Won't you tell me something true

I have turned over a new leaf. It happened Friday night, only I was so tired and spaced out that I forgot to write about it then. I have even posted about it on Facebook, where I am a member of the Save a Cyclist campaign. I had been training the subject of "Emotional Intelligence" on Friday, along with a short piece about Assertive behaviour, so it must have dawned on me to try some of it myself. You know the old maxim-"Do what you've always done and you'll get what you always got"? Well all the anger and shouting didn't seem to be helping.

I've also been watching a series of lectures on BBC4 about political philosophy, I think called "Justice", they are given by a Harvard Professor of political philosophy. Is it ever right, morally to lie? That was the question last week. The truth I think is that people can not be made to see the truth but they will believe a lie if they want to. The truth will only ever be found when you decide to seek it for yourself. Once you see it, you can never stop.

So whilst my instant, human reactions my be understandable, even justifiable for some, I decided to thank a motorist for their considerate driving. I was coming down Brockley Coombe, which is a fairly twisty and dark road at the best of times. Even with my lights I was having to take the corners pretty wide, and most cars were doing their usual Friday night thing. Cutting too close as they overtook, or dazzling me with full beams as they came towards me. Neither of which is helpful when you are doing 30 mph on a dark, damp, road with nice sharp corners.

But one lady didn't. She waited, at a safe distance behind me. Let me get to the bottom, didn't rev her engine or anything. So I pulled alongside her and thanked her at the traffic lights at the junction. And today I made a point of thanking every driver who waited, either coming towards us, or behind us, and do my best to ignore the idiots. Kindness is the way. We will spread good driving across the highways and byways of Britain through our smiles, waves and gratitude. I'll just need a few reminders from my friends now and then if you don't mind.

Back to today, I met Skip and the Liberator in Axbridge for a fairly, but not exclusively hilly ride:

http://www.thecyclingmayor.com/?m=201102

It felt hilly because it included the Gorge and Wrington Hill, the nasty one with the really steep section towards the bottom. But I actually did more climbing on the commute on Friday, albeit over a slightly longer route. It was also really nice to go to yet another new cafe, the one in Kingston Seymour, which everyone is always talking about but I'd somehow missed out on. The Liberator was also, pleasingly, fascinated by Charlie Garmin's functionality, although Charlie let the side down by throwing a technology tantrum. We never did get to Ham Lane to see the water buffalo (yes really).

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/69249233

One thing all that elevation did do was give me the opportunity to clock the fastest point speed so far this year, at 43.8mph as I came down a slightly damp Burrington Coombe. I need new tyres and I think brake blocks may be good too.

I'm back over to Ireland on Thursday, hoping to fit in two rides, possibly with another cycling club. We'll see how brave I feel and what the weather does. And I'm taking new tyres over there too, in the hope of staying on the bike this time.