...And I thought riding in the country was supposed to be safer.

Sunday morning rides don’t come much fresher and windier than yesterday and it was after a severe panelling from a headwind that I headed back towards Peterborough Business Airport via Conington Church.

Yes, Peterborough has a “Business Airport”. Its not much but we are proud of it.
But it wasn’t the prevalence of single engine Cessna’s struggling to take off and land in the wind that caused me to stress out on this Fenland bimble. It was the horse rider I gingerly tried to overtake safely with little or no chance.

No chance?

None at all, because this young lady despite riding on the verge and me overtaking pinned to the opposite side of the road had no control over her steed as she was riding one handed whilst happily chatting to her friend on a mobile phone.
As the horse reared up I heard her utter the classic “… I will have to call you back” … she could have added “we have just bolted and are chasing a cyclist up the road but he is doing 28mph as its now a tail wind and we might struggle to catch him before the railway crossing”.

Drivers in big Range Rover type cars thinking no-one can see them whilst chatting away on a hand-held phone I am used to nowadays. It seems to be par for the course to get cut up by one or get jumped at a junction as they guffaw away about how recession proof they are.

Teenagers on horseback chatting about what “Dale” wore to the pub last night I am not used to, and I don’t want to have to bear that in mind as well whilst trying to get home safely to my family.

Stay vigilant out there people. There are hazards at every turn.
 

Rant over.

For now.