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Bluepete
11-11-10, 12:12 AM
OK, so maybe a bit OTT, but I'm not a happy bunny.

On duty this evening, on a bike covering the MUFC v MCFC match at Eastlands.

Book on at 1700hrs, out to the bike, usual checks, note the new rear tyre (Phew, thank God it's dry) and off we go.

Bimble into Manchester, check in at the stadium RVP then go and collect the MUFC team coach to escort it to the stadium. By now I've done about 25 miles, so am happy and settled in. On the way into the car-park with the United coach right behind me think to myself;

"Oh, feels like I've got a puncture"

But wobbly, but no real issues, so finish with the coach and ride around the other side of the stadium and park up. Kick both tyres, both seem about right, so I give the rear another tap. This time I notice something that makes by blood run cold.

The rear wheel is loose and wobbling like mad!

Now bear in mind, it's got a single sided swingarm, so the wheel is bolted on like a car wheel. I check the bolts and all five are only finger tight and one is actually falling out!

Just think of the implications of this. Wheel comes off on the motorway into Manchester, death, dismemberment, wailing and gnashing of teeth ensues and I have a bit of a bad day.

I called the mechanic who fitted it and let him know I was a little bit peeved at having a near death experience, then managed to get a mechanic come and tighten the nuts. Obviously, being a mechanic, he took nearly two hours, despite being based only one mile away!

So, now on a roadworthy machine, off I went and zoomed around, generally being glad to be alive.

After the match, manned a road closure with a mate on another bike and was caught in the middle of a baton charge by our lovely horses...

They say bad luck comes in three's. I'm sh1tting bricks waiting for the third bit.

Pray for me!

Pete, trying to sip a beer whilst shaking like a sh1tting dog.

Specialone
11-11-10, 12:24 AM
Bugger Pete, thats really serious, that mechanic should be warned officially for that, i hope you pointed out how serious it was :(

Bri w
11-11-10, 12:37 AM
Quiet night then?

Seriously though, Not funny. Don't know how you managed just a little bit peeved.

petevtwin650
11-11-10, 01:48 AM
Loose nuts = Tight sphincter :D

Real glad it didn't end in disaster although at least we 'd have known not to make a roadside shrine ;)

BanannaMan
11-11-10, 04:12 AM
Have one of your mates at work lie in wait and do him for speeding on his way home.
Your hands are clean, and his point record won't be.

Revenge, best served cold. :cool:

hindle8907
11-11-10, 07:48 AM
that not good !! glad you spotted it mate be fore it anything bad came of it.
the guy should be sacked on the spot, clearly there's a big lack of care and concentration some where.

454697819
11-11-10, 08:11 AM
can you not arrest the mechanic for being a idiot? there must be a law somewhere..

I guess in America it would be attempted murder?

Fingers crossed for you

toxic
11-11-10, 08:20 AM
If a Samurai's sword broke in combat, if he survived, he would return to the sword maker and feed him the pieces of broken sword.

In the modern world I do believe a thump on the noggin with a torque wrench would suffice.

Stig
11-11-10, 08:27 AM
Lucky escape Pete. Do the police not have a 'first works' check the same as the Military?

It is the responsibility of every soldier to ensure their vehicle is fit for the road before using it. Not trying to stipulate it's your fault, but the first works thing has always made me double check my vehicles if it has ever gone to have work done on it which wasn't done by me.

timwilky
11-11-10, 08:30 AM
I once saw a Manchester bike plod taken out by a car he was chasing slamming it into reverse. Junction of Deansgate/Bridge Street if I remember correctly. (Might have been Quay Street). However, the upshot is why worry about your own guy trying to kill you, there are enough scroats on the roads on Manchester trying to do it for real.

However, same rule applies for you guys as the rest of us. Work done by somebody else. Give it a proper check over before riding.

Owenski
11-11-10, 09:35 AM
you recon the monkey was a city fan and thought if you went under the united bus then the team would be held up long enough for the game to be re-arranged (for when tevez is fit).

Bluepete
11-11-10, 09:39 AM
Stig, Tim,

Yep, I agree about checking things and as I said, I did check the bike, including both tyres whilst it was up on the centre stand. The mechanic has said he spins the nuts in, which are recessed splines, with one tool, then torques them up. He just didn't do the last bit. The wheel at the start of my TOD appeared tight and only started wobbling after about 25 miles.

Pete

Geodude
11-11-10, 10:00 AM
Give your bike section mechanic a baton charge just to help his memory! Glad it turned out safely mate.

punyXpress
11-11-10, 10:28 AM
Worth getting the wheel, hub & nuts checked properly then, Pete?
Well held that man! ;)

BigBaddad
11-11-10, 10:28 AM
Scary...you don't want to break down in Manchester.

Biker Biggles
11-11-10, 10:38 AM
Stig, Tim,

Yep, I agree about checking things and as I said, I did check the bike, including both tyres whilst it was up on the centre stand. The mechanic has said he spins the nuts in, which are recessed splines, with one tool, then torques them up. He just didn't do the last bit. The wheel at the start of my TOD appeared tight and only started wobbling after about 25 miles.

Pete

How much time do you get to check your vehicle before going out?What happens if they are holding calls for you at the start of your shift,and they want you somewhere ten minutes ago?Or doesnt that sort of pressure occur in GMP?

Bluepete
11-11-10, 10:45 AM
How much time do you get to check your vehicle before going out?What happens if they are holding calls for you at the start of your shift,and they want you somewhere ten minutes ago?Or doesnt that sort of pressure occur in GMP?

Yesterday, no pressure, but it's not something you expect. The wheel was ok when I checked the tyre as the nuts were seated, but not tight.

However, sometimes, yes, we have to dive out. The Irlam gas blast was one such shout, as are serious sounding RTC's.

Pete ;)

metalangel
11-11-10, 03:17 PM
Do you shout 'go go go' when you 'dive out'?

Quiff Wichard
11-11-10, 03:27 PM
phew Pete..

dont go too mad at the mechanic.. maybe he didnt torque them up to account for your weight?

xxx

gruntygiggles
11-11-10, 03:41 PM
Pete, I feel your pain and Stretchie will feel it even more. He was less than 10 minutes away from probably being killed for similar reasons two years ago. He'd had the wheels replaced on the Blackbird and checked it all, all seemed fine. Next day, he rode it to Slough...and hour and a half up the M4. Got there fine, got most of the way back fine. Whilst on the motorway at legal, but fast speed, he felt it start to wobble. He slowed right down as the J18 exit was so close and not 3 minutes after leaving the motorway, he said it began to shudder really badly. He got off to find that the main bolt had disappeared and the others were all going the same way. He called me and I escorted him as he walked the bike 3 miles home very carefully. He couldn't be bothered waiting for recovery. The place that did the work came and collected the bike, fixed the problem and delivered it back to us. They knew full well that if it had been an inexperienced rider who didn't understand the implications of such wobbles, they could have had a death on their hands. I was incensed!

Glad you are ok and lets hope the third thing never happens :-)

_Stretchie_
11-11-10, 06:39 PM
Ahh, memories.

Enjoy your shaking pint matey

Milky Bar Kid
11-11-10, 06:54 PM
Holy crap Pete! Like us, we are "meant" to be given an opportunity to check vehicles at start of shift but 9 times outta ten it doesn't happen and we are straight out, it's pretty lucky you didn't have to go anywhere ina rush. I hope you made your gaffer aware, I would certainly be wanting something on paper about it!

Bluepete
11-11-10, 11:57 PM
Do you shout 'go go go' when you 'dive out'?

Yes.

Yes we do.

If I can, I will slide across the bonnet of the car too, a'la Dukes Of Hazzard

Sometimes the Sgt says "Be carefull out there"

But usually, we just slob around eating do-nuts.

Pete ;)

Specialone
12-11-10, 12:13 AM
I should have been a cop then, i love do-nuts :D

Ed
12-11-10, 12:14 AM
However, same rule applies for you guys as the rest of us. Work done by somebody else. Give it a proper check over before riding.

Completely disagree. I just had a 12K service done on my bike, I didn't check it over, why should I? - that's what I paid a professional mechanic to do.

tonyk
12-11-10, 12:37 AM
I would have phoned the mechanic out to test ride the bike, cos it didnt feel right and see how long it took him to find the nuts were loose !!!

2hys
12-11-10, 07:32 AM
If a Samurai's sword broke in combat, if he survived, he would return to the sword maker and feed him the pieces of broken sword.

In the modern world I do believe a thump on the noggin with a torque wrench would suffice.
:thumbsup: :smt075

Stig
12-11-10, 07:46 AM
Yes.

Yes we do.

If I can, I will slide across the bonnet of the car too, a'la Dukes Of Hazzard

Sometimes the Sgt says "Be carefull out there"

But usually, we just slob around eating do-nuts.

Pete ;)

LMAO. But I think that should be a roll over the bonnet a'la The Professionals. ;)

-Ralph-
12-11-10, 08:57 AM
Not good Pete.

Why are we so fast on this forum to say "oh, well, that's your fault then" for everything that happens? If the wheel felt solid, and the nuts were more than finger tight, how is he going to check it without a torque wrench?

I like the idea of getting the mechanic out to test ride it. Though a torque wrench round the head sounds good too.

On a serious note, he should currently be on gardening leave, worrying about whether he still has a job.

timwilky
12-11-10, 09:02 AM
Completely disagree. I just had a 12K service done on my bike, I didn't check it over, why should I? - that's what I paid a professional mechanic to do.


Maybe I have been around mechanics far too long. Think about it, racing has lock wire on all the vulnerable parts to make sure if they come loose they are not going too far. Other stuff has tab washers or castellated nuts with split pins etc. I know of an ambulance that seized the engine on a shout the day it had an oil change, the mechanic forgot to tighten the drain plug and it fell out. I have seen brand new vehicles loose engines because their mounts were not tightened etc. It is not incompetent mechanics, it is usually the simply forgot that once, maybe pressure of work, maybe they asked somebody else to torque it who didn't here them or had got round to it etc.

Also maybe that is why I do everything on my bike. I know a lot of stuff could hurt me. therefore I know if I do it that it will be done right.

Bluepete
12-11-10, 09:18 AM
Also maybe that is why I do everything on my bike. I know a lot of stuff could hurt me. therefore I know if I do it that it will be done right.


And here we have the problem.

I kid you not, but I'm not allowed to change a wheel on any GMP car if it gets a puncture. We have to call out a national tyre fitting company in a van to do the job. Imagine the cost of that! GMP says that the risk of a wheel coming off is too high if an inexperienced person changes the wheel, so we can't do it. We asked for a "Wheel changing course" but apparently there isn't a "recognised course available".

Tim, let me just check in case I've not understood.

Are you suggesting I should have checked the torque settings on the bolts? The wheel was firm and appeared fine when I did the vehicle check. The mechanic responsible told me he spins the bolts in by hand until they are seated, then tightens them, but not this time.

Pete

Bluepete
12-11-10, 09:29 AM
LMAO. But I think that should be a roll over the bonnet a'la The Professionals. ;)


(In the styleof Churchill the dog)

Oh no!

Which programme do you think I watched as in impressionable young lad?

This with bubble perm

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk24/conker51/BD.jpg


Or (Homer Simpson voice)

Those long, long legs.... drooooool

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk24/conker51/dukes-of-hazzard-tv-02.jpg

Pete ;)

_Stretchie_
12-11-10, 09:44 AM
Completely disagree. I just had a 12K service done on my bike, I didn't check it over, why should I? - that's what I paid a professional mechanic to do.



12K for a service!!!?!?!?!

I'd expect a platinum certificate of guarantee for the work for £12K

petevtwin650
12-11-10, 09:48 AM
Completely disagree. I just had a 12K service done on my bike, I didn't check it over, why should I? - that's what I paid a professional mechanic to do.

You may pay the rates that the company charges you for a professional mechanic, Ed, but that doesn't mean a P M does all or even any of the work on your bike. Plus everybody has their off days. Never ever made a mistake at work yourself?

We had an incident where my mate, an highly regarded mechanic running his own bike servicing company, left a bolt loose on the coolant circuit, resulting in the coolant going over the rear tyre when we were out on a ride. Lucky a 3rd person noticed and flagged us down before we binned it.

I've picked bikes up with no oil in, low oil (not allowed for the oil cooler drainage me thinks), and the bike running much worse after a service and dyno than when it went in. So professional mechanics aren't a guarantee of fool proof service/repair work.

timwilky
12-11-10, 11:16 AM
Pete, what I was picking up on was Ed's comment about not needing to do a visual inspection as he pays a professional mechanic to do the job. My comments was trying to say even the best have a bad day and make mistakes. By doing it myself, I would hopefully be more aware of my own fragility and therefore be inclined to double/triple check. Whereas in a professional establishment there can be pressures leading the guy to forget to do something.

However, a visual inspection in the police garage would not have indicated the loose wheel fitment. You would have put any initial stability doubts down to new tyre etc. It is only a sanity check at the end of the day, otherwise you would end up checking every nut/bolt before your ride

andreis
12-11-10, 05:45 PM
Seems to me to be a case of having to accept human nature. What ever we do, the possibility of mistake will always be there. Now was a bike wheel, next time you ride a plane, you'll have to accept that every mechanic has done the job properly and has not made some really really minor mistake that blows up into a life threatening situation etc.
An experienced rider might at some point in the ride not properly observe some transparent slippery liquid and lose it in the curve, and so on.
The fact of the matter is, there is ALWAYS the possibility that something bad and life threatening will happen, but we can't live with the fear that it always will. Good on you for noticing the problem and getting away unharmed, but I don't believe that what the mechanic did means he's a bad mechanic. Maybe it would would be more appropriate if he underwent a probation period to determine if he does these sort of mistakes more often than is acceptable of a trained professional, but the bottom line is, no matter how good you are, you will sometimes get it wrong. They're called mistakes because someone has to pay a price for it and in this case, you were at the wrong end of the mistake mechanism.

Now, if the case is that the mechanic does make these sort of mistakes more often, than it would be recommended that he be left without a job.

I guess the real lesson here is the realization of just how badly some tiny things can evolve.

andreis
12-11-10, 05:48 PM
Really glad nothing bad happened though...

Biker Biggles
12-11-10, 05:54 PM
Seems to me to be a case of having to accept human nature. What ever we do, the possibility of mistake will always be there. Now was a bike wheel, next time you ride a plane, you'll have to accept that every mechanic has done the job properly and has not made some really really minor mistake that blows up into a life threatening situation etc.
An experienced rider might at some point in the ride not properly observe some transparent slippery liquid and lose it in the curve, and so on.
The fact of the matter is, there is ALWAYS the possibility that something bad and life threatening will happen, but we can't live with the fear that it always will. Good on you for noticing the problem and getting away unharmed, but I don't believe that what the mechanic did means he's a bad mechanic. Maybe it would would be more appropriate if he underwent a probation period to determine if he does these sort of mistakes more often than is acceptable of a trained professional, but the bottom line is, no matter how good you are, you will sometimes get it wrong. They're called mistakes because someone has to pay a price for it and in this case, you were at the wrong end of the mistake mechanism.

Now, if the case is that the mechanic does make these sort of mistakes more often, than it would be recommended that he be left without a job.

I guess the real lesson here is the realization of just how badly some tiny things can evolve.

Blimey.Common sense:p
Human error.Even the best Humans do it,including everyone who posts holier than thou comments on here.If everyone got sacked when they made an error no one would have a job.Now theres a thought for saving money.:(

-Ralph-
12-11-10, 08:22 PM
Of course people make mistakes, and of course the guy shouldn't get sacked for it unless there is a pattern of mistakes, but I think he should certainly have some from of disciplinary action and certainly make him worry about getting sacked. It was after all a very dangerous mistake, and if I had done it I wouldn't think my employer was being too hard on me, I'd be kicking myself and vowing that it would never happen again.

Although everyone makes mistakes, everyone also has a responsibility of due care. Unfortunately it can happen in the workplace that some people don't take due care, because at the end of the day it is no skin off their nose, they still get paid. So sometimes you have to take some skin off their nose in order to re-focus that responsibility of due care. If this never happens you will end up with a workplace where mistakes are commonplace. There is a fine line to be drawn between mistakes because the mechanic is human, and mistakes because the mechanic can't be bothered to check his work.

How bothered did the mechanic seem to be when he saw the mistake Pete? Was it "yeah, whatever, must've forgotten to tighten 'em like", or "Oh **** man! I didn't torque the nuts, look I'm really sorry, are you OK? etc, etc, etc"

Mrs Blue Pete
12-11-10, 08:46 PM
For what it's worth, I'm just glad he had the sense to stop. That way he came home safely, shaking or not. It could have been a far worse post that I make tonight. People make mistakes and things can go wrong, and it's easy to say until it happens to you personally. Once it's personal, it's a big deal.

Geodude
13-11-10, 09:32 AM
For what it's worth, I'm just glad he had the sense to stop. That way he came home safely, shaking or not. It could have been a far worse post that I make tonight. People make mistakes and things can go wrong, and it's easy to say until it happens to you personally. Once it's personal, it's a big deal.

Well said mrs bp, glad it turned out well.

suzukigt380paul
14-11-10, 12:39 AM
well when it comes to your own bike,then theres only one answer to haveing a safe bike,do all the work your self,i don't pay some one else £50 an hour to do something on my bike when i can do it myself,and i havent paid for work on a bike for 30 years and about 100,000 miles apart from putting tyres on loose wheels.and lets face it, it aint exactly rocket science to service almost any bike or car for that matter,and a oil and filter change on my blade costs me less then £40 and 30 minutes and i normally source my parts cheaper than the bike shop charge ,eg castrol gpx i can get it about £10 cheaper than the local bike shop

tonyk
14-11-10, 03:10 AM
well when it comes to your own bike,then theres only one answer to haveing a safe bike,do all the work your self,i don't pay some one else £50 an hour to do something on my bike when i can do it myself,

Great for you, but people like me who have no idea and quite frankly would not mind paying someone to do my servicing for me, expects and hopefully think the mechanic would do the job correctly. That’s why when i find a good mechanic, I keep him, just like a good plumber.
Oh did I mention spanner man ?.

http://stewarts-motorcycles.co.uk/default.html

MattCollins
14-11-10, 05:21 AM
I do my own work, but even I am not arrogant enough to think that I know more than a good mechanic. There's the hard part - finding a good mechanic. Fortunately I have found one who rides the same bike, is fastidious about his own bike, has a good ear for it, and works on these bikes in his job so I am happy to send mine his way a couple of times a year, even if it is just for an assessment.

Also, there are far too many things for the average nob to stuff up... and there is a lot more to maintenance than just changing the oil and filter.

suzukigt380paul
14-11-10, 08:14 AM
yer: adjusting the chain or replaceing chain and sprockets,adjusting cables,tyre pressure,changeing plugs,changeing bulbs, adjusting tappets,greeseing swinging arm and linkage,brake pads,fork oil and seals,air filters,like i said a half wit can do most of these,(or a 17 year old at your local bike shop)changeing the valve shims on my blade or vfr might get done by a garage but lets face it once these have been checked once they most likely wont need looking at for 20 or 30,000 miles.so for the vast majority of bikers that about 10 year rideing.my bandit 6 has got over 50,000 miles on the clock and they have only been looked at once,and the engine is as good as the day it rolled out of the showroom,unlike bikes from the 70s and 80s(single cam honda's) which you adjusted every time you serviced it,

yorkie_chris
14-11-10, 10:30 AM
I could rebuild an SV if you literally gave it to me in single component form. I know more about them than a lot of professional mechanics because I've done more on them than most. How much that applies to other bikes who knows, but no way would I be paying anyone else to do an easy job like that for me. Even if my time was worth more than that, the peace of mind is worth it.

Not knocking mechanics in general... but as you say paul, the average bike is ridden about 3 times a year, like a fanny, on sunny days. Most mechanics do not do all the little detail touches that save you a bloody fortune and a lot of skin on your knuckles if you were to do something as crazy as actually riding the bike! (and expecting to do that for more than 1 winter!)


But this argument is pointless when the bike belongs to the police force not you...