Somedays, vehicles a just best avoided...
Discussion
Called in at a certain rurally located main dealer this avvy in order to re-look over and maybe testdrive the y2k 500 Griff that I had my eye on if Plan A Tuscan doesn't materialise.
On arrival, car not there but a 98 500 sits there, topless. I start to look over this as it initially seems clean and I'm assuming the y2k has sold. As I walk round the back, the alarm goes off (I wasn't leaning in, or even near the thing). 10 minutes later it's still going and now drawing attention. 20 mins after that it is driven into workshop, still sqwarking, and sales-geezer concedes through gritted teeth "the siren might be faulty".
Same sales-geezer then tells me the car I was interested in trying is out with it's former owner who fancied a last twirl before taking delivery of his new 'un. Apparently churlish to refuse when he's spending £50k, I'm relaxed...no hurry and he is due back any minute so I grab a cold drink and browse the stock (including the Tuscan I'm windy of committing to
).
After a few minutes a familiar rumble becomes apparent and the awaited Griff nips onto the premises. I'm inside but catch glimpse that something looks awry with the offside rear. Must be a reflection...
So wander outside hoping to catch a quick word with the former keeper...seeking reassurance that his old p&j might be a future one of mine. Ahh, not a reflection; offside rear lamp is toast and there is bodywork damage too. Is that glass fibre hanging out, or grass? Not feeling confident that it is my place to ask, I retire philosophically to my car as I'm sure the others will have plenty to talk about and I'm p'haps not invited. I console myself with the thought of enjoying the "rolling and quiet" roads on the way home.
Towards journey's end, on an uphill drag off the A14 with a roundabout at the end I boot my Chimp past a van with plenty of room to set up for the circular task ahead. However the guy on the GSX750 behind me is obviously impatient and decides he is not going to be impeded by a slow old Tiv. Oops, is that smoke off the back tyre? Oh and the front too? Kerriste, that's gonna hurt! As he centrepunches the island and collects 9/10 for style whilst dynamically parking his bike between the two posts of the Chevron...the posts are now at 45degrees
and he is on his back in the prickly planting in the middle. Bruised but otherwise unharmed ('though white and trembly) he claims his "throttle stuck...". It ought to be!
I'm now home, having lent him my mobile to arrange a "hasty" van, and having relayed the tale of my afternoon to a mate am recoiling from his quip that the first Griff alarm only went off because there was a "Pupp coming..." Anyone got any neat knitting patterns to keep me busy as I'm obviously not meant to be round vehicles at the mo?
>>> Edited by pupp on Tuesday 6th August 20:11
On arrival, car not there but a 98 500 sits there, topless. I start to look over this as it initially seems clean and I'm assuming the y2k has sold. As I walk round the back, the alarm goes off (I wasn't leaning in, or even near the thing). 10 minutes later it's still going and now drawing attention. 20 mins after that it is driven into workshop, still sqwarking, and sales-geezer concedes through gritted teeth "the siren might be faulty".
Same sales-geezer then tells me the car I was interested in trying is out with it's former owner who fancied a last twirl before taking delivery of his new 'un. Apparently churlish to refuse when he's spending £50k, I'm relaxed...no hurry and he is due back any minute so I grab a cold drink and browse the stock (including the Tuscan I'm windy of committing to
). After a few minutes a familiar rumble becomes apparent and the awaited Griff nips onto the premises. I'm inside but catch glimpse that something looks awry with the offside rear. Must be a reflection...
So wander outside hoping to catch a quick word with the former keeper...seeking reassurance that his old p&j might be a future one of mine. Ahh, not a reflection; offside rear lamp is toast and there is bodywork damage too. Is that glass fibre hanging out, or grass? Not feeling confident that it is my place to ask, I retire philosophically to my car as I'm sure the others will have plenty to talk about and I'm p'haps not invited. I console myself with the thought of enjoying the "rolling and quiet" roads on the way home.
Towards journey's end, on an uphill drag off the A14 with a roundabout at the end I boot my Chimp past a van with plenty of room to set up for the circular task ahead. However the guy on the GSX750 behind me is obviously impatient and decides he is not going to be impeded by a slow old Tiv. Oops, is that smoke off the back tyre? Oh and the front too? Kerriste, that's gonna hurt! As he centrepunches the island and collects 9/10 for style whilst dynamically parking his bike between the two posts of the Chevron...the posts are now at 45degrees
and he is on his back in the prickly planting in the middle. Bruised but otherwise unharmed ('though white and trembly) he claims his "throttle stuck...". It ought to be! I'm now home, having lent him my mobile to arrange a "hasty" van, and having relayed the tale of my afternoon to a mate am recoiling from his quip that the first Griff alarm only went off because there was a "Pupp coming..." Anyone got any neat knitting patterns to keep me busy as I'm obviously not meant to be round vehicles at the mo?
>>> Edited by pupp on Tuesday 6th August 20:11
My bro threw his 1200 Bandit up the road last week. He's p155ed off on two counts: firstly it's the road he swore he'd never crash on, 'cos everyone else does; and second he doesn't even have a 'throttle-on-the-stop-decking-the-tank-badges-elbow-scraping' story to tell. He merely fed in some power exiting a bend, clipped a dimple in the road that started the bike shaking its head. Before he'd stopped the oscillation he clipped another dimple and the bike tank-slapped him into the scenery at about 80 mph. Bizarre. Luckily there was only another bike around that had to take evasive action.
I guess I'm the same: every bump I've ever had has been a stupid moment, nothing particularly adventurous. Somehow it makes it OK if you write off half the world's vehicles and almost kill yourself in the process.....
Ian
I guess I'm the same: every bump I've ever had has been a stupid moment, nothing particularly adventurous. Somehow it makes it OK if you write off half the world's vehicles and almost kill yourself in the process.....
Ian
Had that once on a bike, it threw a wobbly round a bend for no good reason. Plod wanted to prosecute for dangerouse driving. Fortunately some geezer who I'd nearly hit coming the other way (I went between him and the kerb) told plod not to be so stupid, I hadn't been doing anything wrong, the bike just started tankslapping for no good reason. They took his word and dropped it.
Just as well for them, turned out a wheel bearing had collapsed. Not my fault at all.
Just as well for them, turned out a wheel bearing had collapsed. Not my fault at all.
quote:
Pupp,
I'm guessing it was the Islip roundabout on the A6116 just off the A14. I know that the current sign arrangment appears to have changed in the last few days....
Give that man a golfish
If I am right, that must have hurt!
It will tomorrow....'specially if they bill him for the furniture!
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