Biking Mystery
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:30 am
This morning, going to work, I was sat at the traffic lights at a T-junction waiting to turn right.
In the stream of traffic going along the main road was a CG125. I tracked it's progress as it crossed and as I looked back to resume my watch of the traffic lights, there was a scraping sound that I guess would be familiar to most of us......
I looked back to see bike and rider sliding along the road.
Well, of course I moved my bike to the edge of the road (remembering to grab my keys) and ran over to help.
The rider seemed down for longer than I expected ... so without anyone to offer a formal introduction I launched forth with "Hey mate, you OK?" ..... Woman's voice replies "yes I'm Ok".
Anyway after double checking, helped her to her feet and to the side of the road while a motorist picked up her bike and wheeled it over before realising he hadn't a clue how to put it on the stand - soon sorted that.
Anyway, she was clearly very shaken and I can understand why - the cause of this slide down the road ranks with tales of the Bermuda Triangle, the existence of Big Foot and the whereabouts of Lord Lucan, Shergar and the crew of the Marie Celeste.
The road is straight, very slightly downhill, was damp but didn't appear to be any significant oil/diesel spills. Her road speed seemed steady and she said it was the REAR wheel that went.
Now you're thinking CG125, novice ... blah blah blah .... but no, L-plates gone and she's been riding for 4 years.
The only think she could think of is that there was a lot of oil on the road in Brandon, a village a few miles along the road - so maybe that had contaminated the tyres, but once they dried a bit they seemed clean.
Anyway, she didn't trust it for the rest of the journey and was in the process of calling the RAC when she said that she was OK and I could get on to work.
TBH I'm at a bit of a loss - I'm sure the bike went down very quickly - like it would on an icy (not today) or oily surface - but that said it was travelling straight.
Take care out there - strange things do happen.
In the stream of traffic going along the main road was a CG125. I tracked it's progress as it crossed and as I looked back to resume my watch of the traffic lights, there was a scraping sound that I guess would be familiar to most of us......
I looked back to see bike and rider sliding along the road.
Well, of course I moved my bike to the edge of the road (remembering to grab my keys) and ran over to help.
The rider seemed down for longer than I expected ... so without anyone to offer a formal introduction I launched forth with "Hey mate, you OK?" ..... Woman's voice replies "yes I'm Ok".
Anyway after double checking, helped her to her feet and to the side of the road while a motorist picked up her bike and wheeled it over before realising he hadn't a clue how to put it on the stand - soon sorted that.
Anyway, she was clearly very shaken and I can understand why - the cause of this slide down the road ranks with tales of the Bermuda Triangle, the existence of Big Foot and the whereabouts of Lord Lucan, Shergar and the crew of the Marie Celeste.
The road is straight, very slightly downhill, was damp but didn't appear to be any significant oil/diesel spills. Her road speed seemed steady and she said it was the REAR wheel that went.
Now you're thinking CG125, novice ... blah blah blah .... but no, L-plates gone and she's been riding for 4 years.
The only think she could think of is that there was a lot of oil on the road in Brandon, a village a few miles along the road - so maybe that had contaminated the tyres, but once they dried a bit they seemed clean.
Anyway, she didn't trust it for the rest of the journey and was in the process of calling the RAC when she said that she was OK and I could get on to work.
TBH I'm at a bit of a loss - I'm sure the bike went down very quickly - like it would on an icy (not today) or oily surface - but that said it was travelling straight.
Take care out there - strange things do happen.
