For today's post I am going to depart from Crypto before returning to it tomorrow.
A couple of weeks ago I had a truly shocking encounter with somebody that was an affront to human decency.
A few years ago, in the aftermath of Caroline Flack's suicide, I wrote an article about the #BeKind hashtag that was the immediate knee-jerk reaction to the events surrounding her. Caroline Flack was no angel but she did not deserve to be hounded bullied and mobbed as she was. Accountability is one thing but a witch hunt is something else.
She may as well have been lynched by an angry baying mob as she felt so cornered that taking her own life was her only choice.
That is disgusting and yet human decency is such a simple thing. My mind boggles as to why a certain element of society cannot grasp it. Being kind is the simplest thing in the world and a matter of choice.
Anyhow let me share my recent experience with you: -
Approximately two weeks ago I was walking along a relatively narrow pavement with LittleRah (my three year old son) in my arms, near a large shopping centre when from a distance I saw a food delivery cyclist riding on the pavement in my direction. The road immediately adjacent to the pavement is a very quiet one and only becomes busy for a few minutes from time to time just after a film has finished in the multiplex located in the shopping centre. So in my mind in such circumstances the rider should be on the road. There was barely room on the pavement and the road was quiet.
Just as an aside, I would say that if it was a busy main road, given the driving culture where I live, riding on the pavement is an acceptable option, but riders on pavements should always behave like a guest just as pedestrians should when crossing a road.
I simply gestured and politely suggested that the rider should be on the road.
His response was as shocking as it was sudden. He actually sped up and aimed straight at me and then he barrelled straight into me with his wheel impacting my left leg. I instinctively put my hand out and made minimal contact with his chest area. At the same time I moved aside and tried to carry on. Even so i was acutely aware that he had stopped and got off his bike and was approaching from behind.
Suddenly he kicked me hard across my right near.
All of this happened with LittleRah in my arms who by now was extremely distressed.
I think he would have gone further and only stopped his attack because there were about 5 or six witnesses who all intervened in their own way for which I was grateful. I think they were all in shock because I was carrying such a small child.
LittleRah took some calming down.
I went to report the incident to the police because at the end of the day he was on the pavement, his intent was clear and even it could be argued that my polite suggestion was a "provocation" his response was excessive and clearly wrong.
The police didn't even bother pursing the matter because neither LittleRah or I were injured enough.
So following the same logic if I were to attack somebody with a knife or just catch them slightly and nick their hand very slightly it is not a crime despite my intentions.
And the police wonder why people take the law into their own hands.
However going back to the main point. Just doing the right thing is not rocket science nor is being kind.
As I reflect I have also learned that human decency is not present in everybody and sometimes doing the right thing means letting something go even when you know the other person is clearly in the wrong.
So as I finish today please be kind to each other and take care and stay safe.
DISCLAIMER - Please note I found the image on the internet, it is the same company, but if you find the original uncensored image online or anywhere else it IS NOT the same rider.
