Photo of the day - 14: Pimping my ride!

Found on my ride - at the side of the road!

It's not particularly good form to leave your unwanted items outside your house. Folks are encouraged to take them to recognised recycling venues or charity shops. But in London we are seeing it more and more, especially as the things left outside do get picked up. I once saw a piano left in the street. And that was taking too, even though it looked in bad shape and would have been horribly out of tune. Today, it was my turn to do a roadside pick-up, of an unwanted item. It was left outside a house a couple of streets from where I live. The design of this coat really caught my eye as I rode past, at the start of my training ride. Initially, I thought I would wait to pick it up on the homeward run, but then changed my mind because to me, it looked stylish enough that someone else would pick it up during the hour that I was out riding in the country lanes. Usefully, I had my customary mini rucksack with me, so I was able to stuff the coat into my bag and continue my journey. I have no idea if it really was a high price coat, but it looks like something you don't see very often and that is what made me pick it up. Mind you, it was left outside an expensive looking detached house with a blue plaque on the facade, so that could give a clue of the value of the coat! As I stuffed the coat into my rucksack a Mercedes estate pulled up, and a young couple stepped out of the car. As they looked at me, they greeted me and said "thank you". Then they walked into the house with the blue plaque. I felt a mixture of slight embarrassment, but also satisfaction that they perceived me as having helped them get rid of their "rubbish". The coat proved useful, as later on it got a bit cold so I wore it for the run-in home. It's not quite Rapha cyclewear, but it was just as warm, and stylish!