Conversations with non-cyclists

[Stephenite]

Arriving at work after achieving a Personal Best:

Frode (big friendly truck driver): Your face looks very red, Stephen.

Me: ...yeh.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I NEVER get that

But then again, my car cost me £350, was made in Czechoslovakia before VAG got around to turning the winged arrow into just another overpriced, overengineered and actually less reliable boring clone-car.

I do get a response to "well, about £650, and then £300 on lights, panniers and a couple of upgrades" of "why don't you just buy a decent car instead?"

I don't understand. I jump in my car every sunday, sit in a comfy seat, open the windows and sunroof if it's warm, and drive out to start a long walk in Derbyshire, Staffordshire or Cheshire, and it goes just the same as any other car, it's done a lot less miles than many other 16 year old cars, it's fast enough being capable of breaking any UK speed limit and it is simplicity itself to maintain with cheaply available spares. With the seats down I can sling 2 bikes in the back with ease, and with my fledgeling part-time business I can go to a cash & carry and fill it with stock, no worries (I am using the bike with the mule trailer attached to take parcels to the collect+ drop-off)

Oh..and it has alloy wheels and a rev counter

Why would I want to pay a shedload to replace it with an over-complex "no-user-serviceable-parts-inside" lump, just to leave it parked outside my house for at least 148 hours a week?

What Skoda do you own? I always had a soft spot for them.

 

[tyred]

Folding the seats down and putting bikes in it suggests an early model Favorit. I've always fancied one of the rear engined ones, especially the convertible version.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Folding the seats down and putting bikes in it suggests an early model Favorit. I've always fancied one of the rear engined ones, especially the convertible version.

My ex-fiancée had a Skoda Estelle and it was a bloody lovely machine. The only things I disliked were the seats.

 

[benb]

What Skoda do you own? I always had a soft spot for them.

I was in Prague a few weeks ago, and they had some lovely old open topped Skodas, wth the metal bonnet badge sticking up, looked great (not my picture, unfortunately).

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I was in Prague a few weeks ago, and they had some lovely old open topped Skodas, wth the metal bonnet badge sticking up, looked great (not my picture, unfortunately).

Wow. I understand why you say unfortunately!!! A great picture indeed and an honour to the marque.

 

[perplexed]

My ex-fiancée had a Skoda Estelle and it was a bloody lovely machine. The only things I disliked were the seats.

I know what you mean. I used to want a Skoda Super Estelle when I was in my teens, I thought they looked great!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I know what you mean. I used to want a Skoda Super Estelle when I was in my teens, I thought they looked great!

They were delightful cars to drive and so simple to work on

 

[Andy_R]

I had an Estelle 130 L in beige......She was called Kate (short for Bob cos that was the sound she made....bob,bob,bob) and had over 100,000 miles on the clock when I got her. Not the fastest or smartest car in the world, but she always made me smile; in fact she still does now, thinking back to when I had her.

 

[2old2care]

Went to visit a mate who lives in Lochgilphead. It's a long way from home, so took the car but put the bike in the back so I could ride the Crinan canal path. So I phoned him to say that I would be coming over a bit earlier than planned, specifically so that I could do the canal path.

Mate.... "Ach, don't be daft; just come up to the house!"

So I try to tactfully explain that the reason for coming over early is to cycle, and not to sit in the house. I did the cycle along the Crinan canal, and agreed to meet said mate at the Cairnbahn pub, about 3 miles from Lochgilphead. He arrived by car, so we only had the one pint and then decided to head for his house.

Mate... "Hang on and I'll get the back seats down so you can put the bike in..."

Me.... "Nah, I'll manage to cycle it, thanks!"

Some folk just don't get it, but then the world would be boring if we were all the same .

A few months down the line, mate has got himself a mountain bike and now sometimes goes for a cycle along the Crinan canal. Can't see him ever being any more than an occasional cyclist, but it's a step in the right direction...

Many years ago when in my 20's and recently started commuting to work, riding up a steep and long road a fella from work in his car passes me and pulls over, and having see my grimaces, offers me a lift to work which I decline. The look of amazement on his face I will never forget.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I had an Estelle 130 L in beige......She was called Kate (short for Bob cos that was the sound she made....bob,bob,bob) and had over 100,000 miles on the clock when I got her. Not the fastest or smartest car in the world, but she always made me smile; in fact she still does now, thinking back to when I had her.

I get all of the post apart from Kate (short for Bob)

I had a Mark II escort I called L'Haw as that was the lettering on the plate. She later became Rar L'Haw as the engine was rather throaty upon starting. First family car was called Blodwyn and the second Gloria B (My Mums choices, don't ask )

 

[2old2care]

My favourite ever was an example from someone off this very forum. He turned up to work in his lycra, and upon entering the office, was greeted by an overweight male colleague. Who, taking offence at his lycra, said "what the f**k do you look like?" Before our cyclist could reply, one of the female staff piped up with "he looks fit as f**k Kev, unlike you. You look like a fat sack of crap tied in the middle".

Absolutely fantastic, I'd buy that lady a really nice present.

 

[2PedalsTez]

I have to confess to always admiring the Skoda Estelle.. somehow it just seemed a very cool car (which gets better with age). I owned an Octavia vRS for 5 years... now that was fun

 

[Andy_R]

I get all of the post apart from Kate (short for Bob)

It was a line from Blackadder II ""Kate, that's an unusual name for a boy."......."It's short for ... Bob."

First family car was called Blodwyn

Surely that was "open the Bloddy Wyndow, someone's farted!"

 

[Angelfishsolo]

It was a line from Blackadder II ""Kate, that's an unusual name for a boy."......."It's short for ... Bob."



Surely that was "open the Bloddy Wyndow, someone's farted!"

Ah I see