Choosing an appropriately pun-tastic name now appears to be
an essential part of blogging. Fortunately I’ve had a bit of time to think up a
good one for Dr Buckney, unfortunately this means my cycle training plans have
been somewhat curtailed. This week I’m in Tenerife and the plan was to do a
week of hard cycling, up Tiede with my friend John, well I usually crawl, John
speeds off like a man possessed. There is supposed to be some running and open
water (sea) swimming and mocking John for not being able to get into the
“freezing water”. Unfortunately for me two days before I left I got knocked off
my bike.
I commute into work by bike every day, and while I try not to get complacent, I’ve sussed where most of the shitty junctions are on my route. I could fill an entire blog with my general distaste for piss-poor driving in Bristol, but I hold a particular disregard for the driving of many of the cities taxi drivers. I hate generalising, as I know not all cyclists ride on the pavement and jump red lights, and in the same way not ALL taxi drivers are dangerous, but far too often on my commute into work, I see taxi being driven at best carelessly and often dangerously. Given these people are “professional” drivers, I think many of them should check to see if they actually demonstrate any of that professionalism.
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Taxi drivers aka cockwombles
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I commute into work by bike every day, and while I try not to get complacent, I’ve sussed where most of the shitty junctions are on my route. I could fill an entire blog with my general distaste for piss-poor driving in Bristol, but I hold a particular disregard for the driving of many of the cities taxi drivers. I hate generalising, as I know not all cyclists ride on the pavement and jump red lights, and in the same way not ALL taxi drivers are dangerous, but far too often on my commute into work, I see taxi being driven at best carelessly and often dangerously. Given these people are “professional” drivers, I think many of them should check to see if they actually demonstrate any of that professionalism.
One of the many particularly shite bits of road to cycle
near is the corner of station approach outside Temple Meads station, and
unfortunately this is where I got knocked off. A taxi driver tried to partially
overtake me then immediately turned left as I was still halfway along his car,
with no warning and with nowhere to go I hit the left side of his car and subsequently
hit the deck. He drove off, I guess he couldn’t possibly inconvenience his
paying customers, and only came back because a witness went and took a photo of
his licence plate…. Fortunately I walked away with what I hope are some
temporary cuts, bruising and stiffness. He
admitted that he didn’t check his mirrors and that it was all his fault. Brilliant, but surely if he tried to overtake
me he must have known I was there….?!?!
Anyway, I got interviewed by the police and they suggested it was “Careless”
but who knows if they will actually do anything. I have to say a big thanks to the staff at
Temple Meads, they were brilliant and Tim and Neil for getting me and my bike
home.
Anyway, I’m sore, my bike is sore too, but there is nothing
I can do about it now. I got told not to do any strenuous activity for two
weeks by the doctors at the minor injuries unit so I should officially sit on
my bum all week. Hopefully a bit of sunshine will do me good regardless of the
amount of cycling I can actually do. First race is April 17th –
Burnham-on-Sea super sprint. Let’s hope things are back to normal by then!
