Focus tdci here too.. I have to leave it in the drive whilst the roads are slippery as it’s completely useless in the snow.. Had to push two police cars out of my road yesterday (both focus’s).

there is almost never any excuse for cycling on the pavements. either cycle on the road or walk on the pavements.

I do wonder what planet you live on. The last 500 yard of my ride home, the cycle path dodges on and off the road at least half a dozen times. It’s much more dangerous to try and follow the cycle path, jumping between road and pavement every few yards, than it is to simply stay on the 4mtr wide path.

I have no problems cycling on the pavement with appropriate care for pedestrians.

If the roads were better then I would use them but they’re shit and not worth risking my life for.

+1

My wife has this strange aversion to riding uphill… On the flat or downhill she flies and could easily join in our regular informal club rides. As soon as there is the slightest incline, she just gives in.

Very strange.

Two, maybe three times I’ve sent written offers at 50% of the asking price. Never had so much as a reply from any of them !!

So lets get this straight..

I’m living in a society where there are a group of people who offer me two options.. they will take my stuff to feed their drug habit unless I pay for their drug habit through my taxes?

I’d prefer to pay for them to be locked up and PROPERLY supervised!

Throw away the key for all I care.

Me and a mate were in an Indian restaurant with my wife and his newly met lithuanian girlfriend. She commented on the metal hotplate on the table in front of her being hot. My pal decided it would be impressive to show his manhood.. he grabbed either side of the hotplate, picked it up and said ‘neeeehh.. that’s not hot’ and proceeded, in some crazy machismo way, to put his nose on it. There was this massive sizzling noise like bacon frying.. five minutes later and his nose was like this giant red balloon hehehe

Oh how we all laughed. Except the girl who looked quite worried. He never saw her again.

Punched myself in the face at boxing in front of the whole gym

The fact is, I’d rather some people abuse the system, but we made sure those that really need it are cared for – than have a very strict system which means that some of the poorest/most vulnerable people don’t get what they need.

Same here.. but there are so many people abusing the system that the system itself is verging on insanity, as such, putting the people who need it most at risk of losing it altogether.

Whilst the most needy most definitely need protecting, the parasites need weeding out, not shielding by the so called do-gooders, who are in fact putting the whole welfare state at risk by their singleminded need to help.

Fast enough to get somewhere yet slow enough to take in what the journey has to offer.

TJ.. The fact that a few people don’t like something doesn’t automatically make it wrong.

My elderly mother calls EVERYONE ‘babe’. She isn’t on some power trip or committing a hate crime. To most normal people she’s simply being friendly. That the odd person doesn’t like it is their problem.

I actually find your aloof championing of the minority voice quite demeaning to them and frankly, much ruder. Doubt that will make a difference though eh bruv.

Read the posts from the women on here. I suspect they are rather more qualified to comment than you.

If only you could see the mocking laughter from my wife and her (female) cousin. They don’t believe you’re a real person.

It belittleing and demeaning and disrespectful to refer to someone you don’t know by a term of endearment. It says “I am more powerful than you”

Calm down.. TJ and his cronies will be here in a moment to tell you the BBC are liars.

Yep,

it’s just..Arrrghhhhhh. hate it

What if it was a 65 year old blind lady in the street?

Thank god I’ve never actually met anyone in person who would get wound up by a word genuinely said in friendship.

The very idea is baffling and says more about the recipient than it does the person who said it… bruv

‘love’ ‘babe’ ‘mate’ ‘sweetheart’ ‘pal’ ‘dude’ used them all, and quite frankly if some jumped up, chip on their shoulder, self righteous div wants to take my genuinely friendly gesture the wrong way, they can simply inform me of their displeasure and I’ll choose another more suitable gesture.

(and for the record.. I’m one of the underclass)

I’ve also always used my middle name.. When I asked my parents why they used my middle name instead of my first name they said ‘because your father has the same first name and we’d get confused’. 😯

When I suggested they could have simply put the names the other way round from the start I got a blank stare. Dead clever my parents 🙄

All mine had them young without issue (five kids). I had them at 25, thought I was going to die, and have loads of scars from it.

I’d vote for getting it over with young.

Best thing I ever bought for my kids. Had a 13foot round one and it gave the kids (and me) about 8 years of use. Now it resides in my sisters garden providing many hours of fun for my nephews/nieces.

Never had a net and although the garden was always full of kids, never had any accidents either. No more than three on at a time was our rule.

Only problem is having to move it around the garden once in a while to cut the grass/stop it going yellow.

Best money I ever spent.

Yunki.. you’re making yourself look a fool.

The majority of muslim terrorist attacks ARE done in the name of islam.

Since when were western wars done on economic grounds every done in the name of Christianity.

Sorry, but you dont come across to me as intelligent, just hypocritical.

It’s all about money..

Wars in the name of capitalism you dope, not Christianity.

Could you explain how Islam is ‘sticking it’s foot etc etc hyperbole etc rights’ please?

Dont make me laugh.. have you ever even lived within or near a large muslim community?

Do you know their views on homosexuality?

Propaganda? Your blinkered views and left wing dogma are pathetically hypocritical..

I’ve always found pixies at the bottom of me garden..

(calling hypocrisy is a very childish diversion tactic.. waaaay too much importance allocated to that mean little device)

I see it every day from the trendy ‘left’. The anti christian pro islam hypocrisy of their posting is almost laughable.

I have gay friends, they have (and rightly so) serious concerns about the rapidly growing foot that islam is sticking in the door of our hard fought for democratic/social rights.

I see day after day, trendy left wingers, so overtly anti establishment and blinkered in their views, that they’re willing to sell their soul to an even more blinkered and outdated dogma simply to score points at the previous one.

I’ve always found that most people (from personal experience) who uphold the right of muslims within society to do as they please are the very same people overtly willing to tear into Christianity.

AN ancient mountain cycles – San andreas, Rides like a pogo stick with wheels and looks like something left over from an episode of scrap heap challenge.

Just love it though.. work of art.

That do get slated terribly for customer support but I can honestly say I’ve never had a problem with them at all.

I have three accs with them.. Personal, business and an asset acc. All work as they should and never had a problem transferring out large (to me anyway) amounts.

Re the lintel.. You could easily take a few bricks out above the old lintel and replace. If you’re worried about it falling down you could always hire a srongboy to support the brickwork. Did the same myself before christmas and it was dead easy.

But… If you’re plastering anyway and the lintel is sticking 10mm beyond the brick, cant you just skim the existing lintel with a very thin layer of plaster to build up to the level of plaster you’ll put on the brickwork.

Also.. maybe you’re putting a surround. if so, wont that hide the lintel?

One tip.. Remember the plaster will get VERY hot. It WILL blow and fall off or crack if you dont leave a decent space from the stove.

Good luck.

Some pics of my effort Here

Edit: just read it’s an inch not 10mm (god knows where I got 10mm from)

As we don’t really make anything that other countries want these days, where is the argument against import taxes on foreign goods to try and give a kick up the arse to our own manufacturing?

Of course prices will rise, but lets face it, some chinese goods are ridiculously cheap and a more successful home manufacturing base would boost employment and the economy.

I use a dakine for commute and a Camelbak four seasons for general biking.

My Kona Jackshit Primos have been excellent.

As this is a bike forum.. how about using some form of dynamo on the bike wheel as a power source for recharging mobiles etc whilst on the move.

Both.

urban roads are safer

I disagree.. Can honestly say I’ve never been knocked off my bike in the countryside (or come anywhere near to it), but commuting I have near misses almost daily. Sometimes multiple ones.

I subscribe to oldgits methods..

I won’t follow any so called rules about where to ride in the road, as a rule! I’d say I’m less than a metre from the kerb.
I find righteous cyclist absolute shit and an embarrassment.
All that’s required is common sense, finesse, manners and sadly a big dose of humble pie.

Eaxctly, and if I’m obviously holding up traffic and there are no pedestrians about , I even hop onto the kerb for a while to let them pass.

All riding needs is common sense, quick reactions, being aware of traffic around you and a little consideration for other road users.

Had an ‘experience’ just before christmas.

I was driving along what I was sure was a straight road. A car was coming towards me in the distance. As it got closer, it appeared to veer onto my side of the road. I assumed there was a kink in the road and was just about to go to the left of it, when I realised the dozy idiot had driven to my side of the road and parked in a layby on my side facing me and due to his lights I couldnt see the road properly.

Scared the hell out of me as I nearly drove straight off the road and into the trees.

When I go swimming I try and make a point of going into one of the little private changing booths if there are any small girls in the changing room.

(Dont want to scare them)

Canondale & Kona bikes, Hope products.
Used to be Specialized but they lost their way (IMHO)