Cycles

Various cycling incidents to report from a recent Horton Clockwise.

First, I emerged onto the sidewalk on our very own, quiet suburban (estate) road, was walking along and had turned to talk to a neighbour, when I found that two adult males - maybe between thirty and forty - in smart casual clothes were coming up behind me, on cycles, on the same sidewalk. No bells or alarms that I was aware of. No excuse for being on the sidewalk that I could - or can - think of. I stepped aside without thinking to bellow or block.

Second, on Horton Lane, we had a rather older cyclist, fully hatted and lycra'd, pedaling fast south, while his head and eyes appeared to be fully engaged, eyes down, by whatever it was he had up on his mobile phone, held for the purpose with his left hand.

Third, on Chessington Road (Ewell), we had a teenager showing off his skill at cycling with his front wheel well up and off the ground. He appeared to be more or less under control, and the road was quiet but he was weaving about a bit. A bit awkward for any motorist in the vicinity - who stood every chance of being blamed if said cyclist lost control and swerved under his wheels.

All in all a good illustration of the poor cycling manners - and lack of concern for others - that the present fad for cycles has brought out.

And then on Longmead Road we had another teenager - quite possibly from the sort of family the Guardian would call poor white and quite possibly not having had the benefit of a proper unbringing - who thought it was cool to tear up and down on a motorcycle which sounded as if it had been tuned up to make as much noise, stink and smoke as possible. A pain, but then I thought that he was that hopeless that this was the best sort of strutting that he could manage - and young males do need to strut, even in the best of families. Not up, for example, for cheering along his football team in TB, never mind actually playing the game.