Cyclic Stress
Sunday night- I'm cycling home straight as a die when a driver beeps behind me.
Usually I don't react but this time I turn round. The driver of the silver mercedes is driving with one hand on the wheel and the other is pressing his phone to his ear. I immediately feel anger- how dare you beep, you're breaking the law you bloody idiot- every sinew in my body says this.
I stay right where I am, not letting him past and I turn into the main road continuing to not let him past. I let him overtake and he accuses me of cycling like a maniac, I call him a cunt and mention his phone use. MY anger still boiling I pull out my mobile and try to enter his registration. At this stage my eyes aren't on the road I just continue towards my house I then pull over and take down the number.
At home I call the police, the local station answers quickly, I give them the registration number and tell them he was using his mobile whilst driving. They log it on the system, what happens next I know not. Maybe a police car pulls him over and has a word? maybe nothing happens?
Oh well, I tried to do something about it. Normally I ignore people beeping at me or driving like idiots. I cycle to work each day in the rush hour and witness all sorts of idiocy- turning a corner with one hand on the wheel one on the phone and not indicating- pulling out in front of me- changing lane and not indicating- drifting across the lanes.
Little things I admit but each one puts me and other road users in danger. I don't want to die or end up paralysed because some fool is talking to his girlfriend. Take the bloke in the mercedes for instance if he hits me I've only got a polystyrene helmet to protect me, he is belted in to a steel cage with side impact bars, airbags and all that other crap that makes him feel like he owns the road. He gets some blood on his car I get to spend the rest of my life in a chair, on a ventilator or pushing up the daisies.
This is why 9 times out of 10 I try not to react to idiot driving, but the sheer amount of it I see makes it so hard to just dismiss it.
I can't believe that so many people are unaware that driving a car is dangerous and is something that demands your full attention. What gives you the right to to decide what road laws you follow and which ones you disregard. I understand that London is congested that sometimes tfl makes silly decision around traffic lights and the local councils put humps and bumps everywhere. Is all this bad driving a passive aggressive reaction to all the above. Do people feel that by not indicating or drinking a milkshake at the wheel they're sticking two fingers up at Ken Livingstone and his congestion charge?
I'm not a perfect cyclist by all means I make mistakes on the road, I'd like to think that I'm able to make mistakes and trust that other drivers are on the ball enough to avert accidents. How can I trust this to happen when some drivers aren't?
I'm currently making moves to get a driving licence and I'm scared that I'll forget what it's like to be cycling in the rain and I'll turn into a monster behind the wheel. I'd like to think this won't happen to me.
Cars are great but remember to think about others and show the respect that is due to all life.
Usually I don't react but this time I turn round. The driver of the silver mercedes is driving with one hand on the wheel and the other is pressing his phone to his ear. I immediately feel anger- how dare you beep, you're breaking the law you bloody idiot- every sinew in my body says this.
I stay right where I am, not letting him past and I turn into the main road continuing to not let him past. I let him overtake and he accuses me of cycling like a maniac, I call him a cunt and mention his phone use. MY anger still boiling I pull out my mobile and try to enter his registration. At this stage my eyes aren't on the road I just continue towards my house I then pull over and take down the number.
At home I call the police, the local station answers quickly, I give them the registration number and tell them he was using his mobile whilst driving. They log it on the system, what happens next I know not. Maybe a police car pulls him over and has a word? maybe nothing happens?
Oh well, I tried to do something about it. Normally I ignore people beeping at me or driving like idiots. I cycle to work each day in the rush hour and witness all sorts of idiocy- turning a corner with one hand on the wheel one on the phone and not indicating- pulling out in front of me- changing lane and not indicating- drifting across the lanes.
Little things I admit but each one puts me and other road users in danger. I don't want to die or end up paralysed because some fool is talking to his girlfriend. Take the bloke in the mercedes for instance if he hits me I've only got a polystyrene helmet to protect me, he is belted in to a steel cage with side impact bars, airbags and all that other crap that makes him feel like he owns the road. He gets some blood on his car I get to spend the rest of my life in a chair, on a ventilator or pushing up the daisies.
This is why 9 times out of 10 I try not to react to idiot driving, but the sheer amount of it I see makes it so hard to just dismiss it.
I can't believe that so many people are unaware that driving a car is dangerous and is something that demands your full attention. What gives you the right to to decide what road laws you follow and which ones you disregard. I understand that London is congested that sometimes tfl makes silly decision around traffic lights and the local councils put humps and bumps everywhere. Is all this bad driving a passive aggressive reaction to all the above. Do people feel that by not indicating or drinking a milkshake at the wheel they're sticking two fingers up at Ken Livingstone and his congestion charge?
I'm not a perfect cyclist by all means I make mistakes on the road, I'd like to think that I'm able to make mistakes and trust that other drivers are on the ball enough to avert accidents. How can I trust this to happen when some drivers aren't?
I'm currently making moves to get a driving licence and I'm scared that I'll forget what it's like to be cycling in the rain and I'll turn into a monster behind the wheel. I'd like to think this won't happen to me.
Cars are great but remember to think about others and show the respect that is due to all life.
posted by big-gig at 9:51 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home