Tesco backs down after cyclist told he couldn't take Brompton into store

I've walked my bike round Tesco in the evening on my way home from work.  Staff didn't bat an eyelid, though a guy in motorcycle leathers did make some smartarse comment about bringing his bike in.

Would never have occurred to me to take any of my bikes into a store that wasn't a bike shop.

Closest I've come is to park it just inside the door, with staff permission, to collect an order.

Certainly wouldn't wheel it round while I'm shopping - that just strikes me as being bloody minded and I'm on the side of the shops on this one.

Yes, you can take mobility scooters, push chairs, trolleys, etc, but they aren't likely to fall over on top of a display or a child and don't have exposed dirty chains and sharp bits.

To those who put a folded Brompton in a shopping trolley - I'd put you up there with those parents that put kids in the trolleys. That's where I put my shopping - I don't want the muck off shoes or tyres/chains where I'm going to put my food, thank you.

Contrast the dutch ride-through supermarket

https://twitter.com/JosSluijsmans/status/793374423755751424

https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/the-dutch-supermarket/

http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/myth-busting/2016/case395-supermarket-banned-...

Not sure this is really about health and safety.  Isn't this just about bikes being dirty in general and can come into contact with other customers' clothing, who might then make Tesco liable?  Same thing with using bags for bikes on trains because they can make seats and customers' clothes dirty.  

Whilst tyres are dirty because they are in contact with the road, the drivetrain will usually have oil on it that is extremely difficult to remove from clothing, and few bikes have fully enclosed chaincases or completely clean drivetrains.

Suitcases, pushchairs and supermarket trolleys on the other hand don't have drivetrains so don't have this problem, and their wheels are small.

Many years ago, I used to wheel my unicycle into Asda and ask the tobacco counter people if they could look after it while I shopped and it was never a problem (unicycles are much easier to stow away than bikes). With bikes, I think it's down to how sweetly you smile at the staff and how politely you ask them.

I have got told off for wheeling my bike into a B&Q whilst they where playing an announcement saying it was sometimes necessary for them to operate fork lift trucks inside.

A year or so later they did get bike parking of a sort though.

I take my bike in small supermarkets all the time, never had an issue.  I usually leave it leaning on the end of an aisle while I find the usual drinks and flapjacks.  As long as you smile and apologise if it looks as though it's in someone's way, there's no issue.

I suspect the security guard was just being an idiot.

I contract for a company that contacts for the company that manages and maintains the Tesco fleet. I regularly move their vans around between stores (keeping that large a folder going necessitates moving a lot of spare vans around).

My somewhat large touring bike (railway stations to and from stores and depots since it's quicker and more fun) regularly goes through their stores without comment although 1 security guard at Cosham can be a stroppy jobsworth.

It doesn't seem like it was a possibility in this case, but I often put my folded Brompton in a large trolley and do my shopping. It's easier to handle and have never had objections from staff.

delt with this before.. from both sides.. the health and safety issue is down to blocking fire escapes with 'anything' people wont drop in a emegency and may cause a block, crush or fall.. now that we have pushchairs like sofa's, 4x4 mobility chairs... now ether they just dont want us to win the race t the door...  or this all needs a re-think, what if my bike is my mobility device?? discrimination?? eh! eh!  

I don't know how universal this is, but I've taken a bike (full size) into Co-op stores in London for years without anyone complaining.  Always lock up outside if there are more than a handful of customers, but would regularly do that late in the evening for the pint of milk or whatever it was.  The Tesco Express on the other hand forbids it and they don't seem to have any staff discretion.

Ah yes, the good old "Helf n Safety" catch all which usually translates as "I can't think of a decent reason but I'm going to be a total jobsworth about it anyway" or sometimes "we don't want you doing [x] but we don't really know why not".

Sometimes you can get round it by asking to see the specific Risk Assessment where bikes have been deemed a dreadful threat to the store but trolleys, pushchairs, wheelchairs are all OK - they realise then that they're being utterly stupid.

I was asked to take my bike outside at Tesco in Hertford as "the wheels will make the floor dirty". I offered to shoulder it, but was told that "dirt will still fall off the wheels". I asked if I should take my shoes off as well, but the security guard didn't get the joke.

Nothing to do with Health & Safety, everything to do with the bigoted person employed to provide "security" that day. We are talking about my Sunday Best steed here, not a post-race CX bike.

I amuse the early shift in Morrisons by shouldering my bike and taking it around the store.

The WHS store that banned me has closed down.
Shame.

How's this for Tesco health and safety?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/glasgownightingalecc/permalink/106891436...

HushLegs. Great twitter handle.

D'OH! Just read the first line of the updated article. I'm crap ignore me !

I'm not sure deleting tweets is the same as backing down. They have not sid that he can take his folded up Brompton in to the store.

Every little helps eh?