oldbitterandgrumpy

Don't disagree with you. Just don't like the control insurance companies have over employers. Litigation (or threat of it) seems to be the number one priority of employers nowadays.

So essentially Health and Safety is 90% legal damage limitation. Aye? (just made that figure up by the way, but seems to be the way things are going).

Is there any other kind of Health and Safety these days?

The least likely person to confuse you is someone who constantly says 'Know what I mean?'

Him, and him, and especially him. Makes anything unlistenable or unwatchable. No debate there, it's just a fact.

To UTN, just noticed your stalker is back. I'll leave you to deal with him.

Seeing loads of guys on the road these last few weeks, grinding out the miles in this weather. They're obviously leagues above me, probably club level. Hats off to them. For me it's all about fun. If you're not enjoying it, why are you doing it?

Yeah, I get that. I know the difference between 'bike fit' and 'gym fit'. Just can't motivate myself to get out into the slush and the grit. Better the gym than nothing. Missing the road though.

Don't mind the rain, don't even mind the wind, you just deal with it. But cold weather? Forget it. I know you can layer up and generate heat, but eventually even with gloves and extra socks your hands and feet get cold, your nose won't stop running and your eyes start watering. Plus it's no fun breathing in all that icy cold air. Man up you say? Honestly, just can't be bothered. I'm getting far too old for that macho shit. Which is why this winter I've been using the gym instead of getting out on the road. On the plus side there's no traffic, no cold weather, no ice, no salt and no shit road surfaces. On the down side it's boring, sterile and very, very hot. Can't see what harm I'm doing though. Set myself a target on the gym bike of 40km in an hour (so far I'm at 36.6). It's only temporary, until Spring arrives. Still can't get rid of a slight feeling of shame however. It's just not 'real' cycling.

After 15 years away from cycling, bought myself a Boardman hybrid last year. It's not top of the range but reliable and most importantly comfortable. 4 hours seems to be my limit, but that's usually good for 45-50 miles with a fair bit of climbing. Came on here to ask a question, but thought I'd check the thread first to see if it's been asked before. Ended up reading the entire thread from page 1, and unfortunately, because it took me nearly 4 months to get through it, I've forgotten what the question was. Great read though. Things sure have changed a lot in 15 years.

Yep. Formula stuff. Nothing original.

Of course they should have checked. But they've deflected the attention (and blame) for now. It will all inevitably come down to the usual scenario . . . lawyer v lawyer.

Never knew about that, but, aye, that's her. She probably knew about it herself before she took the job though.

She is a career politician. Doesn't make her stand out from the other 317 Tory MP's (or indeed the rest of Parliament). Yes, she's inept as Prime Minister, but given the damage limitation that had to be done after the Brexit referendum she was the only choice for leader as far as her party was concerned. And of course her days as Prime Minister are numbered, and she won't be remembered fondly. Absolutely no sympathy for her, but she's just the current incumbent, towing the party line. Anything to cling to power (D.U.P.) and anything to save and accumulate money.

Yeah, fair enough. Suppose I didn't think it through. Still seems a bit of a luxury though having a new state of the art stadium that wouldn't get filled. As for robbing teams of a chance of playing there, shouldn't these teams 'earn' the right to play there? By actually getting to the final?

We're expecting crowds of less than 35,000. So why, exactly, do we need a national stadium? Playing semi-finals by default at Hampden is just stupid. Why is a half empty Hampden a better choice than a full Easter Road or Tynecastle? And I totally get the politics of playing at Ibrox or Parkhead, but why pump money into Hampden? We've moved on from the 135.000 that used to turn up for Scotland v England so why pump money into a stadium that could, at best, hold 60/70 thousand? It's Scotland we're talking about. Let's be realistic. How big are we ever going to be to justify a National Stadium?

New. Signed up today. Hello everyone.