Cycle of Life...
Great start to the day...I take the mutt out and as we are walking towards the end of the road I see a cyclist haring along the pavement towards the road junction. I'm thinking "She's not going to brake in time " and I'm considering pulling muttley into safety when the cyclist shoots straight off the pavement and into the car turning right. Car goes ahead, bike goes one way and the cyclist flies off in another direction. Before I can say a word she is up, swearing, shouting and jumping up and down. It's obvious she is on something as she continues her tantrum in the middle of the road. I move her bike and suggest she come onto the pavement before another car hits her. The car driver joins us and I state to the woman "You didn't stop and look...you went straight across". She stops the effing and blinding, looks at us both and says, "It's my fault, I didn't look...I've gotta go". That's when I realise she is not 'on something' but is on her way to buy her next hit as she is desperate to get away and get sorted. At this point I left her and the driver to sort it out as she wasn't injured although the driver may need some time to recover from his shock. The junction itself was altered last year because of problems with the traffic and pedestrians. It is now easier for pedestrians to use but the majority of problems now appear to be lack of common sense, like the above incident. In her case she didn't think whereas the moron who thought it would be funny to saunter across the same junction a few weeks back as cars turned in...plain stupidity. The driver didn't stop and the moron had to move very quickly. Similarly, the two middle-aged blokes who wandered out across the main road despite the lights being green and then abused a driver who had to screech to a halt...He then pulled over and got out to discuss their differences further. It's not often that you see middle-aged men move that quickly...entertaining for the rest of us, but these people value their lives so cheaply.Stupid!
I can remember an incident some years back when I was out training on my bike in London and I spotted another cyclist out training. Being young and male, the adrenaline and testosterone was obviously raging and we started racing each other through the streets of North London. The inevitable happened and at Highbury Corner our wheels touched and we both went flying. Cuts, bruises and damaged egos as a result of our stupidity as well as damaged bikes. We were both lucky really because I know of two friends killed in London whilst out cycling, both the fault of car drivers. It's bad enough competing for roadspace with cagers without acting stupid ourselves.I'd like to say that was the only accident I had but there were several others, although they were the fault of car drivers except for the one where my brakes failed going down Highgate West Hill. Steep and busy...luckily on that occasion I found a hedge to aim into. Still a painful way to stop but no broken limbs that time. As I am slowly returning to cycling I do have one problem. How do I take the mutt along? I walk her which gives me some exercise but there are days when I will not have time to do both. I could buy one of those child trailers and put her in it.
A quick trawl of t'internet and I find this...
Or I could use something like this one although I'm not too sure about shoving her into a little plastic box.
There is the cheaper option to begin with which is a lead you attach to the bike via a short bar....
Hmmm....I am not too sure about traffic and an excitable dog attached to my bike. Especially if she spots another dog or cat and decides on a change of direction. Training would be needed at quiet times around Sainsbury's car park. We would both benefit from the exercise and a trailer could be useful for longer trips.
I also found this site and it could be worth pursuing some time in the future when I have a few cycling miles under my belt and I can contemplate cycling to and from work without collapsing in a sweaty heap after 3 miles or more of cycling. Something worth considering...
TTFN.
I can remember an incident some years back when I was out training on my bike in London and I spotted another cyclist out training. Being young and male, the adrenaline and testosterone was obviously raging and we started racing each other through the streets of North London. The inevitable happened and at Highbury Corner our wheels touched and we both went flying. Cuts, bruises and damaged egos as a result of our stupidity as well as damaged bikes. We were both lucky really because I know of two friends killed in London whilst out cycling, both the fault of car drivers. It's bad enough competing for roadspace with cagers without acting stupid ourselves.I'd like to say that was the only accident I had but there were several others, although they were the fault of car drivers except for the one where my brakes failed going down Highgate West Hill. Steep and busy...luckily on that occasion I found a hedge to aim into. Still a painful way to stop but no broken limbs that time. As I am slowly returning to cycling I do have one problem. How do I take the mutt along? I walk her which gives me some exercise but there are days when I will not have time to do both. I could buy one of those child trailers and put her in it.
A quick trawl of t'internet and I find this...
Or I could use something like this one although I'm not too sure about shoving her into a little plastic box.
There is the cheaper option to begin with which is a lead you attach to the bike via a short bar....
Hmmm....I am not too sure about traffic and an excitable dog attached to my bike. Especially if she spots another dog or cat and decides on a change of direction. Training would be needed at quiet times around Sainsbury's car park. We would both benefit from the exercise and a trailer could be useful for longer trips.
I also found this site and it could be worth pursuing some time in the future when I have a few cycling miles under my belt and I can contemplate cycling to and from work without collapsing in a sweaty heap after 3 miles or more of cycling. Something worth considering...
TTFN.
posted by delcatto at 6:56 pm
2 Comments:
As a postman, my other half regularly tells stories of thoughtless drivers who have pulled in or out without looking or opened their car door into his path. I think the answer is not to cycle (one of my many excuses!). On the other hand, I often feel annoyed by stupid cyclists who ride without lights when it's dark.
Unless your dog can do this I think the trailer might be a good idea. At least then you can put her in the trailer when the traffic is busy and then let her out when you are in a suitable place.
Having discussed it with my other half who fell about laughing at my suggestion of a dog in a trailer, she agrees with the trailer.
Mind you, she threatens the mutt with 'Hotel Hara' when she's done something wrong.
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