Box of Hats and Wigs |
Hello. I'm Jonathan Cresswell. I used to blog here daily, but that fell through and now I store bits and pieces on here. I'm a journalist/web designer/madman. Read my actual blog or find out more about me on my website. I also tweet. |
I am convinced that cyclists hate me. This is entirely an irrational thought, but every time I’m walking around Lincoln and one passes me by I get the feeling they despise me. This is probably because in reverse, for no reason whatsoever, I hate them.
It’s possibly an inferiority complex. Look at those BASTARDS, look at them moving at a faster speed, yet not using petrol and being environmentally unfriendly. Maybe it’s a thing about arrogance, its all “oh, look at me, I’m on a BIKE.” That’s how they all sound in my head. Maybe it’s as David Cameron is like that.
Then there’s the whole attitude of them on the road. Red lights mean nothing to them. Not just on the road, but on their special cycle lanes. There’s perfectly good reasons and law allowing them to cycle on the road, pavement AND their paths but again I hate them for it. Picking and choosing as they like.
The problem with cycle lanes is also that they’re not really clearly marked… for that reason, and not just due to my own ignorance, there have been a good few occasions that I’ve had to jump out the way of a cyclist riding past me. Painting a white line half way down a pavement many years ago isn’t the best solution.
Germany does this a lot better. Like many places in the country, Cologne is a city of cyclists. Although they insist on making the signs on toilet doors as abstract as possible (the weirdest being diagrams of male and females in a meat-cutting style), they’ve got the cycle lane thing perfect. The pavements are over twice the width, and the cycle half of it is clearly marked through the use of red bricks outlined in white. You can see them well and the cyclists will actually ring their bell to warn you to get out the way unlike the “assume you will” status they take in the UK.
This however does lead to a minor problem. When you’ve been out drinking, as I did every night on the trip, a red road outlined in white is irresistible. Drawing you in, follow the red brick road… that’s right, walk on me and you’ll get back to the hotel with ea- SHIT THERE’S A BIKE JUMP OUT THE WAY.
Still, if pretty girls on bikes is your thing, best get the next flight out to Cologne. Try the local beer while you’re out there, Kolsch is amazing.
…sorry, was I supposed to talk about cycling? Beer’s more interesting. Mm, Kolsch.
