Using electrically-assisted bikes: lazy cheaters or healthy travellers?

[50 Hertz]

R

Putting lol at the end of an, often unsubstantiated, criticism is merely ducking behind the sandbags to avoid the flak.

IMHO, of course.

Whenever I see the use of LOL, it always intrigues me. Do people actually sit in from of their computer, laughing out loud at what they have just written? What sort of laugh is it? Is it a hearty belly laugh, a Vincent Price style evil laugh, a witches cackle or a barely audible chuckle.

Then there is ROFLMAO (Rolling on floor laughing my @rse off). Has anyone ever actually had their bottom detach itself as a result of laughter? Does ones bottom detach prior to the person falling to the ground or afterwards? The statement, "rolling on the floor laughing my @**** off" would imply that the person is already on the ground and convulsing with fitful laughter to such an extent that it results in the severing of the bottom from the remainder of the body. Once detached, does it rock to-and-fro with the buttock cheeks acting as a bearing surface? I suppose that would depend if it were on a hard surface such as tiles.

I wonder if this is a problem at A&E departments up and down the country. Have these departments seen an increase in the number of people presenting detached bottoms as internet usage has increased?

I guess that we will never know the answer to these questions, but that won't stop the Daily Mail leading with a front page headline of:

IMMIGRATION IS CAUSING BRITISH PEOPLES' BOTTOMS TO FALL OFF

 

[103Alex1]

The rather sterile selection of emoticons and prohibition on :

- posting anyone else's
- more than 4 images per post

does limit options somewhat... and even I get bored of reading my own endless prose (and others') sometimes !

You missed an opportunity there btw 50Hertz. Could have done an even more graphic literal dissection of an internet acronym with this one :

LMAONF - Laughing my a@se off 'n' farting

For some inexplicable reason I'm today reminded of a line from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie ...

"There'll be games ... but not frivolous games"

Seriously ... lighten up.

 

[Scimitar]

R


I wonder if this is a problem at A&E departments up and down the country. Have these departments seen an increase in the number of people presenting detached bottoms as internet usage has increased?

That reminds me of a joke about a bloke with a giant screw where his bellybutton should have been...

 

[GaRRy]

To sum it up - some coppers are twi/ats, but most aren't and I'm glad we have them.

So the same as the rest of society then.

 

[flecc]

So the same as the rest of society then.

Indeed, extract from the Police Code of Conduct item 7:

"the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen"

 

[mike killay]

This business of the 'Police not acting on stereotypes' is nonsense.
Sure, being very PC they claim to observe it, but time and time again they catch people when things do not look right, frequently acting on stereotypes, such as when they caught the Black Panther.
Its tough, but what the PC Brigade suggest is that if a bloke is walking down the street, wearing a striped jumper and mask and carying a bag marked 'swag', he should not be stopped because he is an obvious stereotype.
BUT criminals are alleged to run rings around the Police,
So, if you are a burlgar, you know what to wear!

 

[ghouluk]

yeah, and if you're a black person, you know what colour skin to go out in.....?

two different things here concerning using stereotyping for action

man with stripey jumper and bag marked swag = probable cause

black man with stripey jumper and bag marked swag = probable cause

black man without stripey jumper and bag marked swag, becuase he is black and hence stereotypically a criminal = harassment

 

[Marctwo]

black man without stripey jumper and bag marked swag, becuase he is black and hence stereotypically a criminal = harassment

Hmm... I thought black men were good dancers with big dicks and criminals were scousers or bankers???

 

[103Alex1]

and for all this, a man in streetwear (incorporating SPDs) on a road bike is still not probable cause. Imho. Couple on a Pinarello and a Colnago only yesterday rode up to bike stands and one held the other's bike rather than lock 'em up because let's face it there's nowhere to put a chain ! Not a hint of cycling clothing on either of them. Should I have been suspicious that they might be the Bonnie & Clyde of the bicycle world ? !

 

[mike killay]

and for all this, a man in streetwear (incorporating SPDs) on a road bike is still not probable cause. Imho. Couple on a Pinarello and a Colnago only yesterday rode up to bike stands and one held the other's bike rather than lock 'em up because let's face it there's nowhere to put a chain ! Not a hint of cycling clothing on either of them. Should I have been suspicious that they might be the Bonnie & Clyde of the bicycle world ? !

Frankly I think that this discussion is getting pointless.
Some people, including Police will think that something is odd and check it out.
Others will assume that all is OK and ignore it.
Bike thefts are a serious nuisance and Police action is required.
This means that some people will feel that their being checked is reasonable, others will be outraged..TOUGH
BUT, even if you are the outraged innocent, you know that you are being given some level of protection against theft

 

[103Alex1]

Frankly I think that this discussion is getting pointless.
Some people, including Police will think that something is odd and check it out.
Others will assume that all is OK and ignore it.
Bike thefts are a serious nuisance and Police action is required.
This means that some people will feel that their being checked is reasonable, others will be outraged..TOUGH
BUT, even if you are the outraged innocent, you know that you are being given some level of protection against theft

Which makes me wonder about another point - would they have bother to stop someone riding a bog standard town bike or bothered if they though there wasn't what's perceived as an expensive sports bike at risk ?

You are right - bike thefts are a serious nuisance and there's precious little interest in them most of the time. Often the people who lose their bikes can't really afford to. I don't think we can take much comfort from the thought that one policeman making a loose connection will change any of that in a hurry.

If I thought there was any realistic positive connection of benefit to the wider cycling community I wouldn't have posted what I did. But in all honesty, I really don't think there is.

 

[50 Hertz]

This sums it up nicely:

Frankly I think that this discussion is getting pointless.
Some people, including Police will think that something is odd and check it out.
Others will assume that all is OK and ignore it.
Bike thefts are a serious nuisance and Police action is required.
This means that some people will feel that their being checked is reasonable, others will be outraged..TOUGH
BUT, even if you are the outraged innocent, you know that you are being given some level of protection against theft

And then there is this ...........

and for all this, a man in streetwear (incorporating SPDs) on a road bike is still not probable cause. Imho. Couple on a Pinarello and a Colnago only yesterday rode up to bike stands and one held the other's bike rather than lock 'em up because let's face it there's nowhere to put a chain ! Not a hint of cycling clothing on either of them. Should I have been suspicious that they might be the Bonnie & Clyde of the bicycle world ? !

Whatever the police do to address bicycle theft, some people will complain about it in a peevish and irritating manner. These people are usually stood on the sidelines undermining confidence in the police with ridiculous and unsubstantiated anecdotes.

If you are inconvenienced for a few moments whilst a police officer enquiries about the bike that you are riding, so what? What is wrong about that? If you are polite and willing to assist, you will be on your way after a very short period of time, and you will have also played a small part in the huge fight against cycle theft.

Some people of inadequate character don't want to cooperate though and prefer to criticise and mock, but only from a safe distance. The criticism, fictitious anecdotes and mocking does have an effect and it is my opinion that we have now reached a stage where some police officers are actually put off from taking action because of apprehension over how it may be perceived. This is a shame, because the, "coppers nose" can be a very effective instrument and to berate it out of existence benefits no one except criminals. Ironically, the inadequates then re-surface to sneer at the police for being ineffective. It's a rather grotesque display of the worst in human nature.

 

[jackhandy]

Any Copper stopping this old-fart-onna-mountain-bike ('lectric assisted), is risking a serious assault on his wallet....

I'll do my damndest to sell him one.

 

[103Alex1]

Some people of inadequate character don't want to cooperate though and prefer to criticise and mock, but only from a safe distance. The criticism, fictitious anecdotes and mocking does have an effect and it is my opinion that we have now reached a stage where some police officers are actually put off from taking action because of apprehension over how it may be perceived. This is a shame, because the, "coppers nose" can be a very effective instrument and to berate it out of existence benefits no one except criminals. Ironically, the inadequates then re-surface to sneer at the police for being ineffective. It's a rather grotesque display of the worst in human nature.

More assumptions, more sneering self-righteousness. If you were referring to mine I'd ask you not to infer a truthful anecdote is a lie. Lying is not one of my personal attributes and I don;t take kindly to people making false accusations.

I'm done with this one. When I see some proper positive results from those who the public are paying to make a proper difference in the right ways I might change my overall views. 'till then we all base our judgements on our own 1st hand experiences and observations and mine are that priorities are all over the place and the average experience, judgement and maturity level of those charged with the responsibilities of police officers leave much to be desired.

As for your own comments, well, you clearly appear to work in the legal enforcement industry so it's no surprise to see you defending the wider legal enforcement community, but your manner of defending it leaves much to be desired. Hardly leading by example, are we ?

 

[50 Hertz]

More assumptions, more sneering self-righteousness. If you were referring to mine I'd ask you not to infer a truthful anecdote is a lie. Lying is not one of my personal attributes and I don;t take kindly to people making false accusations.

I wasn't aware that my post had any self-righteous content, but if that's how you feel, I suppose that I will have to live with that particular burden.

Now, turning to truthfulness, earlier in this thread you posted the following:

Nah they were probably too busy trying to dream up crimes to pin on old ladies ... or regular guys riding their bikes in streetwear lol.

I note that you don't quite have the courage to make you stance clear, opting for that tiresome LOL safety net. It is this sort of petty sniping that I take issue with. There are over 132000 police officers and your nasty little attack calls into question the integrity of all of them. I highlighted this earlier in the thread and I asked you to qualify your statement with evidence of elderly females being effectively framed for crimes that they did not commit. I suspect that you have none because your statement is unsubstantiated and in your eagerness to tarnish the reputation of the police, you are being untruthful. It is also a rather entertaining to witness your awful hypocrisy. You rubbish the reputation of 132000 people with your unsubstantiated none sense, and then follow that with the punch-line of, "I don't take kindly to people making false accusations."

I'm done with this one. When I see some proper positive results from those who the public are paying to make a proper difference in the right ways I might change my overall views. 'till then we all base our judgements on our own 1st hand experiences and observations and mine are that priorities are all over the place and the average experience, judgement and maturity level of those charged with the responsibilities of police officers leave much to be desired.

And what are your first hand experiences? Did the nasty policeman tell Mummy's Little Snowflake how may beans make 5 when he was being a tw@t?

Your statements that police officers lack experience, have poor judgement and lack maturity is based on contact with all 132000 officers is it? Or is this yet more of your unsubstantiated emotional incontenance? No one is denying that the police have problems with some of the characters within their ranks. The police are the public, so by definition, will be flawed. Occasionally, I work closely with the police and I know two who are qualified GP Doctors, a lawyer, car mechanic and some who are massive Bell-Ends who, I personally, wouldn't let anywhere near a warrant card, but that's not my decision. Likewise on here, I know of a Doctor, a lawyer, a car mechanic and you. Just like the police, this forum is made up of all types and you have absolutely no business at all rubbishing the profession of 132000 people, the majority of who, you have never met or know nothing about. It's completely abhorrent.

As for your own comments, well, you clearly appear to work in the legal enforcement industry so it's no surprise to see you defending the wider legal enforcement community, but your manner of defending it leaves much to be desired. Hardly leading by example, are we ?

If you are guessing that I am a police officer then, unfortunately, you are very very wide of the mark. I deliberately say, unfortunately, because I have had the privilege to work with the police on occaisions and it is a profession that I have a lot of respect for and would definitely consider if I were to have my career again. Its interesting and difficult work requiring a steady nerve and good judgement. These men and women do put themselves in danger on our behalf. That's not just sanctimonious drivel, I have seen it first hand and many years ago, I had the misfortune to witness the death of an officer. I'm not prepared to go into detail over this awful incident, but they died because they were hell bent on doing the job that they signed up to do.

This is why I detest the dreadful sickly turds who peevishly and mean-spiritedly chip away undermining confidence in the police with their poxy anecdotes which lack any substance or truth whatsoever. Your generalisation about all 132000 officers brings total and deserved disgrace upon you. Shameful.

 

[funkylyn]

God almighty, how did a light hearted original post turn into all this.
Isnt it time to lighten up a bit.........LOL

Lynda

 

[50 Hertz]

God almighty, how did a light hearted original post turn into all this.
Isnt it time to lighten up a bit.........LOL

Lynda

It is a shame that the thread has descended to this, but there is a serious point which needs to be addressed.

I agree, it would be nice to lighten the mood, but please don't give him an excuse to use the, "lighten up" phrase. He likes that one when he has no answer. LOL!

 

[jazper53]

This is why I detest the awful turds who peevishly and mean-spiritedly chip away undermining confidence in the police with their poxy anecdotes that lack any substance whatsoever. Your generalisation about all 132000 officers brings total disgrace upon you. Shameful.

It is clear you have a high regard for our police force, I do not share your opinion, and believe it is not fit for purpose, or good value The hacking scandal shows the police in a very bad light, and i suspect is only the tip of the ice-berg of wrong-doing, that exposes a culture of dishonesty. Police achieved targets seems to be a total fiction that has required creative deception, and laughable propganda.
We in this country seem to be content with second best, sadly I beleve our Police do not even achieve that standard, confidence in our police force should be based on fact, not fantasy!

 

[funkylyn]

Oh....I dont know, I still hold onto my belief that we have the best police force in the world.
Thats not to say they are perfect, far from it, but then, none of us are.

Thats also not to say that there isnt corruption and wrong doing in the Police force but surely the majority try to do their job to the best of their ability, there are always 'bad apples' everywhere, we just musnt let them become the majority.

My opinion is based on my, admittedly small, personal experience of their help in times of need, plus inside info from a good friend, an ex Met officer, and experience of the Spanish police force in all their frightening 'glory', which is enough to make any British citizen thank god for our Police force.

Lynda

 

[50 Hertz]

It is clear you have a high regard for our police force, I do not share your opinion, and believe it is not fit for purpose, or good value The hacking scandal shows the police in a very bad light, and i suspect is only the tip of the ice-berg of wrong-doing, and culture of dishonesty. Police achieved targets seems to be a total fiction that has required creative deception, and laughable propganda.
We in this country seem to be content with second best, sadly I beleve our Police do not even achieve that standard, confidence in our police force should be based on fact, not fantasy!

I do have great respect for the police and that is based on some first hand experience of the conditions they work under and the results they achieve.

I am not going to pretend that they are squeaky clean, of course, they are far from it. In the past, officers have sold confidential information about the public, they have raped vulnerable victims of crime, raped females in custody, committed murder, been guilty of assaulting criminals, they have been abusive and disrespectful to towards the public they serve, committed acts of horrendous racism and discrimination, and so on and so on......

But not all of them. Look at any profession and you will find acts of appalling behaviour amongst their ranks, but that does not make them all bad, as 103Alex1 wants to propagate. Would it be fair to say that all people of a particular profession are the same, just because of the deeds carried out by a few individuals?

The police have Professional Standards departments and they are very proactive in routing out corrupt officers. And don't think the cops get soft treatment, they can be found not guilty in a court and for you and I, that would be the end of it, fair trial, innocent in the eyes of the law. Not so for a police officer. "Innocent" coppers are then re-tried in an internal discipline hearing where the burden of proof is reduced from, beyond reasonable doubt to, balance of probabilities. If found "guilty", the cop will usually be dismissed, face financial hardship or ruin, have the prospect of low paid low skilled work, lose their pension and all the knock-on effects. It's a terrifying prospect.