Feeling “proper” Cambridge…Part Deux.

Well I have been cycling round Cambridge for a few weeks now and I am actually really enjoying it! This is somewhat surprising to me as I like walking and so thought I would be a confirmed pedestrian. Its so great being able to get places so quick as walking everywhere, even in a city the size of Cambridge, eats into your day. I was somewhat nervous as I haven’t ridden from years and so set out with some trepidation on my first ride. But its amazing how quickly the old skills come back its like…. well it’s like riding a bike to be frank, you really don’t forget :o)

Funnily enough I thought it would be the cars and lorries that would worry me when riding around the narrow streets but I rapidly realised that they were not the problem. The real problem is the, quite frankly, suicidal pedestrians that appear to be infesting the city. You would think that in a city that probably has more bikes per head of population then anywhere outside of China people would expect that the odd bike might be passing by, but oh no, the roads belong to them alone. Ok the best angle for taking a photo of Kings college chapel may be in the middle of the Kings parade road but its really not a great idea for the whole coach load of Japanese tourists to take the picture at the same time! As for the young students who step out whilst staring at the screen adjusting their ipods, you would think that since they can’t hear anything that it would therefore be wise to look! But oh no….. Most of the time you can see them doing this in enough time to take evasive action but sometimes it happens so swiftly there isn’t even time to ring my lovely pink Minnie mouse bell. At these times a loud OI has to suffice (and occasionally another word or two that are probably not suitable for an ordinand :o) I haven’t hit anyone… yet, but I sense its only a matter of time!

What I have done though is perform that rite of passage known as falling off for the first time. I wish that I could say that it was the result of some amazing near miss or other daring do but sadly not. I pulled up at a red light and decided to get off my bike to push it across the pedestrian crossing (I am still working my way up to crossing the really big junctions on the bike) got my foot tangled in the bike lock which was attached to the frame and topped over into a heap on the pavement with the bike on top of me. My ego was more sorely bruised then my knee and I dread to think what the line of car driver must have thought because it was ridiculously silly. A very nice lady rushed over to check I was ok with her small child in tow. The look on his face was priceless – there was this look of “what are you doing? I am five and I can ride a bike better then that!”

Ho hum, hopefully I will say upright from now on…