August 24, 2009
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Return of an Old Friend
Those regular readers of my blog will remember, no doubt, the memorable posts after the Exeter – Manc Scum game at St James Park, where, after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against the lucky Premier League outfit, many of the travelling Exeter fans headed out for a curry. Cheddar and I stumbled across the Exiles, and sat to have a curry with them, as they went through chorus after chorus of “He’ll take your old girl from behind…”
When driving or riding out here in Taiwan, it’s exactly your behind you have to be wary of. Especially when it is raining, or you have a truck or bus or taxi behind you when you are coming to a red light. Or both. In one such recent event, I was on the Skywave heading up over a bridge and down the other side when I heard the unmistakable sound of screeching brakes, a skid thus losing control, and then the scrape of fiberglass on tarmac as the bike skidded along the surface. Looking in my mirror, I saw the bike – the rider had somehow lost momentum – coming down towards me. With nowhere to go, I hoped merely that the bikes in front of me would move a little faster so I could avoid being hit. Alas they did not, and so the fallen bike skidded in to me, bumping me slightly. Had I been unaware of what was happening, it could have frightened the crap out of me, but thankfully I am an old hand (no, not old fart) at this riding in Taiwan lark, and so I know better than to think I am safe at any time on the road.
For some reason, red lights are pretty much only for reference here in Taiwan, as it showed a few weeks later, when I was heading home from work one night. Amazing how the offices are still so full at 9 in the evening, and the roads too. Managing to brake nice and smoothly to stop at a light that had just turned red, I was joined by 3 or 4 others who decided they would stop, and quickly also by one who had not seen the red light and smacked in to the back of my Suzuki.
Looking over at the retarded, betel-nut chewing git who said “de bu chi” or sorry, I realized that was all I was going to get from the man. A quick scan of the bike showed no immediate damage, but when I got the bike home I noticed he had smashed my rear brake light. Not being one to whine too much, I put it down as another lucky escape on Taiwan’s roads.
Claire allows me to drive her car when we go out, so I am very wary of stopping at red lights, especially when there are vehicles behind me. With a Yaris, if you’re hit by something then the chances are quite good the Yaris will come off second best. So over the weekend when we were out and about, a traffic light turned orange then red, and of course your humble chronicler braked to stop (I may ride fast, but when it comes to my woman’s motor, I will not do speeding tickets or red traffic lights). I heard the all too familiar sound of locking brakes as I checked the mirror, the car behind us changing lane to the inside and overtaking us, through a red one.
It’s one of those things you just have to get used to, this fear of taking it from the rear. Of course, there are others who quite like that sort of thing, such as my good friend Clovis. However, I prefer to take it head on, like a REAL man…
