Scooby_Loo

Kelly is studying criminology post-grad at Napier!

So friends reunited says...... intelligent!

[Edited by Scooby_Loo - 10/4/2003 11:02:35 PM]

LG John

I just nipped out to get some chinese food and was getting back into the car with my sweet and sour chicken when some guy (we'll call him bob!) shouted, 'hey mate'

I turn round as I sat down into the driver seat and he came over.

Bob: mate, you couldn't nip me along the road could you, I'll give you a tenner.

Having just lost £40 tonight on online poker this was quite appealing and in the direction he was pointing Edinburgh ends after about 2 miles so I figured I wouldn't be going far.

Me: where you wanting to go like?
Bob: its not far, please mate i really need a lift
Me: but where to?
Bob: just along the road...prestonpans

I work near prestonpans and from Corstorphine where I was it is 20 miles hence a 40 mile round trip. I quickly calulated that the fuel for that, the time implication and that my s&s chicken would be binned meant that I'd probably be down taking £10 off him!

Me: nah mate, thats not down the road
Bob: please its not that far
Me: No way, I need to get home and get my tea
Bob: Oh come on, it won't take you long in the subaru

This was the 100% deciding factor for me. Why is the type of car of ANY relevance to getting a lift [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] Also, prestonpans...or 'the pans' isn't the nicest of East Lothians areas so I was becoming concerned.

Me: No pal I've got to go, sorry.
Bob: But I've got to get home my wife is in labour
Me: Fraid not you'll have to get a taxi it'll only be about £30

Bob tuts and shuffles and shows signs of building aggression!! [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Me: Sorry pal got to go.

I pulled the door shut and it looked like he considered kicking the car but he moved away and I drove off.

What do you guys make of that??? Several things don't add up/sound dodgy.

1. He played down how far he wanted to go, if he was legit he'd have said, 'can you run me to the pans and I'll pay you (thus making the payment negotiable)'

2. He said his wife was in labour. If that was the case she'd almost certainly be heading in to edinburgh to give birth - why was he not wanting to go to the infirmary

3. The fact that he mentioned my car. He clearly knew what it was and what it can do - none of which is relevant as most cars can sit a steady 90mph round the bypass which is as fast as anyone offering a punter a lift would go.

All in all a strange experience! I'm quite surprised with myself though because usually I get really frightened and the shakes in confrontational situations like that but despite the fact the guy was significantly bigger then me and hard looking I wasn't scared at all. In fact at one point I was thinking of making the first move by getting out the car and levelling him if he didn't move away. It just goes to show what martial arts can do for your confidence I also think he was reading that I wasn't scared of him as he seemed in two minds (i.e. to back away or proceed with whatever his sinister plan was).

scoobydoo wrx

sounds well dodgy m8

MadGrip

Good decision , sounds well dodgy.

Martial arts is a good confidence booster ( i did Wado Ryu for 12 years) but never under estimate anyone no matter what their size, and remeber a bullet is impossible to dodge no matter how much trainig you've done (unless your Keanu Reeves)

good choice mate, hope the chicken was still warm and if the guy was genuine congrats on becoming a Dad

LG John

Actually the chicken sucked so its been a pretty poor saturday night all in

If his wife was giving birth he'd have jumped in the first taxi irrespective of the cost. Its not like becoming a dad is an every day event!

i8gtmf

You can call me the unhelpfull type but i wouldn't give any dodgy looking geezer a lift anywhere even if i was in my works van let alone the scoob and especially if it meant my chinese going cold.The fact that his excuses for a lift are full of holes points more towards the fact that he was up to no good.Lets face it though my mates 7 year kids knows what a scooby is and what it can do so is referance to it being a quick car isn't surprising really.

Dave

gljam

mmmmmm, does sound iffy, right decision imho, know it sounds harsh but nowadays you have to look out for no.1 and assume everyone has an alterior motive. Pessamistic i know but you've worked hard for your car so why risk some oik having it off you for eff all??

LG John

Well I used to think that too until someone asked me the other day if it was a Toyota (that is not a joke!)

Scooby_Loo

What a cheeky sod! Corstorphine to the pans is 'kin miles away!

I always thought of home (Edinburgh)as safe (where keek like that is concerned), but it just goes to show you can never be too careful.

Made the right decision.

I wouldn't mind trying marshal arts myself, might even shed a few pounds



On a lighter note; loved the 'where you wanting to go like'! Not been home for a while, so not heard anyone from up that way for ages. Got a wee giggle out of me there!

Hanslow

Surely if his wife was in labour (and I don't mean the political party) he would have mentioned it earlier as I would imagine getting back to her would be quite high on his list of priorities

Sounds like you did the right thing

LG John

LOL, I knew someone would pick up on that

Scooby_loo did you go to firrhill? We've discussed this before but I couldn't remember when I saw one of your threads the other day.

LG John

Come to think of it hanslow that is a very good point. He didn't chuck the 'labour' thing into the mixer until well into the conversation and at a point where he could see I wasn't up for it.

Scooby_Loo

I went to firhill for like 3 days. Most of my schooling was spent at Boroughmuir High School ken what ah mean?

You know the scallywag kenny robertson?

LG John

Yeah, I thougt it was Boroughmuir High you went to. Yes I know Kenny - used to live round the corner from him. We've discussed him in the past I think. I'd bet my car he doing jail time by now - probably from stopping people in the street and trying to car jack them

Scooby_Loo

LOL

He has a kid now, absolutely gorgeous takes after his mother of course. Don't think he is in jail though, unfortunately. You prolly know more than me!

What Chinese were you at? (sorry, had to ask! got a slight obsession with sweet and sour chicken too!)

johnfelstead

its really quite simple Kenny, tell him No and lock the door then go, the longer you talk the more likely you will get a kicking and your car stolen.

Have you ever seen the film Hitcher?

LG John

It was the one next to the BBQ chippy opposite PC world (not he new fancy one opposite the MD's at PC world though). The best sweet and sour in Edinburgh IMHO comes from the chinese next to the 'Centre Court' pub at Craiglochart.....asbolutely amazing

John, you are right but I'm quite an open minded person and tend to give people a 'chance' so to speak.

johnfelstead

thats what scum rely on Kenny! You cant afford to be nice in situations like that, have hard and fast rules in your mind and stick to them.

Scooby_Loo

Try the fountain on Oxgangs Road North next to the chippy, don't take the scooby though!

imlach

I went to Firhill for a while.......

The Li takeaway (next to Centre Court) is also only 100m from where I am sitting right now......

LG John

I once took my dads brand new (2 days old) 406 executive to the broadway chippy when I was about 18. I was waiting for my chips when someone came in and said that some kids were kicking it I went out at Gordon Barr (pr!ck) and his mates just looked at me in the usual ned fashion. There wasn't a mark. I suspect they kicked the wheels thinking they were plastic (sort of looked it) but they were alloys. The scooby wouldn't last two minute there adn I'd more than likely run into someone that I know and owe a pounding too

Fair point john, taken on board

LG John

We call it 'Hallo Li' because that is how the wee wifey answered the phone all the time. It was well funny She seems to have changed her chat though

Scooby_Loo

I hope that tw@t stubbed his toe, and I hope hurt!

johnfelstead

very lady like.

imlach

I don't rate it really as a chinese emporium of fine cuisine....been to better.

As the wife is away tonight, could have done my usual and ordered some stuff from them, but decided to get off my a$$ down to Asda and buy some tiger prawns and make my own chilli king prawn stir fry instead.....and it was FAB! - and only cost me about £2.50 given cost of veg, prawns, noodles etc.

I'd easily have spent £10+ in the Li!

LG John

Do you know him. His sister kelly was in my year........I fancied the pants off her for long enough!

jimmy wrx

Well if me wife was in labour ,That would be the first thing I said and I think you would know (as you did) if the bloke was Genuine or not

You did the right thing m8

imlach

As for said "incident", yes, I'd agree, sounds a bit suspect.

Anyone from the 'pans would go to the new ERI for birth.....

Did he seem out of it? Drunk and/or drugged? Saw two druggies squaring up at Asda Chesser Ave yesterday.....wife can spot them a mile off as she used to work in infectious diseases ward in Western General, and she knows the signs.

That's another story however - guns in cabinets beside beds in hospital etc!! (quite a few of the main Edinburgh drug players have HIV you see.....)

LG John

Over ten bucks just for yourself!! What the hell do you eat I could have gone to tescos to get some food but that would mean I'd have to clean some dishes to prepare and eat it

imlach

£10 in a take-away is no prob....hehehe

Main meal - £5.
Rice - £2.
add in some prawn crackers and maybe some ribs to start with.....

It is a one-off feast for me, and don't do it often, hence tend to pig out....