Solent City Scooter Club

                      
 

John Olde

 

By David Tooley

John Olde I remember as the guy who rode around on a Vespa SS 180, and always seemed to have a bit of an attitude. 
Perhaps it was just me but I’ve always been a bit of a pacifist, preferring to walk away from trouble rather than stir things up.  Whereas John would always seem to be looking for a fight with someone. 

I clearly remember a particular night at one of the very early Scooter Club weekly meetings when Mick Estlick asked everyone to bring in some 45 rpm records so we could have a bit of music.  At the time I had very little of my own, not yet being in full time employment.  I had borrowed some of my parents 50’s collection and brought them along for some diversity.  When I played a few of them John got quite agitated, abusive and aggressive, to the point when he was almost looking to trade punches with me.  It was Kenny Erridge, of all people, who stepped in and calmed him down.  I was very grateful to Kenny for this, since I didn’t have a clue why John was getting so upset and had hardly spoke to the bloke before this particular evening.

He probably wouldn’t even remember this incident now, but I clearly do, and it formed an opinion in my mind of his character which has stuck to this day.

I know that when we went out on Club Runs we had to rein him in a bit, or we’d have ended every trip with a fight somewhere.  Something that would scare Mick Estlick witless.

Note From Marten:

Every club or group seems to have a bully, I am afraid that John fitted into that catagory. If I remember he was a good friend of Kenny's which is probably why he calmed him down.

 

 

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