Thanks - broken chain New Kent Road Monday 7th June

Yesterday I was waiting to cross from the cyclepath at Lower Thames St to cross Southwark Bridge. I saw this woman pushing a heavy-looking Moped with a flat round the corner and up the bridge. She'd been taking directions from a Meter Maid to push the sodding thing over the bridge, presumably to the garage way down on Southwark Bridge Road. All these suits just walked past, London-style ignorant selfishness.

I rolled up when my light changed, and offered to help. She looked like I restored her faith in humanity, all thanks and making me feel like a good Samaritan.

I pushed it all the way to the bridge and she pushed my bike. She started pushing it again for the last biy up to the garage. She insisted I'd helped enough and I went home to cook my dinner.

On the way we discussed London life (she was Italian, an architect), the upcoming architecture festival (there are loads of bike tours planned), belief in god, all fucking sorts of stuff.

It only took ten extra minutes for me to get home.

I don't think I'm a saint or anything like that, but I do think that we need to help each other out, however, wherever, whoever. I just couldn't really cope with all these people ignoring her, struggling along. She'd already pushed it from London Bridge to there, it turned out, so I really turned up at the right time.

That's all.

Excellent work, mate.

I've stopped wherever I can, replaced tubes on other people's bikes, fixed chains, fettled gears.

It's great just to talk to strangers.

My mum was wrong.

I've not been bummed or dry-fingered by one yet.