"Cycling is a risky business"

memsley89
memsley89 Posts: 247
edited December 2012 in Commuting chat
So this morning, whilst stopping mid-commute to drop a couple of parcels off at the post office (in full cycling attire) I was given the usual plethora of questions and additional services... when do I want it to arrive/ how much is it worth/ would I like any stamps/ any cashback/ any other services?

The final question got me... Would you like any life insurance? I answered No.
It wasn't the act of asking, I understand they make their money from the extras, it was the comment of "Are you sure you don't want life insurance... you know cycling is a risky business?"

How would you guys have responded? I was dumb-struck!

Comments

  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    D-lock the fucker?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
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  • cyclingprop
    cyclingprop Posts: 2,426
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    D-lock the ******?

    I'd let EKE respond on my behalf.
    What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    I'd have asked for a statistical breakdown of why cycling is any more dangerous than driving a car or walking on the pavement and when they failed to produce the evidence, I would have D-locked the C***.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,776
    I've filled out various life and critical illness/injury insurance questionnaires, and I've never seen a question asking if I ride a bike. If insurers, with their wealth of statistical evidence, reckon it's not worth worrying about, then that's good enough for me.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    I would have responded:

    "Are you sure you don't want life insurance... you know cycling is a risky business?"

    "Only if you're not wearing a helmet"

    :wink:
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    "Sometimes you just have to say 'F*** it'."
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
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  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Or you just accept the fact that yes, ultimately, cycling does raise your risk exposure and that whilst being hassled by salespeople is irritating at the best of times, this was at least a reasonable sales line.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • pdw
    pdw Posts: 315
    "Not as risky as not cycling."
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    Or respond "How about you? Have you got life insurance? Working as a post office clerk is a risky business as well y'know"

    ...and punch them in the face.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    Rolf F wrote:
    Or you just accept the fact that yes, ultimately, cycling does raise your risk exposure and that whilst being hassled by salespeople is irritating at the best of times, this was at least a reasonable sales line.
    Some and some. While it can be argued that cycling - indeed any sport - raises your risk factor in terms of an accident or injury, the health giving benefits would offset this to quite a significant degree.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    "Good point. Maybe I should become a fat lard ass couch potato like you and die early by heart attack".

    Maybe. :wink:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    Or you just accept the fact that yes, ultimately, cycling does raise your risk exposure and that whilst being hassled by salespeople is irritating at the best of times, this was at least a reasonable sales line.
    Some and some. While it can be argued that cycling - indeed any sport - raises your risk factor in terms of an accident or injury, the health giving benefits would offset this to quite a significant degree.

    Absolutely - but that still leads to a logical potential for insurance cover. But obviously, the PO salesperson could equally be habitually asking fat bloaters if they have adequate heart attack cover. Personalised approach of the true, professional salesperson :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    my usual response is "statistically most accidents happen in the home so I'm actually safer being outside"
    FCN = 4
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    No thank you.

    Incidentally, as I walked into the office one day last week, a very pretty young lady with a clipboard noted that I looked like a cyclist (I was dressed head to toe in wet lycra and was wearing a helmet) and asked if I wished to make a will. I thanked her for her kind offer, but declined and carried on my way. It was only later that I began to wonder if it had actually been a thinly veiled threat.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    vermin wrote:
    It was only later that I began to wonder if it had actually been a thinly veiled threat.
    Depends, were you wearing white lycra? You know what happens when that gets wet!

    Oh, and stop bragging.
  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    I blame Wiggle
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  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Ben6899 wrote:
    "Sometimes you just have to say 'F*** it'."

    Nobody got the reference? I am disappoint.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
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  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    D-lock the ******?

    You can't spell ****. :lol:
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    Agent57 wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    D-lock the ******?

    You can't spell ****. :lol:
    He said ******, not ****!

    :roll:
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    But everyone know's it's D-lock the ****! ¬.¬
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    I wrote "fucker", not "cunt". I thought "cunt" a bit rude considering we have women on the forum and we don't want another "Girls in..." fiasco.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!