bonding does suck bigstyle but once you have signed up there is not alot you can do about it. not paying will probably land you in court but nothing says you have to pay it all off in one lump, so offer to pay it off monthly, or better still ask your new employer to take the bond over ( either paying them off monthly or as a bond to them- that way you don't have to pay it at all unless you leave your new co.)
i did hear that bonding is against your human rights but who wants to take a company to the european court? talk about a black mark on your record!