| Author | Message | ||
     Ohio_xb12 |
Everyone is always harassing me about how I keep my bike clean and my projects seem to take me a half hour when it takes them ten minutes. However I am always the guy that gets the phone call when someone is broke down or can't get something put back together. I find a ton of small problems that don't turn into big ones because I catch them early. Yesterday a friend calls me. He got pulled over with no license or insurance. He starts trying to get out of the tickets and the cop happens to be a friend of mine. He agrees to let my friend push the bike into a parking lot if I agree to pick it up. I go to pick the bike up and of course it starts to rain. The bike is cranking slow so I know he hasn't charged the battery over the winter. The chain has a mile of slop in it and i feel like I am floating back and forth. When I get the bike home I could literally squeeze the front tire in with my hand. 11PSI! I am amazed it didn't come off the bead. So now I have to ride in the rain on a bike that isn't safe and I get one weekday to spend with my son and I end up doing this. The bike is a CBR1000 and it just amazes me that someone owning such a high performance machine can have no concept of how to maintain it. | ||
| Oldog |
Squid? Good on you to help sorry to hear it took all too important time from your son.. | ||
| Tankhead |
Wasn't there a book written about this something about Zen and the art of ...... | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
dang man glad you lived through that. | ||
| 86129squids |
This "friend" of yours needs a good talking-to, ASAP. #1, idiocy in bike maintenance. Make him commit to doing pre-ride inspections. #2, riding with no license or insurance. Cheap and stupid will cost you big $$$ in the long run... #3- What was he doing to attract a stop from your LEO buddy? #4- What's the value of YOUR friendship with that LEO? To you? TO HIM? This aint Monopoly, you don't just walk around with a "get out of jail free" card. #5- Where was this "friend" when you went to get his bike? Doesn't sound like he was anywhere nearby, mebbe drinking a cold one while you wasted your day away from your son? Friends don't let friends be squids... | ||
| Ohio_xb12 |
Yes he is a squid. Smoke him at stoplights and in corners but he is the ultimate freeway flyer where no skill is involved. No helmet etc. Made a quick run to Subway with my son for dinner and he got all the amusement he needed when I accidentally dumped my keys in the garbage and had to retrieve them. I just feel like I get limited time with him (my son) so attention paid to anything else is kinda ripping us both off. Squids 1)He rode his rear tire until the chords showed last year 2)Talking seems to do no good. We got into it on the phone yesterday when he was telling me about his plan to try and forge documents and get out of the tickets. I told him that that is the kind of stuff that always gets him into these messes. I am always legit and never looking over my shoulder and he is always getting busted and saying how it is someone elses fault. I pay for license renewals and uninsured motorist because of people like him. 3)He says nothing. Talked to LEO this morning and he says speeding. I believe LEO 4)Worth more than to be abused This is one of those friendships that I purposely let slide away over the years. This stuff was fine when I was 17 and stupid but we both have families now and only one of us acts like it. We went on a bachelor party/vacation three years ago and took my SUV. I told everyone leave with everything they came with as my child is transported in the car and I also take clients to lunch etc. He leaves a dime bag under the middle seat. Wonder if he would have owned up to that if we got pulled over? He gave me a guilt trip yesterday about how I always ignore his calls and i felt bad about it. After thinking it over and typing it out to you guys I am confident I am doing the right thing. Thanks for "Listening"  | ||
| Etennuly |
I know you are doing the right thing. Time to delete his phone number altogether. He has leaned too long and been allowed to get away too often. 'User' fits his profile as well as 'squid'. I'd be willing to bet if you needed his help in a similar situation, especially when raining, his phone would not have signal, or the kid would be sick, or the wife has the car. BT-DT! (Message edited by etennuly on May 06, 2010) | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
He needs reclassifying, from Friend to Acquaintance. | ||
| 86129squids |
"We went on a bachelor party/vacation three years ago and took my SUV. I told everyone leave with everything they came with as my child is transported in the car and I also take clients to lunch etc. He leaves a dime bag under the middle seat. Wonder if he would have owned up to that if we got pulled over?" No, reclassify from "friend" to "dangerous douche canoe moron"- behavior like that could screw up what's good in your life, buddy. I'dve whooped his ass for that...  | ||
| Ohio_xb12 |
"He needs reclassifying, from Friend to Acquaintance." My thoughts pretty much echoed. I don't feel the least bit bad about the call dodging over the last year but probably should have let him learn to figure things out on his own yesterday. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
So now I have to ride in the rain on a bike that isn't safe and I get one weekday to spend with my son and I end up doing this But you know what? Their are not too many people like you out there anymore. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Their are not too many people like you out there anymore. There's still a good number about. Many of them are on here. | ||
| Kenm123t |
A move like the dime bag cost a ex brother in law 8 broken ribs And he gained the ablity to read the words HI TEC Magnum on his chest in a mirror . | ||
| Whatever |
There is a simple law of karma... you receive what you give ten fold... I have a friend who has helped me move six times... took care of my cat when I was sick... even drove me to another state and dropped me off... and ten days later came to pick me up... and YESTERDAY... just yesterday got to my house with my extra keys in 15 minutes when I locked my keys in the car with it still running after working my 12 hour day... he drives me up the freakin' wall sometimes, but he is probably the best example ever of what a friend should be... Then there is the friend that I have dropped EVERYTHING for in a crisis more than once... who could not even focus on ME for more than ten seconds when I got my lucky break and landed a super duper job... I do NOT go out of my way for her... and I don't initiate contact either... and you know what... my life is actually better for it... You live and you learn... I guess the older I get, the less crap I can tolerate... probably why I have been single for almost four years now too... | ||
| Ratbuell |
Only way I've found to teach people to take care of their stuff so I don't have to is: "sure, I can pick you up...your bike, and YOU COME WITH IT". Turn into a supervisor. "load it this way". "strap it that way". "don't put it there". etc. Do NOT, no matter how much it hurts you, step in and do ANY of it. Make them do it. And re-do it. And re-re-do it until they get it right. And, that philosophy carries through to the actual repairs. Provide the venue (garage). Provide the tools. Make THEM provide: Labor Materials Documentation (manuals, torque specs, etc). Tell them where the tools are, make them get 'em. Tell them to start the process for whatever adjustment (i.e. chain slop - loosen adjuster bolts, etc). If they get stumped, answer their questions...but make THEM do it. If you really want to rub it in...have a cold one while they're working on their bike If they balk and say "F you, I'm not doing that"...push their bike into the driveway and close the door. Say "thanks" as it's closing. If they kick and scream...give 'em a "shop rate". Pick a number - what's your time worth? Charge 'em. They won't take any maintenance seriously until they know how hard it is/isn't to do. And, despite the fact it'll piss 'em off...it's an easier lesson to learn than pulling a wreck out of the weeds. | ||
| Brumbear |
loan him a hundred dollars you will never see him or here from him again  | ||
| Etennuly |
 twice! These ideas from the last two posts work. I have been blessed with not seeing this kind of problem for many many years. I also agree that you don't find a more selfless group of people than here on the BadWeb. | ||
| Jayvee |
Group Hug !!! | ||
| Oldog |
Ohio, a new term I want to share with you enabler, you if you value the squid, you should cut him off, he may GROW UP if not at least you dont suffer for his mistakes, the most common place i see this is parent / child where the parent enables the child to do some unaceptable thing, when the support stops that action stopps. |
