This is going to sound contentious. It isn't, but in all honestly I just don't get it.
Let me start by saying I'm all for sustainability, green and recycling stuff but what I saw last week was beyond the pale. Cycling is not the same as recycling. I can see how it helps the environment to a certain extent, but breathing all those fumes is not helping the human race.
Don't get me wrong. I love a bike. I finally bought my Pashley Princess from a lady on eBay. She'd bought it so that she could ride up to the City to her job. She'd done it for a month, but felt it was far too dangerous especially since she'd become a mother, she'd fallen off when another cyclist cut her up and she lost her front tooth. She now takes an Uber.
I pop up to the shops when I can't get the car out or I fancy a ride around the block...for pleasure. I ride on the pavement. Slowly. The potholes round my way are seriously massive. If I lived in London, I'd often thought I'd have a bike. I'd forgo the trials of the tube and the buses and do my green bit by cycling....yeah, right!
I've not been up and about during in rush hour in London for donkey's years, but on a couple of occasions recently I was invited to take part in an exhibition (to sell my wares, if you must know) and the other had me leave at the crack of sparrows to reach my destination in central London by train.
On the journey by train I was surprised to see that many of the commuters were dressed in an unusual manner. Some, of course were dressed in their suits, ties and office attire, but quite a few were dressed in stuff that I hadn't seen before and I wondered where they were going and what they were doing.
Was this a new fashion for people of a certain age? How come I didn't know anything about it? Had I been in the "Burbs" too long?
A chap of about 45 sat opposite me, fast asleep. It was unusual. He was wearing 3/4 length trousers, socks up to his knees, a bright yellow top and trainers with a rucksack and a cross body bag. Then on the other side of me sat another bloke. About 30, wearing baggy shorts, layered t shirts...and looked like he needed a bit of a wash. In fact all of them looked a bit grubby. They weren't the only ones in this odd attire. Plenty of women and men all dressed like they were about to embark on a competition of some kind. I wondered for a moment whether perhaps they were couriers. Before we reached Marylebone, they all jumped up and ran for the doors. When they opened..and they were off! I followed one straggler, still puzzling over this new dress form. Lycra and over shorts, thin hoodies and teeshirts. Weird for a Thursday morning rush hour.
It didn't occur to me that these fetish dressers were actually....cyclists! As I left the platform, I realised that the racks and racks in front of me were actually not an art installation but bikes. Hundreds of them.
Leaving the station, pedal power took to the streets. Commuters on foot jumped out of their way as the cyclists surged forward en masse trying to jostle for their space on the highway, completely ignoring the zebra crossing that the uprights were trying to cross. No sooner had I placed a foot on the crossing when a shout and an arm pulled me back to the relative safety of the pavement.
"Need to keep your wits about you, love" said my fellow commuter.
My wit had deserted me a long with my wits.
What I saw on my drive the following week had me clutching the edge of my seat, yelping in fear and exclaiming and alternating every five seconds with "Why?" "Who the feck would do this?""Mind!" and "Christ almighty!!".
My driver, after I screamed "Oh my god" on the first occasion, jumped and shouted "What?" He'd been silently thinking this was an easy drive for a change but that all changed as soon as we hit Earls Court.....
itwaslikethefuckintourdefrance
I have never seen anything like it in all my life...and I was raised in central London.
Why the hell would you put yourself through all that?
We drove along the embankment and scores and scores of riders were peddling furiously along the road all vying for the advantage, taking risks, jumping lights, riding the pavement, pulling out in front of drivers, shouting at each other, shouting at pedestrians .
OMFG
I have never seen anything like it. And a complete disregard for their own safety Although all but one wore a helmet.
The occasional one was on a Boris Bike In a suit and/or heels, hair blowing in the wind. My guess is that they were late for work and rented the bike in lieu of a taxi. My driver warned me "If you see a Suit on a Boris Bike...steer clear. They've no idea what they're doing"
I was entranced, bewildered, shocked, and a little bit scared.
So what happens next? Do they get to their relative offices, change into their suits and start their days? Do they bring with them a clean shirt? Do they have to have a lie down at some point after all that stress? Where do they put their bikes?
I know cycling is dangerous. I've read and seen enough news reports to know that quite a few have lost their lives. Deaths are relatively low so when you consider that over 610,000 cycle daily in London, 13 or 14 deaths each year is astounding. Apparently, last year was the lowest on record...but a lot lost their teeth. I'm not certain whether due to a fall or a fight. So maybe it's not as dangerous as they all make out.
Who knows?
I still don't get it though.
Let me start by saying I'm all for sustainability, green and recycling stuff but what I saw last week was beyond the pale. Cycling is not the same as recycling. I can see how it helps the environment to a certain extent, but breathing all those fumes is not helping the human race.
Don't get me wrong. I love a bike. I finally bought my Pashley Princess from a lady on eBay. She'd bought it so that she could ride up to the City to her job. She'd done it for a month, but felt it was far too dangerous especially since she'd become a mother, she'd fallen off when another cyclist cut her up and she lost her front tooth. She now takes an Uber.
I pop up to the shops when I can't get the car out or I fancy a ride around the block...for pleasure. I ride on the pavement. Slowly. The potholes round my way are seriously massive. If I lived in London, I'd often thought I'd have a bike. I'd forgo the trials of the tube and the buses and do my green bit by cycling....yeah, right!
I've not been up and about during in rush hour in London for donkey's years, but on a couple of occasions recently I was invited to take part in an exhibition (to sell my wares, if you must know) and the other had me leave at the crack of sparrows to reach my destination in central London by train.
On the journey by train I was surprised to see that many of the commuters were dressed in an unusual manner. Some, of course were dressed in their suits, ties and office attire, but quite a few were dressed in stuff that I hadn't seen before and I wondered where they were going and what they were doing.
Was this a new fashion for people of a certain age? How come I didn't know anything about it? Had I been in the "Burbs" too long?
A chap of about 45 sat opposite me, fast asleep. It was unusual. He was wearing 3/4 length trousers, socks up to his knees, a bright yellow top and trainers with a rucksack and a cross body bag. Then on the other side of me sat another bloke. About 30, wearing baggy shorts, layered t shirts...and looked like he needed a bit of a wash. In fact all of them looked a bit grubby. They weren't the only ones in this odd attire. Plenty of women and men all dressed like they were about to embark on a competition of some kind. I wondered for a moment whether perhaps they were couriers. Before we reached Marylebone, they all jumped up and ran for the doors. When they opened..and they were off! I followed one straggler, still puzzling over this new dress form. Lycra and over shorts, thin hoodies and teeshirts. Weird for a Thursday morning rush hour.
It didn't occur to me that these fetish dressers were actually....cyclists! As I left the platform, I realised that the racks and racks in front of me were actually not an art installation but bikes. Hundreds of them.
Leaving the station, pedal power took to the streets. Commuters on foot jumped out of their way as the cyclists surged forward en masse trying to jostle for their space on the highway, completely ignoring the zebra crossing that the uprights were trying to cross. No sooner had I placed a foot on the crossing when a shout and an arm pulled me back to the relative safety of the pavement.
"Need to keep your wits about you, love" said my fellow commuter.
My wit had deserted me a long with my wits.
What I saw on my drive the following week had me clutching the edge of my seat, yelping in fear and exclaiming and alternating every five seconds with "Why?" "Who the feck would do this?""Mind!" and "Christ almighty!!".
My driver, after I screamed "Oh my god" on the first occasion, jumped and shouted "What?" He'd been silently thinking this was an easy drive for a change but that all changed as soon as we hit Earls Court.....
itwaslikethefuckintourdefrance
I have never seen anything like it in all my life...and I was raised in central London.
Why the hell would you put yourself through all that?
We drove along the embankment and scores and scores of riders were peddling furiously along the road all vying for the advantage, taking risks, jumping lights, riding the pavement, pulling out in front of drivers, shouting at each other, shouting at pedestrians .
OMFG
I have never seen anything like it. And a complete disregard for their own safety Although all but one wore a helmet.
The occasional one was on a Boris Bike In a suit and/or heels, hair blowing in the wind. My guess is that they were late for work and rented the bike in lieu of a taxi. My driver warned me "If you see a Suit on a Boris Bike...steer clear. They've no idea what they're doing"
I was entranced, bewildered, shocked, and a little bit scared.
So what happens next? Do they get to their relative offices, change into their suits and start their days? Do they bring with them a clean shirt? Do they have to have a lie down at some point after all that stress? Where do they put their bikes?
I know cycling is dangerous. I've read and seen enough news reports to know that quite a few have lost their lives. Deaths are relatively low so when you consider that over 610,000 cycle daily in London, 13 or 14 deaths each year is astounding. Apparently, last year was the lowest on record...but a lot lost their teeth. I'm not certain whether due to a fall or a fight. So maybe it's not as dangerous as they all make out.
Who knows?
I still don't get it though.
I get where you're coming from. They're talking about licensing cyclists so that they're able to track them for future digressions. About time, I think!
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