This afternoon on my way to work I forgot to put the tail light on before I left. I don't notice until I get there, so I figure no biggie, I'll stop by my house on my way to my parent's place for dinner and grab it before it gets dark. I usually get off at 5:30. No such luck today. I left 10 minutes before sunset and despite hauling as much butt as I am capable of hauling, I didn't make it. Not 5 blocks from my house I got pulled over by a member of Abilene's finest who proceeded to hassle me for riding at night without a tail light. At least he let me off with a warning.

My crappy day doesn't stop there, oh no. I picked up the tail light and figured, while I was at the house, I should grab my camera, since my wife had the baby over at my parent's house and they're always on my back for baby pictures. I stuffed my camera into my pocket and headed out. I cut down the alley to save some time and made it about 100 feet before a branch flipped up into the spokes of the rear wheel and bent the crap out of the fender. Broke one of the fender stays, too. I bent the fender back straight enough to ride and continued on.

People around here call it "the hill" but it's really more of a small incline. I had just reached the top when my camera fell out of my pocket and tumbled down the road a ways. It somehow survived, I've gotta give Canon some credit there.

I finally got to my parent's house and hammered the fender back as close as I could get it and replaced the busted rivets where the seatstay bracket goes with bolts and nuts. Couldn't do anything with the broken fender stay, though. Did I mention I was riding my wife's bike? She's not terribly pleased with the damage. I owe her a new set of fenders now.

At least my ride home was uneventful...

If that's your worst day, you have led a charmed life.

He's just venting. A little hyperbole is in order.

This is true,
But bad days sucks and they give you the right to ***** and moan a bit . On the upside, tomorrow should be better..... touch wood

what, no flat tires??

Sorry to hear about that, especially the fuzz stopping you when you normally always have your lights. Isn't that the way it works. That sucks. Tomorrow has got to be better.

it's always something. Sorry you had a bad day.

It's always a good day for me if I get pulled over and just issued a warning.

https://www.clae.ca/

Wow I'm surprised you got pulled over. I wish those laws were enforced around here, I see guys riding without lights all the time.

At least you didn't get smashed off your bike by some weird antelope thing.

yeah, thats true, I'm surprised too. Around here there are so few commuting so they probably don't even notice us.

Sounds like a good name for a Used Bike shop = Bent Fender or Busted Rivit

Sometimes you eat the bear...sometimes the bear eats you.

I had a "brother-in-law" who named his handy-man company "Abused Husband's Home Repair". Not sure why that came to mind here...

The day could have been better, but could have been much worse.

The question is; did you learn anything from it?

1. Don't forget your lights.
2. If your lighting is insufficient to see branches in the alley,
a) Get better lights, and
b) Don't ride down the alley.
3. Don't stuff the digital camera in a pocket. Bring a camera with a shoulder strap.

And yeah, it could have been a lot worse. I could have gotten a ticket, or ruined the rear wheel, or broken my camera.

+1 What terrymorse said!

Rick / OCRR

#1 - Have two rear lights, at least one should be fixed. Never leave home without it.
#2 - Upgrading is always good, lots of choices for lights with higher illumination.
#3 - Or pocket with a zipper.

all the best...

sounds like Yogiism. referring to a trendy night spot, "people don't go there anymore, it's too crowded", etc. etc.

sorry your day was crap.

i wish there were light laws here. that would at least legitimize cycling, instead of the police chief telling me "don't cry if you get whacked playing in the street". :/

It's all a matter of perspective. I just got back from 7 months in Afghanistan...want to trade bad days?