Andrew Deane
Speeding Up
- Aug 17, 2007
- 121
- 0
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm getting old and cranky. Maybe it's the season. Then again, maybe it really is them! The pedestrians, I mean.
I've had two run-ins in as many weeks with arrogant pedestrians who refuse to give ground or to even make the slightest effort to avoid a collision. Anyway, this morning's run-in became my third bicycle accident in Tokyo since I arrived here three years ago. I'm okay physically, and so is the bike as far as I can tell. But my pants are ruined, and my faith in a certain segment of humanity lies in tatters!
I was cycling past Azabu High School and the Qatar Embassy, and there was a salaryman walking towards me in the road. Since he made eye-contact with me and the sidewalk was immediately to his right (my left), I figured he would step up onto the pavement as I approached him. There were no people on the sidewalk, so he could have done so at any moment without seriously inconveniencing himself. And it was, after all, my right of way.
However, he decided not to, and simply kept walking right at me! By the time I figured out we were playing "chicken," I could only swerve slightly. But he had a bag, and the horn of my handlebar caught in its strap as we passed each other, twisting my front wheel and sending me sailing over the bars.
As if that wasn't bad enough (I ruined a good pair of pants), when I looked up, he just kept walking on his way. I was sprawled on the road, and the fall had evidently been hard, so the least I expected was an inquiry into my well-being, or a word of - dare I say it? - apology. I got nothing, but a glare over his shoulder as he shouldered his bag. I was so angry that I yelled profanity at him in English. Once again I couldn't help feeling that if I had known enough Japanese I would have challenged him for being a bloody-minded idiot for NOT stepping onto the pavement when there was oncoming traffic!
As I said, I am okay, but my pants are ruined totally and I am extremely bitter and frustrated. This sort of thing happens once in a while, but I cannot help but wonder what is going through a person's mind when they know they are wrong, but continue to push anyway.
Thoughts? Stories? Theories?
I've had two run-ins in as many weeks with arrogant pedestrians who refuse to give ground or to even make the slightest effort to avoid a collision. Anyway, this morning's run-in became my third bicycle accident in Tokyo since I arrived here three years ago. I'm okay physically, and so is the bike as far as I can tell. But my pants are ruined, and my faith in a certain segment of humanity lies in tatters!
I was cycling past Azabu High School and the Qatar Embassy, and there was a salaryman walking towards me in the road. Since he made eye-contact with me and the sidewalk was immediately to his right (my left), I figured he would step up onto the pavement as I approached him. There were no people on the sidewalk, so he could have done so at any moment without seriously inconveniencing himself. And it was, after all, my right of way.
However, he decided not to, and simply kept walking right at me! By the time I figured out we were playing "chicken," I could only swerve slightly. But he had a bag, and the horn of my handlebar caught in its strap as we passed each other, twisting my front wheel and sending me sailing over the bars.
As if that wasn't bad enough (I ruined a good pair of pants), when I looked up, he just kept walking on his way. I was sprawled on the road, and the fall had evidently been hard, so the least I expected was an inquiry into my well-being, or a word of - dare I say it? - apology. I got nothing, but a glare over his shoulder as he shouldered his bag. I was so angry that I yelled profanity at him in English. Once again I couldn't help feeling that if I had known enough Japanese I would have challenged him for being a bloody-minded idiot for NOT stepping onto the pavement when there was oncoming traffic!
As I said, I am okay, but my pants are ruined totally and I am extremely bitter and frustrated. This sort of thing happens once in a while, but I cannot help but wonder what is going through a person's mind when they know they are wrong, but continue to push anyway.
Thoughts? Stories? Theories?