Re: On your bike

Posted by Gary Martin on March 05, 2000

In Reply to: On your bike posted by wardan on March 05, 2000

: Could someone please tell me the origin of the British phrase "on your bike," meaning "get outta here"?

I believe this is English in origin but as far as I know its colloquial. My guess is that it started life in a London pub. Norman Tebbit, the right-wing Thatcherite politician, is well known for his recommendation to the jobless that they should do what his father did when unable to find a job locally, i.e. 'he got on his bike and looked for work'.

Gary