Parking up and then commuting

[Chutzpah]

Currently I drive part of the way to work, park up in a little village and cycle up to the main road and into the city. As I'm conscious about being that bloke who parks outside your house every day and gets in the way, I park outside the village pub car park, on a long straight piece of road that doesn't block the traffic much. There are houses opposite but they've got plenty of room to get in and out of their drives.

Today I got back to my car and a woman jogged out of one of the houses opposite shouting "excuse me".

Instantly I was expecting the worse. I was expecting to have to point out although yes I was leaving my car there all day that I wasn't blocking access to her property, I was parking on the road and at least I was better than people who use it as a rat run. But also knowing that if it came down to aggro, it would just be easier to park somewhere else from now on.

How wrong I was. She was checking if I was planning to park there as usual on Monday as they were having some work done on the road immediately outside the house, and she was worried that one of the works vehicles might hit my car, but from Tuesday everything would be back to normal.

Basically, she was just being really nice

She was also really interested in who the random person was who she had started observing parking there and cycling in - she found it hard to believe that I was cycling into the city from there. We had a nice five minute chat about it all.

So yes, I know this is all a bit random but I drove off with a smile on my face, it was nice to know that I wasn't getting in the way and one of the locals was actually looking out for my return this evening to give me a 'heads up'.

 

[andyfromotley]

i started as a park and rider, still do it sometimes as and when i need to, luckily i have an industrial estate to park on just where i need it. Nice people by you.

 

[magnatom]

Nice story. Good stuff!

 

[Chutzpah]

i started as a park and rider, still do it sometimes as and when i need to, luckily i have an industrial estate to park on just where i need it. Nice people by you.

I initially got agreement from the council that I could use the park and ride, unfortunately on the first day I drove in with the bike on the roof I realised that there were extremely low height barriers about a metre too low for me to get through.

Never has a man so sheepishly done a three point turn whilst holding up a long row of traffic

 

[2Loose]

What a nice neighbourhood

If something ever does happen to your car, you'll probably have a witness too!

 

[Arch]

Nice!

Sort of similar, although not cycling related. Sitting in the pub on Tuesday, after work, having a drink to mark the fact that we dropped one of our oldest rounds that day as part of our changeover. A chap came in, came up to my colleague with a hand extended to shake, saying "hello, excuse me...". My first thought was, eh up, some sort of nutter, perhaps evangelising or selling something?

Turned out he lived on a street we'd just dropped. Been walking past the pub, saw my mate through the window, recognised him as a recycler, and came in to ask if it meant we were out of jobs. Very happy to hear that we weren't and slapped a £20 note on the table for us to have a drink on him.

Things like that just make it worthwhile...

Couple of weeks back, in a box on another street, another colleague spotted a box with a jar of some hair gel stuff in it, looked unopened, maybe a free gift for something, and probably in the box by mistake, so he fished it out and left it on the doorstep. This week, a postcard propped on top of the box, saying "thankyou for finding my hairgel, I thought I'd lost it!" That colleague has had a bit of stress recently, missus in hospital with pre-eclampsia, but that really cheered him up.

 

[longers]

It's good to know your car isn't a problem and someone is looking out for it. And you too.

10/10 for the bloke getting the beers in.

 

[gavintc]

It is an excellent way to initiate a commute and I think you are taking a very sensible approach to cycling. The woman was nice, but sometimes I think we as cyclists forget that most of society is really quite friendly and helpful.

 

[jimboalee]

I park and ride.

At one location there was a note under the screenwiper saying as much as "Don't park here".

At another location, I returned to find a nail in the side of my tyre.

I use a selection of lay-bys now.

 

[Arfcollins]

http://www.crazyguyo...ikingfrance2010

A little off topic, Madame Queen of Cakes, but I spotted your blog link above and have to say I've spent a most enjoyable evening with a glass or two, BBC4 in the background featuring Squeeze, while working my way through your very entertaining tale of triking in France.

Thank you!

 

[Crankarm]

I think the OP's encounter with this woman is the exception rather than the norm. Maybe she's a deperate housewife and fancies meeting Mr Mysterious? When she clamps eyes on a hunk in Lycra she goes all wobbly at the knees. Watch out for dead rabbits appearing on or in your car .....

She could be a writer and is making you the sacrificial lamb to kick off her story. Didn't Stephen King's Misery start something like this? The evenings are drawing in now so be vigilant returning to your car in the dark and cold, especially if she pops up from behind it unexpectedly with some hot buns or hot chocolate and an axe under her coat ........

 

[Chutzpah]

She might be looking for Mr Mysterious, but my wife is a six foot two ex-security guard and would have her for breakfast!

 

[davefb]

I park and ride.

At one location there was a note under the screenwiper saying as much as "Don't park here".

At another location, I returned to find a nail in the side of my tyre.

I use a selection of lay-bys now.

where i park, the most i've seen is empty condom packets...........


so far even though i keep cycling back and forth to the car, thats all i've seen

 

[Crankarm]

She might be looking for Mr Mysterious, but my wife is a six foot two ex-security guard and would have her for breakfast!

Was she (Mrs Chutzpah) a Major serving in Mossad ?

 

[summerdays]

What a nice attitude she has, I wasn't expecting that as I read your account of it.