- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Sticking with a corporate (albeit lucrative) career for too long - I should've ditched it, maybe around my late 30's, and struck out on my own. Would've been even more fun methinks.
What is your biggest regret in life?
- Thread starter gavroche
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Two things really...
Back in the day I was shortlisted for the GB U17 fencing squad (epee) after finishing 4th in the national championships. I wanted to take the chance, train more and see how good I could really be, get to do A-grade competitions at home and overseas. I'd already been doing some pretty serious training prior to that anyway. But my parents put their foot down and said no, that I must turn down the opportunity and concentrate on my A-levels.
So I did, and the chance to represent my country slipped away.
And I still managed to f**k up my A-levels anyway, as 1991 through to 1993 were not good years for me.
The second thing was I'd been crazy about motor racing since I was seven, and in '89 I really wanted to go and see the Cellnet Superprix at Brands Hatch, as my favourite driver (Paul Warwick) was racing in F3. Dad said yes, I'll take you as long as you save up for tickets and fuel. So I think fair enough, and saved my birthday money and skimped and saved all summer long, bought a camera, made a banner... The night before race day, Dad (who hated motor racing and couldn't understand what I saw in it) told me that we weren't going in no uncertain terms. He got bladdered that night on purpose so that he couldn't drive anyway.
I was absolutely heartbroken as I couldn't get to Brands on my own, and I knew better than to dare try and ask again.
Then Paul was killed a year and a bit later, and so I never got to see him race. It is something that I regret very deeply to this day.
Back in the day I was shortlisted for the GB U17 fencing squad (epee) after finishing 4th in the national championships. I wanted to take the chance, train more and see how good I could really be, get to do A-grade competitions at home and overseas. I'd already been doing some pretty serious training prior to that anyway. But my parents put their foot down and said no, that I must turn down the opportunity and concentrate on my A-levels.
So I did, and the chance to represent my country slipped away.
And I still managed to f**k up my A-levels anyway, as 1991 through to 1993 were not good years for me.
The second thing was I'd been crazy about motor racing since I was seven, and in '89 I really wanted to go and see the Cellnet Superprix at Brands Hatch, as my favourite driver (Paul Warwick) was racing in F3. Dad said yes, I'll take you as long as you save up for tickets and fuel. So I think fair enough, and saved my birthday money and skimped and saved all summer long, bought a camera, made a banner... The night before race day, Dad (who hated motor racing and couldn't understand what I saw in it) told me that we weren't going in no uncertain terms. He got bladdered that night on purpose so that he couldn't drive anyway.
I was absolutely heartbroken as I couldn't get to Brands on my own, and I knew better than to dare try and ask again.
Then Paul was killed a year and a bit later, and so I never got to see him race. It is something that I regret very deeply to this day.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
^^^ Have a hug, Reynard. Those sound like painful memories.
Thanks xxx
It is what it is.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Garry A
Calibrating.....
- Location
- Grangemouth
- Location
- Glasgow
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Thanks folks, all the mean a lot.
My parentals were pretty traditional, so I can sort of understand the reasons behind the first one.
But the second one was just cruel.
mean a lot.My parentals were pretty traditional, so I can sort of understand the reasons behind the first one.
But the second one was just cruel.
I never tried anything.After my old man said you will never be anything without me.So rather than be laughed at i never pushed myself.I also regret picking up a phone and putting a house on the market, £39,950 it was sold when the prices were low,in 14 months it had trebled and now it's worth a staggering £320,000.My lack of confidence also held me back for promotion i loved acting up as a gaffer but i dare not take that final step.
oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
In 1972 I sold a car for £70 with the number plate DVD800. Worth a fortune now probably.
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
Perhaps not, it's no longer on the DVLA database.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
I scrapped a scooter with a 366SHA reg. The last time I looked it was on a BMW.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Yes, it was cruel. V hard to forgive imho.
Dad and I were not close - and given he was prone to pulling stunts like that, it's easy to see why. When Paul lost his life, I got no sympathy from him at all. I was just told to get over it.
I was 16 ffs...I have since acquired some lovely memorabilia of Paul including an autograph, and I go to visit his grave every now and again. I went previous Sunday - on the anniversary of his accident. Drove down to Winchester with the bike in the car and rode the rest of the way in.
Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
I regret not following my heart when I was 18. I wanted to be either a Policeman or a mechanic. I was told I was not tall enough to be a Policeman by my school, and never gave it a second thought. I was too scared to train as a mechanic because I was afraid I would be no good. Now I find myself stuck in an office chair at a boring job; I can't leave without taking a serious pay cut and there's always the prospect that I'd move into an even more boring job with less flexibility.
So kids, do what you want to do and not what others expect of you!
So kids, do what you want to do and not what others expect of you!
