I had an interesting experience on the estuary walkway this morning, and am thankful it wasn't more interesting. I was cycling along towards Waihi Road/11th Ave past the blind corner and the engineering companies' parking areas when I noticed someone ahead. I rang my bike bell and as I came closer, she turned and bent down, almost directly into my path. I noticed she was ear budded, wired for sound. She was functionally deaf by choice.

I was reminded of a couple of biddies I encountered on the Harbour Bridge when I was helping the first Grumman Avenger restoration. They took up most of the path. I rang twice. They didn't notice. I tried to sneak past and they said I should've rung my bell. They wouldn't have noticed if Enola Gay had dropped an A-Bomb on them, they were completely in a world of their own.

Is it too much to ask, that pedestrians should at the very least pay attention to something other than their navels when sharing the walkways etc. with cyclists? Is it too much to ask that they understand that asking cyclists to use bells implies that the pedestrians will at the very least, listen? Or is that a cruel and inhumane punishment, expecting accountability?

W Parish, Bellevue.