Bike Paths and Road Rules (July 29,2005)

I have a growing suspicion that I'll be run over one day soon. Growing, because I just moved from Istanbul, the city with traffic second only to Cairo (a claim made by so many cities), believing I was entering a safer world when I arrived here in Belgium. However, as I walked to the supermarket, on a fruitless search for fresh milk, I realised the problems.

1. As we all know,Downunder, the Europeans drive on the wrong side of the road. It's an adjustment I've made but never completely ... I daydream a lot, walk like I breathe, without really thinking.

2. In Istanbul, everyone drove on their brakes, and often used only 1st and 2nd gears ... which meant, they could stop on a dime. Istanbulites drove outside the law; the law of chaos worked on their roads, you took precautions, because anything went. Here in Antwerpen, they observe the rules, and the problem is that I have no idea what they are. I come to a road and look round discretely, look round a lot, look round for quite some time, trying to work which side of the road, which direction, and what is possible from these Antwerpian drivers ... I still have no idea.

3. There are bicycle paths here ... seperated from the footpath by a broken painted line, or different coloured brick, or by nothing in particular. A trap for wandering Kiwis, especially the ones who wander without thought, easily avoiding the road (a trick learnt in childhood), forgetting the bike paths. You can get hit from behind, or if you walk around a corner with the intention of crossing the road ... well, watch out for the bike paths.

4. The trams ... they share the roads with the cars. One almost hit me the other day. In retrospect, I think I was looking the wrong way before I stepped out because the traffic light said I could cross. I'm a bit confused about that.

5. I have lost my hearing. My right ear always had a small problem I could live with. It assisted on long lazy weekends in summer, when I didn't want to hear my Istanbul neighours going off to morning prayers at 5.30am. In Antwerpen, my left ear has fallen silent and I'm sometimes as deaf as a post (diagnosis, probably Grandmotherhood). This complicates the business of me hearing the bicycles and trams as they approach me, leading me to believe that I'm deliberately being targeted for the amusement of those in charge of these demons from transport hell.

I've imagined how it will feel to be hit by a bicycle, I've avoided the tram thoughts ... that would be just nasty. Actually, so would the bicycle ... they don't wear helmets here, probably because of the increased safety created by the very bike paths that are giving me trouble ... perhaps I should be wearing the helmet.

Mmmm, so don't be surprised if you hear that there's been in incident ...