I went to the first of three meetings yesterday, called to discuss the future of the village in the face of considerable development within the parish boundaries and how the infrastructure is likely to cope. During the course of the event, the subject of the sinkholes (it's no longer enough to call them mere potholes) that have opened up along the main road, came up. There are now about a dozen that are hard to dodge, each one a potential wheel killer, especially wheels shod with low profile tyres. They began with the last snow we had, Xmas before last and this last couple of months has opened them up like a bandy whore on pay day. They really are a mess. The district council sent a man and his mate around last week to fill them...... ...with sand. I shit you not. Anyway, the subject came up and various parishioners stood up and said their piece and the consensus was that although a nuisance to the majority, it was clearly extremely dangerous to, wait for it..... ...pedestrians crossing the road, who could easily turn their ankle and fall into the path of traffic. And cyclists, who could unwittingly ride into one and be thrown off. "And motorcyclists." I added. "I beg your pardon" "And motorcyclists. We also could unwittingly ride into one and be thrown off. With potentially greater circumstances due to our greater mass and kinetic energy." The reply was along the lines of "Well you should be looking where you're going, quite frankly, and you ride far too fast through the village as it is, so should any of you fall off, it's hardly likely to be the responsibility of the council." That can be considered to be the point that the fight started...
I thought a lot of this kind of attitude died off in the 80's and 90's. Perhaps it still lingers in the far flung reaches of the British Empire (South west England lol)
You're not wrong Jonny. I'm always very careful when riding through the village. shitting where you eat and all that. My Blade is fairly quiet too, but I still get the pointing and the head shaking from the denizens. I don't think it's so much that they feel I'm causing a public nuisance, I think it's more they're afraid I'm a roundhead come for those loyal to the king...
I would have replied with" pedestrians walking 3-4MPH should look where they are going. it's harder for a motorcyclist doing 29MPH or well under the limit Typical stupid reply's Ken
It's a parish council, mate. Anything that isn't the way they've been doing it for the last 50 years is regarded as interference in the way the community should be run. Any meeting that is mandated to have a public audience is treated as censure and any talk of progress is instantly regarded with NIMBY. I'll tell you, the script writers of Hot Fuzz must have lived in a rural village. I'd lay my hard earned money down that the response I had was more because I'd dared to correct their conclusion than any inherent dislike of bikers. Absolutely, the last thing they want, and my missus is one of them, is any of the parishioners standing up and saying 'Actually, I disagree. I believe you've got that wrong.'
I heard a radio talk in on the Beeb last year about "speeding" bikers and what should "we" do about it and some of the ideas that General public were saying beggars believe, one was to "take away all these racing safety gear, because that makes them ride to fast"??? They don't have clue
Last year I did something that I was a little ashamed of. My blade has a Yoshi with no baffle in. It's fairly loud. Not Fez-slaschcut-exhaust-loud but not far off. I was riding down the road at maybe 40 (in a 30 zone). Certainly not offensively quick. As I did so this bloke who must've been in his 70s saw me coming and stood there in an outraged hands on hips pose with his mouth ajar. Making it clear that he didn't approve. I MAY have chucked him the Vs as I rode past
Parish councils mate are a largely a collection of retired tossers who lived inconsequential working lives, a now all of a sudden due to a tiny minority vote have a excess of power....and how they feckin abuse it...democracy my a*se. My local parish council all brand themselves 'Independents', but work together like a pack of Hyenas, half of the useless twats are Conservative Councillors on the local District Council, two faced lying hypocrites. To make it even harder to break the status quo, all their committee meetings are held at 10am on a weekday....yep just the time you and me are working our bollox off to pay their state pensions Don't get me started................................
http://1000rr.co.uk/events-meetings-ride-outs/15259.htm The norf will be empty of apes and the village full of 'tutting'.
Would it be massively anti-social to ride through your village with this playing over the sounds of exhaust blips? Motorhead - King Of Kings - YouTube
No Nick. That would be fine. But, if you were to fall into a pot hole while you were head banging, it would be your own fault.
Anyone else thinking of this Apocalypse Now: Ride of the Valkyries - IGN Video I love the smell of 4 star in the morning
