Singled Out
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| Image credit: APA |
The other day I was cautiously making my way out of the NCP multi-storey car park (with its impressively abundant and popular bicycle parking areas) behind London St Pancras International train station, when I was hailed by a man entering the car park on foot.
I stopped.
"You really shouldn't cycle here", he said without preamble.
"Really? It's not prohibited," I responded.
"Cyclists go too fast. We've had so many people have the life scared out of them by cyclists coming through here."
"Well, it wasn't me who startled them. There are people who aren't considerate of others, in all situations. I am always careful, so please don't tar me with that brush."
"You shouldn't cycle here, you really shouldn't", he said again, shaking his head in a scolding fashion. And then he turned and walked away.
That was the end of the conversation, such that it was, so I called "Bye" to his retreating back and pedalled off.
As I did so, I found myself musing....
- Are drivers required to get out of their cars and push their vehicles into and out of the car parking areas?
- Interesting that he said I "shouldn't" cycle there. Not "can't". Not "must not". Not "aren't allowed to".
- Because I am allowed to cycle there. Admittedly the sight lines are not great around the entrance/exit, so I cycle slowly*. If there are a number of people in that area on foot -- often a bit confused as to where they are going as they search for the ticket machine or their hire car -- I often dismount.
- There are no signs of even a cautionary nature relating to cycling in the area. (There are helpful signs directing cyclists entering the car park via Coach Road to the bicycle parking areas.)
- This man was wearing a uniform and ID card on a neck lanyard, but he was not St Pancras staff, NCP staff, Network Rail staff or British Transport Police staff (of which the premises positively swarm). No, he was Eurostar staff.**
- This means he has no say whatsoever in who uses the car park or the manner in which they use it.***
- In any case, why hail me? Does he attempt to lecture everyone he sees on a bike? Or did I look like an easy target, someone who is courteous enough to stop to speak to someone hailing me?
- Likewise, why rail at me for the behaviour of others who use the same form of transport, when he had never witnessed me committing the "sin" he complained of? My only "crime" seemed to be that of being on a bicycle.
- What was the point of giving me some kind of warning or admonition that he obviously wishes he could give to all cyclists?
- Does he think there is some kind of "hive mind" amongst cyclists, that in giving a message to me he can somehow broadcast it to everyone else in London who happens to ride a bike?
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| Photo credit: Richard Wilkinson. Via www.aeon.com. |
Am I over thinking this? It's difficult to be entirely subjective. But it's disconcerting to be accosted while going about a normal, everyday, perfectly ordinary and legal activity, to be taken to task for the actions of others by someone attempting to restrict your legal activities without due authority or objective justification.
* I see cyclists every morning and evening in this area. With perhaps the exception of one young man on a vintage 10-speed, all of them are slow, cautious and considerate of everyone, especially people on foot who may be unsure or distracted and thus potentially easily startled. The 10-speed guy does ride through the area much too fast for my liking but I give him full credit for always being alert and responsive. If he has ever startled a pedestrian, I'd be willing to be bet that the avoidance of actual collision would be down to his attentiveness and evasive action. Cyclists never want to hit anyone and so often when pedestrians yell after us "hey, you nearly hit me!", the truthful response would be "yes, and it's down to me that I actually didn't!" I have in fact said to pedestrians stepping off kerbs with eyes glued to their mobile phone screens "It's okay, I'm looking out for you even if you aren't."
** As an employee of a company who rents/leases office space in the car park, he has a bare licence to pass through the area, whether on foot or, if he chooses, by bicycle or scooter or indeed in a wheelchair. I too hold a bare licence. This means we are permitted to do certain things in the area, provided they are not illegal, that would other constitute trespass. However, licences can be revoked, for example if the land owner decides to expressly prohibit certain activities or to ban an individual who is persistently in breach of the implied terms of the licence, after which the owner may take legal action against transgressors.
*** He is no different from me or any other cyclists using the car park, or motorists using the car park, in fact any member of the public free to use the car park. The exceptions are commercial operators, who must obtain a contractual licence and "check in" on arrival so that NCP or St Pancras staff can lower the barriers that otherwise prevent motorised access to Coach Road.
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Mark Treasure of As Easy As Riding A Bike recently wrote a two-part post titled "Transport Tribalism" that beautifully sets out the key issues surrounding "us versus them" attitudes that result in incidents like this, which are happening every minute, every day, everywhere people came into conflict, regardless of their mode of transport. Part I is here and Part II is here. Both worth your time to read and share.
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Mark Treasure of As Easy As Riding A Bike recently wrote a two-part post titled "Transport Tribalism" that beautifully sets out the key issues surrounding "us versus them" attitudes that result in incidents like this, which are happening every minute, every day, everywhere people came into conflict, regardless of their mode of transport. Part I is here and Part II is here. Both worth your time to read and share.
