Surely he's going to regret this

orangepip
orangepip Posts: 219
edited November 2012 in The cake stop
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/9703458/UK-weather-trail-of-destruction-as-floods-spread-north.html#?frame=2409698

I obviously can't speak for his bike but my caad9 would probably fall apart in fairly short order if I tried that.

Comments

  • Not half as much as he would if he hit a submerged object and face planted. Indeed, part of a barbed wire fence would be enough to wrap him up with his bike and keep his head under long enough to drown.
  • What an idiot, if he is wearing cleats and came off, I doubt he would survive, never mind hitting a submerged object.
    I really do despair at the mentality of some of the British public.
  • A former boss of mine tried something similar in his Audi during the Cumbria floods. Another "high up" decided that advice not to travel on fell roads in snow didn't apply to him and his rear wheel drive Beamer. In both cases, the Mountain Rescue had some strong words for them after they pulled them out.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • I'm sure when we had our "black Thursday" in Newcastle in July, there were definitely tales of people (usually in extremely expensive BMW's / Audi's / Mercedes) that thought the laws of nature do not apply to them. Their insurance costs will certainly have gone up next year.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    bianchibob wrote:
    What an idiot, if he is wearing cleats and came off, I doubt he would survive, never mind hitting a submerged object.
    I really do despair at the mentality of some of the British public.
    I think we're getting a bit melodramatic here aren't we? He's cycling along a road, there may be a small chance of a dangerous obstruction but really, I never expected to find such health-and-safety-we -should-all-stay-in-bed-or-we're-doomed talk on this forum.

    As for the posh car drivers who think the rules of nature don't apply to them - I suspect there are actually a couple of genuine reasons for this apart from sheer arrogance. Firstly, when you pay a lot of money to buy something you think is better than average, you can easily forget that it doesn't mean it can do everything better than average. Secondly, in your smooth, quiet, air-conditioned cocoon, it's easy to forget that the rules of nature still apply outside. I reckon that goes for the speeding too - it just doesn't feel as fast.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I do hope he is not riding a Pinarello :wink:
  • bompington wrote:
    As for the posh car drivers who think the rules of nature don't apply to them - I suspect there are actually a couple of genuine reasons for this apart from sheer arrogance. Firstly, when you pay a lot of money to buy something you think is better than average, you can easily forget that it doesn't mean it can do everything better than average. Secondly, in your smooth, quiet, air-conditioned cocoon, it's easy to forget that the rules of nature still apply outside. I reckon that goes for the speeding too - it just doesn't feel as fast.

    yes that is true. It could equally be the arrogance that comes with being able to afford such a car. No matter. There were plenty of taxis floating around Newcastle that thursday and they tend to be Peugeots etc.
  • bompington wrote:
    bianchibob wrote:
    What an idiot, if he is wearing cleats and came off, I doubt he would survive, never mind hitting a submerged object.
    I really do despair at the mentality of some of the British public.
    I think we're getting a bit melodramatic here aren't we? He's cycling along a road, there may be a small chance of a dangerous obstruction but really, I never expected to find such health-and-safety-we -should-all-stay-in-bed-or-we're-doomed talk on this forum.

    It's about probability and consequence, rather than doom talk.

    Would you cycle along a road with your eyes closed?

    Drain and manholes covers can lift in flood water, ditch debris ends up in the road, part of the road may have subsided, not to mention you can't actually see the end of the road.

    Chrissakes the front wheel is entirely submerged - that's what, 3 foot deep? Any object up to the height of his front wheel could be in there, and the first he'd know about it is when he rides clean into it.
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    He's old. Leave him alone.
  • What a to55er he is. People have been killed in these floods and he goes putting himself in danger like that.

    I don't think any appointment can be that important.
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • Think maybe being a bit harsh here. You can see in the pic the road and it's bank emerging from the water what looks like just a meter or two behind him, so it obviously gets deep quite quickly. If he's not familiar with the road then its possible he didn't realise how deep the water would be, our keen-eyed snapper grabs a photo, just before the poor fella decides to turn around and abort.

    Then again, maybe he knew what was ahead of him and is just a bit of a kn0b. Who knows!
    "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    He's old. He probably doesn't even realise he's in the river. He'll get home and wonder why he has an eel in his jersey pocket.
  • The problem in such circumstances is never an underwater obstruction - its the exact opposite.

    Its the manhole cover that has been forced off, leaving a large hole with water running inside it. Thats how people drown in those situations - they drop into the hole, get dragged along and never resurface. Strnegth won't hep you one bit when you're in an underwater pipe ... dreadful thought isn't it ?
  • "All this riding through water is great for you. Look at this graph. I haven't even needed to apply any power since riding through it..... oh"
    Mangeur
  • jonomc4
    jonomc4 Posts: 891
    bompington wrote:
    bianchibob wrote:
    What an idiot, if he is wearing cleats and came off, I doubt he would survive, never mind hitting a submerged object.
    I really do despair at the mentality of some of the British public.
    I think we're getting a bit melodramatic here aren't we? He's cycling along a road, there may be a small chance of a dangerous obstruction but really, I never expected to find such health-and-safety-we -should-all-stay-in-bed-or-we're-doomed talk on this forum.

    As for the posh car drivers who think the rules of nature don't apply to them - I suspect there are actually a couple of genuine reasons for this apart from sheer arrogance. Firstly, when you pay a lot of money to buy something you think is better than average, you can easily forget that it doesn't mean it can do everything better than average. Secondly, in your smooth, quiet, air-conditioned cocoon, it's easy to forget that the rules of nature still apply outside. I reckon that goes for the speeding too - it just doesn't feel as fast.

    Having owned a BMW and currently owning a Merc - I can safely say they are the worst snow cars in the world - a little cheap front wheel drive will suit you better - we ended up buying a jeep this year (replacing the BMW) because of how pathetic both cars were in bad weather.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    He'll regret it, not cos of his imminent untimely death but because his BB, wheel bearings & headset will be completely farked by submersion in muddy water. How do I know? A couple of years ago what to me looked looked like a couple of inches of water turned out to be over a foot deep as it quickly went past my wheel hubs. Once you're in you're in so I kept going but with nothing to guide me rode straight into the low kerb and nearly fell off. Not clever, not big, not worth doing, but for mechanical rather than life-threatening reasons.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    flood water, especially in urban areas, is often contaminated with sewage....
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    He's fine, just trying out his new shoes.

    sporasub_06274.jpg
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I think he's a triathlete with his 2xu longs on.

    He's knackered all the bearings on his bike though and I doubt he could have ridden much further than that. It's tough with a headwind - let alone three feet of water. If the water is moving it could be fatal at that depth. I presume it's just standing water though or hed not have risked it ?
  • islwyn
    islwyn Posts: 650
    Takes the word bell to another meaning.
  • Hilarious! I'm not bothered about 'elf and safety, but, he could seriously hurt himself. My first thought was trashing all the bearings etc, which he definitely would have done. More trouble than it's worth, surely. Some amazing idiots around when it comes to the floods - so much footage about people driving into floods and getting stuck 'I didn't realise how deep it was' as the water comes in the window!! where the hell has all the common sense gone?
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    GiantMike wrote:
    He's old. He probably doesn't even realise he's in the river. He'll get home and wonder why he has an eel in his jersey pocket.

    Spat my drink out at this...thanks... :D:D
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    He's fine, just trying out his new shoes.

    sporasub_06274.jpg
    That's funny. :lol:
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Of course, back in the 70s we'd have all done this sort of crazy thing (including buggering all the bearings). This is why we are all now dead.

    Anyway, he may know the road, the flooded bit might be short, he might not be clipped in and he might be in the habit of stripping and rebuilding his bike every five minutes anyway. Give him a break you miseries!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    I hope that bike's not BB30, I've had to strip mine twice this year after being submerged in flood water.
  • colsoop
    colsoop Posts: 217
    I think its quite funny myself. The guy is hurting nobody by going for it, what if this.. what if that may as well stay in bed :lol:

    I went out on my bike today and there was a section which was flooded (next to the memorial arboretum at alrewas if you know it). I know the road well and decided to go through it, it was up to bottom bracket level although not quite on that guys scale.

    I actually enjoyed it in a similar way you did as a kid going though big puddles, granted my overshoes filled up and my feet were cold for a few miles but still made me laugh.
  • Islwyn wrote:
    Takes the word bell to another meaning.

    Diving Bell?

    Relax folks, it's just a picture of a guy taking his new bars and stem home - he's actually walking. :wink: