Almost Getting Run Over
While cycling to work this morning I was almost hit by a car. I was busy cycling along, minding my own business, and about to pass a junction. A car approaching me on the opposite side of the road decided that his need to turn into the junction was far more important than my continued existence, so started out by driving across the road directly at me – causing me to skid to a halt – before turning violently into the side-road on the wrong side of the road. The best bit? As he did so, he made a hand signal to me that I'm not entirely sure about – showing me the back of his hand, and pointing his fingers in the direction he was going. He stared at me as he swept past my front wheel.
Where do these people come from? How have they managed to survive as long as they have? Is it any wonder that I ride so incredibly defensively with people like that on the road? After it happened, it struck me that I really should put the camera back on my helmet, and start recording. Of course it's not every day that some ass-hat tries to kill me, but it feels like it sometimes.
It's not just other motorists either – pedestrians are an absolute menace in the center of town – mostly because they cross side-roads while glued to their damn mobile phones. If you're approaching a side road, signalling to turn on a bicycle, you can usually guess that people are not going to check back over their shoulder before stepping into the road. The really madenning ones are the parents with push-chairs, who push the child into the road before checking for oncoming traffic. How? Why?
I didn't mean for this post to become a rant about everybody and everything. It just sort of happened.
In other news, I just watched the US beat England in the World Cup. Fair play – they were the better team. There was one moment that kind of ruined it for me though – when Millie Bright fouled one of the US players late in the game, several of the US players ran towards the referee, gesticulating for the referee to show her a yellow card. As far as I have seen, it's the first time in the entire tournament that anybody has done that – and it's kind of disheartening. The women's game is SO much better than the mens because that sort of thing DOESN'T happen. There is usually no play acting, no cheating, no simulation, no dissent – the players generally just get on with playing the game.
I didn't really watch the game very closely – I spent most of the time talking to friends, and tending a fire to make our friend's children toasted marshmallows. There were worries for a few minutes that the fire might set light to the trees above, but I was only burning kindling and it died down after a minute or two. I didn't eat any marshmallows myself – I don't actually like them very much.
Anyway. Time to head to bed I guess. Another day of software development to come. Another day trudging up an impossibly steep and long mental hill. I need a holiday.