We do on occasion get asked to carry some unusual items, often we have no idea what they are for apart from the fact that they are medical and they’re important.

As a controller I’ve been asked if a bike can carry odd items and as a rider myself my main concern is size and weight.  All of our bikes have some form of luggage, racks and straps, but too big and too heavy and it would be neither practical, nor safe to carry on a bike.  If there’s any doubt I ask the caller to measure or weigh the item to ensure it can be carried, a task which they are happy to complete.

So it is that our bikes have been asked to carry highly specialized surgical equipment 100 miles across Wales and to wait while an operation is completed and the item sterilized before bringing it back.  Why?  Because it’s the only one of it’s kind in the country.  That is how trusted our riders are.

Then there’s the time when our controller received a call late on Sunday.  ‘Would you be able to carry titanium pins for hip operations to a hospital 60 miles away.  If you can’t the operations scheduled for tomorrow will need to be cancelled.’  Not a problem replied the controller.

Then there was some sort of pump that is used after an operation.  It came in two parts but was described as ‘heavy’.  Fortunately, after weighing it was found to be just within the tolerances of the bike and this was transported too.

So the bottom line is, if we can fit it on the bike, we’ll take it.  But we don’t carry slippers, or false teeth.  Or midwives, and we have been asked.  After all, role and gender assumptions aside, a gentleman would never inquire as to a ladies weight.

N