1972 Raeligh 3 Speed (not sure which model) from the original owner, brooks seat intact and only $20. It was a good hour+ drive so I could not just drop things and go out. Was the first caller to the CL ad, made an appointment for later that week. One of the low life (they are not all low life, but this one is) bike flippers sent an email to them, they had said if I didn't want it it was his, pretending to be me and saying that I could not make it. The older couple selling the bike didn't look at the sender info, since I was the only appointment and they sold it to the flipper.

I found this out 45 minutes into my drive as I called them to see if it was okay if I showed up early.

I ended up buying a World Sport from the scum bucket guy about a month later (the Raleigh sellers forwarded me the email he had sent and I recognized the name) and in talking to him got to hear a story of how when someone offered him $5 for an old Schwinn he was selling he said sure come out. This was someone who was about a 40 minute drive away. He stripped the bike apart and put the raw frame out on the lawn. When the guy arrived he said -- there, that is $5 of the bike.

So other than wasting some time in this instance I have no regrets. I always remind myself they are just bikes, and when I miss something I just think about how jazzed the other guy/gal is that snagged it.