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Woman charges cyclist £3 after filling water bottle - then tips it out when he can't pay

Yorkshire rider says he got a bit of a shock after asking stranger for help

A Yorkshire cyclist who was running low on water while out on a ride got a shock when a woman who refilled it for him asked for £3 – then tipped out the water when he explained he didn’t have that much money on him.

Neil Holloway, who is a member of Leeds & Bradford Triathlon club, posted an account of what had happened on Twitter, saying “Staggered this happened in Huby this week." It’s not clear whether he is the cyclist involved.

The post read: “Just getting this off my chest … 60km ride out on my new road bike this evening. 40km in and realisation that two bottle cages would be better than one as I run low on water.

“I pulled up near a row of cottages near Huby where a middle aged lady was digging the garden. I politely asked if she could refill my water bottle which she duly did.

“Upon handing it back to me she said: ‘That will be £3’ …

“Shocked, I explained I only had about £1 in loose change. She stared at me and without breaking gaze she emptied the bottle over the garden and handed it back empty.

“I was shell-shocked and speechless as she retreated into the house.”

The author added: “Morale of the story … God help us or bring more water in future.”

Granted, not all cyclists would feel confident enough to approach a stranger and ask them to fill a water bottle, and might prefer to have enough money on them so they could pop into a shop, café or pub instead.

But while charging someone to fill their water bottle may seem unusual in the first place, filling it up then tipping the contents out when the money demanded isn’t forthcoming sounds quite frankly bizarre.

Have you come across anything like this before – or any other bizarre behaviour when you’ve asked someone for a helping hand while out riding?

Let us know in the comments below.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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83 comments

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ch | 9 years ago
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It could have been worse - she could have given him back the bottle filled with Roundup.

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Demazter | 9 years ago
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Husband obviously out cycling instead of helping her dig the garden!

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ConradCyclo | 9 years ago
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 105 Having cycled round Ireland and the interior of Portugal, Italian alps and much of Scotland it is common place to knock on a door and ask for a water refill. I would say in Ireland it was almost expected that cyclists would do so. Charging for Water ---- Its a Yorkshire thing.

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longwayround | 9 years ago
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I punctured three miles out of Slaidburn on Monday and couldn't find my tyre levers. I rolled down to the next farmhouse, asked if they happened to have any to spare and was treated to a lovely cuppa, a nice chat and a firm hand fittIng the tyre without levers. Moral of the story: Lancashire wins.

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Russell Orgazoid | 9 years ago
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Weedkiller on her nice garden.

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julianrh | 9 years ago
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I love this. Is this what David Cameron was referring to with his comments today about Yorkshire folk?

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PAF | 9 years ago
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I love the British countryside!

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Gordy748 | 9 years ago
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Pubs. Part of the license required to operate a public house is the requirement to offer water for free.

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cycle2santiago | 9 years ago
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Her soul looks like a dessicated fish

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gooseflight | 9 years ago
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Two bottles on a 60K ride. I see who has the problem  29

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Beefy | 9 years ago
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I find Yorkshire people to be among the most generous, friendly and hospitable people I have met. Just because this odd woman lives in Yorkshire doesn't mean that is her original home. She is likely to e from London or South East

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The goat | 9 years ago
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Most Churchyards / cemeteries have an outside tap for watering flowers. Of course you have to assume the water is OK..

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Simon_MacMichael | 9 years ago
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One of the best comments threads we've ever had, but guys, it's okay to call her a skiflint or whatever but let's drop the "b----" please?

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jamesv | 9 years ago
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Just think, she's probably some poor sod's mother-in-law.

The horror.

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Airzound | 9 years ago
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This is the problem in rural areas. Starbucks are not readily available.

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Curto80 | 9 years ago
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"Guilty" of a Tort? Longwayround you disappoint me.

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jimbo2112 | 9 years ago
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Story in one sentence.

Cyclist happens across deranged/mean/business woman.

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alansmurphy | 9 years ago
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I would get your local food standards officer called out to check the kitchen has the required standards and have a word with the local council regarding her paying business tax...

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salome | 9 years ago
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Cycling in the Trough of Bowland I stopped at a roadside van selling refreshments. As well as buying some snacks I also asked for a bottle of water to fill up my bottle. The guy told me, 'Oh, you don't have to buy water, I'll fill your bottle up for free, would you like a bit of squash in that as well?' Just another small reminder that the red rose county is better!

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Shouldbeinbed | 9 years ago
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What a miserable bag she sounds.

I was riding home earlier this week, bright sunshine & very hot day, half way up a steep bit of hill, I passed a woman with a small Pug dog panting like mad. Turns out she was quite a way from home and had been caught out without enough water for either of them. My bottle was empty so I left them walking, rode on a mile to the next pub on my route, asked at the kitchen door and got my bottle filled for free and rode back to the lady, handed it over to her and headed off home.

I was just happy to be able to do a good deed and if it helped her and the pooch, it's well worth a new water bottle.

Edit, just read the above post: Lancashire here too.

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Andy P | 9 years ago
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You may not believe this but I'm fairly certain that it is actually against the law to refuse to fill a cyclists water bottle. I'm not joking she could be arrested.

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Daclu Trelub | 9 years ago
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Maybe it's against the law to not allow them to pee on your rose bushes too.

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dantheman | 9 years ago
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They're tight buggers up north  3

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skuhravy | 9 years ago
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As my mate said to me, Huby's bandit country.

I once had a shouting match with a mad old gadgie in Huby, who was convinced that I was eyeing up the contents of his boot.

(This is the Huby near York, by the way)

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Kim Chee | 9 years ago
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 19 I hope Satan does the same thing to her in Hell!

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TriTaxMan | 9 years ago
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.... perhaps an anonymous tip to HM Revenue & Customs would be in order.....see if she is declaring the income from water bottle refills on her Tax Return.....  21

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Les Ed | 9 years ago
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You should all listen to David Cameron Yorkshire folk hate everyone.Also remember that old Yorkshire saying Never do owt for nowt.  4

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Oldfield replied to Beefy | 9 years ago
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Beefy wrote:

I find Yorkshire people to be among the most generous, friendly and hospitable people I have met. Just because this odd woman lives in Yorkshire doesn't mean that is her original home. She is likely to e from London or South East

I'd expect so. I'm a Yorkshireman and I wouldn't hesitate to fill up a cyclists bottle with fresh water. Heck, I'd even offer ice and electrolyte tablets and let them use the bog.

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Iamnot Wiggins replied to gooseflight | 9 years ago
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gooseflight wrote:

Two bottles on a 60K ride. I see who has the problem  29

Hahaha! I had the same thought. Of course, we don't know if it was blisteringly hot or not.

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Iamnot Wiggins replied to Simon_MacMichael | 9 years ago
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Simon_MacMichael wrote:

One of the best comments threads we've ever had, but guys, it's okay to call her a skiflint or whatever but let's drop the "b----" please?

Suggesting that we "drop" her is even worse!  3

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