gareth_rees ([info]gareth_rees) wrote,
@ 2005-08-18 23:32:00
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No good deed goes unrewarded
I was cycling home at about 23:00 when I noticed that some joker had moved the "Road Closed" sign and some cones on Victoria Avenue so that it looked like the road was closed in both directions, instead of only northbound. I saw a southbound car reach the sign, turn around, and head back north again — a route which ended up sending them the wrong way round Mitcham's Corner. Luckily no-one was hurt.

So I moved the sign and the traffic cones.

A couple of minutes later a car drove up behind me as I waited at the Milton Road — Arbury Road crossroads. The passenger had a loudspeaker, which he used say to me, "Do you have MOT? I bet you don't. Do you have insurance? I think not. So get out of the road, you wanker."

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[info]gareth_rees
2005-08-18 11:33 pm UTC (link)
I should add that I almost approve of the loudspeaker. Occupants of motor vehicles often shout things as they drive past — presumably along similar lines to the above — but I usually can't tell what they are saying: the wind carries their voices away. So the loudspeaker is an improvement insofar as I get to record their witticisms for posterity.

One thing I am not sure of is whether people who shout out of car windows at cyclists really believe what they appear to be saying — that payment of tax, insurance etc entitles them to use of the road — or whether they know better really but just like to pretend to be ignorant. If you are a car-window-shouter I would be grateful if you could enlighten me.

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[info]_lj_sucks_
2005-08-19 06:00 pm UTC (link)
My experience is that many car owners actually believe that the tax on cars covers the cost of roads. You'll see them post to Slashdot saying so all the time.

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[info]chard
2005-08-20 03:56 pm UTC (link)
I wonder if MOT and road tax even cover the cost of treating all the people injured by motorists.

Hmm… I wonder by what factor the economic advantage generated by private cars outweighs the cost in human life.

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[info]bookly
2005-08-19 12:06 am UTC (link)
MOT? Isn't that for emissions? I shouldn't think that would be necessary. Insurance, on the other hand, might be useful, especially if one rides like me. :)

I assume that they just pretend to be ignorant so they can say something 'witty'.

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[info]marhol
2005-08-19 06:45 pm UTC (link)
A loudspeaker is like a megaphone?

By observation verbal violence is pretty common at a certain age - and then people grow out of it.

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[info]nickbarnes
2005-08-19 09:51 pm UTC (link)
Well, I haven't grown out of it yet. But I only do it on my bike. I consider it cheaper and more expressive than an air horn (if somewhat quieter).

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