Cyclists are honest people. I certainly am. Like when that Addison Lee cab cut me up in London last Saturday. I told him honestly what I thought of him. And I sincerely meant every word.
Further proof of cyclists' integrity came today, when I was cycling past
Naburn Station (picture), now a cafe/B&B sort of place on the railtrail south of York that is Route 65. (I
blogged last year about the entertaining sculptures on the bridge just up from here.)
Because there's a 'Trust Hut' (picture), permanently open for passers-by on bikes (and walking dogs) to help themselves to coffee and tea, paying in an honesty box (actually a tube).
My honesty wasn't tested in the event, as Patrick and then the owner Ann came out to chat, telling me lots of interesting stuff about the place.
(Like the fact that, in addition to the scale model of Saturn there that's part of the
Planets Trail, there's also a one-third scale model of the
Cassini Space Probe that's currently investigating Saturn. I'd mistakenly thought it was a rather fussy satellite dish.)
It's not the only Trust Hut on Route 65. In Blacktoft, a small village on the banks of the Ouse a few miles west of Hull, there's a church hall (picture; see
Google map) that's also open for help-yourself tea and coffee with an honesty box, plus a small book stall.
Cycle rides that go through farming areas offer you plenty of produce - usually eggs, often vegetables - laid out on a table with a dish for your change. This rhubarb (picture) was just outside Ambleside. At first I thought no, but then I thought, it's rhubarb: force yourself.
The most lavish honesty stall I've ever seen was on the Wainwright Coast to Coast in the village of Brompton on Swale (picture), which had a range of cold drinks and sandwiches, so maybe walkers are even more honest than cyclists. Or perhaps they just can't get away as fast.
Anyway, honesty boxes are a good thing, and a sign of a decent society. I bet that Addison Lee driver would like them, too. He'd take all the rhubarb, sod off without paying, and swear blind to his employers that it was the cyclist's fault.
Grand to meet you the other day, and we'll be sure to send you a note about the Bicycling Friendly in spring, and the Solar System Sprint cycling challenge over the winter time.
ReplyDeletePatrick
from New Yorkshire, USA
http://www.philanthropreneuring.net
We can do even better on the honesty front. On the Hadrian's Wall walking route out of Bowness on Solway there is an honesty shop - proper stone built building, snacks, tea & coffee and (clean!) toilets - with soap and towels and everything!
ReplyDeleteLove the look of the honesty hut, never seen anything like that before. PS the opening paragraph had be laughing out loud! Great stuff :)
ReplyDeleteSue - I did the cycle route version of Hadrian's Wall in spring (and blogged about it, http://realcycling.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/hadrians-wall-post-helmets-on-ncn72.html).
ReplyDeleteI don't recall seeing the honesty shop though, which is a shame as we'd've stopped there. Instead we piled on to Carlisle, intent on having a couple of decent pints in a quiet little pub. Which we did, except for the bit about decent, quiet and little.
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