Jim Sanderson of Kent Fire & Rescue Service’s Fire Bike Team gives his take on being on two wheels in Winter:
“It’s a lonely time of year on two wheels in Winter. Looking at the cars I often wonder how many of those drivers are actually bikers and are maybe looking at me with a wistful eye as I tentatively edge past them through the rush hours. More likely they’re looking, thinking ‘Mad fool!’. But beating the queues is the ONE consolation of being on a bike so don’t begrudge me it.
“My Winter existence on my ‘trusty steed’ is one of huddled, wary, isolation where everyone - pedestrian, cyclist, lorry, bus and car - is treated with mistrust and an edge of fear. This is due to the knowledge that my vision is often obscured by a mist-edged visor, my clothing layers and double thickness neck warmers have taken away a degree of head movement, and when I do deign to move my head I’m wary of extending the neck and letting another cold draught in. If I have to stop in a hurry I will struggle as it’s nearing freezing point and you, in the car behind, are always catching me up at this time of year, sitting too close, because I’m always slowing down this time of year.
“So then I start thinking “What if I have to stop and you can’t?”
"This starts to make me angry with this ‘tailgater’ which doesn’t help my state of mind. I suspect that every cocooned driver has the heating up, stereo up and are myopic or suffer permanent night blindness - we’re all driving in the dark to and from work in this season, and while I doubt you’re intentionally risking my safety, I still sit there in front of you quietly fuming at you for making me feel the need to go faster than I should.
“When most commuters are thinking about ‘just’ getting home, I think about getting home ‘safely’ and how important it is to be there for my little son Charlie as he grows up. This installs an extra layer of drama and fear. Outward distractions are fewer as I can’t relax and take in the scenery, so thoughts always seem to turn slightly inward, more morose and the morbid ones tend to take over the happy ones especially when the weather is matching this state of mind.
“I try to get consolation from the fact that I am STILL on the bike in mid December and will still be on it come mid February so I must be a ‘proper biker’, but more and more these days I tend to think I’m just kidding myself and that the clever, proper biker’s are in their cars.
“It’s cold and only one of my heated grips is working. My fingers are numb and I can’t go anywhere near so fast on these corners that I know so well. I can accelerate on this 60mph straight and leave this blasted car behind, but I know full well at the next bend, when I have to slow down to 30, you’ll be right up there again behind, unable to overtake but somehow feeling better that you’re only 10yds behind me again.
“Now I spend more time thinking about you than what’s in front. I realise quick enough, after years of this ‘all year’ hardened biker lark, I know I must tear myself away from the mirror and concentrate on the road in front but I also know I’ll soon be double checking again to see how close you are again. It’s scary!
“Drivers please think of the Winter Biker and understand what’s going through my mind. Thanks. See you at Rush hour! :-)“
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