Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Goodbye Red Brompton

26th Sep 2011
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

As many know I cycle everywhere. It is so much easier, no parking problems and waiting around (to my shame I jump red lights). I cycled to a Santander branch.  I locked my lovely £800 red Brompton bicycle. As I came out of Santander I was shocked to see my Brompton had gone and the lock was left intact

It was parked about 5 minutes’ walk from a Police Station.  I went straight to the Police. To my surprise they were really helpful. They immediately put a call out for a red folding Brompton.

I do not think I will get my Brompton back. I am now bike less. I will walk into Halfords tomorrow and buy one of those £150 bikes.  I need a bicycle. I do not like driving. Just waiting in traffic is such a waste of time. With cycling I get to my destination and I also get exercise.

Okay I was careless. I was in such a rush that I did not lock the Brompton properly. I put the lock on the seat post making it very easy to remove the bike from the lock, without breaking the it.

New bike order for me tomorrow. 

Tags:

You might also be interested in

Replies (22)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By User deleted
26th Sep 2011 20:03

You have to wonder

a, why people feel the need to thieve

b, how they can do it in plain sight

It would be nice to think the police would find it but realistically.... Hope you can claim on insurance and so not be too out of pocket.

On the upside - the weather should be nice tomorrow so it'll be a pleasant walk to Halfords (well it's important to have a positive outlook) and you can ride back with the wind in your hair (assuming you have some, otherwise 'with a light breeze wafting across your face')

 

Nobody every nicks my bikes - they don't leave the garage and have flat tyres :) I'd donate one to you (or both!) but I'm a bit too far for you to walk :(

Thanks (0)
Replying to taxassist:
avatar
By chatman
27th Sep 2011 13:08

@Flash

Flash Gordon wrote:
why people feel the need to thieve

Sometimes for need (probably didn't need a high-end folding bike, but might have needed the money), and sometimes because we live in Thatcher's Britain, where you are measured not by who you are but by what you have. How much looting was there in the 1981 riots compared to the 2011 riots?

Thanks (0)
FT
By FirstTab
26th Sep 2011 22:51

Not insured

Thanks Flash. The bike was not insured. I thought insurance would be a waste of money.

Thanks (0)
Replying to timfouracre:
avatar
By chatman
27th Sep 2011 13:16

Insurance

FirstTab wrote:
 I thought insurance would be a waste of money.

It is, usually. You should only insure against a loss from which you could never recover (house burning down, injuring a pedestrian in your car etc). Unless you think you can do a better job than the actuaries at the insurance companies they will always get more out of you in premiums than they pay you in losses. Otherwise they would all go bust.

By the way, home contents insurance often covers bicycles outside the home. Check your policy. Or just call them and ask (although they might lie, especially if it's Direct Line)

Thanks (0)
avatar
By User deleted
26th Sep 2011 23:12

Insurance

It always is if you have it, it's only the times that you don't that you need it :(

Thanks (0)
By ShirleyM
27th Sep 2011 07:13

Insurance probably wouldn't have paid up anyway

They always try to wriggle out of paying up, so would probably have used the excuse that you didn't take care to lock it securely.

Thanks (0)
Replying to Flying Scotsman:
By petersaxton
28th Sep 2011 08:30

Thieves - the insurance companies!

ShirleyM wrote:

They always try to wriggle out of paying up, so would probably have used the excuse that you didn't take care to lock it securely.

So true, I only have insurance for big amounts but having said that I think my bank insures me for most things. I have a combined personal and business contents insurance, I have buildings insurance and car insurance. I suppose that makes me pretty well covered but I still don't trust insurance companies.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Peter Bonetti
27th Sep 2011 09:18

Personal problems

Interesting that you will post a question in which you profess to a disinterest in your clients personal issues and yet you blog about your own.

Anyway, sorry for the loss of your bike, very annoying when such things happen but you appear to be adopting the right approach, get a cheapy!

How about sticking to the rulers of the road for the future and not risking the no claims bonus of the driver you entice into an accident when you illegally shoot the lights?

Thanks (0)
avatar
By User deleted
27th Sep 2011 10:00

Blogging about personal issues

I get the impression from what FT has posted before that he uses this blog partly as a way of focussing himself - sorting out the swirl of thoughts in your head, that sort of thing. Like writing a to-do list clears your mind of all the jobs you have to get done so you can see exactly what's there and not spend hours going 'oh my god I'm so busy' when you've actually got 2 tiny tasks and 1 that you're procrastinating on (or is that just me?!)

I'd rather he was shooting red lights on the road than bombing down the pavement like half the kids I see when I'm being walked by the dog in the morning - the speeds they do and they don't slow down when they go by yet if pooch suddenly leapt to the other side of the pavement they'd have no chance of stopping - wow, how grumpy do I sound?!

Thanks (0)
avatar
By chatman
27th Sep 2011 13:10

Why not get another Brompton?

I think they are great. I hate to think of someone being deprived of one.

And why didn't you take it into the bank with you? Surely that is the whole point of a folding bike: you can take it everywhere with you (might get a bit rusty in the bath though).

Thanks (0)
By Owain_Glyndwr
27th Sep 2011 16:03

Stolen, or confiscated ?

 "I do not like driving. Just waiting in traffic is such a waste of time."

"....to my shame I jump red lights".

 

 

 

It was probably "confiscated" by one of the drivers you undertook or cut up at the lights.

 

 

 

 

 

.  

Thanks (0)
avatar
By MarionMorrison
27th Sep 2011 16:37

Bromptons - What's the point

Get yourself a decent road bike.  The wheel size on Bromptons is such that for the same level of effort you can go about 3 times as far.  Of course you can't take a decent road bike on the train, but it will be a much more pleasurable experience riding at 20mph rather than working your bullocks off to make 10mph!  You might even want to ride more for pleasure which isn;t going to do the waistline any harm.

Thanks (0)
Replying to FirstTab:
avatar
By chatman
27th Sep 2011 19:27

Brompton v Road Bike

MarionMorrison wrote:
Get yourself a decent road bike.  The wheel size on Bromptons is such that for the same level of effort you can go about 3 times as far.  Of course you can't take a decent road bike on the train, but it will be a much more pleasurable experience riding at 20mph rather than working your bullocks off to make 10mph!  You might even want to ride more for pleasure which isn;t going to do the waistline any harm.

On the other hand, going five minutes down the road on a Brompton will burn off far more calories than going the same distance on a proper road bike.

The ideal answer is to get one of each.

By the way, I am amazed that you are allowed to say bullocks when your meaning is obviously one that is banned on AWeb. Some (not me) would say this shows how silly the rules are.

Thanks (0)
FT
By FirstTab
27th Sep 2011 20:59

Really good of you to respond

Thanks you for the response. I appreciate it.

Insurance - Chatman just checked my contents policy. Bikes are excluded. I will put this down as a loss. I did not intend to stay in the bank very long, so I thought best just to lock it outside. As regards to buying another Brompton, I just do not have the heart to spend another £800-£1000.

Marion - Brompton allowed me the flexibility. When it started to rain, I just folded it up and took the bus. It also became an ice breaker with clients when I use to see them with a folded bicycle.

Peter Bonetti - fair point about jumping red lights. It's just that some motorists just do not give you enough room to move on green. Having said that I should wait for green. Our mayor Boris was also caught moving on red. I think David Cameron before PM days did the same. It is so tempting!

Flash - Your points about personal blogging are spot on. Thanks

Shirley - Your comments about insurance made me stop kicking myself! Thanks

 

 

Thanks (0)
FT
By FirstTab
27th Sep 2011 21:10

Great Weather

We are having such good weather and I really missed cycling today.

On reading Marion post on getting a decent bike, I went to Evans. My intention was to walk out with a bike today. My budget was £400 max . The sales person said because of my height (I am short!) it was best to buy a smaller frame bike. They did not have any smaller size bikes in stock. 

He then pointed to another website and advised to buy this bike. I will be ordering it tomorrow. If there are any comments please post before I place the order.

Thanks

Thanks (0)
By Owain_Glyndwr
27th Sep 2011 23:13

Be sensible -

- join the human race and get one of these instead.

 

http://www.astonmartin.com/cars/v12-vantage 

 

 

 

 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By chatman
28th Sep 2011 00:16

Aston Martin

Sounds like a reasonable alternative for someonewho doesn't want to spend as much as £800.

Thanks (0)
Replying to User deleted:
avatar
By User deleted
28th Sep 2011 08:01

Aston Martin v bicycle

chatman wrote:

Sounds like a reasonable alternative for someonewho doesn't want to spend as much as £800.

At least the bicycle is unlikely to break down ;)

Thanks (0)
By ShirleyM
28th Sep 2011 07:16

Go for it FirstTab

Good exercise (burn up those calories), good for your health (barring accidents), better for the environment (no pollution), and best of all .... you enjoy cycling so you will get lots of bang for your buck.

Thanks (0)
By ShirleyM
28th Sep 2011 08:57

@Peter

My personal experience with House Insurance is not good.

We have had building/contents inurance with the same company for about 40 years. We have made 4 claims in 40 years, none were 'high value' claims, but the latest two were made within 3 years of each other.

So for the latest claim (burglars forced entry into our brick built tiled roof stables, now just used for storage) and stole some gardening machinery, so they sent out a loss adjuster to check our 'security' and review our claim for £1,000. We had to produce invoices or user manuals, and we were warned that 'regular' claims would invalidate our insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks (0)
avatar
By User deleted
28th Sep 2011 19:02

Does it come in colours?

Glow in the dark would be good for winter (seriously) but at least a nice bright colour. Although I guess a really dull grey might deter thieving swine - ask for something 'in John Major', that would work.

Otherwise looks like it will do the job. Deal done, get pedalling!

Thanks (0)
FT
By FirstTab
28th Sep 2011 21:45

Feeling lethargic

Thanks for the response. Ordered the bike today. It should be delivered by Friday this week.

I feel terribly lethargic. All I have done is eat (same quantity as before lost bike) and work. I really miss my 8 mile cycling round trip.

I will try and walk half way to the office tomorrow. It feel make me feel far better.

Thanks (0)