You shouldn’t be on the Pavement

My bike is my main mode of transport. Closely followed by my legs, taxi’s, buses and as a passenger in my girlfriend’s car (I do have a license to drive, but I”m out of practice, scared of driving and feel eviro guilt).

I cycle to work every day, and back again. I normally adhere to the rules of the road, and occasionally use the pavement as a means to get somewhere safer (than I would on the road) or if I’m particularly tired, or it’s dark and I have no lights.

This morning on the way in I came to point in my journey where I slip onto a busier road – this morning was chocka, with a long bendy bus holding up proceedings, too many cars too close to the kerbside, so I decided to hop up onto the pavement until I got further down the road. The pavement was clear, aside from one or two commuters and the man who gives away the free tabloid newspaper by the traffic lights. I came to two women, probably younger than myself and slowed down and walked the bike with my feet on the ground, as I normally do to avoid seeming to impatient and a bike bully. In the heirachy of my transport world, I have utmost respect for pedestrians, as opposed to not much for drivers on the whole (of course if I’m in the car, that changes). I was shunting along behind these girls, and one said to the other “oop, watch out” – they sidestepped and I passed with a “Sorry” and “thankyou”. The ‘friend’ came out with
“Well you shouldn’t be on the pavement anyway”.

I wanted to retort “Well, you shouldn’t be allowed outside you ugly bitch”.
I didn’t, and apologetically said “but look how busy it is, I don’t want to die”.
She said something else inaudible, then in a rage of early morning-no coffee just started ramble swearing as I do with a multitudes of go fuck yourself you fucking stupid fuck. I don’t think she heard, but it really put a pisser on my morning. The sun was shining, I was getting some excercise on my bike – lovely! Then a pedestrain, one of my non-combustion brethren pees on my parade. Damn.