I normally stop off at Castlefeild Basin for a quick drink on the way to work as it is about half way there. Last night I was enraged by Richard and Judy's piece on cycling on their not very entertaining evening magazine show.It is not enough that we cyclists run a daily gauntlet of motorists, pedestrians and Busses, but we also get constantly get attacked in the media as being "Lycra Facists" with no respect for human life. In al my years cycling I have never encountered a "Lycra fascist" and would spit in their eye if I did.
OK I admit to occasionaly running a red light and mounting the pavement but there is a reason for this and that is normally my own self preservation. How would you like to share your journey home with a bunch of double Decker busses, driven by borderline psychopath? Well that is what cyclists have to deal with everyday.
I also admit to shouting abuse it other road users, but only in cases where I have felt my life to be endangered, and I am not really in a fit frame of mind for rational discourse with all that adrenaline pumping through me.
In my time as a cyclist I have been cut up, deliberately forced off the road, hit a pedestrian who stepped out in front of me at 20mph which resulted in a really bad case of bursitis, and had abuse thrown at me by motorists for absolutely no reason. All of these things tend to leave you unhinged and also contribute to a general lack of rational frame of mind.
Myself and most other cyclists do not break the highway code more than most motorists and we have an equal right to be on the road, all that we ask for is a little consideration. Remember that we are the most vunrable road user and should be treated as such.
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