something you don't see every day....

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

something you don't see every day....

Post by Brucey »

I stopped to give a chap a hand with a puncture today; even though he said he had everything, I waited and chatted to him until I was sure that he was OK (he wasn't BTW; he needed my trusty adjustable spanner to tighten his valve core and without it he'd have been in something of a pickle.)

This was out in the middle of nowhere, with only an occasional cyclist or bus going past by way of traffic. The poor chap had deep rims, and a short-valve tube as a spare. He had a valve extension, but it would variously;

a) move the locknut on the valve core as it was screwed on, thus closing the valve on the tube and/or
b) leak and/or
c) unscrew the valve core on the tube as the extension was removed.

Between all these things he had about five goes at pumping his tyre up, using a mini-pump with a ~6" stroke. He stood with his back to the wind as he did this, which happened to be with his back to the occasional passing buses too.

Now here's the thing; if you had asked me before, I'd have said that I had already seen every possible way of using a mini-pump; however, it turns out I was wrong....

His chosen method was to lean the wheel against his thighs, with the valve at the top of the wheel. He used one hand to hold the pump chuck on, and with the other he worked the pump handle -which was facing away from him at upper thigh level- in and out fairly briskly. This looked to me to be as awkward as it sounds; to get enough purchase he was most often crouched over somewhat as he worked the pump.

All this merely looked awkward from where I was... ...but goodness knows what it must have looked like from any other angle.... I happened to glance up at a passing bus and the passengers in it were somewhat slack-jawed and goggle-eyed at the sight of this chap hunched over 'pumping away' so vigorously.... :roll:

This couldn't go entirely without comment, of course; he agreed 'it might look a little odd' and I did mention that it 'wasn't something you see every day'. Nonetheless, at least three buses went past as he worked away, all to similar effect.

Needless to say, I didn't dare ask how it was that he came to ever start using his pump in this particular fashion.... :shock:

Has anyone else seen, any, erm, 'extraordinary pumping styles' being used...?

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
I am as some others are for sure very worried about your sanity :?
You seem to of taken to searching for rubbish from hedges :mrgreen:
Now I think you might of learnt your lesson in being a good Samaritan sure you wish you never stopped :lol:

Keep on posting and we will review your condition on a daily basis. :P
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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Redvee
Posts: 2465
Joined: 8 Mar 2010, 8:58pm

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by Redvee »

The teenager in me was glad I swallowed my drink before I started to read Brucey's post :oops:
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by TonyR »

Good job he had his back to the traffic. Facing the traffic with a 12" pump could have cause panic on the buses. :shock:
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DaveP
Posts: 3333
Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 4:20pm
Location: W Mids

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by DaveP »

That's bus passengers for you - Nothing else to worry about... :D
Trying to retain enough fitness to grow old disgracefully... That hasn't changed!
Bicycler
Posts: 3400
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 3:33pm

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by Bicycler »

How did you get through that story without a :wink:
AndyBSG
Posts: 382
Joined: 10 Jul 2013, 11:16am

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by AndyBSG »

Brucey wrote:All this merely looked awkward from where I was... ...but goodness knows what it must have looked like from any other angle.... I happened to glance up at a passing bus and the passengers in it were somewhat slack-jawed and goggle-eyed at the sight of this chap hunched over 'pumping away' so vigorously.... :roll:


I wonder if it looked anything like this....

http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/12/van-drive ... 5-5560998/
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by TonyR »

AndyBSG wrote:I wonder if it looked anything like this....

http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/12/van-drive ... 5-5560998/


No comment though on how the motorist managed to film all this or why his attention was not on the road but peering into the car in the next lane.
AndyBSG
Posts: 382
Joined: 10 Jul 2013, 11:16am

Re: something you don't see every day....

Post by AndyBSG »

TonyR wrote:
AndyBSG wrote:I wonder if it looked anything like this....

http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/12/van-drive ... 5-5560998/


No comment though on how the motorist managed to film all this or why his attention was not on the road but peering into the car in the next lane.


It was the passenger filming from the cab of a 7.5 tonne flatbed so they were elevated, hence the viewing angle.

If you watch it with the audio you can here the passenger narrating to the driver rather incredulously what's going on!
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