Ode to the puncture gods



D

DaveB

Guest
Oh puncture gods why have you forsaken me
Surely your wrath is sufficient for commuting days three

Flat tyre one, of gigantic proportions
Scared the rowing girls into great screams and contortions
The bang was so loud sent them all into fits
And blew my rear tyre, clean into bits
A long trek gave me blisters on both heels and one thumb
Returned to find my bike pump stolen by skateboarding scum
The kind souls at Peter Moore saved the day
On an old tyre slowly continued home on my way

Day two saw me stranded again on Southbank
Cursing the puncture gods, giving no thanks
An old tube, twice patched, at last had decayed
Two days in a row commuting left me waylaid
Mini-pump gave no pressure, my anger was sore
Thank god once again, a short ride to Peter Moore

Day three of commuting no thoughts of more trouble
How quickly the puncture goods would burst that bubble
Swearing and cursing and heaving a great sigh
See a flat tyre I arrive at work crying "Why God Why?"
Change the tyre after work, new pump works a trick
After plenty of practice I change tubes quite quick

Into the hot afternoon, say "These things come in threes"
But at Kew junction from the tyre hear a terrible wheeze
Surely I must be due one good break
But looking down at the tyre, cry FFS
Had enough by now, the bike ambulance I call
A slow trip home has now completely stalled
With time to wait, in the tyre what do I see
Not one piece of glass, not two, but three

It is true on occasion, the puncture gods I have taunted
But karma has struck and now I am haunted
Bike ambulance fees are becoming too high
My wife has threatened end of commuting is nigh
I promise in my worship I never will falter
And weekly sacrifice new tubes, in my shed, on an altar.

DaveB
 
DaveB said:
Oh puncture gods why have you forsaken me
Surely your wrath is sufficient for commuting days three

Flat tyre one, of gigantic proportions
Scared the rowing girls into great screams and contortions
The bang was so loud sent them all into fits
And blew my rear tyre, clean into bits
A long trek gave me blisters on both heels and one thumb
Returned to find my bike pump stolen by skateboarding scum
The kind souls at Peter Moore saved the day
On an old tyre slowly continued home on my way

Day two saw me stranded again on Southbank
Cursing the puncture gods, giving no thanks
An old tube, twice patched, at last had decayed
Two days in a row commuting left me waylaid
Mini-pump gave no pressure, my anger was sore
Thank god once again, a short ride to Peter Moore

Day three of commuting no thoughts of more trouble
How quickly the puncture goods would burst that bubble
Swearing and cursing and heaving a great sigh
See a flat tyre I arrive at work crying "Why God Why?"
Change the tyre after work, new pump works a trick
After plenty of practice I change tubes quite quick

Into the hot afternoon, say "These things come in threes"
But at Kew junction from the tyre hear a terrible wheeze
Surely I must be due one good break
But looking down at the tyre, cry FFS
Had enough by now, the bike ambulance I call
A slow trip home has now completely stalled
With time to wait, in the tyre what do I see
Not one piece of glass, not two, but three

It is true on occasion, the puncture gods I have taunted
But karma has struck and now I am haunted
Bike ambulance fees are becoming too high
My wife has threatened end of commuting is nigh
I promise in my worship I never will falter
And weekly sacrifice new tubes, in my shed, on an altar.

DaveB
it helps to be able to visualize one's enemy :D

http://home.iprimus.com.au/adenhollander/pf_1.gif
 
DaveB wrote:
<snip>

hehe nice work Dave.. :)

Perhaps you should keep an eye out for glass in your path?
Swap your tyres for some bullet-proof ones? Solid? :)
Hopefully with the tyre sacrifices you are making now, you will have
plenty of puncture free commuting in the future..

hippy
 
DaveB wrote:
> Oh puncture gods why have you forsaken me
> Surely your wrath is sufficient for commuting days three
>
> Flat tyre one, of gigantic proportions
> Scared the rowing girls into great screams and contortions
> The bang was so loud sent them all into fits
> And blew my rear tyre, clean into bits
> A long trek gave me blisters on both heels and one thumb
> Returned to find my bike pump stolen by skateboarding scum
> The kind souls at Peter Moore saved the day
> On an old tyre slowly continued home on my way
>
> Day two saw me stranded again on Southbank
> Cursing the puncture gods, giving no thanks
> An old tube, twice patched, at last had decayed
> Two days in a row commuting left me waylaid
> Mini-pump gave no pressure, my anger was sore
> Thank god once again, a short ride to Peter Moore
>
> Day three of commuting no thoughts of more trouble
> How quickly the puncture goods would burst that bubble
> Swearing and cursing and heaving a great sigh
> See a flat tyre I arrive at work crying "Why God Why?"
> Change the tyre after work, new pump works a trick
> After plenty of practice I change tubes quite quick
>
> Into the hot afternoon, say "These things come in threes"
> But at Kew junction from the tyre hear a terrible wheeze
> Surely I must be due one good break
> But looking down at the tyre, cry FFS
> Had enough by now, the bike ambulance I call
> A slow trip home has now completely stalled
> With time to wait, in the tyre what do I see
> Not one piece of glass, not two, but three
>
> It is true on occasion, the puncture gods I have taunted
> But karma has struck and now I am haunted
> Bike ambulance fees are becoming too high
> My wife has threatened end of commuting is nigh
> I promise in my worship I never will falter
> And weekly sacrifice new tubes, in my shed, on an altar.
>
> DaveB
>

Greetings,
This sounds familiar. Once, many years ago, I wrote an article
called `Like to see my Flat?' along much the same lines. I pulled
am embedded piece of glass out of my rear tyre last week before it
got to the tube, which is a clear sign the tyre is softening and I
need a new one. I have had two valves rip out of the tubes in the
past 14 months as well. C'est la vie. Invent something that
doesn't go flat with the resilence and other qualities of a
pneumatic tyre and we'll be interested.
Regards,
Ray.
 
hippy wrote:
> DaveB wrote:
> <snip>
>
> hehe nice work Dave.. :)
>
> Perhaps you should keep an eye out for glass in your path?


Yeah I generally do but coming up to Kew junction gets a little tight
with the traffic so I tend to watch the cars more than the road. Even
then glass usually stands out coz it is usually quite a few pieces
together.

DaveB "enjoying a day at home"