Calm Down, I'm only a Pedestrian & Cyclist !

This morning's chilly wind suggests that the season of the woolly hat may be upon us. In my case, this means a fleecy Russian-looking peaked one with ear muffs, which evokes the same reaction in some people as the sight of hooded youths.

To illustrate this, shortly after the introduction of the "Hunting Ban", and attired in my woolly hat and anorak, I spotted Mr Fox himself, Michael Foster, the New Labour MP for Worcester. The subject on which I wished to speak to Mr Foster was planning, although I'm no fan of the "ban". Perhaps detecting a lack of empathy, Mr Foster, on seeing me approach him attempted to dash into the offices of the Transport and General Workers Union. However, I was too quick for him. No sooner had he disembarked from his "People Mover" than I had accosted him with hand outstretched. On hearing the words "planning", and "pedestrians and cyclists" from me, I noticed an expression of relief pass over Mr Foster's face. Equally, I had the strong impression that this was an MP of which not much useful action could be expected ! However, even on the subject on planning, Mr Foster had cause to be nervous as someone who had a swimming pool constructed in his garden without planning permission (which Worcester City Council, rather supinely in my opinion, granted retrospectively).

The great irony is that if I'm cycling along Worcestershire's country roads, similary attired in my woolly hat, and chance to meet one of the local hunts, the Master is just as likely to look nervous at my approach as Mr Foster. For my appearance no doubt evokes the possibility, if not now of a saboteur, of someone who might still regard people charging around on horses as a reminder of the class war and, therefore, legitimate target for abuse. However, my gripe with the Hunt is altogether different, and concerns the "fitness" of horses which follow hounds . The other day one horse dropped dead on the road, and whilst this was almost certainly a tragic misfortune of the kind that can happen to people out jogging, it was also a reminder of the importance of "fittening" horses in advance of the Hunting Season. In my experience, fitness work happens rather less these days than it should for a variety of reasons, and I have yet to "meet" a horse in Worcestershire myself whom I would regard as fit for hunting, although I'm sure they do exist.

The one group of people who didn't seem intimidated by my appearance were Chinese business executives (from the car industry ?) who greeted me most courteously at Droitwich railway station to inquire after the next train to Worcester. Perhaps they thought me one of few remaining English peasants : perhaps at heart I am.