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@mongrel
Jos - no worries - i AM a journalist after all and am used to initial knee-jerk hatred...
"what's he going to bring for us?"
Well I would've tried to bring a balanced article to national press. I also wanted to focus on the equipment of a courier, just because I think some of the bikes i see while riding into town every day are such interesting machines. Also, having never been to an alleycat I really have no idea what they're about, nor do most people. I think people are genuinely interested in these things because 99% of people can't get involved for one reason or another.
I understand people's concerns with Maxim - on reflection you're probably partly justified - it might have been hard to squeeze an honest angle past the editor, and I would've been gutted if a subject I'm genuinely enthusiastic about had been watered down or the point removed or another added for the sake of sensationalising things.
Plus I can understand people being unwilling to be featured doing something illegal, although I understood alleycats are a legal 'grey area' - my research isn't up to much obviously.
Anyway this is all beside the point as I won't be covering it as have missed the pitch deadline. Will still come down and check things out though (sorta wish I hadn't told everyone what my bike and bag are though - might catch the bus down to avoid recognition...)