place and would have been tearing my hair out if I still had any!
Eventually I found my way to the multi storey car park where I was assured by yet another helpful chap I would find the library entrance situated on the first level. I was in the process of driving round on the first level looking for the entrance when my phone rang and Mr M announced that he had done what he needed to do and was on his way back to his bike. I wanted to meet him so that we could ride to the cafe together, so he stayed on the line to talk me in. However, even then I managed to come out of the wrong exit of the car park and had to work my way round to where I had come in so that I could do another lap of the one way system to meet up with Mr M.
Then, after one final lap to get us back onto the Broadway it was off to the New Atlas to meet Coco for some lunch before setting off to $chunt at Connell Crescent.
Because we had arrived late at the cafe, we also arrived late at CC at about 3.10pm. We got our usual thank yous and thumbs up etc, together with the equally usual parade of motorists complaining that they had received a ticket/tickets.
One particularly pretty and articulate young Antipodean lady expressed some very definite views on Ealing council's activities when she pulled over and explained to the world at large that “Ealing council are a bunch of thieving f*#!ing a#$*holes!”
Two vehicles did manage to get past us, but since they were a police car and a fire engine attending the blaze that had been started in the hotel car park near to where we stand, I'm certain that they won't be paying any tickets, even if the council are stoopid enough to issue them in the first place.
One poor resident reported to me that after getting done for 2 tickets in the early days of enforcement, he had recently got 2 more because he normally uses the road outside of the operational period on a daily basis, and had forgotten entirely when his routine had changed on a couple of days over the Christmas period.
Mr M had a date with a pub quiz which saw him shoot off a bit early, and it was while me and Coco were finishing off our shift that we were approached by a couple of gents who turned out to be plain clothed coppers from the local nick. I had previously spoken to one of them on an earlier $chunt when he was in his uniform and he reiterated his support for the cause. He said that many of his colleagues know all about us too and are also very supportive of what we do.
At 7pm on the dot we shut up shop having stopped only 36 motorists (we class these as "definite saves") from contravening the alleged restriction. However, we all agreed that many others who would have gone through if we were not there, and they would no doubt take a chance at a later date.