My phone went on an adventure

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.stu

Über Member
Location
Worcester
On my way to work this morning, and about 1/4 mile into my 12 mile commute, I was hurtling downhill and hit some potholes, where the road surface has collapsed after a botched repair. It really shook me and the bike up, and I thought I heard the sound of something falling off my bike, but on checking, all the lights were there along with my saddle bag, and everything seemed to be still attached, so I thought nothing more of it and carried on to work.

On arrival, I noticed that my phone, and the topeak drybag it normally resides in, were not where they should be on my handlebars, and were nowhere to be seen. I was sick to my stomach, as this phone was fairly new, and I really didn't think I was going to see it again...

Thankfully it turns out the taxi driver following me had seen it fall off and stopped to pick it up - apparently I was very lucky cos some schoolkids had run over and were trying to get it, but he shooed them off and took it home. I tried ringing it and had locked it via android device manager, and eventually he saw the message on the screen and called me back so I could go and pick it up.

Even then I expected it to have a cracked screen or something, but when I got it was in perfect condition, and even the drybag only has a few tiny scuffs on one corner.

So the moral of the story is next time make sure it is properly clicked into place! Not sure why I didn't notice it was missing tho, considering it should be right under my nose (literally).
 

w00hoo_kent

One of the 64K
I've had this happen a few times with my comically connected Cat Eye kit (bike computer and front light). I swear the mount includes a hidden spring as used in clown cars. Fortunately I've always seen/heard them part company and been able to stop and collect them up before anything else has run them over.

Good news on finding the phone intact.
 

stuee147

Senior Member
Location
north ayrshire
i had a bad habit of droping my phone on rides but i never lost the phone i alway knew it had fallen but then i do use the gps on the phone while i ride and to log my rides so i tend to look at it quite a lot
 

Dommo

Veteran
Location
Greenwich
Well done to the taxi driver too. Maybe get in touch with his bosses singing his praises.

This. We spend enough time trying to contact driver's company when they've been naughty so only seems fair to do the same this time. I guess it won't work if it's an owner-driver-black-cab-style affair but if that's the case, just make a resolution to spend an entire day cycling in London, smiling and not swearing at a single one ;)
 
OP
OP
.stu

.stu

Über Member
Location
Worcester
The taxi driver was an owner-driver as far as I could see, and of course I thanked him with an universal drinks token when I went to collect the phone.

The whole road is a nightmare and needs digging up and relaying.

Still can't believe my luck tho - we are in the middle of moving house, and losing my phone would be a huge spanner in the works, not to mention it contains the authentication keys for several online accounts, including my bank.
 
Ive had this too with a topeak phone bag and my old nokia but the house keys were in there too. I never noticed it was gone until 10miles later and I went to unlock the front door. There's usually somebody in anyway but that day the house was empty. Found out why, a following cyclist had found the bag and used the phone to call my folks and they'd went to collect it :-)
 

J.Primus

Senior Member
I've done that with a brand new front light that clipped in slightly differently to the one it was replacing. Given it seemed to detonate on impact into thousands of pieces there was little chance of a Good Samaritan fixing and returning it :smile:
 
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