Talk about coincidence! No sooner do I sardonically call attention to the curious case of Stella Creasy and the absent cycle stands then I come face to face with her. Today. This morning. And sadly not in the happiest of circumstances...
There I was, pedalling up the one-way section of St Mary Road E17, going the lawful way, when a cyclist came hurtling down the two-way stretch (between Folkestone Road and West Avenue Road) and plunged past the NO ENTRY sign. As she raced past me I realised who it was…
Your honour, the offence occurred at 11.52 am. The offender was not wearing a cycle helmet, showing a wilful disregard for judicial opinion on the issue of contributory negligence. And she was cycling impressively fast.
We must all pray that this moment of madness does not come back to haunt Ms. Creasy when she eventually becomes Home Secretary, or (as some of her enthusiastic supporters believe) Prime Minister.
Stella has also done me a little favour. On Thursday I shall post an item about the proliferation of one-way streets in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, why they represent the theft of road space from cyclists, and why we should not be surprised if cyclists choose to ignore NO ENTRY signs. One of my examples is St Mary Road.
I can quite understand why Stella ignored the NO ENTRY sign here. Although I think if I was a prospective parliamentary candidate I might be a little more… cautious about my cycling. You never know when one of those pesky bloggers is around, do you?
