Another site was highlighted by the Queensland based " SafeCyclingOZ " in recent days , " http://www.dearmotorist.com/ . It came as a surprise to find that " LOOK : Save a LIFE " , was the second story related amongst several stories ! Here are the Author's words :
" It’s a strange thing, being able to ride more than a hundred miles on any given day and wake up in a hospital bed- not able to perform simple tasks such as walking or going to the bathroom. Please do not ever take life for granted!! "
Not sure if i even noticed , that i hadn't seen a Notification from this source in recent weeks/months ? Wonder how many of you would comment if this blog was stagnant for a few months ?
Fact is , even though i have been blowing hard on the petition :
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ioc-chairman-thomas-bach-create-an-international-umbrella-cycling-safety-organisation
So far 11 people have decided to add their name !
Shameful , that nearly a month has passed and that is the result ?
Friday 13th December , started with me rolling late out of bed , with the knowledge that there was to be a hard frost . Thursday a Dental visit in Schwaz , resulted in a broken front tooth being removed and necesitating a return in the afternoon . When i rode back Mid Afternoon i found that the work could not be done and agreed to return Friday morning , since i had no other commitments .
Past few days with Frost on the roads has encouraged me to wear longs , ear covering and heavier gloves . With burning cheeks , the rest of me feels warm enough but the traffic has other ideas about a Cyclist being on the road on a Sunny Winter's day . Heading west on my Shopping Bike , the yellow/black Sapin , that i took to this year's Le Tour i passed through the centre of Munster . It was calm so 35+kph was a comfortable pace , but i could hear what would turn out to be a Builders Forklift/Scoop gaining on me . As he slowly passed the road was clear , but the following car decided that being alongside me was the place to be whilst they assessed the chance to pass .
The road is wide enough for two semi trailer / Coaches to pass , but not for a car to be alongside a Cycle at 35+kph . I knew that the first sign of a car would result in the car doing a right swerve to avoid any chance of a head on , so i rapped on the passenger/ right side Glass window , got the " WTF are you still there for " look , then a car appeared from along the other side of the road . Instead of dropping back the car immediately edged right , pushing me closer to the kerb . No harm done this time , but when will he be in Court , excusing himself for serious injury/death of another cyclist ?
Last weekend i saw info on a " 2 view Helmet camera ( front & rear simultaneous ) " , having emailed the Vendor , it is annoying that they don't respond in a timely way to the Format they created ! Had i had that camera attached , " Herr Dimsquat " would be browning his undies with the Polizei ! Even though i was 5+metres from the back of the Machinery , this miscreant couldn't wait to push me out of the way , looking to save HOW MANY SECONDS ? So chancing his luck in a 50kph zone , he then swung out got around the " dumpster " wearing a 40kph sticker , and was soon only an annoying incident . As the dumpster headed up the incline towards Weising , i lost the draught and then trailed him onto the main Brixlegg-Schwaz B171 road .
About a kilometre before Jenbach junction , i was tooted by a grey Opel , totally unneccesary action , but i thought about what to say when i caught up at the traffic lights , which i felt certain he could not get through in under two phases . This week the English News relayed the results of 2 english having an altercation about a " Disabled Parking Bay "! Punches exchanged resulted in a Death and the assailant copping a 5 year holiday of Her Majesty's Pleasure . Caught in the queue , the Opel driver wound down the window , when i appered alongside . His comment " It is winter , Ausgets ( get off road?)" , silly OLD fool , turned off the road 100m later , into a supermarket . Must be an Incontinent in urgent need of a toilet . Wonder if he has the courage to toot the next Cyclist he sees riding the Winter Roads ?
By the time i passed through the Jenbach intersection , the " dumpster " was a distant memory and i was alone on my side of the road . Not for long though , there was a car approaching determined to enter the 50kph zone at about 100+kph as it tried to reach the front of a convoy of vehicles sticking to under the 90kph required . Would have been tough luck for " Herr want to be Boy Racer ", if he arrived at the red light and had to wait whilst all those overtaken got a left hand turn green . Not much you can do when the oncoming vehicle is determined to break the law , a mouthful of spit on the windscreen , doesn't count for much ?
On entering Schwaz there is the usual road furniture approaching the first of two roundabouts . As i always take middle of the lane , i was not concerned about the air brakes of the following heavy truck , through the roundabout , onto the second , exiting this time i found that a car had pushed through delaying the truck , then started to try to force passage between me and the central paving . As soon as that finished he was alongside , red faced screaming at his closed window before roaring off to join the queue at the next roundabout , several seconds later . All that , for being able to demonstrate stupidity and how to waste fuel ?
The return journey was made on a quieter road , i thought ! This road is the southern of 3 roads running through several small villages . With it being just short of Mid Day , people are normally heading home for lunch . In one of these villages i was surprised to find a White Suzuki Swift rush out of a minor road on my left hand side directly into my line of travel . At about 40kph i was left with little option but to swerve towards the kerb , hitting a drain hole , which as it turned out caused a puncture and slight wheel buckle . Herr Sh#t for brains , late for lunch , didn't even notice there was other road users ? i guess he makes the same journey , each day . Next Tuesday i will be in the same area , i will arrive early and await his arrival . I am sure he will understand when i present him with 3 inner tubes .
As mentioned , a slow puncture developed and i made it to the Polizei post in Strass . Their reception area is warm and as it turned out it was just as well as i spent the better part of an hour changing tubes due to forgetting a previous problem when the sidewall was damaged . After leaving there i headed for home and in time found i had another leak . Pulled up at the side of the road and had a nice young fellow give me a ride to the door . With him being on Facebook , i am sure he will get to read the link to this post , so thanks to Florian , for the ride and speaking English to a lazy old fart .
