 It's a great week for cyclists, who can now cycle the wrong way down a one-way street without risking a ticket – at least in David Cameron's neighbourhood. (The trial covers several test roads in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.)
I admit I cycled the wrong way recently around midnight after babysitting for friends (far from Chelsea). The alternative was to go several blocks out of my way and onto a busy road to get home (much more risky) or climb down and walk the bike down the deserted one-way road (also risky in my neck of the woods come midnight).
So I applaud the move as a logical decision that improves cyclist safety – but what about pedestrian safety? Most peds step out confidently onto one-way streets, never imagining a bicycle might be winging its (wrong) way up the road. There's a simple, inexpensive and neighbourly solution: bring back the bell! It's much more effective than 'Excuse me' as one knows immediately it's a bicycle rather than another pedestrian, a tourist asking for directions or a dodgy character asking (politely) for your wallet or iPod.
It is actually illegal to sell a bike without a bell in the UK, but macho cycling culture means shop assistants typically 'hint' that you can remove the girly bell as soon as you walk out the door.
I worry this law will make cyclists even more bold (read: bolshy). I am now suffering from road rage every time I walk across a busy street with children. We wait patiently for the green man, but cyclists run their red light and treat the children like cones in an obstacle course. I gently suggest (read: shriek) that the cyclist should use a bell and get a scathingly condescending look in return. I understand the cyclists' need to get ahead of the cars, but they need to respect pedestrian crossings, especially when they see children. After all, how cool and macho is it to run over a toddler?
Cycling in Paris recently, I found the bell a breeze to use, and French pedestrians didn't seem a bit sniffy about my heavy-handed ringing. After all, it's much better than having a clueless tourist run over your very expensive shoes. Does David Cameron ring his bell? What about Boris? He recently put macho concerns aside to buy a helmet, so this could be the next logical step. We need some sleb cyclists to ring in the change and make bells cool – or at least tolerable. Maybe someone could invent 'ringtones' for bikes? That might get the lads on board.
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