Re: SPOILER: Bahrain, and the season so far.

T i m <news@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:47:00 +0100,
real-address-in-sig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Rowland McDonnell) wrote:


Panic is the problem. Mostly, I end up screaming in terror and running
about like a headless chicken when I try to `do stuff that I have to
do'.

Oh dear.

<wild grin> Damned right. You have no idea. But I'm still breathing.

I have something similar but mine is related directly to just chores
<weg>

Oddly enough, it's things like washing up that I can do. I've always
hated ironing, mind.

I'm in a *really* bad way. It's just not very obvious.

Agoraphobia?

None of the labels are meaningful.

I was just seeing if that got me close to understanding.

That sort of thing never does. They're labels used to justify the
decisions made by those who decide what should be done to those with
mental health problems. They're all invented by professionals in
isolatoin from the actual people with the problems and none of them are
terribly useful in that they don't provide the slightest understanding
of what's actually going on.

In pretty much all cases, it turns out that the correct treatment for
mental health problems outside the `schizophrenic/psychotic' spectrum
(what I'd call `madness of imagination' rather than `the other madness'
which I've not yet been able to think of a useful label for) - *anyway*,
it turns out that the best treatment is whatever the sufferer thinks it
ought to be - which is *always* different to what the professionals
think it needs to be. In other words, the professional view of such
things is utterly wrong and harmful.

Thsnkfully, some things are improving. In the case of the evil
anti-psychotic drugs they use to suppress the humanity of those
suffering from `madness of imagination', the reference books now
describe what *used* to be the standard doses as `abusive' - the quacks
are told to not drug loonies into total cabbagehood any more.

I've no idea myself what agoraphobia
`is' - which is all I need to know.

'Irrational fear of the outside' from my understanding?

Yeah, but that doesn't mean a thing, really.

But as you
say if it's not *just* to do with going / being outdoors then it's
probably not that (as you say). I have issues with throwing stuff away
.. not just because I want to keep it for itself but as an engineer
even sub components might come in useful. Like I have two dead Belkin
routers here. They both dies fairly quickly from new and were quickly
replaced by Belkin with no issues at all (suggesting they were aware
of a batch issue). So here the dead ones sit, looking like new in all
the std packaging and I can't just throw them in the skip. *Maybe* I
will use the PSU later .. or the aerial on 'my' Belkin router etc etc
.. ;-(

What you need is a bigger house. I've got the same sort of trait -
inherited from my dad.

Once the questions turn up in that
form, you know you're looking at nonsense.

Hmm.

<shrug> It was all proven back in the early 20th century.
Unfortunately, as soon as anyone hears the word `semantics', they sneer
and dismiss everything that's said. As a result, almost no-one can
communicate rationally in English in particular (it's one of the
languages which is worst for permitting a speaker to say things which
are just wrong or impossible or utterly fantastic and get away with it -
why do you think it's the international language of business? Nothing
better for crooks, con-men, politicians, lawyers, and journalists - or
should that be `crooks and con-men like politicians, ...').

Anyway, whatever's going on, none of the standard diagnoses seem to have
any relevance to me. People ask me what I'm scared of - well, it's not
like that. I just get scared - terrified - frozen with fright, and I
can't figure out any more than that. If I could, I'd've done something
about it by now.

Indeed. Well, good luck with it all anyway (not sure what else to
say)?

<shrug> Luck? Screw it. Doesn't work. I've got to make things happen
and I've failed so far. Luck is not something I have - any time I get
things to work out, it's 'cos of fanatical attention to detail.

That's the thing isn't it. Riding at 80 in a 70 on a quiet dry day is
unlikely to be 'dangerous' (the 70 being an arbitrary number anyway).
Nor is having a broken L plate. Those who do all the really bad stuff
seem to get away with it?

Because if you're missing an L plate, it's an easy one as far as the
evidence is concerned. And it's easy to nick someone who stops when
asked by the cops and talks to them politely.

Ah, and that's where I think a lot of the 'discretion the Police used
to have has been taken away by the use of cameras and targets (poxy
bean counters running the world ... ) . ;-(

There was a lot of bad practice going on, and still is - but you can't
complain much when you are in fact guilty as charged. Still, two points
just 'cos I'd had one of my two L plates broken on that journey and
hadn't even bloody noticed - well, it got my goat, it did.

There was another time, some years later, when I was riding without,
erm, MOT, tax, licence, or insurance and a cop car turned round to
follow me, so I, erm, managed to lose it. I thought that was quite
impressive since I was on deserted early morning roads and riding a
125cc CZ.

I used to go out similarly pre 16 year old on my Dad's then Uncles
(then mine, after I repaired it of course <g>) Lambretta LD150 (shaft
drive scooter) ;-) The difference between me then and the kids now is
I would do it quietly and discretely ...

Back then getting caught mattered.

My mate is the main mechanic in a local bike shop so I've seen all
sorts of things over the years!

<darkly> What, things he's broken himself?

Some things yes <weg> we are good mates so he'd show *me* those things
in not anyone else. No it would be typically the 'I was doing 150 mph
and I heard this nasty noise then 10 mins later the engine exploded
(still at 150 mph note).

Durr. I knew a chap who did an oil change, rode up the road, had his
oil warning light come on, and carried on riding assuming that the light
must be faulty 'cos he'd just done an oil change. DUU-UURRRR!!!!!!

It took six weeks for the replacement con-rod to arrive from Japan.

I read a tale in one of the bike magazines a few years back. They'd
borrowed a brace of `missile bikes' - the 160mph+ crowd - and blatted
off southwards through France. One of them had a gearbox noise that got
worse, so the rider put earplugs in and continued at high speed. Not
long after, he was being towed - apparently at up to 150mph. Me?
I'd've hit the brakes and snapped the tow line.

Yeah, it isn't 'fun' that's for sure. No ABS here either. ;-)

Controlling the brakes ain't the problem. It's the shedding water off
my clothes. No trouble when I'd riding, but (to take one common problem
I face) if I'm in wet wet-weather gear it's almost impossible to take a
piss without ending up looking like I've pissed myself (or at least
would if you could see underneath the waterproof trews) - water just
chucks around everywhere. For sure I'm dry when togged up, but...

Ah, get ya and not much easier for the Missus in the rain either!

She has her own bike, you know. Shinier and newer than mine.

[snip]

What the very helpful man in the CZ shop hadn't covered was the fact
that the old gear change cam plate was the old-style pattern, and he'd
given me a new `one down and three up' cam plate. I had a hell of a
shock when I put the bike back together and couldn't pull away in first
but could pull away in fourth. I thought I'd put something in upside
down, but couldn't for the life of me figure it out.

Doh, like the pulling away with the disk lock on type moment.

Well, not really - I had the excuse of being surprised with a
replacement part that wasn't in fact the right one for my bike as such.

I was
checking the brake lights on the car the other day and put a block of
wood on the brake pedal to hold it down. Went back to the car later
and wondered why it wouldn't pull away .... ;-(

And why I built my own car, and garage, or most of this house or why I
see a rusting wreck of a car on a drive or hull of a boat and see it
in my head after I have restored it.

<sigh> It's been a while since I've had the ability to do much. My dad
used to do that sort of thing.

And how I learnt some of my skills .. like carpentry and fiber
glassing etc. Being small *I* was the one stuffed into a forward
locker in a boat with some fiberglass mat and resin to reinforce an
area or attach a wooden block to take a fitting on the other side etc.

You'd have trouble from social services these days if you did that with
your son, I'd bet. Not that I can see any problems with it. I made my
own slalom kayak out of fibreglass (and various other materials
including carbon fibre and a single small bit of kevlar weave that was
lying around - used that as reinforcement in the seat, to protect the
vital bits, y'see... Well, I needed *some* sort of rationalised excuse
for including the patch, and that excuse was deemed suitably daft)

[snip]

I was more recently given an MZ that had been caught up in a shop fire
and even I admit it did really look bad. So much so in fact that the
shop owner was reluctant to give it to me. Two weeks and £150 later it
looked like new (and 30k later my mate is still riding it daily and
everywhere) ;-)

<grin> My dad used to do things like that - before I was born.

Mine was (he's still about, just) reasonably practical, but now just
living seems to be enough effort for him. Mine you they just enjoyed a
canal cruise in Holland ;-)

My dad had all the creativity nagged out of him a very long time ago.

He once
bought a BSA Gold Star in a set of tea-chests for a ridiculously small
sum, rode it to Turkey and back once he'd re-built it,

And that's the thing isn't it Rowland. These days no one would
consider a long trip on anything less than a 1000 cc bike.

Not so. I heard on Radio 4 a tale of a lass who rode the length of the
Americas N-S on a small bike - I think she took a 125cc bike. Not a lot
of room for luggage - so it was `riding clothes, walking around clothes,
two pairs of knickers, one bra'; that sort of packing.

And that 500cc BSA Gold Star was a real fire-breathing monster in its
day - top end of quite a fair bit beyond a ton, IIRC. I think it was
the fastest bike he ever owned - I asked him how fast it went, and he
said he never tried to find out. I can believe it: my dad's always been
a bit of an old fart.

My Mum and
Dad toured most of England on a Francis Barnett Cruiser (125cc was
it?).

Good grief - and that wouldn't have been at all quick, would it? But
why not? I've been all sorts of places on my CZ, with a practical
cruising speed of about 50mph on a good day.

[snip]

The tread maybe protected but I think the risk is more to the
sidewalls eg:(FWIW etc)

But how can the tread and not sidewalls be protected? It's the same
material, basically, isn't it?

Basically but the compounds can be different (harder wearing in the
middle etc).

And thinner on the sides, it occurs to me. But they say you're only
risking damage if you're using very high pressure and hold the jet less
than 20cm from the tyre and so on and so forth - you've got to work at
it to damage the things, so it seems.

[snip]

Yep (and that reminds me why I like shafties btw) ;-)


No, ride a shaft drive then ALL issues with and the chains themselves
evaporate!

But then you get the shaft problems, don't you?

Well, CV joint problems more likely but generally only on some of the
more 'dynamic' versions (like traillies with loads of suspension
movement) or only after 100's of thousands of miles.

Well, yes, but there's also either nasty shaft reaction screwing up
handling, or a complex linkage adding to weight and maintenance.

btw, I've seen a 1000cc Vincent at Cropredy, and a Velocette LE. Oh
yes, and a mad Dutchman who'd ridden there on his restored Honda 50.
Not sure which model, but an old one and it was purple.

The funny thing about yer 'mad Dutchman' ... at Lands End they have
pictures of the various 'End to Enders' and mostly they all look as
you might after pushing a pea there with your nose etc, except for
this group who were all on Honda 50's who looked like they were still
all having a real blast!

Well, you do when you're travelling long distances at low speed. As you
say (and as the mad Dutchman I spoke to said), you get to see the
scenery - plenty of time for rubbernecking and all that. I mean, if I'm
belting along a country A road trying to get somewhere, it's not really
advisable for me to gawp at the scenery, although I do at times when the
conditions more or less allow it. I'm much more inclined to stop in
astonishment and forget that I'm parked at a silly spot on a country
trunk road.

Most of my biking 'fun' (rather than thrills or excitement) was had
when a lad and buzzing along exploring country lanes in the sunshine
on a little 50 > 125. You just took it easy, had time to enjoy the
scenery and if something did go wrong you were rarely going fast
enough not to be able to carry on, all be it with scratch on yer fuel
tank and a dent in yer pride (but at least Mum didn't find out). ;-)

I tended to avoid falling off when doing that sort of thing.

Rowland.

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