On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 13:56:24 +0100, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>
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You are a relative of Fat Eric MP
.... who is currently up for election to the Transport Select Committee. Given his previous lack of any expressed interest in transport issues (with one notable exception) one might speculate why he has done that...
Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice. Unfortunately the olds are making it very hard for me to go and buy a bike. I'm trying to convince them but it's not looking good. Unfortunately a family member had an accident on one many years ago, which left lasting effects, but there is a large difference between his situation and mine - for starters he was a child and I'm 28.
It sounds like it would be worth getting professional training so that you can show your parents that you have the skills needed for road riding. 2 x 2-hour sessions should do it - maybe one if you get and read Cyclecraft first. CTUK charge individuals £27.50 per hour.
Show them some of the more telling stats too: relative risk of cycling and walking, and life expectancy gains.
"antgel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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In which case you are an adult and can make your own decisions???
Easy for you to say.
Then act as an adult and make your own decisions. Coming from a family where I had a very, very difficult, demanding and overbearing mother, who put the fear of god into a regimental sergeant-major (my father), who also had a penchant for violence (she once tried to choke me for real amongst other little charms she had),
Bah. You had it easy. The real trouble is the quiet ones, who just radiate disapproval, disappointment, or whatever is best calculated to ... erm ... do what the poet Larkin said.
"antgel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice. Unfortunately the olds are making it very hard for me to go and buy a bike. I'm trying to convince them but it's not looking good. Unfortunately a family member had an accident on one many years ago, which left lasting effects, but there is a large difference between his situation and mine - for starters he was a child and I'm 28.
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In which case you are an adult and can make your own decisions???
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Easy for you to say.
At 28, you should be able to make a decision like this, else at 50 you will still need permission to go to the toilet.
"antgel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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>Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice. Unfortunately the >olds are making it very hard for me to go and buy a bike. I'm trying to >convince them but it's not looking good. Unfortunately a family member >had an accident on one many years ago, which left lasting effects, but >there is a large difference between his situation and mine - for >starters he was a child and I'm 28.
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In which case you are an adult and can make your own decisions???
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Easy for you to say.
At 28, you should be able to make a decision like this, else at 50 you will still need permission to go to the toilet.
I _am_ able to "make a decision like this". As I have already intimated, the decision that I make isn't selfishly based on purely my feelings, which is obviously a foreign concept to one or two people here.
Also, given that I want to nip round London and perhaps take the odd recreational ride at weekends, do I go for a folder or a hybrid, or do I just wait until I go to the shop and see what I like?
don't just wait until you go, GO, and then go to another and another, find some more and go to them too, buy a bell, puncture repair kit, light or two, etc. and take brochures home, tell your folks that you keep going to them, ask for their opinion on lycra, mitts, dainese protectors, whatever, and show them that you have an interest. the next day they go out they'll notice how many cyclists there are in the world & that it's normal. then buy a hybrid because it's normal and you could catch a finger in one of those folding things and that would worry your parents
had an accident on one many years ago, which left lasting effects, but there is a large difference between his situation and mine - for starters he was a child and I'm 28.
In which case you are an adult and can make your own decisions???
Easy for you to say.
Being 29 and still living at home I can sympathize with you to some extent. I find the trick is to 'gradually introduce' the idea ahead of wanting to do the thing. I started going on about solo camping last year and met with much maternal resistance. However, this year, my mum's attitude was almost reversed and she was happy to see me go. I just try to remember that she is my mother and deserves a little bit more leeway than a stranger that I might meet in the street.
You just have to find a balance between making it absolutely clear that you are going to do this and not overly forcing the issue. Take it slow and make sure that no one has to have their feelings hurt or loose face. Your family are bluffing, BTW - they know that they can't actually stop you.
I _am_ able to "make a decision like this". As I have already intimated, the decision that I make isn't selfishly based on purely my feelings, which is obviously a foreign concept to one or two people here.
Your consideration for your parents' feelings is admirable, but if you spend your whole life not doing things because they think it's too dangerous I suspect you'll regret it - and you may come to resent them for holding you back, which would be sad.
As a datapoint, Rob, my husband, says he's always enjoyed cycling in Central London as he's usually the fastest moving thing on the road....
-- Carol "Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"
I agree (to a certain extent) with antgel and killermike about the need to respect those close to you.
However, some people really need to get a grip with reality here[1]. If they were talking about freeclimbing or base jumping or crossing the deserts of Afghanistan solo, then they might have a point[2]. But c'mon - we're talking about RIDING A BICYCLE and GOING CAMPING. Things that millions of five-year-olds do with supervision, and millions of teenagers do by themselves.
[1] FTAOD - I'm talking about the parents. [2] If one of my children had a really really burning desire to do one of those things, then I may not be happy about it, but if they had taken all possible precautions and training, there is no way I would stop them. I would far prefer they spend their lives doing what they really love, rather than not being able to do anything with a vague danger attached and ending up possibly living a little longer but more mediocre existance.
As a datapoint, Rob, my husband, says he's always enjoyed cycling in Central London as he's usually the fastest moving thing on the road....
Me and my Brompton have never yet been beaten by taxi, tube or bus. I frequently catch an earlier train home than colleagues leaving the same meeting and going by tube or taxi to the station.
-- Tony
"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't" Anon
I agree (to a certain extent) with antgel and killermike about the need to respect those close to you.
However, some people really need to get a grip with reality here[1]. If they were talking about freeclimbing or base jumping or crossing the deserts of Afghanistan solo, then they might have a point[2]. But c'mon - we're talking about RIDING A BICYCLE and GOING CAMPING. Things that millions of five-year-olds do with supervision, and millions of teenagers do by themselves.
[1] FTAOD - I'm talking about the parents. [2] If one of my children had a really really burning desire to do one of those things, then I may not be happy about it, but if they had taken all possible precautions and training, there is no way I would stop them. I would far prefer they spend their lives doing what they really love, rather than not being able to do anything with a vague danger attached and ending up possibly living a little longer but more mediocre existance.
It's not a burning desire really. Just a convenient way to get around town. I appreciate that some of you can try to see the situation from my point of view.
If anyone here has had a child left with a permanent disability as a result of a cycling accident, and would be indifferent if another of their children took it up, I'd be most interested to hear your reasons.
As a datapoint, Rob, my husband, says he's always enjoyed cycling in Central London as he's usually the fastest moving thing on the road....
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Me and my Brompton have never yet been beaten by taxi, tube or bus. I frequently catch an earlier train home than colleagues leaving the same meeting and going by tube or taxi to the station.
Wondrous machine is the Brompton; I've just bought another one...
As a datapoint, Rob, my husband, says he's always enjoyed cycling in Central London as he's usually the fastest moving thing on the road....
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Me and my Brompton have never yet been beaten by taxi, tube or bus. I frequently catch an earlier train home than colleagues leaving the same meeting and going by tube or taxi to the station.
Wondrous machine is the Brompton; I've just bought another one...
Which model? Any custom bits?
And did Guy ever buy one? You'd have thought he might have mentioned it by now...
Wondrous machine is the Brompton; I've just bought another one...
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I thought you were off cycles now.
I am. That does not stop me buying them! I'd not bought a bike for ten years and I felt the need to buy one! Partner didn't realise he needed a Brompton...
I am. That does not stop me buying them! I'd not bought a bike for ten years and I felt the need to buy one! Partner didn't realise he needed a Brompton...
Will you marry me? ;-)
-- Tony
"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't" Anon
