rasn frasn motorists

I got knocked off my bike last night and I'm very cross about it. I was cycling home quite late, but had my lights on and was approaching a well lit roundabout, when a motorist approaching to the left just didn't stop for me. At all. Fortunately I had sped up as I somehow sensed that he hadn't looked, but was still quite surprised when he literally drove right into me (fortunately because it meant he hit my back wheel and not me). Now please don't worry, Munchkin Gramps, he was going very slowly, and I read the signs well, plus I was wearing my helmet. So I had plenty of time for the whole getting knocked off inner monologue, which as I remember it, goes as follows:

* aargh, that motorist is actually going to drive into me
* what part of myself am I going to land on?
* hmmm, the ground is quite hard
* thank goodness I don't have my laptop in my bag this time (it had valiantly placed itself in between me and a car wing mirror on a previous occasion - I know, how close does a car have to be to hit a cyclist with its wing mirror?! Sadly it paid with its hard drive...)

I was ok - just slightly battered and a lot shocked, but had the presence of mind to get the driver's number in case of bike damage. He even had the temerity to ask me for a pen though! The poor bike seems to be fine too, though it needs its handlebars re-aligning with the front wheel. And just to compound the insult, I got home, was very happy to meet the piggle cat outside, only for her to clang into the back door as she thought it was open! Poor little puss. We both limped inside (her through the front catflap, me through the deceptive back door) and were comforted by The Scientist.

So, the purpose of all this ranting, apart from being a blatant call for sympathy, is to plead with all motorists: PLEASE look out for cyclists! I know some of us are rule-breaking fiends, but most of us are not, and we're very breakable.

On a nicer note, I was coming back late because I had spent the evening with Eco Sis and Eco Bro, getting takeaway from their favourite Chinese takeaway, the Pink Giraffe in Oxford. We got the vegetarian set menu which usually feeds them for lunch the next day as well, and more or less managed two people's worth between three. The menu has lots of fake meat dishes - sweet and sour chicken, and so on, which was sort of interesting. I managed the chicken ok after an initial stumble at the strange texture, but the 'beef' was beyond me. It just looked too much like real beef, though I'm sure it tasted nothing like it. I'm not a veggie who misses meat, so for me it was a fun novelty, but Eco Sis tells me that it's a good approximation for those who miss their carnivorous days. I still managed to get highly over-excited at the whole meal because it's such a novelty to be able to share a banquet like that. While The Scientist is happy to eat tasty veggie food at home, I have only known him to order a veggie meal in a restaurant once in our whole time together! We had breaded mushrooms, spring rolls, some weirdy morsels which looked like they should be in a crisp packet, and some crackers with seaweed for starters, and then the chicken and beef dishes for mains, plus stir fried vegetables and egg fried rice. We also got some 'crispy duck' with pancakes because they seemed like fun (they were). Boy, were we full, though.


I don't like to end without a picture, so here is a very long pooky-cat indeed, doing his Superpook impression, and showing off my patchwork quilt to good advantage. I wanted to post one of piggle since she shared my less than optimal end to the evening, but I can't find any good ones of her. I will start stalking her with my camera. They were both very pleased today to receive a 'scrootch' by email from their Aunt Tracy. Insert purr here.