Bicycle Diaries

Riding a bicycle in Seville I risk my life every day, but I like my bike, its cheap, my work is not far at all (about 15 mins at reasonable speed) and its good for my condition. Being in the very south of Spain it never rains, its still over 20 degrees celcius now and we date December, so perfect to leave the car behind, though I seem to be the only one doing so. Even my two flatmates come to the lab by car every day, often even each with their own car (!), to then go to the gym at night,... yep, by car.
The problem here with bicycles is that 1) people are not used to them and 2) Sevillians are the worst drivers I have ever known. There simply are no rules here, you do whatever you feel like doing in your car. I live right next to a roundabout and I see people taking it left ever day!! Red lights are to be taken like orange, pedestrians or bicycles are invisible, and speed limits are from another planet. I have lived through nightmares being with friends in the car cruising Seville centre, and there will come a day I will get hit seriously on my bike by a car. My friend, who visited here, told me its just a matter of time, so together we bought these red flashing lights to pin on my bike/me. Looking like a Christmas tree on wheels, it already proven not to be effective the very first day I used them. I was on a roundabout together with a car, I was going first, and he simply wanted to leave the roundabout without taking my presence into account. So I bumped to the side of his car, he gave me the finger, I gave him 10. I was in my right.
Apart from dangerous manouvers, I get comments daily. Summarizing this week there was an old dude who called me a ‘hija de puta’ because apparantly I scared him. It wasnt my fault, he suddenly jumped out of his front door on the street! Another lady yelled I should slow down while I wasnt even going fast at all and have perfect control over my bike. Then there was the lady that got upset as I was using part of the pedestrian area. Problem is that they are constructing a metro line in Seville, so some roads are broken up, well, lets say the majority of the roads in my town, and you can only pass through using the pedestrian areas that are still kinda accessible. I dont take much room at all and am extra careful so dont get the fuss some idiots make. Those were all the bad comments (of this week only!) but I also get good comments. Its usually children who like the bike and stop their parents to gaze at me. I then nicely say hello to them and its so cute to see them smile. Yesterdaynight, I left the lab quite late and decided to stop for bread on my way home. I live in Montequinto, which means I have to pass through Condequinto to get to the lab. Condequinto is a town with mainly houses, big ones, so alot of rich people live there. The Sevillian football team trains opposite to our lab so alot of the players live in Condequinto. Going to the single supermarket in Condequinto you are very likely to see some of the famous sportsmen. Last night when I stopped at this supermarket, I had to do a little acrobatics to hop on the pedestrian area right before a big SUV would block it. I admit it was a little risky, and there were children watching. When I put down my bike a small boy came to me. I was in a hurry so I will sound evil admitting I just smiled at him and further ignored him to quickly get inside the store and buy what could well be the last bread of the day. When I came out a minute later, the kid was standing next to my bike and immediately started talking to me again. He must have been about 6-7 years old, tops. He asked me if I am a famous sports person. I laughed and told him I am not. He repeated his question to me and he got all excited so I decided to quickly elaborate before he’d start asking me for my autograph! I told him I am not famous and ride my bike because I like it and it gets me to my workplace. He then told me that was the strangest thing and that ‘there are other ways to get to your job’, meaning a car. I told him the bicycle is a perfect alternative, I am NOT a famous sport girl, and its simply fun to drive your bike everyday. He looked at me like I was sent from another galaxy, and he continued saying he didnt believe me when I hopped on my bike and continued my way to Montequinto. Funny little kid! What a rare thing a girl on a bike can be in Seville...