so I've just left the office and crossed over the road. I'm right in front of the tube station. very busy there. loads of people leaving work, wanting to get home on the underground. people coming out of the station, too. there's a gig on around the corner. lots of people around for that. there are those fellers handing out the free newspapers. the pavement is packed. it's a thursday night but it's like a saturday afternoon. I'm on the phone to my mum as I'm walking along. anyway, I hear this voice. "excuse me, excuse me." very strident. sounds annoyed. so I look up and there's this bloke. middle aged. definitely older than me. shirt and tie. so a white collar job. professional. he's looking pissed off because no one is getting out of his way fast enough. and he's on A FUCKING BICYCLE. on a BUSY PAVEMENT. and the fucking guy is wearing a CRASH HELMET. he's ringing his little bell. ding ding. well, if I hadn't been on the phone I would've been like "ding ding? I'll fucking ding ding you, mate." RIDING A BICYCLE? ON THE PAVEMENT? WHEN IT'S BUSY? A GROWN MAN? EXCUSE ME? EXCUSE ME? DING FUCKING DING?
As things go I would ask what do you expect? I worked in London for years and all the accidents I saw, or accidents I had were with people on Bicycles riding on the side walk, who complain when you don't get out of their way.
ReplyDeleteFunniest thing I ever saw was an idiot on a bicycle get cut up by a cabbie, everyone on the sidewalk laughed at him, he didn't like it.
Bring on Zero tolerance, which means the police, when actually out and about, should stop them and explain to them that they should be on the road, and while they are at it, Red lights do apply to them as well.
One of the, it will never happen things which we all wish for.
i can relate. i think in berlin there's a much greater chance getting killed by a bike than a car.
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