Near death experience
I can't believe I forgot to comment on my near death experience..it must have been overshadowed by the whole Japanese experience. I'm crap at this sorta thing. Last Friday, on my way home from the library on the bike (that's bicycle not motorbike) I was coming down the hill on the main road through town nearing the turnoff to a busy supermarket and on the approach to a set of traffic lights so I pulled on the brakes, as one does, to slow down. The tension lasted for a second then SNAP! The brake handle pulled right towards me and as I looked down I seen the brake pad thingys hanging limp on my front wheel..."OH HOLY FUCK" ...Gathering momentum going down a busy road on a pretty steep hill is not good, especially with a junction a few hundred yards ahead and more especially on a bike with no brakes.
As my life flashed before my eyes and I recalled fond memories of times gone by I have only my youth, quick wit and survival instinct to thank for the next move I made. With pedestrians stupidly wandering out on to the road left and right I, with one swift movement put my left foot behind me, found the wheel and pushed with all my might on the tyre. Not the quickest or most comfortable way to stop I assure you. I wondered why people were staring at me as I sped past with my leg flung back at almost breaking point, of course I couldn't hear 'cause I had The Streets pounding in my ears from my personal stereo, then one of the earphones fell out and I realised that infact people weren't staring at me because I almost plummeted to my death and made a quick heroic decision! There was actually a really loud farting noise due to the friction caused by my trainer against the tyre...nice. I always like to leave a lasting impression.
The moral of that story is, don't go out on a bike with only one working brake, especially when you looked at it earlier that day and said to yourself "I bet that's gonna snap today". i.e; trust your gut instinct! styuyped.