Hello all!
It's me... Toll Girl!
Just incase you'd forgotten 😉
Im so sorry I've been so quiet over the past few weeks, I've been trying to fit into my new routine!
Just a small insight into my life - I'm a full time mummy to a gorgeous 3 year old boy and I have another part time job, so I'm a pretty busy bunny to be honest with you!
So, I've been working on the bridge for over a month now.
Last week I did an extra shift on Wednesday evening as well as my usual Friday shift.
After all the horror stories I'd heard prior to starting on the bridge, I thought I'd be ready to leave by now but I'm loving it!
Every time I see my manager I ask her if there are any spare shifts going for me, I'm always eager to do more.
Not because it's "easy money" but I actually really enjoy talking to the villagers and people just passing through.
As a villager myself, I hear a lot of negative opinions about the bridge, however, in my own opinion I think it does the world of good for Whitchurch and Pangbourne.
Apart from the obvious reason that it makes drivers journeys a lot quicker, it also brings more business to our local businesses.
Anyway, that's the boring bit over and done with!
Have any of you ever got to the bridge and realised that you've forgotten your change?
It's so well sign posted but you'd be amazed how many people manage to "forget" or "not realise" that they're travelling over a toll bridge.
On Wednesday night we had a very cross gentleman who had managed to travel under the railway bridge and over the toll bridge, to get to the booth to only THEN realise he was going to have to cough up!
He was extremely cross when I informed him that the change from the only money he had (a £10 note) was going to have to have to be in pound coins (it could've been in 20 pence peices but I was feeling generous) to this he shouted at me that that was not ok.
I politely informed him that he was more than welcome to turn around but he wasn't keen on that idea so I gave him his change... Just slightly slower than I would a polite customer... And then wished him a fantastic evening with the biggest smile I could manage!
After my Friday shift I popped down to FOOD KICK in Pangbourne and brought myself a tasty baguette. Whilst I was in there I was rumbled! I got asked if I was toll girl and tried to deny it but the ladies in there weren't having any of it!
They knew, but they've promised to keep my secret.
If you do visit Pangbourne then I'd definitely recommend it for it's tasty food and fantastic service.
In all seriousness though, I'm in my mid 20s and I'm a female on my own in that little booth, a few of the girlies who work there are a little younger or a little older but if you do use the bridge, please please try and refrain from making inappropriate jokes.
Ive heard a few people telling my colleagues to "smile" or being just generally rude.
It's not really fun being on your own in there if people are being mean.
Please try to remember we are there to do the best job we can, it'd be nice if we could all be friends!
I'm not working today but I have been down to see my manger.
It can't be much fun with this wind!
All the branches and leaves are falling everywhere.
If you follow my twitter account then you'll have seen that a nasty man in a white ford transit tried to run over Murray the Toll Bridge cat.
If you're a bridge user you may have seen Murray around, he's quite a big tabby Tom cat with a white tummy.
He decided to sit in the middle of the road today in protest I think of being almost knocked over.
Please please be careful when travelling through Whitchurch High Street or over the bridge.
Murray came to live on the bridge whilst it was closed and a lot of our local wildlife and pets are still not used to all the extra traffic coming through and there have been a few animal casualties!
Just keep your eyes peeled!
The last crane left today and caused an awful traffic jam, I took a picture for you all so you could see!
It was quite a site travelling through Pangbourne.
So if you got delayed, now you know why!
Right, that's my updates done for today.
Sorry for all the preaching and not that many furious customer stories!
I'll bring you some more after my Friday shift :)
If there's anything you'd like to know then please feel free to drop me a tweet!
Thanks again for reading!
Toll Girl Xx
