Wankenger of the year awards

Michael Hodges from Time Out.
The great London cycling debate, what bollocks .
http://www.timeout.com/london/sport/features/4603/3.html
Slap the bitch....

I understand that 50p works as a deterrent to the abusers who have been raping BLBs track pump, but surely having a 20p donation to charity would have the same effect and increase goodwill? it's not rocket surgery people..
I have no beef with them, they once tightened up my crank bolts for free - seriously! ;-)

ok fair enough slating BLB but now consider their point of view if:

• You have 50 people a day coming in asking to use the pump
  
• people nicking or breaking it......
  
  

It wouldn't be such a bad idea to charge 50p just to keep people from asking for it every 5 min.

BLB are open 9am til 7pm.

10 hours = 600 min. That's one person every 12 min.

Does BLB even get that many customers on an average day? And every single one wants to use the track pump.

ok fair enough slating BLB but now consider their point of view if:

• You have 50 people a day coming in asking to use the pump
  
• people nicking or breaking it......
  
  
  
  

You can pick up a decent track pump with pressure gauge for £15 - I don't doubt BLB can get this cheaper at trade prices but let's stick with £15.

50 people a day at 50p = £25 a day / £175 a week.

Are they really going through around 12 track pumps a week ? I doubt it, they are simply making money, I think your point would have merit if a pump was expensive.

It wouldn't be such a bad idea to charge 50p just to keep people from asking for it every 5 min.

Why would they wish to stop people asking for the use of a pump ?

OT - wankenger of the year 2008 is the guy who will join in Summer and initially piss about with starting useless threads, then start sending spam emails to the head honchos, then try and recreate the arrospok phenomenon with whatever bit of wank they are trying to sell ( top-tube fruit-holders? ) then resort to joining social events just to steal parts and loosen stems..
I don't like sly jibes - if you do it to people you have never met then you are a wankenger. I have been guilty of this.

You mean they actually have a sign?!

yup there's a little pot on the counter that says something like '50p for pump use'....

i.e. if the tickets I want for a gig sell out

http://www.giggr.com/

Checks all major UK ticket agencies at once. Perfect for the 9am rush on newly released tickets. Try it out in advance so that you know how it works.

@sheepx - For charity perhaps?

http://www.giggr.com/

Checks all major UK ticket agencies at once. Perfect for the 9am rush on newly released tickets. Try it out in advance so that you know how it works.

That's pretty cool. I've never seen that before, cheers :) I'm going to ride to the Astoria and buy them in person - cheaper - so I'll try it out if they've run out at the box office.

ok fair enough slating BLB but now consider their point of view if:

• You have 50 people a day coming in asking to use the pump
  
• people nicking or breaking it......
  
  

It wouldn't be such a bad idea to charge 50p just to keep people from asking for it every 5 min.

Brixton Cycles seem to manage to lend pumps and tools to pretty much anyone who comes into the shop. Sign on the door says "Kids: no manners, no spanners" and that's as far as it goes. I'm glad I live in Brixton and have no need to ever go to BLB as everything I've heard about it makes it sound shit.

Brixton Cycles seem to manage to lend pumps and tools to pretty much anyone . . .

• Evans
  
• Cycle surgery
  
• Cavendish
  
• Action bikes
  
• Bonthrone Bikes
  
• Condor
  
• Chamberlaine (Kentish town Road)
  
  

etc etc - in fact every bike shop I know freely lends their pump.

50p !? - tsch. . tsch . . . This kind of stunt goes down very badly with the cycling community.

@sheepx - For charity perhaps?

nah t was just like a regular tub, not a charity box or anything, and there was no mention of a charity...

if it were for charity then i wouldn't mind at all....

• Evans
  
• Cycle surgery
  
• Cavendish
  
• Action bikes
  
• Bonthrone Bikes
  
• Condor
  
• Chamberlaine (Kentish town Road)
  
  

etc etc - in fact every bike shop I know freely lends their pump.

I was in Cavendish the other day. A sign said 'pump for use by customers only'. So BLB aren't the only ones who are getting sick of people taking the piss.* A courier guy came in and I think he popped some cash on the desk before using it. I was about to use it and I didn't even bother. I was trying to buy something that wasn't in stock, and for some reason that made me feel like I couldn't use the pump.

I like the No Manners No Spanners approach.

*I went to BLB a while back on a saturday morning. They don't open til 11 (bloody infuriating really). I went in before 11 as the door was open. Jan was running round like a blue arsed fly trying to open up, and all these dudes were in there trying to borrow spanners and whatnot, one guy being downright rude about it from what I saw. I kind of feel sorry for them sometimes, all the tossers they have to deal with. He asked for an adjustable and Jan gave hom this MASSIVE one. The guy said 'huh no not that big duh' kind of thing. BUY A FUCKING SPANNER, PUT IT IN YOUR BAG is what I was thinking.

Oh yeah some guy at Condor tried to charge me a quid for a few of those cable crimp things. Wack.

That's pretty cool. I've never seen that before, cheers :) I'm going to ride to the Astoria and buy them in person - cheaper - so I'll try it out if they've run out at the box office.

It's mine, I don't market it. I only created it to give me an edge when buying tickets.

I was in Cavendish the other day. A sign said 'pump for use by customers only'. So BLB aren't the only ones who are getting sick of people taking the piss.* A courier guy came in and I think he popped some cash on the desk before using it. I was about to use it and I didn't even bother. I was trying to buy something that wasn't in stock, and for some reason that made me feel like I couldn't use the pump.

I like the No Manners No Spanners approach.

*I went to BLB a while back on a saturday morning. They don't open til 11 (bloody infuriating really). I went in before 11 as the door was open. Jan was running round like a blue arsed fly trying to open up, and all these dudes were in there trying to borrow spanners and whatnot, one guy being downright rude about it from what I saw. I kind of feel sorry for them sometimes, all the tossers they have to deal with. He asked for an adjustable and Jan gave hom this MASSIVE one. The guy said 'huh no not that big duh' kind of thing. BUY A FUCKING SPANNER, PUT IT IN YOUR BAG is what I was thinking.

Oh yeah some guy at Condor tried to charge me a quid for a few of those cable crimp things. Wack.

Damn ! The world's going mad I tell ya !

Pluribus fuckus offus tynanandii

2008: BLB charging to use their pump.

Once i was in Guildford and stopped in a shop - think it was Raleigh - and they didn't let me use the pump!

Have to give +1 to Brixton Cycles as they let customers use their tools outside the shop - really helpful.

Are they really going through around 12 track pumps a week ?
ha! 12 a week :D

I got to put this in. Shit journo but HTF does he get away with putting this up!?! This pish could inspire a mass revolution of cycle hating righteous peds. god damn anarchy ;)

http://www.timeout.com/london/features/2897/Two-wheeled_fascism-the_trouble_with_London-s_cyclists.html

and I quote:
"But now the London cycling community – privileged, white, self-absorbed and arrogant – can’t be bothered to make stuff up any more and is taking to the airwaves to encourage its members to break the law"

HA HA HA He needs to get laid!

I think:

If you want to sell bikes and things and:

If you don't like dealing with people coming through the door (and they will, it's a shop, shock horror) and you don't like them asking for things, and you don't like getting up in the morning to open up, then:

you should open up an online mail order job.

Pluribus fuckus offus tynanandii

??

Go fuck yourself too !?

??

Go fuck yourself too !?

Ok. I will probably enjoy that more than I ought, seeing as I'm a bit of a minger.

Once i was in Guildford and stopped in a shop - think it was Raleigh - and they didn't let me use the pump!

Have to give +1 to Brixton Cycles as they let customers use their tools outside the shop - really helpful.

stopped in a shop in Princes Risborough once. they charged for air too. i don't see the big deal. we live in a market economy l's & g's.

Ok. I will probably enjoy that more than I ought, seeing as I'm a bit of a minger.

Excellent, I will be watching from the bushes outside the window of your parole officer's bedroom.

BLB ream people for £1000 for a shit bike build, probably pay their staff minimum wage, offer shit service.