Commuting - Boy did I Screw up Tonight

I got home from my wind-aided 8-mile commute, got off my bike, and my attachment bag was missing. What? My wallet, credit cards, employee ID, etc. No way! I told my wife, I'm backtracking to find it. I rode and rode and rode (against a heavy wind, in the dark, and headlight charge was gone) - all the way back to work. As I got closer, I figured I must have forgotten to clip it, and it probably fell off right at the bike rack, but NO, not there.

I had to have Security let me in, because the new guard didn't know me. I went up to my office, and there it was on my desk. Thank you, God! I flew home with the wind once again. Time for a beer! I need to forget this ever happened.

LOL - glad it turned out ok.
I did a similar thing a few years ago - always left my wallet in the inside pocket of my (motor)bike jacket... ALWAYS. So when it wasn't there one morning and i'd retraced all my steps, phoned the pub to check it wasn't there and doubled checked anywhere i'd used it for a few days then i phoned up and cancelled all my cards. About an hour later, my wife phones me at work and says "I found your wallet, you left in the glove box". I still have no idea how it got in the glove box but it took 3 weeks before i got all my cards back - most unimpressed.

I left my keys in the padlock I leave locked to a guard rail at work.44 miles later, beer. You will not forget.

Of course, the beer must have helped out too :P

Man that sucks.

Screw up??? Nahh. Just an unplanned intense cardio workout.:D

About 3 or 4 times a year, I leave my keys at home (don't need them to get out of the house or start up the bike, right?), get to work, and have to bring my bike up to my office and have a secretary let me in. At least once a month, I leave some combination of keys, keycard, light battery, coat, pants, and assorted clothes in my office when leaving.

As with being killed by cars, I don't think we have a monopoly on leaving stuff behind.

Hope the beer was good.

I rode to the daycare and picked the kid up, and was going to do errands. My phone beeped and I had a voicemail, I checked it and some lady at the gas station said she had my wallet. I drove over there (and past it a couple times, til i found it). She checked the picture and gave it to me. She said, I just have one question? How did it get in the street in the intersection? I told her I was riding my bike at the time. She laughed, I offered money, but she refused.

Very nice, and I'm glad someone walks to work so that it was found by a non-vagrant. She did however have very bad teeth, it looked like years of smoking (various things).

I try to milk every minute of my time with my boy in the morning, so when I'm leaving for work, it's always a frantic, chaotic departure. Hence, I forget things all the time, and at least once or twice a month it's important enough that I have to ride home (10 miles there and back) to get it. Not a big deal, and sometimes I'm secretly glad I'm forced to add an extra leg to my commute. Not when I'm in a big rush though, then it's just a lot of anxiety.

glad this story had a happy ending.

I've thought I've left stuff behind, gone all the way back only to return home and discover I'd taken the bag off the bike at home out of mindless habit and found it sitting in some odd place right where I'd left it.

Last Friday as I was getting ready to go home, I couldn't find my front light. I looked in my bag and in my office. No luck. I figured I had left it attached to the bike, which in my town is the same thing as leaving a sign taped to the handlebars that reads, "Please take this light home with you."

I found a flashlight in a desk drawer and lashed it to the handlebars with an elastic strap. Every time I hit a bump, the flashlight's beam would swing up into the trees. It was a constant struggle to keep it aimed ahead.

When I got home, I found my light in a deep, dark corner of my Chrome Metropolis bag.

Heh...did that with my backpack two days ago. Got to the first big acceleration, which for me is shooting out of the company driveway. I got up to speed so fast I could feel an immediate difference. When I made the turn at the end of the block, it dawned on me why. Just kept going though. Everything was right where I left it when I got in the next day. Had to come in later after somebody had unlocked though.

I left my cell phone back at the office a few days ago. Guess i was too busy suiting up that i forgot to pack it. Realized that i had left it there once i got home. Had to actually get in the car and go get it. Kind of defeated the point of commuting to save gas... heh

Stuff I habitually forget . . .

1. pants belt--walk around like a freakin geek all day
2. dress shoes--set new fashion trends with IP spds
3. shirt--see geek above
4. socks--wool is warm!
5. cell phone
6. pant leg velcro strap--accounting for numerous grease stains on dress pants
7. underwear--commando!
8. towel--ever wiped off with a smelly shirt and paper towels?

Took cash from the ATM - left my card.

I FREAKED!!!!!!!!! The next day when I remembered what a foolish, foolish thing I did.
Fortunately, it was at a bank. They opened the ATM and there it was locked away in a box. I didn't exit my transaction and the ATM kept the card.

Stuff I habitually forget . . .
...
6. pant leg velcro strap--accounting for numerous grease stains on dress pants
...


My solution to the velcro strap is a binder clip -- readily available at most office jobs. I keep two clipped to my pack in case I lose one. Works great -- just fold the cuff over and clip.

My solution to the velcro strap is a binder clip -- readily available at most office jobs. I keep two clipped to my pack in case I lose one. Works great -- just fold the cuff over and clip.

That's a great tip. Thanks.

In a pinch, I've used two "Kable Keepers" stuck together:

http://media.zzounds.com/media/fit,325by400/brand,zzounds/p17132b-1dc28a9189c22dcd01e213bd0a72c9c4.jpg

Stuff I habitually forget . . .

1. pants belt--walk around like a freakin geek all day
2. dress shoes--set new fashion trends with IP spds
3. shirt--see geek above
4. socks--wool is warm!
5. cell phone
6. pant leg velcro strap--accounting for numerous grease stains on dress pants
7. underwear--commando!
8. towel--ever wiped off with a smelly shirt and paper towels?

I bring in all the clothes I need for the week on Monday. Much easier that way. However, those two fully loaded panniers make the commute s..l..o..w. The rest of the week is much faster.
It is also nice that I can keep my shoes and an extra belt at work.
I think I would rather wear my cycling socks. So much more comfy.
#6: I wear tights and lycra shorts. No issues since they are already black. :p
#7: Nothing wrong with that provided you are not wearing baggy shorts.
#8: I only use a paper towel or two to clean up. I do not sweat that much.


edit: I usually forget my work badge. It is nice and cold in the morning while knocking on the window for someone to let me in.

I had to have Security let me in, because the new guard didn't know me. I went up to my office, and there it was on my desk. Thank you, God!
.

Whew! I'm glad God found it and brought it back to your office. ;)

glad you found it! that musta felt good.

my brother once delievered medical records for a company. he put an entire box of hundred of medical records on top of his car, forgot about it, and drove off. it was all over the place. he was scambling around and only recovered a few of them. d'oh!!

Stuff I habitually forget . . .

8. towel--ever wiped off with a smelly shirt and paper towels?
Oh yeah! Been there...

That's a great tip. Thanks.

In a pinch, I've used two "Kable Keepers" stuck together:

http://media.zzounds.com/media/fit,325by400/brand,zzounds/p17132b-1dc28a9189c22dcd01e213bd0a72c9c4.jpg

I stuff the pant leg inside my sock...

Ah..... that brought back memories of about four or five years ago. The same fast ride home, the same panicked realization, the same backtracking ( although in a borrowed car ) but not the end result. I'm still dealing with the loss of some documents ( citizenship papers, which I wouldn't have had on me except I'd just renewed my passport). At the time I was mostly annoyed about the loss of a brand new pair of Diacompe 287v brake levers.
Glad for you though that it ended up fine.
Cheers, Dave

I never put anything on the roof of the car. Probably because I'm so short, I can't reach the roof. My bad habit is to put stuff on the driver's windshield, which turns out not be a such bad habit. I can't drive away without staring directly at the stuff I happen to leave on the car. :o

Stuff I habitually forget . . .

1. pants belt--walk around like a freakin geek all day
2. dress shoes--set new fashion trends with IP spds
3. shirt--see geek above
4. socks--wool is warm!
5. cell phone
6. pant leg velcro strap--accounting for numerous grease stains on dress pants
7. underwear--commando!
8. towel--ever wiped off with a smelly shirt and paper towels?
Add to that keys and security badge. My job requires me to move through many secure areas throughout the day, so forgetting these things causes real headaches.

Also, I forget my lunch and wallet a couple times a year. Ain't nothin' like a full day and 36 miles of riding with practically no food.....

Whew, love the happy ending.

I left my atm card in the machine at the farmer's market this past weekend. Fortunately, somebody turned it in to the market lost & found. Big sigh of relief...

16 extra miles sounds pretty good....

Look on the bright side!

Last night's screw up for me was taking a corner onto the walkway too sharply on the new route. That unscheduled stop bent one brake hood pretty good...ouch!

My own fault, should have had the 35W light on...not just the strobes. Those wet leaves just jumped right out!

A few years ago, I arrived at work minus a fairly large dividend check I intended to deposit later in the day. Somehow it had worked its way out of my inside jacket pocket. Immediately back tracked my route. It was still dark & raining but about 3/4 mile from work, I found the envelope lying in the grass near the bike lane. Everything was totally soaked but the check dried out nicely on my monitor. This is the only time I ever found a lost item by backtracking my commute! Don

Good save Ollo!

Stuff I habitually forget . . .

2. dress shoes--set new fashion trends with IP spds


I just leave all of my dress shoes (all of 3 pairs) under my desk at work. One less thing to haul... or forget.