09 February 2007

SideWALK

A majority of the residents in my little part of the endless, sprawling metropolis of Edmonton see snow removal as an optional activity. As a result, the sections of sidewalk that are cleared are few, and connecting them is paths a foot-wide, big enough for people to walk over single-file. I was walking to school this morning, off in my own world, listening to music, when I heard a noise from behind me. I turned around and saw a girl on a bike persistently ringing her bike-bell. It’s no surprise that I didn’t hear her, with the music and two layers over my ears. Apparently, she expected me to stop off the sidewalk into the snow to let her by. Two things bother me about this encounter.
1) The bell-ringing, which I often find rude and annoying. Whenever a person on foot comes up against a person on wheels, the person on foot has right of way because we’re most vulnerable. I shouldn’t have to move for you, you’re supposed to make allowances for me. I dislike the people who ride their bikes around busy campus walkways ringing their bells at everyone to get out of the way. There’s a place for people like you, and this brings me to my next point.
2) Your place is on the road! It’s not as if I was walking along a busy city street with cars jetting by at 65 km/h. It was a quiet side street with nary a car to be seen. There was no reason this girl couldn’t ride her bike on the street. In fact, there might even be a law to this effect. It’s bad enough that the sidewalks are slick ice-rinks but now I have to dodge bike traffic too? I could put in a whole rant, but I think Dave Foley summed it up best on Kids in the Hall with his Letter to a Guy in the Hospital. Enjoy!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'll second that feeling! You rant on L!
A similar thing happened to me this week...what's with people on wheels. I got honked at while crossing the street at a crosswalk on a really rainy day the other day because apparently I was walking too slow. I was like F@#* you, it must make you feel good about yourself to be sitting warm and dry in your stupid SUV, while you honk at a poor student, walking to the bus stop on a rainy day...
And don't even get me started on drivers that speed their cars through huge puddles while they soak the pedestrians on the sidewalk. Thank you very much for making me cold, wet and cranky for the rest of the day!!!

Okay, I may sound a bit bitter, but come on people, have a little respect, if not pity for those who cann't afford wheeled transportation!