Tag Archives: cycling

New routes

Posted by Ryan Mark Elliott Music on

I live in South Wales U.K. and one of the things I appreciate about being home is how often I can go out and jump on my bike. There are plenty of interconnected national cycle trails and one of the most well known trails is the taff trail that runs all the way from Brecon to Cardiff (55 miles). I have cycled through the trail many times and it runs along woodland, forests and towns. One of the things I am always conscious of is the fact that I am able to appreciate details and points of beauty in a way I simply cannot achieve if I am in the car or train.

When I started cycling more extensively, I discovered so much more about the 50 square miles I live in. I love the sense of adventure allowed to me by being on my bicycle (disregarding the times I have fallen off). I have often decided to cycle with no particular destination in mind and go where ever my instincts take me.

Sometimes I have hit dead ends, and sometimes, I have gotten lost to the point I am fairly disorientated and have to work my way back to find out where I am again. Nevertheless there is many rewards in trying new routes and going beyond what you know.

I think this can apply to a number of things, the way we choose to make decisions, the way we choose to create or work. New routes or choices are always available to you if you are willing to take the chance.

6 of Cyclists, Half a Dozen of Motorists.

Posted by Ryan Mark Elliott Music on

I love cycling, absolutely love it. It is one of the most leisurely things I do on a weekly basis where I do not think about anything else, along with surfing and running. I also am beginning to drive more and enjoy that too, but the more time I spend out on the road on either form of transport, the more I realise that throughout the UK, a majority of people on the road think that the rules are for everyone but themselves.

I cannot believe the amount of times I have cycled on a main road and people in cars have passed me driving whilst speaking on their phones. I once had to make a right turn where a car driving the other way was slowing down, I was unsure as to what he was doing and needed to be careful in order to make the right turn whilst indicating to the car behind me so I take a few seconds to ensure it’s eventually safe to turn right, the car behind me tries to drive on and nearly precedes to crash into me, just so it happens, he was on the phone.

Whilst being behind the wheel of a car, there have been times where cyclists have made utterly moronic and dangerous decisions too. I recently saw a cyclist cut across a three way junction, whilst traffic lights were given the go ahead for ongoing traffic. All in all, trying to give more blame to the other is completely fruitless, and each incident is judged upon for it’s own accountabilities.

I want to be as reconciliatory to both forms as much as I can, the highway laws are out there to accommodate for the two, but more often than not there is unnecessary conflict between the two parties where rage and impatience is blown beyond any sensibility. It was so tragic to read about the deaths of cyclists in London throughout last year and a there’s been recently reported feud between a cyclist and a motorist, where the latter kicked the former in the face so hard that he ended up partially blind and the driver ended up in prison himself for five years. Submitting to that rage, a few seconds of madness and that’s both lives majorly changed.

So here is the conclusion, a very simple one…whilst we are out there on the road, we need to be completely aware, considerate and sensible. It’s simple, but unfortunately, in practice, it is disregarded time and time again.

Is it really worth the risk of speaking to phone whilst driving, or cutting across red traffic lights while cycling or unnecessarily overtaking someone to cause danger just for the sake of saving a few seconds? Ask yourself these questions, because when it comes to an occurring tragedy, hindsight has its virtues, but prevention isn’t one of them.