Bicycle Karma

Early Friday evening I was cycling back from the cinema. (I went to see Jose Luis Guerin's In The City of Sylvia). Not far from my house I had to stop for a red light.
Suddenly I was pushed forward and off the bicycle by a car reversing into me.
"OY!" I shouted. "Can't you see what you're doing? Can't you look where you're going?"
He'd opened his door to look at what he'd hit, glared at me then slammed his door and sped off.
"Are you ok?" said an Angel man*. "Did you get the registration number? I saw the whole thing."
I jumped out into the road and glimpsed X6 before it blurred out of sight.
"He works for the cab office," said another voice. I was just in shock, looking around myself as though lost.
Angel man took me round to the cab office and demanded to speak to the manager, showed him his identification and explained to him what had happened.
The manager radioed the cab driver to come back, who on seeing me, attempted to deny what happened.
By this point I'd found my voice saying "he saw you," pointing to Angel man. "And your registration is X6 and didn't you ever learn the basics of the green cross code? Don't you know to look in your mirrors before you reverse?????"
Angel man showed him his identification (he was a chief executive of facial surgery) and suggested to manager and cabbie that I be financially renumerated. If not, he was a credible witness should I take the matter to court.
At this point the driver became very apologetic. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I have two young children at home..."
"So why didn't you take more notice of the baby seat on my bike? My son could have been in it."
I was furious, spitting bike spokes.
I walked home and he tailed me in his car. I'd stopped to roll myself a cigarette and there he was. "I'm sorry, please forgive me, my daughter's gone to accident emergency, I wasn't concentrating."
"I have problems too but I'm aware of other people when I'm on the road."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Later I phoned my cousin. I asked her whether it was morally wrong to charge him for the much needed servicing of my bike, given he had a family to feed."
"No," she said. "He drove off Susie. He didn't stop."

Saturday morning Simpson's serviced it. No damage. £40.

This morning, cycling to therapist in Kings Cross, I got a puncture. I walked the bicycle from the surgery to Kentish Town and the manager traded my receipt for the £40. I then walked to Queen's Crescent.

A glass puncture - £10.50

I can't help feeling that the world wouldn't let me get away with paying nothing for my vehicle. Coincidences you know?


*Angel man. I've read that angels can take human form when they are needed. I believe in angels so I believe in things like that.