Yet another drive-through story

Preston Crawford wrote:
what is so different about restaurants, that we always

Quoted message said:

hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Holy [censored]....you can't possibly live in New Jersey. I stop at the
Mickey Dee's drive thru to get coffee. Well, I did when I had a car to
drive. I would never, ever get in that line on a bicycle. It is crazy
in the morning. Everyone is in a hurry, there is a mile long line,
People are checking to see if they got all their food while pulling out
of the drive thru and its an absolute nut house. Everyone gets backed
up. The people in back of you keep inching forward while fumbling
through their purse to get their money and your lucky if they put their
brake on at all while in line.

If your fast food lines are different, then I don't see a problem, but
if I ever saw a cyclist in the line I used to go through in the morning
I would think he or she were on a suicide mission. I'm certainly not
going through it now that I have to bike it.

How much of a problem is it to go inside? How long does it take to
lock up the bike? In this part of the world, the drive thru lines are
jammed and if you actually take the time to get out of your car there
is no one inside the place.

I started going into the bank recently to find no one standing in line
while 44 cars were taking up three lanes of the drive thru.

Maggie.

Maggie said:

Preston Crawford wrote:
what is so different about restaurants, that we always

Quoted message said:

hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Holy [censored]....you can't possibly live in New Jersey. I stop at the
Mickey Dee's drive thru to get coffee. Well, I did when I had a car to
drive. I would never, ever get in that line on a bicycle. It is crazy
in the morning. Everyone is in a hurry, there is a mile long line,

What would be so weird about riding a bike even in that situation? Road
ragers aside, it doesn't take any longer on a bike than in a car.

Quoted message said:

of the drive thru and its an absolute nut house. Everyone gets backed
up. The people in back of you keep inching forward while fumbling
through their purse to get their money and your lucky if they put their
brake on at all while in line.

Wouldn't they hit another car then? Weird.

Quoted message said:

How much of a problem is it to go inside? How long does it take to
lock up the bike? In this part of the world, the drive thru lines are
jammed and if you actually take the time to get out of your car there
is no one inside the place.

It takes longer to lock up a bike and go inside than it does just to go
through the drive-through. Especially when you're heading on your way
with something to take home, as we were. Besides, no bike racks, nor
anything remotely safe to lock it to, at least not at this McDs.

The irony in this situation is that we were completely alone in the
drive-through.

Quoted message said:

I started going into the bank recently to find no one standing in line
while 44 cars were taking up three lanes of the drive thru.

Maggie.

Well, it's always a matter of choice. I won't wait in a long line when I
have the flexibility to go inside. But generally going inside takes
longer here in Portland, Oregon.

Preston

Preston Crawford said:

Maggie said:

Preston Crawford wrote:
what is so different about restaurants, that we always

Quoted message said:

hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Holy [censored]....you can't possibly live in New Jersey. I stop at the
Mickey Dee's drive thru to get coffee. Well, I did when I had a car to
drive. I would never, ever get in that line on a bicycle. It is crazy
in the morning. Everyone is in a hurry, there is a mile long line,

What would be so weird about riding a bike even in that situation? Road
ragers aside, it doesn't take any longer on a bike than in a car.

Quoted message said:

of the drive thru and its an absolute nut house. Everyone gets backed
up. The people in back of you keep inching forward while fumbling
through their purse to get their money and your lucky if they put their
brake on at all while in line.

Wouldn't they hit another car then? Weird.

You're not reading between the lines Prestion. Maggie is trying to say that
if you got in line at a McDonalds on a bike in New Jersey, that people
would not be able to restrain themselves from running you over, because,
dammit, you deserve it for doing such a dumb thing.

When are you going to realize that if you do something like wear colorful
lycra in her part of town, or ride your bike where you shouldn't in
NEWJERSEY, that people are going to either shoot you or run you over - it's
their right to do so, because, dammit, you're such a dumbass for pulling
such a stunt, and need desperately to be taught a lesson!

"Gee officer, it serves him right getting run over, and to make my point I
backed up and ran over his skinny lycra-clad butt again!"

Hope that clears it up for you. <g>

jj

Preston Crawford said:

So my wife and I are out for a bike ride today. Getting groceries,
grabbing lunch and we decide to go by McDonalds. My wife has been
talking for a few days about how they have this fruit and yogurt salad
that's actually pretty good. So, curious, I decide I'll try it, so we
pull up through the drive through.

To make a long story short, they first refused to serve us and when I
asked why they didn't have a reason other than someone might hit us
and McDonalds would be liable (they still serve coffee, don't they?).
Eventually they said they'd serve us "just this once".

When I get to the windows I said. "Just really quick. So you know, I
was once over 400lbs. My wife was over 360lbs. We've each lost over
150lbs. Part of how we got there was eating 20 piece McNuggets and
value meals super-sized. Now you have to understand the irony that
after 5 years of not eating at your restaurant I decide to check out
something on your menu that is healthy and you won't let me order on
my bike."

The lady admitted she saw the irony, reiterated the imminent danger of
cyclists going through the drive-through. Which is weird because I do
this all the time without hassle at banks, pharmacies, etc. So my
question is, what is so different about restaurants, that we always
hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

They have typical corporate lawyers who are experts at sniffing out every
possible liability, but don't know their heads from their you-know-whats when it
comes to assessing actual risk. Yet they feel free to make grand proclaimations
about it anyway. This arrogance pervades the legal profession.

I'd love to know what's more dangerous about a fast food drive-through than the
roads you just rode in from. I bet McDonald's is far more likely to have you to
sue them for a slip and fall injury in their dining room than some kind of
bicycle mishap in their drive-through. But I'm not a wormy lawyer trying to
come up with esoteric possibilities to impress my boardroom colleagues with,
"Gee Bob, great point, never woulda thoughta that..."

Write to management. Tell them to quit persecuting bicyclists, and turn down
the heat on their coffee instead. Risk assessment again -- common sense.

Better yet -- quit eating that [censored].

Matt O.

Preston Crawford said:

On 2005-05-31, Maggie <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

How much of a problem is it to go inside? How long does it take to
lock up the bike? In this part of the world, the drive thru lines
are jammed and if you actually take the time to get out of your car
there is no one inside the place.

It takes longer to lock up a bike and go inside than it does just to
go through the drive-through. Especially when you're heading on your
way with something to take home, as we were. Besides, no bike racks,
nor anything remotely safe to lock it to, at least not at this McDs.

Quoted message said:

Well, it's always a matter of choice. I won't wait in a long line
when I have the flexibility to go inside. But generally going inside
takes longer here in Portland, Oregon.

Just take the bike inside with you. If they object, tell 'em it's your
wheelchair.

I take my bike inside everywhere. No one ever says anything. But then again I
never go to fast food joints either.

Matt O.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'd love to know what's more dangerous about a fast food drive-through

than the

Quoted message said:

roads you just rode in from.

The toxins they try to pass off as food?

Preston Crawford said:

So my wife and I are out for a bike ride today. Getting groceries,
grabbing lunch and we decide to go by McDonalds. My wife has been
talking for a few days about how they have this fruit and yogurt salad
that's actually pretty good. So, curious, I decide I'll try it, so we
pull up through the drive through.

To make a long story short, they first refused to serve us and when I
asked why they didn't have a reason other than someone might hit us and
McDonalds would be liable (they still serve coffee, don't they?).
Eventually they said they'd serve us "just this once".

When I get to the windows I said. "Just really quick. So you know, I was
once over 400lbs. My wife was over 360lbs. We've each lost over 150lbs.
Part of how we got there was eating 20 piece McNuggets and value meals
super-sized. Now you have to understand the irony that after 5 years of
not eating at your restaurant I decide to check out something on your
menu that is healthy and you won't let me order on my bike."

The lady admitted she saw the irony, reiterated the imminent danger of
cyclists going through the drive-through. Which is weird because I do
this all the time without hassle at banks, pharmacies, etc. So my
question is, what is so different about restaurants, that we always
hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Been "there" myself, though my experience was at Wendy's. I don't understand
the logic any more than you do. I was surprised, did not anticipate refusal.
Girl gave me the liability spiel and pointed to the prominent sign stuck to the
service window. Yep, it was posted. Sux.

Preston Crawford wrote:
(snip)

Quoted message said:

Besides, no bike racks, nor
anything remotely safe to lock it to, at least not at this McDs.

(snip)

Look closely. You might find gas pipes to hitch to. My MickeyD's gas service
is on one side of the bldg., just to the rear of the fire exit. Nice wad of 2"
pipes and gas meter. Hitching is easy with whatever lock you happen to have; my
U-lock or cable clock (depending on which bike I have) are accommodated equally
well.

Matt O'Toole said:

Preston Crawford said:

So my wife and I are out for a bike ride today. Getting groceries,
grabbing lunch and we decide to go by McDonalds. My wife has been
talking for a few days about how they have this fruit and yogurt salad
that's actually pretty good. So, curious, I decide I'll try it, so we
pull up through the drive through.

To make a long story short, they first refused to serve us and when I
asked why they didn't have a reason other than someone might hit us
and McDonalds would be liable (they still serve coffee, don't they?).
Eventually they said they'd serve us "just this once".

When I get to the windows I said. "Just really quick. So you know, I
was once over 400lbs. My wife was over 360lbs. We've each lost over
150lbs. Part of how we got there was eating 20 piece McNuggets and
value meals super-sized. Now you have to understand the irony that
after 5 years of not eating at your restaurant I decide to check out
something on your menu that is healthy and you won't let me order on
my bike."

The lady admitted she saw the irony, reiterated the imminent danger of
cyclists going through the drive-through. Which is weird because I do
this all the time without hassle at banks, pharmacies, etc. So my
question is, what is so different about restaurants, that we always
hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

They have typical corporate lawyers who are experts at sniffing out every
possible liability, but don't know their heads from their you-know-whats when it
comes to assessing actual risk. Yet they feel free to make grand proclaimations
about it anyway. This arrogance pervades the legal profession.

Of course. But I've worked in fast food, personally. Not long ago. Back
in college in the mid to late 90s. And I don't ever recall any such rule
anywhere I worked. It seems like one of those arbitrary "it's just weird
so it must be against the rules" decisions.

Quoted message said:

I'd love to know what's more dangerous about a fast food drive-through than the
roads you just rode in from. I bet McDonald's is far more likely to have you to
sue them for a slip and fall injury in their dining room than some kind of

Of course. Legally one would think. Nevermind they still serve coffee.

Quoted message said:

Write to management. Tell them to quit persecuting bicyclists, and turn down
the heat on their coffee instead. Risk assessment again -- common sense.

Better yet -- quit eating that [censored].

Matt O.

I think you missed the point. Re-read my post. I made a point of noting
to the manager that because I changed lifestyles to get healthier (I
lost over 170lbs at one point) I hadn't been to a McDs in 5 years. The
only thing that made me go today was to try out this fruit salad (which
wasn't that bad, actually). Just curious. You never know when you're on
a road trip in the middle of nowhere and need to grab *something* to
eat.

Preston

jj said:

Preston Crawford said:

Maggie said:

Preston Crawford wrote:
what is so different about restaurants, that we always
> hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?
>
> Preston

Holy [censored]....you can't possibly live in New Jersey. I stop at the
Mickey Dee's drive thru to get coffee. Well, I did when I had a car to
drive. I would never, ever get in that line on a bicycle. It is crazy
in the morning. Everyone is in a hurry, there is a mile long line,

What would be so weird about riding a bike even in that situation? Road
ragers aside, it doesn't take any longer on a bike than in a car.

Quoted message said:

of the drive thru and its an absolute nut house. Everyone gets backed
up. The people in back of you keep inching forward while fumbling
through their purse to get their money and your lucky if they put their
brake on at all while in line.

Wouldn't they hit another car then? Weird.

You're not reading between the lines Prestion. Maggie is trying to say that
if you got in line at a McDonalds on a bike in New Jersey, that people
would not be able to restrain themselves from running you over, because,
dammit, you deserve it for doing such a dumb thing.

Maybe in New Jersey that applies. In Portland not only is it not a dumb
thing, but it's quite regular.

Quoted message said:

When are you going to realize that if you do something like wear colorful
lycra in her part of town, or ride your bike where you shouldn't in
NEWJERSEY, that people are going to either shoot you or run you over - it's
their right to do so, because, dammit, you're such a dumbass for pulling
such a stunt, and need desperately to be taught a lesson!

"Gee officer, it serves him right getting run over, and to make my point I
backed up and ran over his skinny lycra-clad butt again!"

Hope that clears it up for you. <g>

I get it now. Thanks.

Preston

Maggie said:

Preston Crawford wrote:
what is so different about restaurants, that we always

Quoted message said:

hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Holy [censored]....you can't possibly live in New Jersey. I stop at the
Mickey Dee's drive thru to get coffee. Well, I did when I had a car to
drive. I would never, ever get in that line on a bicycle. It is crazy
in the morning. Everyone is in a hurry, there is a mile long line,
People are checking to see if they got all their food while pulling out
of the drive thru and its an absolute nut house. Everyone gets backed
up. The people in back of you keep inching forward while fumbling
through their purse to get their money and your lucky if they put their
brake on at all while in line.

Holy [censored] is everywhere, Maggie. From the East of New Jersey to West
of Los Angeleno. I hardly order food while on driving or driving at
bank window. I can't do two thing together and I'm not in hurry...

Quoted message said:

If your fast food lines are different, then I don't see a problem, but
if I ever saw a cyclist in the line I used to go through in the morning
I would think he or she were on a suicide mission. I'm certainly not
going through it now that I have to bike it.

Ride a bike and order a food??? That's very funny! ahhaha...

Quoted message said:

How much of a problem is it to go inside? How long does it take to
lock up the bike? In this part of the world, the drive thru lines are
jammed and if you actually take the time to get out of your car there
is no one inside the place.

BAd thing about riding a big expense bike is you have to worry your
bike and taking hour to lock up. That's why I ride a damn old cheap
bike and I don't have to lock a bike. My bike is older than a homeless
guy's bike.

Quoted message said:

I started going into the bank recently to find no one standing in line
while 44 cars were taking up three lanes of the drive thru.

What's the point about that?

Quoted message said:

Maggie.

jj said:

You're not reading between the lines Prestion. Maggie is trying to say that
if you got in line at a McDonalds on a bike in New Jersey, that people
would not be able to restrain themselves from running you over, because,
dammit, you deserve it for doing such a dumb thing.

You got it jj. So stay the hell out of Jersey. ;-) I live in a
congested area. That is what is between the lines. We have alot of
traffic and alot of people. I'm not out in the midwest where the pace
of life is slower and everyone says howdy to you when you walk down the
street. Where do you live? I wrote to Preston and said.."if his drive
thru's were different, I don't see a problem either." I was just
thinking of the safety issue on a bike around here.

Two weeks ago they filmed the first episode of "The Sopranos" in the
town where I work. They used the Funeral Parlor and another store. I
watched the filming of the Funeral. It was cool to watch but I think
that show is giving our area a bad name. Even though I love the show
and got autographs. :-)

I live in NJ and work in commercial construction....gee, I must be the
wife of Don Provolone. ;-)

Maggie

Preston Crawford said:

The lady admitted she saw the irony, reiterated the imminent danger of
cyclists going through the drive-through. Which is weird because I do
this all the time without hassle at banks, pharmacies, etc. So my
question is, what is so different about restaurants, that we always
hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Perhaps fast food places don't want teenagers going through the drive
through on bikes, messing around, holding up the line. But since they
can't have different rules based on age, they say it's a safety issue.

Teenagers don't really visit banks and pharmacies much so those places
don't have the problem.

Rich

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So my wife and I are out for a bike ride today. Getting groceries,
grabbing lunch and we decide to go by McDonalds. My wife has been
talking for a few days about how they have this fruit and yogurt salad
that's actually pretty good. So, curious, I decide I'll try it, so we
pull up through the drive through.

To make a long story short, they first refused to serve us and when I
asked why they didn't have a reason other than someone might hit us and
McDonalds would be liable (they still serve coffee, don't they?).
Eventually they said they'd serve us "just this once".

When I get to the windows I said. "Just really quick. So you know, I was
once over 400lbs. My wife was over 360lbs. We've each lost over 150lbs.
Part of how we got there was eating 20 piece McNuggets and value meals
super-sized. Now you have to understand the irony that after 5 years of
not eating at your restaurant I decide to check out something on your
menu that is healthy and you won't let me order on my bike."

The lady admitted she saw the irony, reiterated the imminent danger of
cyclists going through the drive-through. Which is weird because I do
this all the time without hassle at banks, pharmacies, etc. So my
question is, what is so different about restaurants, that we always
hear about/experience these incidents and not other drive-througs?

Preston

Nothing as good as that but the last time I went to the driveup atm I got
some strange looks!

Ken

"Maggie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jj said:

You're not reading between the lines Prestion. Maggie is trying to say

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

if you got in line at a McDonalds on a bike in New Jersey, that people
would not be able to restrain themselves from running you over, because,
dammit, you deserve it for doing such a dumb thing.

You got it jj. So stay the hell out of Jersey. ;-)

Hell would have to freeze over before I ever considered cycling, much less
living, in Jersey (based primarily on your descriptions of it).

Quoted message said:

I live in a
congested area. That is what is between the lines. We have alot of
traffic and alot of people.

I rode for a week last year in France. The roads were narrow, and the
cities were crowded. And, yet, there were bikes everywhere with none of the
problems you describe.

Perhaps the problems in Jersey have less to do with the congestion on the
roads than they do with the mental congestion of its residents.

GG

Quoted message said:

I'm not out in the midwest where the pace
of life is slower and everyone says howdy to you when you walk down the
street. Where do you live? I wrote to Preston and said.."if his drive
thru's were different, I don't see a problem either." I was just
thinking of the safety issue on a bike around here.

Two weeks ago they filmed the first episode of "The Sopranos" in the
town where I work. They used the Funeral Parlor and another store. I
watched the filming of the Funeral. It was cool to watch but I think
that show is giving our area a bad name. Even though I love the show
and got autographs. :-)

I live in NJ and work in commercial construction....gee, I must be the
wife of Don Provolone. ;-)

Maggie

drive through's are for lazy under timed foolish drivers. why would you want to
go through with a bike?

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

"Steve Knight" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

drive through's are for lazy under timed foolish drivers. why would you

want to

Quoted message said:

go through with a bike?

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

So you don't have to worry about locking up your bike and clomping across
their tile floor on your cleats, while sweating in lycra.

--
~_-*
....G/ \G
http://www.CycliStats.com
CycliStats - Software for Cyclists

GaryG said:

Hell would have to freeze over before I ever considered cycling, much less
living, in Jersey (based primarily on your descriptions of it).

Jersey is fabulous. I would not live anywhere else. It suits my
personality.
I am 15 minutes away from NYC but I don't have to live there, I just
jump on the parkway south to get to the great Jersey shore, and if I
want some time in the mountains, I head up north. Four seasons of fun,
close to anything you could want. We have it all. It doesn't get any
better than Jersey. ;-)

Are you buying this???

Maggie.

"Maggie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

GaryG said:

Hell would have to freeze over before I ever considered cycling, much

less

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

living, in Jersey (based primarily on your descriptions of it).

Jersey is fabulous. I would not live anywhere else. It suits my
personality.
I am 15 minutes away from NYC but I don't have to live there, I just
jump on the parkway south to get to the great Jersey shore, and if I
want some time in the mountains, I head up north. Four seasons of fun,
close to anything you could want. We have it all. It doesn't get any
better than Jersey. ;-)

Are you buying this???

Maggie.

Not really :-).

That said, one kind find beauty in most places, if you look for it. My only
actual experience of Jersey was driving the turnpike up to NYC back in the
late 80's...from that perspective, it didn't look (or smell) very good. But
I've heard the Pine Barrens are pretty cool, and proximity to NYC is a plus
if you're into that sort of thing.

Regardless, I think I'll stay here in northern California where my bank
never complains when I ride up to their drive-through, and where I can see
snow-capped mountains from my deck.

GG