DOING A RICHARD*

 * Not that!

Readers the reader of the previous post might begin to think that I have problems with scooter riders.

Well, to be honest I do when they show themselves as dangerously annoying ignorant bastards but in my defence I have to say that I also have problems with cyclists who show themselves as dangerously annoying ignorant bastards. 

I learned this form of intolerance from Richard of RBB who has written squillions of posts about cyclists and how they annoy him. Here's just one of them: HERE'S JUST ONE OF THEM

This morning when driving The Old Girl to work (I'm doing this and picking her up daily until she gets her painful hip joint sorted) I turned right onto Moturoa street after allowing a female cyclist to turn left and followed her up the slight incline. While she was riding fast - fast enough for me to comment to the Old Girl that "she's a fit little rooster" the speed was still under the 50KM limit.

An 'over-eager' male cyclist behind me - very close behind me was riding furiously seeming to have something to prove. Half way up this short street, on a bend is a pedestrian crossing with pedestrians on it. I slowed and the bike rider behind me swerved around my car and rode through the walkers on the crossing narrowly missing one. I said a very rude word (but to myself as The Old Girl was in the car with me and doesn't like me saying that) and then followed him up the rest of the street to the lights at Murphy Street. The lights were red and pedestrians were about to cross. The male cyclist, now in front of me went straight through the red light and turned left. I beeped the car horn long and loud at him from my stopped position. This obviously upset him as he dropped his bike on the side of the road (which, I'm disappointed to report didn't get run over by one of the cars going down Murphy Street) and came up to our car to remonstrate.

I pointed out the red light to him and, in case he was blind which there was evidence to prove said "You went through a red light mate and nearly collected pedestrians". He, and I observed that he was an old geezer but not as old as me, huffed and puffed and castigated me for beeping at him. Needless to say we had a few words including me drawing to his attention that he'd nearly hit pedestrians on the previous crossing on Moturoa Street. It was clear that we weren't going to be pals so I didn't invite him to join this thriving blogging community. In closing he huffed off with a snarky "have a nice day" to which I rather wittily, in the 'Nui style said "fuck off you wanker". This surprisingly wasn't the end of the conversation as he then said "don't you fucking well tell me to fuck off " etc. This 'banter' might have gone on longer but traffic was building up and the lights changed to green. The old bugger got back on his bike and rode down Mulgrave Street and, true to form, went through the red light when it changed into Aitkin Street towards Parliament. Maybe he's one of the 'new' MPs?