Parked Motorcycle Syndrome (PMS)
I’m beginning to hate this time of year. It’s true, I am a fair weather biker these days. That doesn’t mean the sun has to be shining and the temperature high enough for sunbathing, just so long as I can avoid getting soaked to the skin and arrive home without frostbite then I’m happy.
But this year in the UK there has been so much rain it’s become almost suicidal to go out on a bike. Yesterday I looked up the road closures map due to flooding or drainage issues published by Hampshire County Council. I can’t go in any direction without running into a flood within a few miles. Driving around in the car it’s evident that the problem goes beyond rivers breaking their banks and excess surface water with many roads suffering severe structural damage as a result. A few days ago, whilst driving the car, I narrowly avoided killing a cyclist. Not because either he or I did anything stupid, on the contrary we were both showing exemplary road manners which was what saved his life. The road surface had sustained such damage, a pothole, hidden because it was full of water, grabbed his front wheel and threw him off just as I was overtaking. If he had not been riding where he should have been and had I not been passing with plenty of room for error the result could have been catastrophic.
Road conditions here at the moment are appalling. It really is very dangerous to venture out on two wheels of any description so if you can avoid it please do. The unfortunate consequence though is that I’m suffering from a severe bout of Parked Motorcycle Syndrome (PMS). I’m a miserable sod with no hope of reprieve for quite some while to come.
I hate this winter, roll on spring…and hopefully some well repaired roads.