Have wheels, will travel

I went for a skate at the beach this morning.  Something which usually gives me a lift; but it felt joyless.

Nothing to do with the weather.  It’s perfect out there today – blue skies and sunshine, very little wind.  Ideal conditions for a cruisey roll along the foreshore.

Nothing to do with the extra foot traffic on the coastal paths either.  It’s to be expected in this New World, when people are compelled to stay inside and pursue an indoor life, and can only get out to exercise or to make forays to the shops for food.  Fair enough.

Beach skating is something I’ve done for more than twenty years, following the bike paths along the coastline, feeling every muscle working, taking in the briny air and enjoying the sense of freedom you get when you have wheels instead of feet.

However, the paths are shared by walkers, cyclists, and in my case, skaters.  Shared being the operative word.

What I saw this morning did not give me pause to admire my fellow humans.  And somehow that seemed even more disappointing today.  Probably due to the collective pain we are all feeling at the moment as we deal with the many losses in our lives.  Of all the times in recent history this is the most important time to be kind and considerate.  To look out for other people.  To be, in effect, your Best Self.

What I saw filled me with dismay.  I felt sad and disillusioned; and angry.

To be honest I’ve felt angry for weeks now.  Ever since this whole virus fiasco began. Having to stand-by while whole countries close-for-business in steady succession across the globe.  I didn’t sign-up for this.  None of us did.  But that’s not today’s story.  That one will need unravelling some other time.

We should be trying to make each other feel good right now.

Yet I saw a lot of bad behaviour out there on this glorious day.  Dangerous speeds – most of that being from cyclists.  Lack of attention.  Poor judgement.  Selfishness.  To say nothing of the ignorance of the inexperienced – the Sunday Riders – novices who blunder along on bikes which clearly have been gathering dust in the shed for the last few years.

I escaped injury several times today, and only due to my experience and quick actions:

Firstly when a man overtook me on a bike then immediately stopped right in front of me. It’s difficult to do a short stop on skates, even with a brake.  He was totally unaware of the accident he nearly caused.  Lucky I’m so nimble.

Then when I was faced with an approaching cyclist so hell-bent on overtaking that he thought nothing of moving into my lane – for a direct head-on – which I had to swerve to avoid.  He didn’t stop, or care.

And most significantly when I saw an oblivious dog walker (wearing headphones) at the bottom of a steep curve suddenly change direction – dog to the right, man to the left, leash stretched taut between them.  No-where for me to go.   (I have never screamed so loudly at someone to MOVE LEFT, or sworn so profusely.)

Maybe they’ve forgotten that the rules for the path are the same as for the road.  Stay on the left.  Be vigilant about your surroundings at all times.  Look and listen, and in particular, look behind you before pulling out or making a sudden move.  If it isn’t safe to overtake (ie: if there isn’t enough space) then DON’T.  Wait for a moment.

Would you drive head-on at approaching traffic? Then don’t do it on the bike path.

Here’s a free cycling tip too: if you are a competent (fast) rider, then you can always ride on the road.  Walkers and skaters don’t have that option.  There’re hardly any cars out there at the moment in the New World, so if you’re going to hurtle past parents cycling with young children, carve-up dog walkers or anyone else who might dare to curb your speed then just move to the road.

Also, if you’ve never put on a pair of rollerblades, then think for a minute about how a skater gets propulsion. And don’t get aggressive behind a skater who is going uphill on a narrow path because their boot might go over the line sometimes.  It takes about 3 seconds for you to overtake them on a bike.  It isn’t much of a hardship to give them a little more passing room for those few moments of your life.  Be gracious.  We are all sharing the same resource.

So, it would be more accurate to say that the joy was drained out of my skate today by the actions of a few bad apples.  The direct consequence of their self-interest, indifference and general disregard for others.  Make no mistake these are the queue jumpers and the toilet roll hoarders, the same rapacious Me-First brigade that would trample over you to hoover-up the last box of long-life milk.

And don’t get me started on the facemasks.  I saw so many people wasting valuable resources whilst out cycling under the beautiful autumn sunshine.  And for what?  I work in health, and I can assure you the virus isn’t hovering in the open air above you, waiting to pounce.  You don’t need a mask for cycling, nor do you need one for driving a car, with or without the windows open.

I came home feeling so down-hearted.  And the reason I’d gone out in the first place had been to lift my spirits.  Back to square one.

It helps to focus my mind on all the other people who do care, who are looking after us all and keeping our communities ticking along.  The refuse collectors, the supermarket workers and food suppliers, the public transport drivers, the volunteers, cooks and coffee makers.  And most of all our beautiful, compassionate nurses and medical personnel.  God bless and protect you all.  You have heart enough for all of us.

On my fridge I always keep a couple of quotes to remind me that the most difficult times are usually only temporary.  One of them is by Martin Luther King:

‘We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.’

Your true self is the person you are when no-one is watching.  When this is all over, you might want to reflect on whether you’ve been your Best Self.  Will you be proud of how you’ve conducted yourself?

We can do better.  We can all do better.