Cyclists need not apply

Chinasea · 13-11-2014 07:11PM

I agree with OP. You do realise that cyclists are demonised and hated in this polluted car is king country.

Suggest fund-raising and or contact local authority to see if funding available.

Proaction is your only hope.

anncoates · 13-11-2014 07:14PM

It certainly ranks up there with apartheid, US civil rights and the holocaust.

Tail Docker · 13-11-2014 07:20PM

Buy a tumble-dryer and bring it in with you on your back every day. Ta-dah, no more wet clothes on radiators. Problem solved.

One eyed Jack · 13-11-2014 07:22PM

Pompous wrote: »

I asked the vice-principal what I should do, to which she replied "Buy rain gear", with surprising hostility, and stormed off. I was just amazed by the entire situation, so I laughed and said "This is ****ing ridiculous" with a genuine smile on my face, to nobody in particular.

The principal brought me to her office, called back the vice principal, and forced me to apologise for using derogatory language in the general vicinity of the vice-principal. Then that was it. The topic was closed for discussion since I had used a bad word and needed to be berated like a twelve year old boy.

Behave like a 12 year old boy, and it shouldn't come as a surprise to you that you'll be treated like a 12 year old boy.

So now my college has:
No showers

No lockers or storage of any kind

No changing rooms

Nowhere to dry your cycling gear

5. No sympathy for adults who behave like children.

masculinist · 13-11-2014 07:23PM

get one of these camping showers OP

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guide-Series-Camp-Shower-by-Gander-Mountain-/251709491561?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a9b0e0969

set it up in the jacks and hook it up to a hot water tap.

when you are done, pack it away. Hang your clothes and towel to dry on your bicycle. You can even adapt a clothes dryer to bolt onto your bike when its stationary and lock it all so it cant be robbed. I presume you at least have a sheltered bike rack to park in ?

Arsemageddon · 13-11-2014 07:26PM

Tail Docker wrote: »

Buy a tumble-dryer and bring it in with you on your back every day. Ta-dah, no more wet clothes on radiators. Problem solved.

....... or he could cycle in to college naked every day.

Canis Lupus · 13-11-2014 07:27PM

Raingear on a bike for a trip over 5k is pointless from the perspective of keeping dry. You end up a ball of sweat.

It's a shame op but depending on the location of the radiator it's a bit gross to have a cycling gear sauna smell from your evaporating clothes.. Maybe it's time to give up the bike for the winter months.

Tail Docker · 13-11-2014 07:28PM

Arsemageddon wrote: »

....... or he could cycle in to college naked every day.

That's just silly.

13-11-2014 07:39PM

Bacchus wrote: »

Cycling equivalent of that would be a bike rack. OP never mentioned there was no bike rack.

Shower facilities, changing rooms, etc are nice to have but it's not like the college lied to the OP about the facilities. The college don't want the OP's smelly, wet cycling gear lying around anymore and it was probably highlighted recently by staff as there have been a lot of wet days lately.

A car park is a facility which caters for someones personal mode of transport.

Hunterbiker · 13-11-2014 07:43PM

Cant you have a sneaky word with the porters and ask for a place to stash your gear when its been raining?
also Muc-off sell a no water soap called Dry Shower use that to keep smelling sweet.
(1st World) problem solved!

If you were looking for a more sympathetic ear forum number 410 is the place to go...

Pinch Flat · 13-11-2014 07:44PM

Canis Lupus wrote: »

It's like I've been transported to Facebook.

Interesting.

Op I cycled a 40km round trip in similar circumstances up to a few months back. Now in a new job without a shower travelling 26km round trip per day. Getting changed in the toilet - no issue there but you have to be considerate about where you set your gear.

Wet weather gear is an absolute must as well as a change of clothes. You'll get some gear cheap in lidl / Aldi which is perfectly suited to commuting. Think of layering - plenty of base layers that you can carry as spare.

For your bike fit mud guards - will keep a lot of road spray off you and overshoes to keep feet dry.

There's plenty of us commute short to long distances on the cycling forum - come over of you want some constructive answers / suggestions.

MarkY91 · 13-11-2014 07:44PM

why dont you take her advice and buy rain gear :S? take them off and put them in a plastic bag and then into your school bag. problem solved

endacl · 13-11-2014 07:49PM

MarkY91 wrote: »

why dont you take her advice and buy rain gear :S? take them off and put them in a plastic bag and then into your school bag. problem solved

New problem. Rain gear + reasonable distance commute = Betty Swollocks.

Wet either way.

ted1 · 13-11-2014 07:49PM

The One Doctor wrote: »

Buy waterproofs, OP. Expecting facilities to cater for your personal transport arrangements is a bit ridiculous. And cycling gear that's drying out smells manky.

If they provide parking spaces they should provide cycling facilities.

OP do thry provide parking spaces? Renting one or two out to a local Buisness would cover the costs

ted1 · 13-11-2014 07:52PM

Bacchus wrote: »

Cycling equivalent of that would be a bike rack.

No it's not, you can park 20 bikes in one car park space. A car park soace in town could be rented out for a couple of K a year . A bike space couldn't

DEFTLEFTHAND · 13-11-2014 08:45PM

I was a rough day for them today alright, like drowned rats some of them were. Also witnessed a few drivers laying on the horn big time, a van in front of me was blowing them out of it altogether.

padd b1975 · 13-11-2014 08:54PM

Is it an engineering course you're doing at this pretend college?

Maybe you could design some sort of parosol/umbrella type contraption?

CrazyRabbit · 13-11-2014 09:08PM

Here is a genuine solution for you:

http://youtu.be/DZrjXSsfxMQ

Cookie_Monster · 13-11-2014 09:28PM

It should be a legal requirement for all businesses and education facilities to provide showers, locker and changing facilities. Not just for cyclist but for anyone who is actively commuting to work / school.

UCDVet · 13-11-2014 09:35PM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It should be a legal requirement for all businesses and education facilities to provide showers, locker and changing facilities. Not just for cyclist but for anyone who is actively commuting to work / school.

Why not make them provide breakfast too? Don't people need to eat as well?

UCDVet · 13-11-2014 09:37PM

I don't think anyone has a problem with you cycling, I think the problem is with you leaving wet/dirty/potentially smelly cycling gear, on radiators.

Pinch Flat · 13-11-2014 09:39PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I was a rough day for them today alright, like drowned rats some of them were. Also witnessed a few drivers laying on the horn big time, a van in front of me was blowing them out of it altogether.

See it in Dublin all the time. Half the time they're beeping out of sheer frustration. Trapped in a metal shell at a speed close to crawling would drive anyone nuts.

Bacchus · 13-11-2014 09:44PM

Deleted User wrote: »

A car park is a facility which caters for someones personal mode of transport.

A bike rack is a facility which caters for someones personal mode of transport... as I inferred already. Your point?

I'm all for having better facilities to promote cycling to work btw. But where they are not available and were never claimed to be available (as in the OP's case), he doesn't really have a 'right' to them. Maybe he could campaign the school to install them or something. In the meantime, he can't be leaving smelly wet gear lying around. Wear waterproof gear OP.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 13-11-2014 09:48PM

Yeah tbh I wouldn't be impressed walking into a communal area and having someone else's wet runners drying on the radiator

thesimpsons · 13-11-2014 10:01PM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It should be a legal requirement for all businesses and education facilities to provide showers, locker and changing facilities. Not just for cyclist but for anyone who is actively commuting to work / school.

ya in the ideal world this would be great however, seeing as most schools in the country are struggling to cover their heating, insurance, etc costs without voluntary contributions from parents, I can't see good old government providing money for showers. Same for businesses - company I work for struggling to keep afloat. I cycle some days to work, luckily we have lockers so i have somewhere to leave clean clothes, deodrants, wipes, etc but most of my friends' work places people don't even have lockers.

masculinist · 14-11-2014 01:26AM

thesimpsons wrote: »

ya in the ideal world this would be great however, seeing as most schools in the country are struggling to cover their heating, insurance, etc costs

OP get a strong fairly portable hair dryer and run up the electricity bill in your college to dry your clothes. That will show those stingy feckers.

dubscottie · 14-11-2014 02:43AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It should be a legal requirement for all businesses and education facilities to provide showers, locker and changing facilities. Not just for cyclist but for anyone who is actively commuting to work / school.

And who is going to pay for this?? Its raining, Buy wet gear (golf gear is good as its light weight and waterproof to a point).. Problem solved.

But even if it was a law, cyclists will find some excuse not to use the new facilities much like all the other stuff that is provided for them at great expense to the rest of us sane folks.

Kevin McCloud · 14-11-2014 02:44AM

Cyclists only want showers in the work place because of the impeding water charges.

masculinist · 14-11-2014 02:46AM

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Cyclists only want showers in the work place because of the impeding water charges.

well if they have money for a privilege such as a bicycle, childrens x mas toys or mobile phones then they have money for water charges

Kevin McCloud · 14-11-2014 02:47AM

masculinist wrote: »

well if they have money for a privilege such as a bicycle, childrens x mas toys or mobile phones then they have money for water charges

Its those with the money that don't want to part with it.

Cyclists need not apply

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