Games Cyclists Play

Cars here can be quite inconsiderate towards cyclists. And it's not often that cyclists can avenge themselves for all the times we're pushed into gutters or unnerved by white vans coming way too close as they whiz past. Hence, my new favourite manoevre, invented by Bobby - The Wedge.

The route I cycle home takes me along a narrow road that runs between a church and a school.

Here's a photo, taken from this website about this website, which details the history of our area...




The picture shows how narrow the road is. As you go around the corner, there's only room for one car at a time; cars have to hang back to make sure that there isn't a car coming from the opposite direction. So, if you're coming up the hill in a car, you have to slow to a crawl as you can't see if there's an oncoming car till the last minute. The Wedge Manoevre is basically a trap for cars. The cyclist goes full speed up the hill and zips around the corner. Cars behind the cyclist assume that if the cyclist can go, so can they - but hah, not so! If there's an oncoming car, the cyclist can zip past, as cycles take up a lot less space than cars. But the car following the cycle will be unable to go - as will the oncoming car. So one of those two cars will have to back up if The Wedge is to be undone. A pleasant revenge for all the times we're inconvenienced or threatened by cars - and extra-satisfying if one of the cars is a great big SUV type thing. And, unlike when cars mess with cyclists, not lifethreatening to the car.