My commute nowadays, is usually quiet and uneventful, being so early. Today seemed like it would be no exception, until I turned into a quiet Peckham backstreet to wend my way towards the junction where I join the Old Kent Rd. A Landrover came out of a side street, straight across my right of way. I swerved to the left, and narrowly missed hurtling headlong into the parked cars along the side of the road. I did scrape my legs and batter my knees somewhat. I did a quick bike check and caught up with the vehicle at the Lights at the OKR junction. The driver appeared to be eating breakfast and when she wound down the window, smiling, in response to my gentle tap, I could see a plate of food balanced on her lap. She was smiling and munching away happily, obviously completely unaware of our previous interaction. I had calmed down a bit up to this point and had originally intended merely to politely point out the possibility that checking for all kinds of traffic at junctions might reduce the likelihood of her killing or maiming someone in the future , not to mention reducing possible damage to her shiny new 4WD. However, the sight of her munching face grinning at me, like some huge, clothed hamster plus the plate of food on her lap, tipped me over the edge. ( It was a slightly bizarre scene, reminiscent of a weird nightmare). Luckily, she had no cutlery, as I would probably have taken the opportunity to stab her with it. I did get a bit shouty, I forget exactly what I said now. However, not the witty intelligent and precise comments I had in my head before the greedy, plate balancing giant hamster driving a car appeared before me.
I am still not completely sure that I didn't dream it, it was that surreal.
