Happy Birthday, David, if you happen to read this.
As the week progressed it became clear that the arctic weather wasn't going away. I managed to cycle in to work every day this week, even putting in a few extra miles. Competition is stiff in the SC Stats - and I was determined to reach the Top 5. I'd been in the Top 10 briefly last year, but my cycling suffered badly in the early part of the year through lack of fitness, and ill health. but I've put all that behind me now and am determined to cycle over 7,000 miles this year (less than 5,000 in 2009) and to be in Top 5 all year.
Cycling in icy conditions can be exhausting and stressful. It's cycling home in the dark that's worst. Poor visibility means that ice on the road is hard to see - I've slipped a few times, though managed to maintain my balance. And motorists have gone completely mad. How many times have vehicles pulled in front of me at almost zero stopping distance across give way lines? I've lost count. It's happened several times, every time I go out. This evening I really lost it with a van driver who had stopped halfway across the road, seemingly waiting for me to pass, and then suddenly pulling out in front of me when i was inches away. I lost it with him - I screamed obscenities at him, and he stopped in front of me waiting - for what? I wasn;t sure, so I stopped behind him and waited until he finally moved. then i lost it again with a motorist who did exactly the same in Welling - I stopped in front of him and screamed that I had done nothing wrong and what the FUCK did he think he was doing having a go at me? then I really lost it, and vocabulary went out of the window. I said "Fuck you! Fuck you!" Then I paused and thought I can't say fuck you again, but couldn't think f anything else so shouted "fuck you!" after that I thought it had a strange kind of poetry of its own. everyone in the street was looking at me by then. I took off and went into Morrisson's for some Belgian beer.
I've been snowballed by local yoofs quite a bit too. It seems that cyclists are sitting targets...almost. The first lot missed me completely - hitting a moving target is more difficult than it looks. I was also missed by a load of yoofs in Woolich who were targeting me from a high vantage point, and all missed too. I did get hit though on another occasion - on the arm and on my back - and it's a bit annoying if you've cycled 12 miles and managed to stay dry and warm and then a bunch of kids fuck it up for you so near the end of your journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment