The Trials of Walking to Work

So, here we are, at the end of my first half term holiday. I have decided that half term is one of the greatest things ever. 

The school I work at is only a 35 minute walk away (30 minute brisk walk if I decided that I couldn't live without an extra 5 in bed)  and so I've set myself the challenge of walking to and from school four out of the five days I'm there. When I tell people this they sound amazed but I'm sure the tube/bus would take longer and so by walking I'm actually taking the lazier option that means I get to spend more time asleep.This walking commute has revealed to me a number of things, one of which is the lack of trust I have in my fellow Londoners:

I do not trust cyclists – they seem to think that they are above the Highway Code and so stopping at red lights are optional, even when they’re going at a million miles an hour and there are pedestrians (who have patiently waited for the green man) trying to cross the road. Suffice to say I have become an expert in diving out of the way of said cyclists while giving them a Death Stare that I hope conveys some of the contempt I have for them – in a loving Jesus way of course.

I do not trust motorbikes - you never know if it’s safe to cross or if they’ll nip round from behind a lorry and run you over.

I do not trust cars - when so many roads meet at a junction its impossible to watch every car to see if it’s likely to run straight toward you.

I do not trust pedestrian crossings - with traffic coming from 5 different directions how do I know that its got it right?

I do not trust that the guy reading a book as he walks down the road (just like Belle from Beauty and the Beast) will not walk into me.

All in all, if you aim to reach work without being run over there are many things to avoid and look out for (but don't worry mum, just in case I do get run over I make sure that my underwear matches). And so ultimately  I don't trust my own judgements when it comes to crossing roads. It's a miracle that I don't spend the whole day walking round and round the block.