Friday 5 October 2012

I.N.M.F.P.

"Get off the road" and "get a car, pay your way" is what I keep hearing from 'advancing' motorists.

But what comes out of their foul mouths we all know too well by now. It's mostly uninformed crap, lobotomised filth from brain dead robots. Memed statements that society approves as society does not even recognise it's demonising, radicalising, mariginalising, victimising a minority group.

Discrimination against cyclists on UK roads is booming.

And all that when cycling meets the Future Test. It complies with the Categorical Imperative. If everyone were cycling... a lot of our urban problems would simply vanish.

In reply, and to close the conversational loop...

"It's not my problem" and "get a bike" is what I keep saying to sameselves motorists.

So.

Why am I as a cyclist still asked to compensate for their bad driving? Bear their burden? It's not my problem, yet they are allowed to put my life and wellbeing at risk, with little repercussion for them. Little rebound in law and little consequence for their life.

Society allows them to get away with it.

The UK is an uncaring unfair society when it comes to looking after cyclists.

One thing the country surely isn't short of is "advice". Everyone seems to have "good" advice for me.  As someone who's cycling, I am constantly patronised to do this, that, or yet something else. All totally useless pieces of advice to me. One thing I can tell you. I am severely sick of catering and compensating for drivers' problems. Bad driving, exhaust fumes, jams.

Sick to the bottom of my little heart.

I haven't caused this.
  • why would I want to sit in a traffic jam? I haven't caused this. It's not my problem.
  • why would I want to sit behind a vehicle that's belching out exhaust fumes? It's not my problem.   
  • and why are they so angry? What's at stake?
Why are they burdening me with their problems?

It's my life versus thirty seconds of their time.

Yes, so I go on cycling, and make my own rules to avoid their problems and problems they cause. I want to stay healthy and sane and above all safe and alive, I hope you don't mind.

I am cocky, you say? Yes. I should be too. Because I am the solution, not the problem.

And now that we know that it is mostly their fault when we get hurt, I think an apology is due. Yes, by Boris J, but I want to hear it from the motoring masses, the road lobby, too. Am I asking for too much?

Cycling!
Pootling with Poodle in toon

6 comments:

  1. It all drives you nuts! But yes, it is all true! Another sad statistic: Of all the countries I've cycled, there is still only one where I have been chased down the road and where I had to sprint for my life to get into a traffic free park, you know where? Yep! Solihull, Birmingham...

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  2. Couldn't agree more, well said.

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  3. Especially as the truth is driving is heavily _subsidised_ by all of us!

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