Respect

Respect is something you give, unreservedly, not something you receive.

Every day I ride through the traffic, several thousand cars stretch neatly along either side of me. Lots of expensive cars, old and broken cars, taxis trucks and everything in-between, each one a brightly coloured bauble reflecting the morning and evening sun. And as I ride some cars pull over for me, either to acknowledge my presence or to create an empty space for me, small gestures which help a lot when picking through the cars.

It is my way to try thank those who do, with a thumbs up sign on my left and my left hand throwing a peace sign over my right shoulder. Left hand only of course, my right hand is reserved for the brake. I take joy in seeing these people make way, it validates my decision to use the biker lane every day, a small yet crucial part of the factors which I take into account. Knowing that many cars appreciate my right to pass between them supports me even when the bikers don't, in using the "biker lane". The small, friendly gesture is meant to encourage moving over again, a tiny thank you in the humdrum of tyres and engines. This is not unnoticed, and I'm honestly convinced that it ignites a spark in people which pleases them. Thank you.

Of course, I am only responding to them. It is they who showed kindness first. I merely acknowledge and return a simple sign of respect for my motorcycling folly. I've pondered this a lot over the last while, these many people who show me respect daily, with no other possible reward than a hand gesture. But they do, day in and day out a remarkably consistent number of people are kind, to me, for no apparent reason.

Maybe some wish they were me, maybe some curse my freedom from stuckness, maybe some don't even think of me at all, other than as a problem to be dealt with. That is fine too, because even in my problematic presence that same presence is respected. This is not about me, this is about them. They show me respect, every day, because that is THEIR nature. How could I have missed that? We are sharing a moment of human contact devoid of any triviality, or banality for that matter, they respect my passing, and I respect their awareness. They would never know me again, without my funny helmet, but even that is not a reason to disrespect me.

Traffic is mostly a murderous affair, with everyone being where someone else needs to be, and nobody where they ought to be ... traffic circles writ large. I love to think of that saying, you are not stuck in traffic, you are traffic, if you're in a car at least. In all that maelstrom you find basic human virtues screaming at you all the way to work, it took me 5 years to recognise it for what it was. 5 years to get over my own mental limitations. Not sure who is crazy anymore, me or traffic, but human life and human nature and inherent human goodness surrounds us, despite appearances, and literally begs for recognition.

Recognise
Acknowledge
Return

peace and love and respect