One thing I didn’t expect when I moved up to the Big Smoke was to find myself commuting through what can only be politely described as horse manure. I was used to it on the country lanes around Bristol, and accustomed to the struggle with cleaning it off a bike frame after it had been left at room temperature for a few days. It sets like concrete and won’t budge unless carefully rehydrated first. I was slightly surprised, however, to find it as an obstacle on my commute to work in the biggest city in the UK. This morning for example, as I slipped along the gutter, with a car blocking any possible escape, I was confronted with a large pile of the horse-exhaust, albeit made into more of a smudge by the torrential rain. I had to plough straight on through, using some mud riding skills and keeping my mouth closed to avoid the spray.
It tends to be a remnant from any event at our local Premier League football stadium. In this case a high profile derby, policed by horseback officers (I assume, unless it’s being used as an alternative to a water cannon), and one of the surprisingly common uses of horses in the city, at least if the remains are anything to go by.
Football matches also present another obstacle when they coincide with my journey home. On the plus side the roads are closed to cars, so it’s a smooth run through without the danger of being hit, but on the down-side the same roads are filled with people on the way to the stadium, whether for football, or for concerts. Either way, the people aren’t the most sober I’ve ever met and my brakes have been tested several times as they stroll in front of me.
That reminds me, I should really replace my brake pads.
A
No comments:
Post a Comment