Spare a thought for the poor Motorcyclist.

Posted by: Mick P on 03 December 2006

Chaps

I am feeling grumpy.

I decided to start up my 1959 BSA 350cc single after lunch and to take it for a spin through the Wiltshire country side.

It started 2nd kick and I got my leathers on and set off for a pleasant little run as is my usual custom every few days. I was happy with the world and life felt good.

Halfway through my journey, some bloody lorry driver unwound his window and chucked the entire contents of his pot noodle lunch into the air and naturally it landed all over me and the bike.

I stopped and cleaned my self off and proceeded on again.

I am later riding behind some pleb in a BMW who decides to wash his windscreen with his cleaners. The spray goes over his roof and onto me.

So I have to stop for a second time to wipe my vizor dry. I then set off again.

Ten minutes later, some other sod does the same bloody thing, so I have to clean myself down yet again. Windscreen wash is not good for leathers.

I then drive down a rural lane to find the road covered in a mixture of straw and horse dung. Why it is there I do not know but what I can tell you is that half of it ended up on my boots and plastered the underside of my, what was, gleaming bike.

So once again I have to stop to clean myself down.

When I returned home, I had to wash the bike down in rather chilly weather. I then had to remove the reminants of pot noodle, windscreen wash and horse muck from my leathers.

Over all, I wished I had stayed indoors.

Regards

Mick

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by u5227470736789439

Dear Mick,

Not wishing to poo-poo your post, but it could have been worse: Some Plebian monster could have thrown the contents of their ashtray out of the window at you.

No I am quite serious; this is but one area where some smokers let the rest of us down. I never even litter with my (totally biodegradable) rolly butts. I can see why people are 'anti' the smoking fraternity to be honest. If he sees this Frank F will attest to the fact that even on the streets of Warsaw I was scrupulius about taking my butts home. I have always been the same with it.

I ride a push bike and honestly the problems of the motorcyclist are small compared to the poor little push biker. I have twice in 35 years (of riding on the Queen's Highway) been knocked of my hurdle.

The road is not a very nice place these days.

Kindest regards from Fredrik

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Don Atkinson

Mick,

I rather expect the country lanes in rural Wiltshire to be covered with straw and horse shit-its part of country life.

If the sequence had been

pot noodle
wash
horse shit
wash

you might have got back cleaner than you started out!!!!

Commiserations

Cheers

Don

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Stephen Tate

Mick,

I suppose if the bike was an R1 you could of ducked behind the screen at which the substances would of vapourised from the immense speed. Sometimes you do have to see the funny side of things. At least you got back safe and well.

P.s. On an R1 you would of been covered in Knat splat or atomized flies.

regards

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Bob McC

Mick
Did any of them know you perchance?

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Beano

"Turned out nice again, hasn't it"...

Mental Pictures I love em!

Beano Oh Dear Mother.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Mick P

Bob

I suspect you are the sort of person who throws pot noodles at elderly chaps on vintage bikes.

It just seems the sort of thing you would do.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Rico

Mick

congratulate yourself on remaining upright amidst such road hazards as pot noodle, dung, and windscreen cleaner. A lesser motorcyclist would have lost his ride below him, and been plucking himself (from a hedge).

Take the 'windscreen wash over the roof' feature as a warning sign to give the eejit in front a wide berth. Given the ease of aiming any washer jet to provide a clean screen, anyone operating in such a fashion is not really interested in what's in front, and certainly not what's behind.

And speaking of what's behind, it was excellent fortune you weren't instead touching a knee down through the curves, only to find the herd still on the road. I was enjoying a little turbo boost a couple of weeks ago in my family wagon, through a curve... and manage to successfully test the brakes to avoid 40-odd cattle in the middle of a 100kph zone, right across the road. I suspect you've read Keith Code's book, and are riding with your "$10 in your top pocket".

cheers

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by BigH47

Your fame obviously precedes you.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Bob McC

Mick
Not me, I couldn't possibly eat a pot noodle, even partially, and drive a car.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Rico

Bob - Mick although didn't indicate it earlier, I would have expected the lorry driver was stationary when he cast his art-project into the air before Mick. Hence, eating a pot noodle (and why eat, you only need to throw it) and driving is not a requirement.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Bob McC

Rico
But if the lorry had been stationary I would have expected Mick to have boxed the lout's ears.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by rackkit

quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Chaps

I am feeling grumpy.

I decided to start up my 1959 BSA 350cc single after lunch and to take it for a spin through the Wiltshire country side.

It started 2nd kick and I got my leathers on and set off for a pleasant little run as is my usual custom every few days. I was happy with the world and life felt good.

Halfway through my journey, some bloody lorry driver unwound his window and chucked the entire contents of his pot noodle lunch into the air and naturally it landed all over me and the bike.
....
Regards
Mick

Karma was the name of the truck driver. Can't speak for the others.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by Steve O

Sympathies Mick, we live in an inconsiderate society.
Regards,
Steve O.

Posted on: 04 December 2006 by Guido Fawkes

Apparently Granny Sweet first encountered Precious Pup when he landed in the basket on the front of her motor cycle, while she was on her way to her day job as a wall-of-death rider.

Posted on: 04 December 2006 by Deane F

Acad

I think that all he was pointing out was that if you start a big boy's game then you play by big boy's rules.

Posted on: 04 December 2006 by Rico

oh dear - less than two pages before a descent into shit-fighting. I know the days are getting shorter up there; can you boys just refrain from the handbags-at-dawn posturing, please?

We could get back to comiserating with Mick, and appreciating his stoic account to what might have been a miserable morning's ride, were it not for his surroundings, his trusty steed, and his point of view.

regards

Posted on: 04 December 2006 by long-time-dead

quote:
Originally posted by Rico:
We could get back to comiserating with Mick, and appreciating his stoic account to what might have been a miserable morning's ride, were it not for his surroundings, his trusty steed, and his point of view.

regards

.... not forgetting the emmissions of course .....

Posted on: 04 December 2006 by nicnaim

Mick,

How about a picture of the bike, now that it has been cleaned. Always had a soft spot for BSA's, after owning a Bantam many moons ago.

Regards

Nic

Posted on: 05 December 2006 by Sir Crispin Cupcake

Sympathies Mick. I once overtook a car on a motorway where a passenger leant out of the rear window and covered my windscreen in procectile vomit. Luckily - if you can call that lucky - I was driving a car. Still bloody annoying though.

Rich

Posted on: 05 December 2006 by Chris Kelly

Somebody must have said "The more I hear about people the less I like them"....
As a recent convert to a pedal bike I am already amazed at the the thoughtlessness of motorists towards other road users. I am actively trying to improve my own road manners and consideration when behind the wheel of a car as a result.