Your rants here.

BobMcbob

jamesco wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

These app firms aren't reinventing anything. They're just apps that end up copying the already well refined model. The only thing that's different is they're given monumental amounts of capital so they can undercut the existing models unsustainably, and hope that once they've established a monopoly they can ultimately revert to becoming what the model was originally, but with an app.

The biggest issue is that there has been a 25% increase in the number of private hire vehicle on London's roads since 2013, this is almost all down to Uber.
Along embankment the other night I counted over 50% of the cars as Prisises, the rate of increase just isn't sustainable, its dumb how the Mayor hasn't noticed this.

The solution is fewer cars on the road not more, but as most people just want 'convenience', (+ not giving a toss about Uber's dubious working conditions/ fraudulent tax arrangements), this will only get worse.

veronese68

I've not managed much riding at all this year as having to ferry a sickly daughter about has meant I've had to have the car with me a lot. Needed to stay at my folks place last night to sort a few things out before they get back from a holiday. Also needed to return their second car. Not needing a car with me today I dismantled the bike to get it in the back of said car. Planned a ride in to work across Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. Got to their's last night to find the battery completely dead on their main car. After much dicking about I got it going but battery was beyond saving. So the bike got transferred to another car so I could drive it in and change the poxy bleeding battery in it.
Looks like a nice day for a ride too.

anonymousblackfg

Rick Chasey wrote:

These app firms aren't reinventing anything. They're just apps that end up copying the already well refined model. The only thing that's different is they're given monumental amounts of capital so they can undercut the existing models unsustainably, and hope that once they've established a monopoly they can ultimately revert to becoming what the model was originally, but with an app.

It still boggles the mind a firm like AirBNB is worth more than almost every big hotel chain.

They are of course refinements of models already in existence, unless a taxi firm turns up doing teleportation, i'm not sure you're going to see anything that far from the norm. Forgetting their value/financing, the improvements to the operating model is just where the world is going, look at Jeff Bezos, why worry about superseding old models and crying over those in black cabs, the world moves on. Roll on Jamesco's comment about driverless cars, I need buy a new car but I really feel I might be buying film camera in 1997.

PBo

councils. I'm a cyclist on a bike, riding on roads, not a f*cking jockey on a horse riding the grand national. If you are going to build speed humps, please maintain the road on the far side properly, so that i don't have to cross my own beechers brook every morning.

asprilla

Self rant, as usual.

All prepped to cycle to work tomorrow; pressures checked, saddle bag stocked, even lights charged.

Except I have no lock.

Not strictly true but I've only got my motorcycle lock and I only tend to transport that by car.

I have a mind like a seive when leaving a contract and I keep leaving u-locks around London.

wolfsbane2k

Hit my local aldi to get some of the nat geo sj4000 cameras to find someone had just tried to steal the last 7. He'd got caught leaving the store, so they pulled them off him. Couldn't sell them to me as the police wanted to keep them as evidence.
Grr. Would have bought 3 :-(

itboffin

Asprilla wrote:

Self rant, as usual.

All prepped to cycle to work tomorrow; pressures checked, saddle bag stocked, even lights charged.

Except I have no lock.

Not strictly true but I've only got my motorcycle lock and I only tend to transport that by car.

I have a mind like a seive when leaving a contract and I keep leaving u-locks around London.

Ha ha I used to do that I had so many locks in difference places (pubs) it was hard to remember them all, I started writing a mobile app to track them but things have moved on since then.

wolfsbane2k

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Hit my local aldi to get some of the nat geo sj4000 cameras to find someone had just tried to steal the last 7. He'd got caught leaving the store, so they pulled them off him. Couldn't sell them to me as the police wanted to keep them as evidence.
Grr. Would have bought 3 :-(

Hmm, they were supposed to be a SJ4000 clone, but turns out significantly worse.
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/go-pro- ... p=28180517

Therefore glad I don't have to do the round trip to return them.

rhodrich

Rode home last night at dusk, through a large cloud of midges on Portsmouth Road, next to the river in Kingston.

I thought I'd got them all out of my eyes/nose/face/mouth, but woke up this morning not being able to see out of my left eye, as it was so full of gunk. Looks like a midge had made it's home there overnight.

Managed to get the midge out, and flush the eye with water, but it's still painful, oozy, and bloodshot. If it gets any worse, I may have to visit the doctor. Grim. Perhaps I should start wearing glasses on the commute.

rower63

itboffin wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Self rant, as usual.

All prepped to cycle to work tomorrow; pressures checked, saddle bag stocked, even lights charged.

Except I have no lock.

Not strictly true but I've only got my motorcycle lock and I only tend to transport that by car.

I have a mind like a seive when leaving a contract and I keep leaving u-locks around London.

Ha ha I used to do that I had so many locks in difference places (pubs) it was hard to remember them all, I started writing a mobile app to track them but things have moved on since then.

Presumably you're such a valuable customer now, the landlords take your bike and put it into their bed while you're drinking?

redvee

Snoozed the alarms this morning and eventually woke up at 11am.

Might have inadvertently booked on the same train as ITB out of Waterloo one night next month.

wolfsbane2k

Finally get permission from the other half to ride next week after her 2 weeks of recovery post op.
What do I do? Fall over and feck my acl. Arch.

Sleeper Service

The tossbag in the Range Rover who just about killed me on Saturday whilst making an illegal overtaking move at 60 mph on a 40 mph road. He missed me by no more than six inches as I was crossing the road.

rhodrich

My dear wife has booked the family a holiday to the south of France, staying at a cottage belonging to parents of a friend of her. Lovely.

Except that we fly out the day of the Prudential, which I have a place for. Not so lovely.

philcubed

Quick lesson in my place in the road hierarchy
Was cycling down a single lane between parked cars either side, in the centre to make myself obvious as I could see a car coming up to the parked cars from the opposite direction. He doesn't wait to let me through just heads towards me. I stop in front of him and he winds down his window and shouts 'You're just a bike!'
I was quite polite in return - just deployed the 'Tw@t' word, not anything worse!

mattsaw

Rhodrich wrote:

My dear wife has booked the family a holiday to the south of France, staying at a cottage belonging to parents of a friend of her. Lovely.

Except that we fly out the day of the Prudential, which I have a place for. Not so lovely.

Is it a ballot entry?
If so you can always defer it until next year.

Ben6899

Rhodrich wrote:

My dear wife has booked the family a holiday to the south of France, staying at a cottage belonging to parents of a friend of her. Lovely.

Except that we fly out the day of the Prudential, which I have a place for. Not so lovely.

That's not a rant! Forget the chopper event and take your bike to the South of France.

rick_chasey

Brexiters. Of the leafleting kind. Eugh. Perculiar intensity of smugness and anxiety, along with a willingness to make brass eye levels of false and bizarre statements. Right in my face. After I make it clear I'm about as interested in a Brexit as I am in contracting Ebola.

Ben6899

Rick Chasey wrote:

Brexiters. Of the leafleting kind. Eugh. Perculiar intensity of smugness and anxiety, along with a willingness to make brass eye levels of false and bizarre statements. Right in my face. After I make it clear I'm about as interested in a Brexit as I am in contracting Ebola.

Now that's a rant. And I agree. Swivel-eyed morons.

rhodrich

Mattsaw wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

My dear wife has booked the family a holiday to the south of France, staying at a cottage belonging to parents of a friend of her. Lovely.

Except that we fly out the day of the Prudential, which I have a place for. Not so lovely.

Is it a ballot entry?
If so you can always defer it until next year.

This is true, but I still have to pay the entry for next year, on top of the entry payment I've paid already.

Would love to take the bike to the South of France, but that's not going to happen on a 'family' holiday. I'll be lucky to just get a few runs in. Logistically, taking the bike would be a nightmare too, as we're flying, and renting a car at the other end.

Looks like I may be able to pass the entry on to one of my work colleagues. I can pick up my tickets as normal, and he'll have to pretend to be me on the day. Let's hope he puts in a good time!

rower63

Rhodrich wrote:

Would love to take the bike to the South of France, but that's not going to happen ...

... obviously not, as the weight of all that steel would prevent the plane from ever taking off!

rick_chasey

Ben6899 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Brexiters. Of the leafleting kind. Eugh. Perculiar intensity of smugness and anxiety, along with a willingness to make brass eye levels of false and bizarre statements. Right in my face. After I make it clear I'm about as interested in a Brexit as I am in contracting Ebola.

Now that's a rant. And I agree. Swivel-eyed morons.

And now my burrito has split.

FML.

posh_pedaller

Commuting this morning, riding on a short one-way stretch. Another cyclist in front. Motorist turns in ahead, starts going the wrong way, towards us. Clearly not looking at all where he's going until the cyclist up ahead shouts and they stop about 6 inches from each other. Cyclist (angrily, but not aggressively) explains it's a one way street. Driver looks like he's going to head off and turn around, but for some reason gets out, shouts 'don't chat s*** to me yeah' and kicks the cyclist's pannier as he's riding off.

Fortunately I got the reg plate and captured everything on the helmet cam. Caught up with the cyclist at the next lights and gave him my details. He was, understandably, quite shaken but otherwise OK (pannier apparently contained a work laptop).

tootsie323

philcubed wrote:

Quick lesson in my place in the road hierarchy
Was cycling down a single lane between parked cars either side, in the centre to make myself obvious as I could see a car coming up to the parked cars from the opposite direction. He doesn't wait to let me through just heads towards me. I stop in front of him and he winds down his window and shouts 'You're just a bike!'
I was quite polite in return - just deployed the 'Tw@t' word, not anything worse!

Maybe try a smile and 'You're just a Vauxhall' (or whatever make).

Apologies to all Vauxhall owners out there - you might be somewhat placated to know that I have a sh!tty old French car.

Ben6899

posh_pedaller wrote:

Commuting this morning, riding on a short one-way stretch. Another cyclist in front. Motorist turns in ahead, starts going the wrong way, towards us. Clearly not looking at all where he's going until the cyclist up ahead shouts and they stop about 6 inches from each other. Cyclist (angrily, but not aggressively) explains it's a one way street. Driver looks like he's going to head off and turn around, but for some reason gets out, shouts 'don't chat s*** to me yeah' and kicks the cyclist's pannier as he's riding off.

Fortunately I got the reg plate and captured everything on the helmet cam. Caught up with the cyclist at the next lights and gave him my details. He was, understandably, quite shaken but otherwise OK (pannier apparently contained a work laptop).

Was it Jamie Vardy? Chat sh1t, get [your laptop] banged.

rhodrich

rower63 wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

Would love to take the bike to the South of France, but that's not going to happen ...

... obviously not, as the weight of all that steel would prevent the plane from ever taking off!

Ha ha, very funny! :P

Have you checked your frame following its derailleur incident by the way? I've got a wheel building stand, if you'd like to borrow it for a wheel rebuild.

adambruntlett

Bloody rain...

itboffin

Damn it didn't drink enough coffee today and now I've a splitting headache and its too late for caffeine now

wolfsbane2k

itboffin wrote:

Damn it didn't drink enough coffee today and now I've a splitting headache and its too late for caffeine now

Make it disappear with beer.

veronese68

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Damn it didn't drink enough coffee today and now I've a splitting headache and its too late for caffeine now

Make it disappear with beer.

I'm amazed ITB needs to be told that.