Two wheels, one leg, possibly no brain?!

Just that really, but it's the 'no brain' that is the starter for 10 question tonight folks.

So I have two wheels (OK, technically I have 12 in total, but I can only ride/drive one thing at a time, so lets stick with one bike ) that I wanna play with. It's sunny, warm(ish) and I'm not at work...

... BECAUSE I only have one leg (that's working ). Left knee can't bear my puny 8st of body weight, let alone support that of me and a bike. But, I have two wheel, it's sunny, warm(ish) and I'm not a work...

... what would you do?

Me? I just pootle down to the garage on my crutches, roll the bike outta the garage (no walking involved), hop back to the door to shut it, hop back to the bike, hop on!

Off we jolly well go - damn, low on fuel = Tescos nice and handy 'Pay at Pump' = no need to get off! Have a lovely little ride (just 50 odd miles) to clear the cobwebs and put a smile on my face.

Back to the garage, hop off, hop over to open door, hop back and ride in. Pick up crutches and back in for a cuppa.

OK. OK. So I had to stop at a couple of junctions & three sets of traffic lights. Left knee knackered (I'm a 'Henlow Shuffler' so this is the side I'd normally put down), so I put my right foot down. Where's the problem?

None.

So why do all my non-biking friends think I'm insane and unsafe? Are they just cage-brained numptys who just don't get it or am I missing something really obvious here in my desire to be out in the sun?

hell, I say go for it

If my knees ever give in on me (probably wont take long!) then i feel sorry for those who try and stop me doing things!

if i was in your position i'd have done the same...

but when i broke myself I also broke the bike

K...You have my sympathy big time. As for some unknown reason the cartilege on the inside of my left knee has been giving me terrible pain for almost 12 weeks now.

I would say at times it actually hurts more than when I first damaged it and had it operated on maybe 20 years ago. I have to be really careful how I turn around or stand up etc. Bloody nightmare,especially when I walk my dog for a good hour every evening.

I wrongly or rightly put it down to a rather cold spell we had a while ago that caused additionally some atmospheric differences. But I would be concerned if it got worst and had to always remember which foot I have to put down, get it wrong just once and it doesn't bare thinking about.

I am hoping as the weather is now getting warmer day by day that the problem will just go away just like it arrived!

You would be insane not too in my professional opinion. Although my profession is graphic design I'm sure I'm still right

If you like doing something then don't let an injury stand in your way. I've been plying footy on a busted ankle for weeks now, but I hate to not play so why not.

Anyway "You go girl"

No having no brain would be to forget about your left leg and put it down. Thats the sort of thing I would do. Making sure you didnt put it down or use it shows you at least were using your brain.

Glad you got out on the bike. Its horrible not being able to ride and wonderful to snatch those chances when you can.

Well done K, don't let it beat you, and I bet you felt a million dollars when you got back eh?


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[carelesschucca]

Go for it girl, Its your life do you really care that much what you non-biking friends think about it... They'll never understand, non-bikers never understand anyway!!!

I can't ever remember any of my non biking pals coming into work and saying, ah last night was brilliant I went out and drove 200 miles for absolutely no reason went no where in particular, but it was one of the best nights of my life... They come in and talk about soaps and other Carp TV...

Just do it, you enjoy it!!!

I do feel I should defend some of my numpty friends though, mainly because they were using some reasonable sounding arguments, mostly safety related, and they did cause me to think whether my responses were well thought out and rational...

... or was my arrogance conning me into thinking that?!

Things like: "You can't walk, so how do you expect to move the bike round when you're parking n stuff."

My response: I either park facing the way I want to go, or I'll ask someone to help me turn the bike. I'm not to proud to ask for help when I need it y'know.

Then: "If you lose it on some oil or something you can't jam you left foot down to keep yourself upright."

My response: The last time I ever jammed a foot on the floor to keep the bike upright was 10 years ago - off roading.

And: "If someone gives you a minor shunt and you topple to the left you'll go down rather than stay upright."

My response: If someone shunts me from the right I deserve to go down for not being forward thinking enough and avoiding the situation in the first place. We do drive on the left you know! Avoiding the minor spills, it's what advanced riding is all about - anticipation.

Which finally led to: "If you do crash you can't even get up and walk away from it."

My response: If I crash, I crash. I bike therefore I crash - it's kind of inevitable eventually. If the bike is rideable, no problem, I can hop. If it's not, then chances are I'm not getting up either! (I was getting a tad exasperated at this point. )

I can kind of see thier point as they are not arguing against my freedom to do what I want to do, (they aren't that dumb), but more the road safety aspects of doing it when I'm not physically fit.
My counter argument is that once moving I'm no different to any other biker, adn if I stop in a controlled manner and put my right foot down - I'm still no different that any other biker.
The only reason I've not been biking for the last 5/6 months hasn't been my knee, but rather it's been cold, or wet...

... or cold and wet!

Needless to say I haven't told them that I'm going on the Eurotour and finally going round The Ring this year!

[carelesschucca]

Originally Posted by K

"If you do crash you can't even get up and walk away from it."

If you crash you knee may well be the least of your worries... If I read it right you were fine, the bikes fine and.......

talking weight on your knee. the strain shouldn't be that high if you keep the bike well balanced, and if your sitting, your own weight shouldn't affect it either... NO WORRIES... I'm proud of you for going out and doing it!!!