Rumplestiltskin

Smashed my front teeth out when I hit them on my bars :$ Got a nice replacement pair courtesy of the NHS . Also landed from a seven and a half foot drop in the rain, feet slipped off the pedals, and I came right down on my bollocks on the back tyre. Quite possibly the worst pain I've ever experienced.

I find a grind more conveniant as I don't have to constantly reapply the tar as it wears off, and it works in the rain. That said (and because my new rim hasnt been ground yet), using tar does give you more choice in how much bite compared to modulation you want. I find smoother street type moves like manuals are easier with a small amount of tar, compared to a fresh and severe grind, where the brake tends to jar on the rim a bit. Although I remember the good old days when I used to buy it as liquid roof sealent from B&Q, paint it on, then have my pads stick to the rims on the edge of a drop... Oh the joy.

Some of the stories I've been reading on the forum about hassle from Police and Community Officers sound pretty crazy. I live in Scotland, and we don't have community Officers (what is their actual role?!) and Police presence on the streets is fairly low. I've only ever had something like four encounters with the Police in my whole time riding, and they've had a pretty relaxed attitude toward me; its simply been a case of being told to move on. The whole "Community Officer" and £30 fine for riding on a pavement sounds pretty heavyhanded; it seems a bit 1984 South of the border from what I can see...