a.twiddler
Veteran
28/4/24
Perhaps this might fit into another touring thread..? Just a few thoughts.
I wasn’t out on my bike today but while nipping into my local ASDA for some bags of compost for Mrs T. I came across the archetype of a solitary British Cycle Tourist. He was about to take his bike inside and he was hard to miss. Lemon yellow hi viz jacket, lemon yellow hi viz panniers, sparkling white Genesis drop bar touring bike, helmet strapped to his rear rack. I followed him in, wondering what he would do, because apart from the hi viz and the helmet, he could have been me on one of my solitary rides. Would I have been bold enough to take my bike inside? Security didn’t bat an eyelid, but having gone through one of the automatic gates he must have realised that there was a snack and sandwich display that he could’ve accessed without going into the main shop. He turned his bike round to come back out but the gates had closed and only opened for customers from the jncoming direction. I stepped forward to trigger the gate then stepped back so he could come out. Unfortunately the alarm sounded when he came through but no one responded. “Sorry, it just does that”, I said, but he said nothing, probably wishing he was invisible. He went off to do whatever he was going to do, I went to grab a trolley and the compost and by the time I’d paid and was on the way out the cyclist was queueing with his bike at the cigarette kiosk to pay for his stuff. Nobody in the queue was paying him any attention.
Most shopping cyclists tend to lock up outside to a wheelbender rack, or a rail or post though when school ends kids often leave their bikes in the foyer, unlocked.
It’s the first time I’ve seen someone take their bike in with them at this particular supermarket. There are often touring cyclists about, due to the proximity of NCN 551, usually in pairs, so perhaps one minds the bikes while the other goes in, but if you’re on your own, there’s a different kind of pressure.
If you’re on your own it’s useful to be familiar with the layout of at least the larger chains of supermarkets as with a few exceptions they tend to standardise. Most of them have decent toilets too, though unless you’re on a Brompton you’re not likely to be able to take your bike in there with you. You could probably lock your bike up near the toilet entrance. Also bear in mind that Aldi and Lidl won’t have customer toilets.
No idea where this chap was going but by the size of his panniers he could easily have been going camping. It would probably have been fine to lock his bike up outside here as it is a pretty safe area but on your own in a strange town you have to make your own judgement. It was interesting to see a familiar situation from the outside looking in.
Perhaps this might fit into another touring thread..? Just a few thoughts.
I wasn’t out on my bike today but while nipping into my local ASDA for some bags of compost for Mrs T. I came across the archetype of a solitary British Cycle Tourist. He was about to take his bike inside and he was hard to miss. Lemon yellow hi viz jacket, lemon yellow hi viz panniers, sparkling white Genesis drop bar touring bike, helmet strapped to his rear rack. I followed him in, wondering what he would do, because apart from the hi viz and the helmet, he could have been me on one of my solitary rides. Would I have been bold enough to take my bike inside? Security didn’t bat an eyelid, but having gone through one of the automatic gates he must have realised that there was a snack and sandwich display that he could’ve accessed without going into the main shop. He turned his bike round to come back out but the gates had closed and only opened for customers from the jncoming direction. I stepped forward to trigger the gate then stepped back so he could come out. Unfortunately the alarm sounded when he came through but no one responded. “Sorry, it just does that”, I said, but he said nothing, probably wishing he was invisible. He went off to do whatever he was going to do, I went to grab a trolley and the compost and by the time I’d paid and was on the way out the cyclist was queueing with his bike at the cigarette kiosk to pay for his stuff. Nobody in the queue was paying him any attention.
Most shopping cyclists tend to lock up outside to a wheelbender rack, or a rail or post though when school ends kids often leave their bikes in the foyer, unlocked.
It’s the first time I’ve seen someone take their bike in with them at this particular supermarket. There are often touring cyclists about, due to the proximity of NCN 551, usually in pairs, so perhaps one minds the bikes while the other goes in, but if you’re on your own, there’s a different kind of pressure.
If you’re on your own it’s useful to be familiar with the layout of at least the larger chains of supermarkets as with a few exceptions they tend to standardise. Most of them have decent toilets too, though unless you’re on a Brompton you’re not likely to be able to take your bike in there with you. You could probably lock your bike up near the toilet entrance. Also bear in mind that Aldi and Lidl won’t have customer toilets.
No idea where this chap was going but by the size of his panniers he could easily have been going camping. It would probably have been fine to lock his bike up outside here as it is a pretty safe area but on your own in a strange town you have to make your own judgement. It was interesting to see a familiar situation from the outside looking in.
