The grumpy thread

[DodgeRover]

^^^ that's a decent picture what make of dashcam is that?

[Kiltox]

Panda sump I've had for ages is the wrong one - bought it to fit the fucked newer engine rather than the older replacement

 

Can't wait for eBay and waste a day off so hopefully got the right one on its way from ECP but it might also be a distributor for a Ford Escort, you never know

[dollywobbler]

Bumhats. Though I wasn't driving, so I'm certainly not paying! Mrs DW behind the wheel. Gallantry postponed.

[JohnDeere]

I'm relatively new to cycle commuting in London, and love it.  But this morning I had...

• White van driver #1 who took the time to wind his window down and complain I'd gone through a red light (temporary light at roadworks). Yes, you cockwomble, because otherwise you'd have been stuck behind me at 15mph all the way through the single file traffic.  And I'm quite capable of seeing if anything is coming the other way, thank you (of course I thought all of that, didn't say it).
• Black cab driver completely blocking the cycle lane by trying to push his way into a gap from a side street. Probably shat himself when I banged his back window as I squeezed by. He wasn't breaking any rules, just totally inconsiderate (in fact, my opinion of black cab drivers has plunged since getting on the bike, I hope Uber sees them all off - at least I have low expectations of the driving standards of a Prius and give them a wide berth).
• White van driver #2 who pulled out of a side road looking only to his left, and not once looking right. At me. When I shouted at him a bit, he decided to accuse me of riding the wrong way down the road. A two-way road.

That said, it's other cyclists who are generally the worst offenders.  I'm constantly swerving round little CO2 cylinders left in the road by cyclists who are (a) too bone idle to pump up their own tyres, and ( too bone idle to dispose of the empty cylinder.  Or the ones who squeeze to the front of the bike lane queue at the lights and then wobble off at 2mph right in front of everyone else.  Or the ones that ride so recklessly that they'll have a white-painted bike and a bunch of cheap flowers nailed to a lamp post quicker than you can say "which part of not undertaking an HGV that's indicating left did you not understand?"

[Supernaut]

Or the ones that ride so recklessly that they'll have a white-painted bike and a bunch of cheap flowers nailed to a lamp post quicker than you can say "which part of not undertaking an HGV that's indicating left did you not understand?"

If you want a fun* time, go onto Reddit, and the /r/cycling subreddit and try to make that argument.

They're all convinced they're fucking invincible, and one reply I got was "vehicles with blind spots like that shouldn't be allowed on the road!"

No, mate. You should be paying fucking attention and realise that darting down the inside of a large vehicle turning left is a Very Bad Idea. Yet... now there are plans to ban HGVs that don't have enough extra mirrors from the centre of London because of the sheer amount of utter cockwombles who cycle down the inside of them when they're turning left and get turned into mince under the rear wheels. Yet, somehow, in this situation it's always the HGV driver's fault?!

[M'coli]

Ordered a new gear gaiter for the Toledo.

 

Original clearly has elastic at the top to fit in the ridge of the knob.

 

 

Seller sent me one that is too narrow and has no elastic at the top.

 

When I asked him to solve he sent me a link to a video of how to remove a mk4 golf gearstick..

 

Anyone know a seller capable of sending the right bit?

You may just have to sew one up yourself.

[DodgeRover]

Mate had kids riding cycles underneath this trailer while he was sat at the light in the city, luckily he spotted them on the CCTV, he regularly gets cyclists hanging on the back for a free ride too, usually before passing as he has slowed down to make a turn..... 

[xtriple]

Mate of mine killed a cyclist who went between his cab and trailer at a set of traffic lights. Sharp right turn saw him off. Poor Ray was distraught for a long time after that. Apparently when a petrol tanker meets a cyclist the cyclist loses quite badly.

[xtriple]

I finally know what it is that slows my laptop down, makes it crash and generally behave like the worthless piece of shit it is... Facebook! Yes, I know one should NEVER admit to going on there but I do as I am a nosey bastard and also quite a few clubs are on there. Every time I try to go on, computer crashes or slows down to a crawl. Strangely, my old laptop (running Vista) is still fine on there.  Also, the Australian Rolls Royce forum (definitely the place to go for advice or how to's ) does the same but all the other sites are fine.

[JohnDeere]

I think you'll find this is why driver's take issue with cyclists.

 

 

What - because they feel somehow jealous of the cyclists' ability to make progress while they're stuck in traffic?   Do they always wait for the green man before crossing when they're walking?

 

It's all about common sense. If I'm driving a car at roadworks and there's clearly nothing coming the other way, I'm not waiting for the lights to change (especially as temporary lights have no legal basis).  Even more so on the bike, when I don't want to get trapped in a very narrow road with a mad white van trying to get past. If I'm on the bike and it's clear and safe (including pedestrian-free), I'll make a left-turn on red - millions of Americans can't be wrong.

[Negative Creep]

^^^ that's a decent picture what make of dashcam is that?

 

 

G1W DVR. Feels a bit cheap but has worked fine for me

 

http://www.carcamerashop.co.uk/g1w-dvr.html

[dollywobbler]

millions of Americans can't be wrong.

 

Ha ha haaa ha ha haaaaa. That's funny.

[Louise2cv]

Roadworks portable traffic lights are covered by law aren't they?

[bub2006]

I cycle but only on trails and cycle routes. I will also gladly stay behind a cyclist on a main road if I think there is insufficient room to pass safely. I have no issues with cyclists in general but a few let the side down. Riding 3 to 5 abreast down the a6 from matlock, careless undertaking and jumping lights are what annoys me.

[anonymous user]

I have made a decision I'm not entirely happy with, it's probably for the best as my stress and depression levels are not good at the moment, anyone want to buy a Bentley?

[DodgeRover]

My neck muscles have gone into spasm and I can't move my head independently to my body. Dr has given me diazepam on top of the tramadol and naproxen I'm already taking which has made me feel quite strange in a spacey way, I need to go and see Miss Miyagi to get it fixed but it's too sore to let anybody mess with it. Worse than that I'm self employed so not earning or well enough to do anything at home.....

 

Whinge over, posts for the next few days my possibly be affected

[Cavcraft]

A lot of work still needs to be done educating cyclists I think. Motorists having a go at them, and vice versa doesn't do anyone any favours.

I cringe when I see people who should know better on bikes or in cars vans and trucks do stupid things on the road.

[Cavcraft]

But more importantly, Trigger going blue is a bad day for all of us on here. He pretty much epitomises Autoshite IMHO and will be missed as a moderator.

[trigger]

Thanks Billy and sorry to land the job solely to you but frankly I've had enough, I've thought hard about it but I'm not coming on here like i was before because of all the shit being posted, I'm fed up with reading thread after thread of constant fucking moaning, bitching and whining everyday as it's starting to get me down, the final straw being the boobies thread which i locked and the Practical classic magazine thread, it's just bollocks.

 

Billys far better at sorting all the quite frankly pathetic reports we get in from you grown men and i can't be fucked with it anymore.

 

Sorry for going off on one but I'm a bit annoyed about all really.

[Supernaut]

I finally know what it is that slows my laptop down, makes it crash and generally behave like the worthless piece of shit it is... Facebook! Yes, I know one should NEVER admit to going on there but I do as I am a nosey bastard and also quite a few clubs are on there. Every time I try to go on, computer crashes or slows down to a crawl. Strangely, my old laptop (running Vista) is still fine on there.  Also, the Australian Rolls Royce forum (definitely the place to go for advice or how to's ) does the same but all the other sites are fine.

Apply the same thing to a smart phone.

 

My old phone ran like shit while I had the facebook browser app and messenger app (yes, two separate apps!) installed. They were massively under-developed resource hogs.

 

I since uninstalled them, and just use the phone version of Firefox to browse instead. Works perfectly.

[garbaldy]

@ trigger

I know exactly what you mean so ban the fuckin lot of us,

[dollywobbler]

Thanks for your time though Trigg, and welcome back to the world of us regular muggles.

[Cavcraft]

Genuinely hope you stick around, Mike. Soz to sound like a weapons grade arse licker, but your enthusiasm as much as your posts always made AS more interesting.

[trigger]

Thanks. Autoshite used to be my little escape from reality, you would be guaranteed a genuinely good laugh from the threads, and the effort people put in making them was something really special which made the place what i was but over the years it's got harder and harder to find these threads and instead they have been replaced with people just bitching and complaining all the time (i appreciate the irony in this post!) and arguing with each other. If a forum starts to get you down then you have to question if it's right for you any more?

[dollywobbler]

Aye. Don't let the crap get you down. There has been a LOT of crap and sniping on here over the past few days. I can only put it down to Seasonal Affective Disorder or something.

 

And at least you're moaning in the correct thread!

[beko1987]

 effort people put in making them was something really special which made the place what i was

Some of us still do that...

[Kiltox]

ECP delivered the sump I specifically told them was wrong. Arses

[beko1987]

Tell them louder...

[Kiltox]

Returned it and got the only bloke there that actually knows something about cars / seemingly possesses a brain cell - ordered the right one for tomorrow morning

[Bren]

MCE insurance.

 

Got an email mid September stating my insurance was up for renewal tomorrow. I am insured with them.

 

Got other quotes and rang them today on a premium rate number ( provided in email).

 

Was told by call handler that they had no quote for me and it would take fifteen minutes to get one.

 

Why that long? I got some online in five minutes.

 

I told call handler to forget it and send me my proof of no claims - assuming it does'nt go Pete Tong between now and Midnight.

 

Sick of "playing the game" with bastard insurers.