Try The Hop Pole in Bicester Road, opposite the VW garage, if you like real ale.

I’ve got a Cambium on my road bike. Comfy from the off and after 5 months it still looks good as new.

Tricky situation for the OP. I feel a hypocrit as I don’t wear a helmet, but my grandson does when we go for a ride together. I guess I think he’s more likely to fall off than I am. Ignore the critics, or just tell them ti piss off.

Sympathy for that arsewipe! Why? Life deals you are bad hand so you kill probably the only people to offer you help.

Daily **** with the rough end of a pineapple would be my suggestion.

A good friend of mine killed himself nearly 15 years ago. It was so unexpected that it really hit me for six. I couldn’t imagine anyone less likely to take his life. He was recently married, was seemingly happy in his work and life in general. We’d been out for a few beers a couple of nights before he took his life. He seemed as happy as I’d ever known him. He left no note and to this day we have no idea why he did it.

Ithe seems such a waste, and I count my blessings that the troubles I’ve had in life have never been such that death seemed to be the best option.

RIP Roger. I miss you still.

Why should they be wearing helmets? Are they not old enough to decide for themselves?

Are they not allowed to have a different opinion from you?

bought my house in ’92 though, a period when the housing market was in the doldrums, interest rates > 10% etc

I remember those days. Our first house, bought in 1981 was £16,000. We sold it 7 years later for £64,000. Paid 70 grand for the current house and could’ve sold it when we moved in for 80 grand. It then dropped to under 60 in no time at all. As interest rates rose we were offered the option of increasing the payments or maintaining the current monthly payment and extending the term. It went out by about 3 years at one point but came down as interest rates fell.

Happy days. Mind you, I’d rather those times than try and get on the property ladder now. My daughter’s plan for home ownership is to wait for mum and dad to die. Charming girl, but she has a point. I tell her she’d better pray that I die first, cos if Mrs Z goes first I’m selling up and drowning in coke and hoovers on the cash.

54. Having said that it was only £350 a month so not a huge amount. Still, better in my pocket than the building society’s.

This is correct: the car has to be continuously insured. The 3rd party insurance is valid whilst they’re driving it, but when parked it’s an uninsured vehicle. Which is norty and may result in your car being impounded and, possibly, crushed.

If the OP has to have the car insured when being driven by a third party on their “allowed to drive other cars” bit of their insurance why wouldn’t the OP insurance cover it when it was parked?

Just asking, not picking a fight :-)

Is it that hard to put your foot down when you stop?

I think that the tax payer has spent enough on this fruitless search. She’s dead and I think that the McCaans know it for sure.

He who rides the tiger can never get off.

Sling a few things in a carrier bag and tuck it in a corner of the pram. There’ll be plenty of room while the sprog is tiny. Then after a few weeks you’ll know that you don’t need half the crap that the books you’ve doubtless read on childcare tell you that you need.

Travel light. No one will care that little Tarquin doesn’t look catwalk ready. He, or she won’t give a damn either.

Spend less time worrying about what other people think. You’ll need all your energy caring for your offspring.

It needs your love and time, precious little else really matters.

swerving to avoid her on a bit of road which was plenty wide enough for him to pass her is sufficient for that, and quite possibly the best choice given how marginal the chances of avoiding the collision by braking are.

If he’d braked he would’ve been going more slowly at the point of impact and Mrs Brigg may not have died. Of course not having a front brake denied him this opportunity. Swerve away.

I still maintain that if he hadn’t behaved in the arrogant self obsessed manner that he displayed throughout, he might well be spending tonight in his own bed.

Let’s hope the bell end learns something while he’s locked up.

I’m going put mudguards on the Arkose in the next week or so, I suppose that counts.

Fitted mine today then couldn’t be bothered going out cos it was raining. I stayed in and did the ironing instead. Living the dream, but at least Mrs Z was pleased when she came home.

Had similar issues with our car, sluggish starting and sometimes nothing when the key was turned. Turn it again and the car would start, but not as instantly as normal. Battery showed good voltage when tested and also getting 14v or so when the engine was running, but it was failing under load.

A new battery and we’re back to instant starting.

Let the police locate the culprit. What are you going to do if you find them?

They,re fallen apostrophes. Cast from the light of the Punctuation God’s.

God’s what?

We have one young mum and 2 kids that come into our shop.
When they arrive it’s drop everything and follow the little girl around the shop making a note of everything she is stealing and then casually mentioning to mum that her daughter might have some bits.
The little girl gets told off but it’s one of those telling offs that she gets every 5 minutes that have no worth at all.
They then get into their Bentley convertible and are off. We have noted with despair that she is with child again.

Why not tell them that they’re not welcome in your shop.

The MOTD presenters. If Shearer’s with them I’m staying here!

I lost my job after 30 years with the company when the office closed. I was really bricking it as at 59 i was too young to retire and too old to employ it seemed. Luckily I got another job in the same industry 1 month into my 6 months notice. The new company were willing to wait for me to serve the notice, as if I’d left the old company early I’d have lost the settlement that they offered. I’m now working 30 hours a week instead of 40. The money’s not so good obviously, but the mortgage was paid of a few years ago, no debt to repay so the pay off is in the rainy day fund. I’m not able to save as much each month as I used to, but onverall the result was not as painful as I’d feared.

I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it’s not the end of the world as first seems. Going home and telling my wife when the news broke was not a pleasant experience. She was far more upset than me, but I’ve never been a worrier. Something will turn up, and it usually does.

i’ve spent the better part of a year doing my training rides with a guy that started at 100kg in preparation for him doing NC500. His opinion is also that its very heavy for riding bikes!

Then he’s full of shite too.

15st is (very) heavy for biking

What utter shite.

As a kid I loved all the Gerald Durrell books and really enjoyed all the pidgin used when he was collecting animals in Africa.The younger me never spotted that Durrell may have been a colonialist,racist and sexist.Should I go back and re read them,then I can feel suitably guilty for enjoying the stories?

Please don’t bother. Allow me to be outraged on your behalf. It’s the way of the world, and STW these days.

M25 onto M11 heading north.

M25 to M40 heading West

M3 to M25 heading north

All great fun on a motorbike if the roads are clear.

How often will three trucks need to go to the same destination. Krispy Kremes for the local police station apart.

On the motorways they can travel in convoy, but what happens when one needs to turn off?

Do what the alkies round here do when they’re filming. Make a nuisance of yourself until someone pays you to go away. :D

My wife had a friend who lived very close to where they filmed some scenes for Judge John Deed. It was the house where Jenny Seagrove lived.

The TV luvvies were a bit of a pain and I still recall the shout of CUT! as I honked the car horn on leaving after picking up my wife. Silly but fun.

I’m not sure why we need yet another law. The current one, although old seems suitable and has resulted in a few convictions.

I can’t help feeling if the cyclist hadn’t been such a cock with his victim blaming attitude his future might be looking a little rosier than it appears at the moment.

She wasn’t paying attention and he was riding like an idiot. A recipe for disaster.

[/quote]Mother Theresa died a virgin and Anne Widdecombe is likely to, not sure 72 of the sort that get to heaven a virgin is a reward

In the words of Fagan, the pick pocket geezer, not the sitting on the end of the queen’s bed one ” I’m reviewing the situation”

May give the Jihad a miss……..?

In heaven its 72 fresh virgins every day etc …

**** me, that’s one every 20 minutes :D I couldn’t keep that up for much more than a year or two.

Best way to remember your wedding anniversary is to forget it once.

None as pious and holier than thou as a group of cyclists eh?

Oh yes there are, STWers spring to mind, put “normal” cyclists to shame in that regard.

It’ll be a scorcher next Wednesday as I’ve got to wear a bloody suit all day long.

Hope your acquitted. :D

You were saying supremebean……..

You were turning it the right way I guess :D

Must be all that money the country’s awash with post Brexit.

One is a guest room. I ue another as a bedroom if Mrs Z is having a restless night and I go and sleep there to get some kip. The smallest bedroom is used as a storage room.

None of which seem pointless to me.

Just give me a proper ending. Don’t leave me hanging and having to decide for myself. Tell me.

I want to know where Vic was going, what happened at the restaurant where the Soprano family were dining.

Don’t be lazy, fill in the details.

Just think back to when you were 14………and worry.

I do like a horizontal top tube

Me too, those steeply raked top tubes just make me think that the rider’s bought too small a bike. I know they haven’t but that what it looks like.

Cannondale and Ribble do “proper” bikes :D

A little bit of rake is OK, but I’d much rather that it was horizontal. Might have to cough up for a custom made frame for the next bike, been thinking about treating myself anyway.