I began my homeward commute in a smug frame of mind. It's always good to leave the office during rush hour, as I get a nice big bus lane in which to blat past the big queue of cars on the Kingsway. I became aware of someone shouting, but since shouting is not uncommon in Swansea city centre and I wasn't committing any kind of misdemeanour at the time, it took me a while to figure out that it was aimed at me.
A smallish and fairly elderly man with a big beard was shouting from the pavement. "F***ing a**eshole! C**t! A**ehole! F***ing c**t!" and a small range of variations on this limited theme. I was behind a bus which was about to stop at a red, so I stopped too and just looked at him for a moment. More of the sweary stuff. I said "WTF?" More sweary stuff, then suddenly a clue as to what was bothering him. "C**t! F***ing a**ehole! Helmet! F***ing c**t!" Pelvic thrusts followed, then some very emphatic removing of his hat and pointing at his head.
I looked at the light - it was still red. So I turned back to him, shouted "F**k off" and indulged in a bit of extravagant two-finger saluting. More swearing, stuff about helmets, and thrusting ensued. I looked at the light again - red and amber. As I turned back to offer a parting salute at the still declaiming figure, he was furiously undoing his trousers.
An odd lot, the pro-helmet brigade.
