Back in the UK I'd take January off at the gym, it just got too
crowded
when the New Year Resolutionist crowd came to town. Don't get me
wrong,
I don't begrudge people striking out and trying to better their
lives,
it's just that without fail the gym would be so much quieter in the
three
to four weeks after Jan 1st.
While the roads are still relatively quiet it's obvious that there's
a
lot of new cyclists out there. Great, numbers on the road are our
best
defence.
Many of these pedolutionists have limited cycling skills. They can
barely maintain a straight course just pedalling, ask them to change
lanes or go up a hill and they're all over the place. I spent large
chunks of my journey waiting for a sufficient gap in traffic so I
could
give them at least a meter overtaking. Again don't get me wrong, I'm
glad to see them out on the road. I just wish there was some easy way
I
could take them down a side street and set them on the right track
without coming across as a condescending prick.
I've noticed a distinct increase in red light jumpers. Normally I
just
shrug my shoulders, mentally more than figuratively. However I did
snap
a bit today. I was heading up the hill on St Kilda Road, the one
between Inkerman Street and Alma Road, when I was stopped by the
pedestrian crossing in the middle of the hill. Well plow me if a
pedolutionist didn't just sail on through. ``Helloooo, it's
reeeeedddddd!'
I forgot my pass to work today, truth to tell I thought I'd lost it
and
even went and got a new one sorted out (found it by the 'phone this
afternoon). As a consequence my bike spent the day outside
Parliament
station.
End of the day I was getting set for the ride home and a guy on
crutches
comes up and quizzes me about locking strategies. Soon as his legs
mended he intends to start riding to work. Hurrah!
Nearly home and hear that dreaded sound (no, not that one) of brakes
on
rim. That's odd. Stop bike and spin front wheel. All good. Spin
back. Try to spin back. WTF?
Look at mech and the barrel adjuster's been wound all the way out,
locking on the rear brake. Not completely but enough to cause drag.
Thirty kilometers, on a day when I could actually leave the panniers
at
work, all with the rear brake tearing my rim apart.
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