Tuesday 22 February 2011

F.R.I.day

Last tuesday wasn't great, on my ay home approaching kearsley roundabout (bit 2 lane job) there's a rescue van parked on the approach so I go round him and take primary in the left lane, queue of cars in the right, just as I'm about to enter the roundabout I hear a car behind, I enter roundabout and hold my lane, after being behind me for a whole 2 seconds driver gets arsey beeps and guns engine and over takes, immediately has to stop before exiting roundabout due to traffic backing up. Passing on his left I ask him what his problem is, he seems to have plenty to say so I move round to his side.
Him: Windowdown shouts something unintelligible windowup
Me: What?

Him: Windowdown "you were in the middle of the road" windowup
Me: I was in my lane, where should I be then?
Him: Windowdown "at the side, out of the way" windowup
I'm left gasping like a grounded fish, unable to articulate the full strength of my feelings on this little exchange without degenerating into expletives, and more than a little peeved with all the window business. I figure I'm onto a loser with this ignoramus cut my losses and move on. As I set off the traffic starts to move, he guns the engine again starts to accelerate with me inches form him, worried about the car glancing me and knocking me over (and I wanted this nob to stop) I lean into the car, as his wingmirror gets knocked back he gets the message and stops, windowdown "IDIOT" windowup, GRRR! I try again, set off get into lane infront of him only to hear him gunning the engine again, afraid he'll try to give me "a little tap" with his 1.5tonne merc I turn and shout at him (stop or no, cant remember) and the Fat Repugnant Ignoramus finally backs off the go pedal. Adrenaline has well and truly spiked now, I want to absolutley nail it all the way home but reign it in a little, I immediately lose FRI due to traffic but I'm keeping a close eye out for him all the way but thankfully no sign.
Got home pretty depressed, some tossers just don't see that cyclists are a good thing. If half or even a quarter of the drivers in front of FRI switched to bikes his journey would be a breeze (plus all the subsidiary benefits to society that FRI probably doesn't care about), of course he'd have to drive attentivley, but newsflash he's supposed to be doing that now. The dismissive if not outright hostile attitude to 2 wheels was what really got to me, plus the subsequent crash from the adrenaline high won't be helping. To cheer me up I made myself a bacon butty and then go out on an xc ride away from nasty car drivers. So quite why I suggested me and Johnnie went over to the nab leaving me with a 12mile road ride home (on a singlespeed) is a bit beyond me, but it sorted my head out. Rivi was damp but not too bad, lead mines beat me, just too muddy and cut up, wrong line etc, excuses excuses. I had meant to go up chorley old road and down barrow bridge but as soon as the road started to rise I realised my legs were shot so spun home on the flat.

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