The first shopping outing with the panniers this morning, a 7-mile round trip to Sainsbury’s, and I have to say they were an total success.
I used two of the anti-sway hook/elastic assemblies, connected together, so that I could link both panniers under the seat, in case they flapped about when empty – an 8mph scooter creates a surprising breeze (and on a cold day, a surprising wind-chill factor, which I learned to my cost the first time out). That wasn’t a good idea, as it stopped me lifting the armrests to get on and off, negotiating various doorways on the way out. So, unless there’s half a gale blowing, I’ll not bother in future.
Loading the panniers took no longer than shoving everything into the rucksack on the back of the seat, though you do need to try and balance the weight the best you can – I put a six-pint jug of milk in one, and a bag of spuds in the other, then just distributed the lighter items between them.
The scooter behaved perfectly – the seat back was no longer pulled back by the weight, so that it didn’t provide any support(and would, ultimately, have been damaged, I believe) – and the weight was supported by the structurally strongest part of the machine. My scooter, which is to say, the seat, and the structures to which it is attached, will support a 150kg/23stone rider, so there will be no problems with the average rider and their shopping.
And, indeed, there wasn’t. I had thought on sharp corners there might be a tendency to lift a wheel, because I almost never slow down (hell, it’s only 8mph!), and, having been a biker much of my life, I automatically lean into corners anyway (even when driving, at times!).
You do, of course, have to give street furniture a wider berth than usual, as your scooter will be a lot wider with full panniers.
When you get home, your scooter will no longer fit through doorways unless, like me, you live in a flat and the entrance to your building has double doors. That’s as far as you’re going, though.
I took the panniers off, shoved them in a corner, took my scooter through to my flat and parked it up (in my bedroom), then walked back for my shopping.
And that’s about it, except to say that the miserable buggers at Chain Reaction Cycles wouldn’t give me permission to use their picture of the panniers. They couldn’t be bothered even replying, which is a bit bloody much when I’m sending them business (quite a few people have clicked through).
I don’t know why I asked, to be honest. In a situation like this, where they’ll actually profit from the mention on this blog, I usually just use the picture anyway, on the basis that it benefits them more than me (and make that point at the time, too). No-ones ever complained either.
Yes, yes, I know such images are subject to copyright, but the question needs to be asked – who benefits? And it’s the people who are selling the product who benefit, it’s sure as hell not me. If I used their image to boost my sales (not that I sell anything), that that would be wrong. But I’m not – it’s to encourage people to buy from them, and if they can’t see that, then sod ’em.
Still on the subject of getting around, I’ve been looking for new crutches as mine have pretty well had it. On several websites I’ve spotted a walking-stick umbrella – which is exactly what it sounds like, an umbrella with a walking-stick handle at one end, and a ferrule at the other, and, presumably, a strengthened shaft in between.
And the point of that is what, exactly? You use a stick because you need support, and you need an umbrella to keep the rain off – the two functions simply are not compatible. Or do the retards who designed this ludicrous contraption assume you use a walking stick just for fun? Or carry a spare for when it rains. Its very existence boggles the mind, but there will be some dozy sods who’ll buy it – then wonder why they fall over every time it rains!
