Oops …

[blamebrampton]

Apparently, about a week ago, I sleepwalked out to the computer and put a bid on a 1980s Japanese road bike on eBay. Which was very reasonably priced! and which I expected to go much higher than my bid. Guess what I am picking up on the weekend?

I promise to only ride it like a hipster – slowly and on the footpath ;-)

In news that will surprise no one, I was walking home from spin class tonight when I was nearly bowled over by a car coming out of the Carriageworks driveway. I gave a brief lecture on the illegality of cutting off pedestrians on pavements and the lack of right of way cars enjoy in such spaces. He looked deeply chastened, and mildly concerned that I might beat him with the foam massage roller I was carrying and unconsciously using to punctuate my exclamations. Thinking back, I probably should have.

Massage roller itself EXCELLENT for shoulder/arm soothing, though!

Comments

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

Only ride it like a hipster, dear. I am already worried and you don't even have it yet.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I really will mostly use it for going to the gym: up and down the MOST bike-friendly road in all of Sydney, and going to work: same road and then through the uni plus a quiet fiddly bit at the end. Aside from that, maybe over to Centennial Park now and then, which I will take on the pavements.

[shanes-lullaby.livejournal.com]

Foam rollers are sturdy! No wonder he was scared of it. :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Hee! True! And it's 80cm long, so nothing to be sneezed at!

[raitala.livejournal.com]

BB is vehicle catnip - they just seem to want to rub up against you. Congrats on not being squashed!

How many bikes is too many, again?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I've told you about the time I was walking with S and we were both nearly run over by a Buddhist monk reversing a truck into a wall?

I'll point out that I saved us both by being highly suspicious about the monk, and instead of thanking me, she turned to me and said 'IT'S YOU! They're after YOU!'

A year or two later she was telling this story as we walked down the local high street with Treacle's Blondie, he was laughing far too much and she had not even finished talking as I watched a taxi on the road alongside us lose control for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON, crash into two stopped cars and mount the footpath behind us, narrowly missing everyone.

I had my phone out and was calling emergency services while they were still gaping and looking at me in horror. Experience tells.

One can never have too many bikes! And I am going to give the pub bike to a backpacker, so then I will only have one of each type!

(One day I will have a library of bikes in assorted sizes, for all my friends!)

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

Heavens, don't get run over again!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I now assume they will do the most absolutely stupid thing imaginable, and act to avoid that. It's worked well, so far!

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

So pedestrians have right of way always? I know my brother failed his first driving test because as he was driving back into the car park he stopped to let someone with a stroller go and she motioned him on so he went.

Enjoy your new bike. Hopefully Sydney will be careful driving. I'm not holding my breath for that though. I've been there.

What is a massage roller? Sounds interesting. What do you do with it to help your arm/shoulder?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I've learned never to expect Sydney drivers to do anything sane and just to ride as though they are all homicidal maniacs. And if that means I am sometimes on the footpath, then that will happen, and I will just go very very slowly so as not to annoy pedestrians!

And yeah, pedestrians ALWAYS have right of way, even in the middle of the road, but with a driveway crossing a footpath, absolutely. And people who ignore that are all going to a very special hell, of Mr Dopey Carriageworks man and that bitch woman at Town Hall. Grrrr!

Massage rollers are these: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/ss/FoamRoller.htm
And it's been quite good so far!

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

I've learned never to expect Sydney drivers to do anything sane and just to ride as though they are all homicidal maniacs. Yes. This is how I drive when I'm in Sydney. Except not the footpath bit.


Ahh. I see. I've used rubber balls the same way. They are rather limited. And very painful as most of the time a tennis ball is all I've got and they're quite hard

Might see if I can find one that's not too expensive. I have so many trigger points in my neck/shoulder/arms. Hoping the physio (that I still haven't called) can help me with that.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I used to use balls when I was still dancing: you'd know how bad it is by the type of ball you had to go to in order to release the tension – golf balls were the nadir!

Call the physio!

[hmufson.livejournal.com]

Too bad that they didn't give you a cane. You could have brandished at him threateningly and then told him to get off your lawn.

(Also: Thwaps you on head for giving me bad ideas about bikes and ebay. BAD!)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

NO CANES! I did so much physio to not have a cane, and let me say that having had one for six months after the six months of crutches – they do not work as they ought to work unless you actually hit the people. It's because people are BASTARDS.

(There are some fab bikes going at great prices! If I was loaded, I would also be buying the 1970s Italian road bike I dreamed of owning back in the 70s ;-))

[hmufson.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, of course the cane doesn't work unless you hit people with it. That's the point, right? Hmmm...maybe that's why they took me off crutches after only 6 weeks that one time...

All joking aside, I was never happier than when my best friend, after TWO hip replacements, finally was able to walk without a cane. It was fabulous.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's SUCH a good feeling. I was happy to put up with any horror the physio put me through to get rid of mine :-)

And I blame the nanny state for keeping it illegal for me to hit people with a stick. Though given it would be hideously presumptuous of me to steal that right all to myself, and we can't trust most of the population with it, it's probably all for the best.

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

haven't purposely hit any one yet. It does fall on people occasionally.
It is fantastic for herding chickens that want to hide under hedges or getting apples and pears off the tree that are slightly too high for you to reach.

The desire not to use one caused me many years of falling over and in to things and the injuries just weren't worth it. Thankfully it's only for balance and not having to take my weight. My shoulder would never stand it.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if you need one, you need it. And they are super handy for fetching balls out from under the sofa …

Happily, all my body breakages are injuries, so they can usually be sorted with diligence in the physio department. Hope you get a good physio who can help you with your shoulders: sorting out the tendons in my foot has made my life IMMENSELY better!

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

If I can reduce my migraines and stop my face going numb when I lay down and my shoulder hurting so badly it keeps me awake I'll be terribly happy. Not sure how many visits I get at the reduced rate though. Will see. Hopefully he'll give me some exercises that will help.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think it will help, they are very good at lessening muscle, nerve and tendon tension. Mr B's migraines went right down in frequency once he got his back sorted.

Let me know if you need any therabands, as I have spares and could pop one in with Whispers Underground when it FINALLY arrives (some point this decade, one hopes!)