I was on my way home this evening when I saw something that made me realise that there were far worse dangers on the roads than bad cyclists ... drunken drivers of disabled scooters!
I had reached the centre of Greenwich, and needed to turn right so that I could avoid the dreadful one-way system and drive through Greenwich Park. I indicated, got into the turn right lane, and was about to turn right when I was overtaken – on the wrong side of the road – by an electric disabled scooter! It turned across the on-coming traffic – which had to stop – and drove across a pedestrian crossing that was full of what seemed to be foreign school children. The latter scattered out of the way of the 'vehicle', but even with my car windows shut I could hear the 'driver' shouting expletives at them!
He then proceeded to drive a little further up the road – keeping his 'vehicle' in the middle of it – until he was forced to stop by a speed bump that he could not get his 'vehicle' over.
By this time I had turned and was following him up the road. I was amazed to see him get off his 'vehicle' and – somewhat unsteadily – pull it up and over the speed bump. This was accompanied by further expletives, most of which were prefixed by the 'f' word. He then remounted, and continued on his way, shouting abuse at all and sundry as he did.
At this point I turned left and the last I saw of him he was driving erratically up the hill towards Blackheath.
Cyclist will never, ever seem to be quite such bad drivers again.
I had reached the centre of Greenwich, and needed to turn right so that I could avoid the dreadful one-way system and drive through Greenwich Park. I indicated, got into the turn right lane, and was about to turn right when I was overtaken – on the wrong side of the road – by an electric disabled scooter! It turned across the on-coming traffic – which had to stop – and drove across a pedestrian crossing that was full of what seemed to be foreign school children. The latter scattered out of the way of the 'vehicle', but even with my car windows shut I could hear the 'driver' shouting expletives at them!
He then proceeded to drive a little further up the road – keeping his 'vehicle' in the middle of it – until he was forced to stop by a speed bump that he could not get his 'vehicle' over.
By this time I had turned and was following him up the road. I was amazed to see him get off his 'vehicle' and – somewhat unsteadily – pull it up and over the speed bump. This was accompanied by further expletives, most of which were prefixed by the 'f' word. He then remounted, and continued on his way, shouting abuse at all and sundry as he did.
At this point I turned left and the last I saw of him he was driving erratically up the hill towards Blackheath.
Cyclist will never, ever seem to be quite such bad drivers again.
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Oi - don't tar all cyclists with the same brush... (and I won't do the same for the psycopathic car drivers whose sole aim in life appears to be to end mine early).. :o))
ReplyDeleteSteve-the-Wargamer,
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote in reply to the comments made to my earlier blog entry, I don't think that all cyclists are bad, just as I know that not all car drivers are good.
It was just my bad luck to come across so many terrible (and dangerous) examples of cyclists in one day ... but the drunk riding the disabled scooter was something that I had never, ever seen before .... and I don't hope to see it again soon!
I hope that you keep riding and enjoying your bike.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI think I may have mentioned before that I was in a collision with a disabled scooter INSIDE the Nationwide Building Society - if I hadn't been able to cling on to the counter I'd Have been sent flying - but at least the driver, an elderly woman, was suitably apologetic.
Arthur
Arthur1815,
ReplyDeleteI remember your story very well indeed!
It appears that you don't need any more training to drive a disabled scooter than you do to ride a bicycle ... and people don't usually ride bikes indoors, so that makes them a bit safer.
My father-in-law has one of these scooters and seems to drive it at maximum speed all the time. He is lethal ... but at least he has given up driving his car (which he drove equally fast).
All the best,
Bob
Drunk angry motor-scooter operators are simultaneously hillarious and terrifying. I've seen a few in my time.
ReplyDeleteArquinsiel,
ReplyDeleteThis was the first time that I had seen a drunk on a disabled scooter, although I have seen my fair share of drunks in control of other types of vehicle.
All the best,
Bob