It's Sale Time

I knew that this was not Philadelphia because there is neither litter on the sidewalk nor any bikes whizzing by, precariously close to the 'in the way' pedestrians.

Pete, the contrast is robust and complete. However, if the light had been more directional you might have had to attenuate the contrast level. Your EV of 13 (1/250 @ f5.6) seems to be about right for an overcast, albeit bright, situation for an EI of 100. - David Lyga

thanks David .

His looking at his watch that he has had for years, wistfully because she is saying: "Now the sales are here, any chance you could pawn your watch?"

An interesting image and composition nicely cropped to show a juxtaposition of different element within the scene. I think it works because of the left leg of the headless model that seems to creep into the timing of the shot.

I took it from across the road through Brentwood -- luckily no cars or buses came into shot and luckily the road was built by the ROMANS to Colchester Garrison so not as WIDE as American Roads !

@David Lyga It is illegal to cycle of the pavement in the UK not that it stops some of them. I was knocked down by a cyclist on the pavement once and the idiot had the cheek to blame me! When I threatened to call the police they changed their attitude.

@Svenedin
Here everything is the same, Svenedin, except for the 'threat' of calling the police. The police would blame me for getting hit, no matter what. Such is the excessive regard that Philadelphia has for cyclists. ONLY cyclists matter here. - David Lyga

@David Lyga That is unfortunate. Had I been badly injured I would have urged the police to prosecute with the full force of the law (and they would have done). There was a case in the papers recently. A young (and very arrogant) man who ran down a lady and killed her. This young man was riding some kind of "track" bicycle that has no front brakes but he was on the road, not the pavement. Such bicycles are illegal for use on the public highway. Anyway, it was found that the only legal instrument to prosecute him was an archaic Victorian law of "wanton and furious driving" (which meant driving a horse drawn carriage) as there is no specific law for causing death by cycling. He was jailed thankfully.

There does seem to a movement of militant cyclists who want to pick fights with just about anyone: motorists, pedestrians, you name it.

I had a great time in Philadelphia a few years back. I recall a very nice French restaurant where we drank far too much champagne and than getting very lost even though the hotel was only a few blocks away!

Stephen

I really hate even opening up about this but, Svenedin, the cyclist would be gone, gone, gone even before the call to the police had been made. A woman was hit badly by a cyclist near the Temple University Campus a few years ago and when she managed to get to the police, they merely brushed it aside. Cycling in both New York and Philadelphia is serious business and the cyclists know that they are NEVER wrong. How would you like waking around Philadelphia at night and find that the speeding cyclists (both on sidewalks and streets) have no lights, dress in dark clothes and, when a car with bright headlights is just behind them. you cannot see the speeding cycling approaching. You cannot fathom the arrogance of these bastards. And they know that the police and mayor will always line up to kiss their butt. NO exceptions.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...potted-blowing-red-lights-son-handlebars.html

Just Thursday, I was heading home from using the computers at Temple University' Paley Library (Philadelphia) and just as I stepped on the street to cross it (mid-block because I am terrified to cross at the corner because of bikes flying around it) a cyclist started pedaling furiously at the start of the block heading directly for me and smiling viciously, going at least 25 - 30 mph. I quickly got out of the way, back onto the sidewalk, and the MF stopped his bike about 20 feet past me and calmly locked his bike and casually walked away. I was utterly furious and hit him somewhat and told him that he almost killed me. He then began a flood of expletives and finally I walked away with him 'chasing' and screaming after me. I was the 'perpetrator' there and if the Temple police had seen me, they would have charged ME, never, never the cyclist. I exaggerate NOT.

I have NO idea how to deal with this cycling aggression and I would like nothing better than for anyone to PM me. It has gotten to the point that I wake up shivering sometimes. Last night I got up at 4 AM and could not sleep any more. These close calls are becoming my warning for death. I have resolved to 'die without rancor or hatred' because if I start fighting back, I will spend my life in jail. I am sorry to elaborate so much about this, but cyclists in Philadelphia have absolutely NO RULES to abide by. Note: Your 'pavement' is our 'sidewalk'. In the USA, 'pavement' is the street also.

Svenedin, there never were truer words about what Philadelphia has now, within the past five years, become, than your infamous quote:

"There does seem to a movement of militant cyclists who want to pick fights with just about anyone: motorists, pedestrians, you name it. "

I am really sorry to hear that it that bad but it is getting that way in the UK as well. There are powerful political forces behind the encouragement of cycling ostensibility on health grounds but also to reduce city road congestion and to meet pollution targets. Many town/city centre multi-storey housing developments are being built with no parking for motorists so the inhabitants can really only walk or cycle.

I was talking to a security guard last week after another close encounter with a cyclist. This time, no lights, dark clothing, at night. I am both a motorist and a pedestrian and the cyclists are a serious hazard both at the wheel and on foot. They overtake on the inside and outside, weave in and out of the traffic. It's madness. I am considering installing a dashboard video camera in my car because I am afraid that sooner or later I am going to have an accident with a cyclist and get blamed for it. As a pedestrian you can get head cams for the same purpose.