Oh, those cyclists...
I’m afraid that after today’s observations, a rather strong group of inhabitants will want to beat me to death with cyclo-clubs, but since I’m a big boy and I’m not only not ashamed of my opinions, but I’m not even afraid to present them (except for direct criticism of the breadwinner) – I’ll put my neck on the block voluntarily…
I mean = feel free to blame me, but after six months of living mostly on the road, I would love to propose a restriction for „cyclists“ in the same way as the „Segway“ is restricted and from a certain age I would ban cycling altogether!
Does that seem far-fetched to you? Maybe…but – situation = -13deg. Celsius, icy wind blowing, where it physically hurts to be outside. Doctors basically advise the elderly and children not to be outside at all, and I’m scrambling with the bus over the „old bridge“ behind grandfather trying to get „perpendicular“ to the former Savoy. The amplitude of his cadence – in the vernacular = spinning like the wind in a bandasque – is so great from side to side that I dare not overtake him. Nota bene, according to the regulations, I can only overtake a stationary obstacle on a bridge (still with a full line), but he (with a little patience and a moment’s observation compared to a stationary bridge) is still moving slightly and imperceptibly… I drive that way for perhaps ten minutes = horror!!! What else can I do? If I honk, he falls under my wheels = he still wouldn’t understand and get off…
Could you please explain to me = where is this gentleman going and why is he cycling??? Does he want to save money? Not to be a nuisance? Or another example – even on the same day, but a little later, so it was „only“ minus nine = grandmother on a bike, almost empty tires, rear wheel eight = while riding I have the feeling that she is dancing a samba (well – more like lambada – or lambaba?)… I follow her from the Benesova stop almost to Výfuk, oh my…
I understand that the first objection you might think of is = you’ll be old too! Yes, I will be (it’s the only way to live to an old age) – in the mornings I sometimes think I already am 😀 But I don’t ride my bike anymore = I don’t know where I would go – for a beer? For one thing, nothing has worked there for a while and for another, I might lose my papers too, right? 😉 And for pleasure I prefer to go to the forest and alone – than to hang around on a crowded cycle path = but that’s my problem, I admit…I don’t force it on anyone and I respect that someone enjoys it = but I’m talking about road users = I wouldn’t ride a bike there for a million!!! Not to mention that I’ve experienced X times old people cycling in front of a bus across a pedestrian crossing = horror! Or cycling on the big roundabout at „Unity“ = unbelievable!!!
Solution? There probably isn’t an easy or quick one, but how about we ask those grandmas and grandpas of ours if they need a ride somewhere (in the freezing cold) or something to bring them? Throwing away their valves probably wouldn’t help anyway, would it? 😉