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Oops! The Silly Mistakes Thread

What's a pushbike?
"...the push in "push bike" refers to having to push on the pedals to make it move. It only came about to distinguish from motorized versions once they became a thing. Lots of things get named like this, and then the extra adjective gets dropped after (if) it they become the dominant form...."
See this collection of answers for thoughts about the source and original usage of the term.
 
"...the push in "push bike" refers to having to push on the pedals to make it move. It only came about to distinguish from motorized versions once they became a thing. Lots of things get named like this, and then the extra adjective gets dropped after (if) it they become the dominant form...."
See this collection of answers for thoughts about the source and original usage of the term.
The daftest one in cycling is "clipless pedals".

Bikes used to have things that were called "toe clips" — although they were not actually clips in the usual sense of the English word. They were little metal cages to cover the toes, and the feet were held in place with straps.

A replacement system was introduced and, to differentiate it from the old system, it was called "clipless". The new system actually uses, er... clips. So the one with clips is called "clipless" because it replaces the one without clips that was called "toe clips".

Now, almost no one uses the old system, and a whole generation of young cyclists talks of "clipping in" to their "clipless" pedals without understanding why.
 
That's an F40! The horror, the horror...
Indeed.
They were only produced across a 5 year period with only 1315 being made.
There is a possibility that an unscrupulous owner of 'several' might decide to 'torch' the one that is in worst condition in order to increase the value of the remaining stock.
Just saying.
 
There is a possibility that an unscrupulous owner of 'several' might decide to 'torch' the one that is in worst condition in order to increase the value of the remaining stock.
Just saying.

Then again, it's not entirely unknown for Ferraris to catch fire without outside help, so there's probably no conspiracy required .
 
Really? I won't buy any more then.
Yeah, they're a death trap. An accident waiting to happen.
Nearly as dodge as Vauxhall Zafiras.
I wouldn't even park one in the sunshine they're that flammable.
 
I guess that at some point in the future, when all cars are 'self-driving' we will have to call our current vehicles 'Drive Cars'.
 
Then again, it's not entirely unknown for Ferraris to catch fire without outside help, so there's probably no conspiracy required .
Yeah, they're a death trap. An accident waiting to happen.
Nearly as dodge as Vauxhall Zafiras.
I wouldn't even park one in the sunshine they're that flammable.
How do they compare to the East German Trabant?
 
How do they compare to the East German Trabant?

Favourably!

Although I jest about Ferraris and fire-risk, I can only remember some of the early 458s being particularly susceptible to spontaneous combustion, and even then, I suspect that owners' negligence played a part.

I'd be quite happy to prove the relative safety of Ferraris, if I could only persuade someone to lend me a 355 or 360 for a few weeks.

Although the Trabant had a certain charming simplicity (with bodywork basically made from old pants and glue), I don't think it's something I would drive for pleasure!
 
Although the Trabant had a certain charming simplicity (with bodywork basically made from old pants and glue), I don't think it's something I would drive for pleasure!
Old pants and glue? Sounds like pleasure to me!
 
Woman and friend broke their legs after using a swimming pool slide during a drunken night out.

Claire Vickers, 46, and pal Barry Douglas, 44, remained stuck in a flume for two hours with fractured shins and shattered feet before they were rescued.

The two had broken into Aldershot Lido in Hampshire in the early hours of August 4.

After splashing water down from the top to generate extra speed, Claire and Barry stepped into the tube together, thinking that it was clear all the way down.

But just before they came out the bottom, their legs collided with a barrier that had been placed at the exit.
I've just come across this post by chance and have reread the news report for my personal entertainment.

Excellent stupidity there. :cool:
 
I've just come across this post by chance and have reread the news report for my personal entertainment.

Excellent stupidity there. :cool:
It occurred to me that it's not beyond the bounds of drunken stupidity that they might have chosen to go down head first! Considering the severity of the injuries to their legs, I'm guessing that might well have have proved fatal...
 

Teen killed when friends took it in turns to shoot each other in body armour

A 16-year-old boy died when two of his friends shot him while they fooled around with a gun and body armour.
Christopher Broad, 16, was killed when he took it in turns with Joshua Vining, 17, to wear the bulletproof vest and fire the gun at one another on April 3.

Vining was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and another friend, Colton Whitler, 17, was charged with lying to police about who fired the shots.

The incident in Belleview, Florida, was recorded by Evan Vowell, 18, who handed the footage over to police as evidence.

Christopher then fired a single shot at Vining while he wore the vest. They then swapped roles and Vining shot the gun once and then four more times in quick succession.
 
What I always wondered about that though is that, fine, block off the water slides to prevent people using them after hours, but how about blocking off the bottom and the top?
There's no reason to block off a slide to stop it being used after hours. Only staff would have access and they wouldn't use it then.
A business can't provide safety features solely for the sake of intoxicated burglars; it's not as if the structure itself;f was unsafe when used correctly.

These idiots admitted breaking into the place when drunk. A barrier at the top of the slide wouldn't have kept them out. They'd have climbed it or tried, fallen off and broken their necks.
They got off lightly, as @cycleboy2 says.
 
A business can't provide safety features solely for the sake of intoxicated burglars…

lf only.

For example:

“Burglar who injured genitals during shop break in sues shopkeeper

A shopkeeper in Ireland is allegedly being sued by a burglar who injured himself while breaking into his shop.

The shop in Kingscourt, Cavan, was broken into by three men in November 2015 who used a sledgehammer to gain entry.

As the men attempted to get away, they were arrested.

It has since been discovered that one of the the men sustained injuries in his haste to get away.

The shopkeeper called Kevin told broadcaster Joe Duffy that the burglar ran into a shelf as he was trying to leave and injured his genitals.

Speaking to RTÉ’s liveline, Kevin said: "It was probably dark in the store and I think he injured himself on a shelf or a unit...

He had a cut to his scrotum, "Reading the medical report on it, he didn't get a stitch to it. He had one of those [steri] strips and was brought back to the Garda Station." He said.

Kevin explained how after the incident he received a letter.

“I got a letter from his solicitor asking me to take all responsibility for the accident," Kevin said.

“My solicitor advised me to wait and see. We didn’t do anything. His solicitor then, obviously lodged it with PIAB (Personal Injuries Assessment Board) and we then got the letter from PIAB. If we wanted to take part it would cost us €600,” he continued.”

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/wor...g-shop-break-in-sues-shopkeeper-a3736971.html

maximus otter
 
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This report though, from Safety Harbor, with a burglar called Gavin Crim comes close.

Drunk burglar cooks and eats breakfast, tells homeowner to 'go back to sleep'

https://www.timesnownews.com/the-bu...st-tells-homeowner-to-go-back-to-sleep/483639
The burglar was identified as 19-year-old Gavin Crim.
Some nominative determinism going on there! :chuckle:

Mr Crim did break in though. As the Waterslide Two didn't do any damage on entering the waterpark they were trespassing rather than committing a criminal offence and they didn't steal or do any damage except to their own bodies.

So they weren't charged with an offence. Their attempt to sue the waterpark failed on basis of rank stupidity or summat.
 
Mr Crim did break in though.
Not so sure about 'breaking' in as he apparently just walked in through an unlocked door! Maybe one of those towns that is so safe everyone leaves their doors open.
 
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