Sunday 24 January 2010

Bikes and knobs

I was looking at these photos today and trying to think why on earth I took them in the first place. What was it about these people that caught my eye?

With this bloke, I eventually worked out that I was intrigued by the upturned handlebar extensions. Not sure how those are supposed to work.


This one is easy - it shows part of a train of cyclists crossing the Pyrmont Bridge. One of the tricks that newbie commuters have to learn is the idea of getting into single file with complete strangers. The default mental condition for pedestrians crossing this bridge is for them to walk around aimlessly, changing direction without warning at the drop of a hat. In order to cut through the clutter, cyclists gather together in a train (or a snake) and play follow the leader. Woe to the pedestrian that decides to try and cut across the train whilst looking at their iPod and trying to find a better song.


The driver of this car came flying up behind me and then cut rudely in front of me about 10 feet short of the lights. I looked in the back window, and to my surprise, the driver was closer to 90 than 19. Lots of grey hair and wrinkles. When the light when green, they took off on the edge of burning rubber. I've been menaced by absent minded grannies before, but never cut up by a speeding bogan grannie.


Ah, my favourite variety of P-plate teenager. He's got an old Toyota Seca that lacks sufficient grunt to pull the skin off a fresh custard, but he's still removed all the identifying badges so that we might think he's driving a Shelby Cobra. The bog-standard grannie exhaust has been replaced by something the diameter of a space shuttle rocket booster. I love it when these pathetic lawn mowers take off at the lights - they launch like a one cylinder soviet tractor running on rancid sunflower oil. TWX 666 - you are the "knob of the week".


7 comments:

T said...

Pretty funny that that car isnt just a run of mill "seca" with no power. If you knew the history of the car you wouldnt be posting such dribble. Do some research before you go badmouthing other people. Knob.

Boy on a bike said...

Well, don't keep us in suspense - tell us all about it.

An ex-girlfriend of mine had a model like this one. Not a bad car, but not entirely endowed with grunt.

If this is a souped-up model, what is a P-plater doing driving it? Inexperienced drivers and souped up cars don't go together that well.

Anonymous said...

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/AE86Track.jpg

Actually that was my car, many years ago. It got on the podium in the NSW supersprint championship 3yrs in a row in the mid 90s in the Improved Production class, so it used to be quite a successful little club racer.

Very quick little thing. That P-plater isn't in any danger though, it's a well sorted piece of kit.

I don't know who owns it now, and I do wonder if he knows the car's history, but the last time I saw it on the street, it sure looked the same as it did when I sold it.

(not having a go at you mate, there's no way you would be reasonably expected to know all this) :-)

Kev

Boy on a bike said...

Sad to say, the current owner almost stalled it moving off at the lights. Even if they know the history, they are not deserving of the car.

Anonymous said...

Haha. Well it does have a racing clutch...and hey, everyone's got to start from somewhere :)

Kev

Anonymous said...

Your blog does a fantastic job of showing how lame your life is and that you really don't have friends. Keep up the bad wrk

Boy on a bike said...

I try my best to be lame and friendless. Doesn't seem to be working.

What's got you so riled this morning?