Oh you little *******s.

Well, they got me. Bah! *shakes fist in a Beano grumpy man stylee*

On the south side of Derby, leading through several suburbs and out of
the city, is a modest network of off road paved paths. They're
generally quite good, nice and wide, well surfaced and lit in many
places, no traffic of course, and you can ride along the river or to
the Trent canal too.

I often use these to take me out of the city onto quieter villagey
roads for my leisure runs, the problem is the areas they pass through
are prime chav territory. There's frequently groups of them lurking
about, breaking whatever they can find, smashing beer bottles on the
path etc. They unexpectedly up' ed the ante on me today..

I was on my way home from a very early and dark morning run, on an
unlit section at about 4.30am when I suddenly realised someone had
piled a great heap of timber across the cycle path. I hit it at about
18mph and was launched skyward in a most impressive display of
acrobatics.

It was a hell of fall, me and the bike spinning and tumbling together
to an eventual stop a long way down the path. I started to get up and
then body reminded me it might be wise to just lay still for a short
while, at least until I could breath again.

Bike was pretty beaten up, rear mech hanger badly bent and derailleur
in the wheel. Front shifter bent and inoperable, one rear light
smashed, various scratches and dings. Out came the tools and I managed
to get one middle gear just rideable and limped home on that, after
clearing all the timber off the path of course. It was hefty stuff
too, looked like burnt structural timbers of some kind, no doubt from
whatever they torched the night before. Grrr.

I came out of it not too badly, big whack to right elbow, knee and
hip, but nothing that wont mend with scabs and big purple patches. Not
a single scratch to my naked bonce though, so not wearing a helmet
maybe saved my life. Ahem.

It was quite a downer because I'd only just given that bike a damn
good fettling. Replaced a spoke and trued the wheels, cut down the
bars, re-sited computer and lights, stripped and cleaned the
drivetrain. Next ride out it's running very sweetly and then 90
minutes later it's all knackered again. *sigh*

Anyway, had the spanners on it this evening and it's not too bad. Most
of it has been fixed, will cost me maybe 20 quid for a new rear hanger
and replacement light. The absolute sickener is that I discovered my
watch took a nasty bang and will need repairing when I can afford it.
I haven't dared ring them yet, but I fully expect the bill for that to
be more than the new price of the bike *sob*.

Memo to self:

1. Get better lights, "be seen" LEDs are not enough when entering
enemy territory.

2. Pay attention you dozy bugger, less of the dreamy "enjoying the
peaceful night/morning air" and I'd have seen the ambush in time.

3. Arrange suitable alibi for upcoming, shooting and burning the
bodies type activity.


Sorry, just wanted to have a little moan. I feel better now

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

Call me Bob wrote:
1. Get better lights, "be seen" LEDs are not enough when entering
enemy territory.

Definitely need good lights for backwoods routes. When winter came, my
mate stopped using the NCN and switched to the A90. Despite the traffic
it was safer. (Interestingly, this is no longer legal due to the TRO. Go
on. Arrest me!)

2. Pay attention you dozy bugger, less of the dreamy "enjoying the
peaceful night/morning air" and I'd have seen the ambush in time.

But that's why we (Some of us) ride. The full attention weaving through
traffic thing can be fun, but the enjoyment (for me) of a decent ride is
seeing all the things, I'd never have a chance to notice when driving.

3. Arrange suitable alibi for upcoming, shooting and burning the
bodies type activity.

We all saw you. You were somewhere else! ;-)

Best of luck. Heal well!

Jon

Call me Bob wrote:
I was on my way home from a very early and dark morning run, on an
unlit section at about 4.30am when I suddenly realised someone had
piled a great heap of timber across the cycle path. I hit it at about
18mph and was launched skyward in a most impressive display of
acrobatics.

Ouch, nasty. Have you reported it to the police? I doubt they'll do
anything. The local paper will probably be interested as well - even
more so if the police tell you they CBA to investigate.

Bike was pretty beaten up, rear mech hanger badly bent and derailleur
in the wheel. Front shifter bent and inoperable, one rear light
smashed, various scratches and dings.

Ouch again. At least when the fishing line it was only me that got
damaged, and I heal.

1. Get better lights, "be seen" LEDs are not enough when entering
enemy territory.

This bit dents my sympathy somewhat. It might be better not to mention
it if you go to the press. Important lesson learnt, I think.

Are you a CTC member? If so, enter the Lumicycle competition at
URL:http://www.lumicycle.com/ctc/


--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Call me Bob wrote:

Anyway, had the spanners on it this evening and it's not too bad. Most
of it has been fixed, will cost me maybe 20 quid for a new rear hanger
and replacement light. The absolute sickener is that I discovered my
watch took a nasty bang and will need repairing when I can afford it.
I haven't dared ring them yet, but I fully expect the bill for that to
be more than the new price of the bike *sob*.

Does your home insurance cover the watch?

I submit that on or about Tue, 04 Oct 2005 19:20:10 GMT, the person
known to the court as Call me Bob
made a statement in Your
Honour's bundle) to the following effect:

I was on my way home from a very early and dark morning run, on an
unlit section at about 4.30am when I suddenly realised someone had
piled a great heap of timber across the cycle path. I hit it at about
18mph and was launched skyward in a most impressive display of
acrobatics.

1. Shoot them.
2. Burn the bodies.

That is all.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

Call me Bob came up with the following;:
Well, they got me. Bah! *shakes fist in a Beano grumpy man stylee*

On the south side of Derby, leading through several suburbs and out of
the city, is a modest network of off road paved paths. They're
generally quite good, nice and wide, well surfaced and lit in many
places, no traffic of course, and you can ride along the river or to
the Trent canal too.

Heheheh, know it well, from when I lived in Eastwood, just outside
Nottingham ...

1. Get better lights, "be seen" LEDs are not enough when entering
enemy territory.

Almost goes without saying ...

2. Pay attention you dozy bugger, less of the dreamy "enjoying the
peaceful night/morning air" and I'd have seen the ambush in time.

I dunno, I think that is one of the joys of cycling. Being able to wander
somewhat fluffy-headed, especially at 4am on an off-road area. It saddens
me that there are scum who would do this kind of thing that has to be so
obviously a trap, purposely laid to hurt someone.

3. Arrange suitable alibi for upcoming, shooting and burning the
bodies type activity.

Ahem ... Tell us where and when you were ...

Sorry, just wanted to have a little moan. I feel better now

No worries. If you can't moan about scum like that, what can you moan
about?

Get well soon.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

Danny Colyer wrote:

Ouch, nasty. Have you reported it to the police? I doubt they'll do
anything.

Probably won't now, but hopefully they might if another similar incident
happens again.

Best of luck for getting yourself, bike & watch mended soon, Bob.

~PB

"Call me Bob" wrote in message
...
Well, they got me. Bah! *shakes fist in a Beano grumpy man stylee*

Glad you are more or less in one piece Bob :-(

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

On Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:44:14 +0100, Jon Senior
jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk wrote:

2. Pay attention you dozy bugger, less of the dreamy "enjoying the
peaceful night/morning air" and I'd have seen the ambush in time.

But that's why we (Some of us) ride. The full attention weaving through
traffic thing can be fun, but the enjoyment (for me) of a decent ride is
seeing all the things, I'd never have a chance to notice when driving.

I agree, although I'm very happy in heavy traffic I also love the fact
that cycling can be so relaxing at times. That's one of the main
reasons I enjoy night riding so much, everywhere is so much more
peaceful, the wildlife is more apparent and there's less distractions
to intrude on the simple joy of being out and about and pedaling
merrily away to your own rhythm. It's a shame that has to be spoiled
by some halfwits being deliberately malicious. Oh well, modern life
and all that.

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 00:31:00 +0100, "Pete Biggs"
wrote:

Best of luck for getting yourself, bike & watch mended soon, Bob.

Thank you Pete, much appreciated. I'm already feeling much happier
about the bike. I sorted it properly and was really surprised how much
it lifted my malaise, to have it running sweetly again. It's
therapeutic too, the clinking of spanners.

Unfortunately I'm feeling sick as dog right now. I think this is
either nasty case of concussion caused by the crash (strange though,
because I definitely didn't hit my head) or I've come down with
something like labyrinthitis.

I keep getting bouts of really severe vision and balance distortion,
accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It's serious enough that I rang my
doctors surgery out of hours for only the second time in my life. What
jolly japes!

These things come in three's so I'm afraid to go outside now for fear
of someone dropping a piano on me.



"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.