A month ago I was badly cut up twice in a week, and both times had to yell at the stupid, careless, ignorant, motorist to give me space. I damaged my voice doing it, and got very, very angry. I remembered seeing an AirZound and ordered one. I now will not go out on a bike without one: I have a voice among motorists, and a quick toot to say I'm here is often all that's needed. It saves me getting angry, it saves me ruining my vocal chords and as a bonus, it even stops fierce, bloodthirsty farm dogs intent on tyres and my ankles in their tracks
But the button is hard to find in an emergency as this morning when a silly, impatient woman overtook me as I was waiting for some sheep and the attendant sheepdog to clear the road, it was my right of way and I was just about to pull out when I heard her powering through. I saw the problem she was running into, not enough space for us all and a moving dog intent on his flock, but couldn't find the button before I had to brake. She missed me but ran over the dog.
Of course, life being what it is, the button is all too easy to find when you don't want it. Last week I set out on a big hill climb, 30 degrees in the shade, made steady but tiring progress. Half way up, I stopped for a bite of flapjack and decided I needed to examine the mountain view for a few minutes, as you do. I sat across the top, you know the way to use it as a seat when there's nowhere better, needed to adjust a little and put my hand onto the bars. Yes, you've guessed, landed straight on the AirZound button and nearly frightened myself to death. I'm sure my arms and legs all shot into the air, and I had an instant vision of the bike falling one way and me the other, and then us both tumbling down the mountainside. When my heart came back down from my mouth, I found I was still sitting on the top bar, amazingly enough....
The klaxon is great, it saves stress, it saves accidents and it helps us help motorists understand what cyclists need.
