Wheels
Luce Smith, Features Writer
Legs photo by Stein Magne Bjørklund
Why does it annoy me so much? It's just the annoying tone of the sound, and the metallic hint added in. Like it's scraping against the pavement and sharpening the edge. I mean, it did have an owner, but they weren't aware of its anger making properties in me. They were just innocently dragging it along behind them, waiting for someone to trip over it am sure. Who thought they were a good idea? They're not, hold-all, or correctly sized suitcase. They are the options that should be allowed.
| Also by Luce Smith... | |
|---|---|
| Beat The Bounce | |
| The Luce Smith Holme Moss Challenge | |
| Tour De Bicycles And A Fox | |
| New Words, New Skills | |
| Diversion | |
I got on my bike the next morning, feeling scared with the new pedals. I'd been shown how to work them, and reassured (or not) that it will take time to get used to them. Yikes. It took until the bottom of the hill to get both pedals clipped in, but once they were, I was off, hoping I wouldn't have to stop at the first set of traffic lights. I didn't, so swung round and headed to the base of Holme Moss.
I'm making it sound like bloomin' Everest! I'd had strict instructions that I wasn't allowed to go all the way up to the top (like that was even possible) but decided I'd at least get to the second stage. The first bit didn't feel as bad as it did last week, but I had another cyclist behind me by a few metres, so was conscious I needed to just keep going, steady away....... it's handy, as there's a pub stop at my stage one, but I resisted (it wasn't even 8:30am, so of course closed anyway) and kept going to stage two. No pub, but round a few bends and little inclines, before the next stage.
Ah well. I'm getting there! I came back down and decided to shoot down to Digley, then across to the Ford pub (is there a theme here other than cycling?....) and down to Honley. What a mistake. It turns out that the steepest climb of my bike ride wasn't a stage of Holme Moss, but going up past the res!
It was bum out of saddle, and the lowest granny gears I had. Phew! School girl error of not checking the second part of my circuit, but a good bit of training I suppose. Thanks Hargreaves Cycles of Dewsbury, my bike kicked some butt! I even feel I might make it to the top at this rate! A pub crawl all the way back.....:)
I've found myself behind a stupid baby suitcase on rattling wheels again. I want to laugh at myself, for getting so wound up over something unimportant, but instead, continue with my need to kick it over. It's ok, I didn't, but I'd better avoid them for the rest of this week, just in case.
On the train, there was an announcement explaining that the train would split at the next station, so to sit at the front for Edinburgh, and the back for Plymouth (ok, so they weren't the destinations, but just go along for now.....it's not important). It was a PA system, not very loud, on a heaving busy rush hour train. I suddenly thought of my Mum, who is hard of hearing, travelling by train. What if she missed the message and ended up eating with Rick on the beach instead of playing bagpipes by the castle?
It makes you wonder what adjustments are being made in services to ensure all needs are catered for. Sadly, most organisations have a landline number, or email, to make contact. Even some of the emergency contact details have a number to call. What would you do if you were deaf? Are people in society kind enough to be aware of someone's sensory needs and support them?
Have a look next time you're on a train, how do you make contact in times of emergency? How do you report a crime? How do you know that the train has stopped due to a cow on the track, when you can't hear the PA system? Should a Deaf person be expected to wear a badge to say they are Deaf? No, of course not!
What happens then? Modern technology with instant BSL video relay? Pen and paper? I support the Deaf community at work and am often amazed at the poor communication offered by mainline services. Luckily, my Mum braves the trains on her own, and relies on the kind assistive staff, who are super duper. And she doesn't travel with a baby suitcase, so I don't feel the urge to kick her luggage. Which is just as well! I'm too old for being sent to my room aren't I?
Urgh....couldn't do it now without my GameBoy to play with! Such fun!
| More articles in this series... | |
|---|---|
| Beat The Bounce | |
| The Luce Smith Holme Moss Challenge | |
| Tour De Bicycles And A Fox | |
| New Words, New Skills | |
| Diversion | |
| Time Flies | |
| The Full Monty | |
| Runnin' In The Rain | |
| Spiders | |
| Rant! | |
| Olympimania | |
| Fog On Ingleborough | |
| Crush | |
| Chicken Sausages | |
| Tried To Write Several Times But.... | |
| The Yellow Line | |
| Blueberries and Delays | |
| Choral Tuesday | |
| New Commute Route | |
| Graduation Day | |
| Train Spotting | |
| Street Markets and Pools | |
| To Ghana | |
| Back In The Saddle | |
| Delays | |
| Spare Change | |
| For A Day Or Two | |
| Mod-cons At Home? | |
| This Week I Have Been Mostly.... | |
| Travelling Long Haul | |
| Australia vs England... | |
| Off We Go! | |
| Ranting After Christmas | |
| Approaching Christmas | |
| Storms | |
| Emergency Aid | |
| Travel Tickets | |
| This Is A Scent... | |
| New Routines | |
| Porridge | |
Wheels, 5th July 2017, 9:04 AM