Throwing Rocks at Bikes
August 25, 2008 – 7:46 pmI really enjoy riding in Israel. The center of the country is mostly flat and aside from the aggressive drivers and sometimes shoddy roads, it’s a generally peaceful ride.
So, I’m riding to work this morning and passing through Yafo down the main street that that leads to Tel Aviv. I’m coming into work late and despite the construction, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the roads were clear and there little traffic to contend with.
Pleased with the empty lanes, the next instant something crashes against the front of my bike. I thought I’d hit a pothole (not uncommon in Israel) but hear this cackle of laughter from the left. This is when I notice the baseball-sized rock in the road and this demonic kid of 10 or so years laughing. Realizing that he had thrown a large rock at me was frustrating and I let loose a string of invectives.
There wasn’t much else I could do. He cackling and fingering other rocks on the sidewalk as I continued to ride. Calling the police or yelling at the kid wouldn’t have accomplished anything. There’s a chunk of carbon missing from my new fork that I’m sure seriously weakens the fork.
Years of couriering in New York and elsewhere and riding all over the world I’ve never had a rock thrown at me. And for no reason. If I endangered someone I could understand a rock thrown for self-defense but there was no provocation at all. That’s the most infuriating part. It was just some shithead kid who threw a rock.
I imagine if he continues throwing rocks at people, he’ll eventually hit someone not quite so reasonable as me.
You must be logged in to post a comment.