Bike

It would be wrong of me to pretend i haven't always slightly resented cyclists, the self righteous ones on the high tech machines with two wheels. You know the ones that don't stop at traffic lights, don't wear reflective clothing at night and cycle on the pavement whenever is convenient for them. But it wasn't until this last summer that my apparent dislike of cyclists really manifested itself. Ok so maybe i'm exaggerating a bit but i wish they would get over themselves, the bicycles have worn ankle braking tracks along vast sways of our canal tow paths, and i'm sick of being pushed off the path by fast moving cyclists. Of course legally as a walker it is my right of way but i am far too polite to stand my ground and tell them where to stick it. Whilst at Robin Wood 's workshop at the start of the Pennine way on several occasions cyclists would whizz past at such a rate that if they had hit an elderly walker or child they would have caused serious damage and none of them seemed to stop to close the gate behind them. And i know they are no evil like the combustion engine powered four! wheel versions that whizz about the country killing everyone and destroying our planet. But i think it's time to stop praising them so much, yeah they're good in cities where there is a cycle path, but it's a shame they ravage the countryside too. Having aired my views to Rob his eyebrows were raised a little but he carefully explained the benefits of the bicycle when it was first invented, freeing thousands of people to freely move at least three times as far as they had been able to previously by walking. The impact the bicycle had on those that could not afford horses/cars must have been massive, and i think this has changed my view on the whole and that maybe cycling is a very good thing. I imagine if the bicycles were made by hand with hand forged steel that had been smelted by hand they would not be so freely available.