"Oh Shit" moments...

I miss my minis, they were the best cars ever.

I have a bell on each of my bikes and use them appropriatly..
However, the reaction is split:
For example on a shared path that I use on the way to work:
1: Don't use bell as there really is no need, ped is walking towards me and has obviously seen me in fluoro nodder with flashing light: ""Use your fucking bell!"

1. Approaching ped from the rear, so chances are he hasn't seen me, give a "ding ding" at 25m: "Don't you ring that fucking thing at me!".
   Hmmmm.
   I use the bell as a warning whenever I feel it is needed, and will continue to do so.
   But unless I ride along sounding like a demented campanologist Banzai peds will always present a totally unpredictable brake test opportunity.
   
   

the trick is to get one that sounds a bit novelty, like the ones that sound like you've just walked in to a shop.

I can't think of what to shout.

I usually go for "Yo dickhead!" in a friendly but loud tone of voice. Just pick a phrase you like and stick with it so it comes out automatically, then you won't have to spend 99p on a bell like these suckers.

I prefer a gentlemanly "Careful!" It's particularly useful as it's not aggressive, but reminds you of your parents stopping you doing something stupid.

"CUNT!"

This usually works for me.

"CUNT!"

This usually works for me.

However much I wish I could shout 'careful', in reality, it's 'CUNT!' every time. Which has given me issues before, it's rather provocative.

Depends on mood, I like to vary it. I'm a big fan of other languages, that always puts people on the wrong foot - some heavily tattooed oaf on a fixed gear bike shouting ACHTUNG HOMEBOY or KONNICHIWA FUCKOS at 25 mph over Southwark Bridge. Brilliant.

Verboten!

Ah I misunderstood. But even the Mk1 New Mini wasn't a Rover design 'through and through' - it wasn't really a Rover design at all. Rover developed some concepts (Evolution, Revolution, Spiritual) in the mid-late 90s but Rover design and engineering became less and less prevalent until eventually the whole project was taken over by BMW in the late 90s - the whole concept was by BMW, the styling was by Frank Stephenson at BMW, and the componentry was from BMW. The total sum of the British efforts in that car is the packaging of German components within a German bodyshell.

Again incorrect,

While BMW owned Rover at the time and ploughed their money into the project knowing full well they would be shot of Rover (minus the Mini) as soon as the Mini was ready, it is a Rover design. The components are not BMW, it's got Rover stamped all over it. Rover drivetrain, Rover sourced Chrysler engine from S.America, it was introduced as the new Rover Mini before BMW sold off Rover and kept Mini. The original design even had a K Series in it, it was a BMW boss that told them where to stick their K Series after the head gasket debacle.

I don't know where you're getting your info from...

Clearly it's time for a Mini thread of its own.

Yeah I'll stop now. Apologies.

That must have been an "Oh shit!" moment?

I don't know where you're getting your info from...

Like I said - ex-Rover employees, of which there are several in my faculty. From what they've told me, although Rover did initially lead both the styling and the engineering, the vast majority of their efforts were (unfortunately) dropped by BMW - hence having the Chrysler engine (which BMW mandated), BMW strut suspension instead of hydragas, no subframes etc. It was BMW that decided that the car should be a small fashionable sporty car in the first place, and Frank Stephenson, the chief stylist, was at BMW, not Rover. It's a Rover 'through and through' in that the Rover engineers did what BMW told them to do. Or at least, that's just what I've been told.

I'll stop now too, though.

some time ago but a real oh fuck moment (fuck not shit because that it was i remember shouting quite loudly at the time).

heading down holland park avenue, wet roads, empty road in front of me and going quite fast. notice a van in opposite, oncoming traffic lane, indicating to turn right, across my lane. he's seen me, he must have seen me, he's still moving, oh fuck he's actually going to keep going, hit brakes, back wheel starts to slide out from under me, my awesome bike handling skills / luck keeps me upright and i skim past the front of his bonnet half way across my lane where he has eventually stopped. he trundles off and i pull over to side of road to gather my thoughts. a couple of random italians plod over looking a bit wary but asking if i was alright. i think my yelling fuck at max lung power as i'd flown past them alarmed them a bit. legs felt a bit shaky for a bit after that episode!

Glad you managed to miss him. I'm currently recovering from rib fractures from precisely the same situation. Fucker took me out, drove off. It's been an "oh bollocks" moment every morning since as I get the friggin tube to work. Sniff.

it's probably already on here somewhere but there should be a list of bastards with car, colour, reg number. then the f*ckers should be hunted down and massive 'official c*nt' stickers whacked on their bootlids. i've chilled a little bit now, but earlier this year a spate of incidents left me wanting to carry a telescopic truncheon so I could wreak havoc on every car that almost killed me. I decided to practice zen instead.

whizzing along euston road last winter' nov 2010 time, i left the bus lane to overtake bus while doing 20-25. good strong wind on my back so moving nicely, pass bus and go to move back in over thick white line. yup, back wheel doesn't follow front wheel so closely... jusr managed to hang on get upright without crashing out. Given the heavy traffic around then and the speeds i could well have been a gonna.

lets just say i have learned my lesson around that white paint!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6oOA0DknrQ&context=C4e34a81ADvjVQa1PpcFMl7rKCe8VZ_yHEN-yPAD7djHo0lxtEwww=

Good for a laugh, I still feel awful about what could have happened to the rider behind me (he comes quite close to hitting the curb). I didn't really know the route and took a bit of a bad line over the roundabout, I tried to tighten my turn up a little and the front wheel just went. I really didn't feel it was that risky and suspect something greasy on the road (or at least that's what I like to think).

Feel free to post in the bad cyclists thread.

Ouch, bad luck. No injuries?

Ouch, bad luck. No injuries?

Bit of road rash and a sore hand was the worst of it thankfully.

what was the bit of metal that fell off someones bike?

what was the bit of metal that fell off someones bike?

That was a spanner from my jersey pocket.

the componentry is from BMW everywhere.

Peugeot based engines are used.

spanner? for a road bike?

spanner? for a road bike?

I was riding a genuine fixie.