Monday, April 24, 2006

Bike Rage

I am suffering Blog-lag: this should have been Friday's post but work and an early finish to leave for Italy got in the way.

Twice on Thursday I had to shout at motorists, once on the way in and once on the way home. Both for the exact same manoeuvre: stopped at lights, lights change to green and off they go, *as* they turn the corner they put their indicator on. As a cyclist on their inside this makes for an exciting moment or two.

FLAME ON *
What is the point of that! They are supposed to signal BEFORE the manoeuvre not AFTER. That is why they are called INDICATORS to INDICATE their intention BEFORE they do it so other road users can ANTICIPATE their actions and plan accordingly. Indicating to let people know what you've just done is completely bl**dy pointless. What is wrong with these plonkers?
FLAME OFF

My breathlessness while cycling limits my ability to indulge in a burst of Shavian wit so I confine myself to simple statement of fact. "You're supposed so to signal before you turn not after" I scream at them through the windscreen and cycle off in a cloud of righteous indignation.

* FLAME ON/OFF are rant delimiters are recommended in RFC 1855 Netiquette Guidelines

1 comment:

Rosa said...

You crack me up. I love that Flame On/Flame Off. I'll have to remember that one. Too funny. I'm glad there were no accidents involved. I once kicked at a cabby, only to have my shoe fly off and hit the car. (Thank goodness he didn't stop! hehe) The pre-hub said then I was for him (it was one of our first dates!). Nothing like making an impression. Perhaps you should find some Gawd-awful spikes for those wheels, just in case another "plonker" pulls the same maneuver. Ya think? (James Bondish, ooh yea.) "Oh dear, your vehicle came a little too close to my spikes. I am sorry." If only we could, right.