Trifter

Hey! Calling all folk about town!  Not sure if you have visited Belfast recently and have noticed, but let’s face it, you could hardly miss it, and that is the endless, annoying pavement works taking place throughout the city centre, making the town very pedestrian unfriendly, and increasing the old pavement rage levels.  I, myself am not a driver so I am always venturing out along the foot pavements  I can well understand that perhaps I would have more to complain about if nothing was done and our roads and pavements were left to decay so at least the demolition boys (well, I can’t think of any other name for them) are doing something right by means of making our city streets more safer and accessible.  But never mind that, let’s not contradict my whinge, just because we have these ‘do-gooders’ happily drilling and digging away, doesnt mean to say I am completely happy.  I am the mother of a 7 week old baby and I have to say I find trying to manoeuvre my pram along the temporary narrow foot pavements a tad irritating.  They have also assembled rat-runs to allow you access to the shops, how considerate, you only want to visit Dunnes Stores but find yourself signed up for a magical mystery tour instead, which makes me glad I bought a jogger pram, easy to manoeuvre.  About two weeks ago my friend and I were walking, er, I mean squeezing, along Donegall Place, I was trying to carefully push my pram along, being the learner driver I am, when two old dears in front of me turned round and gave me a mouthful of abuse for apparently pushing the pram into their heels, all I could do was apologise but she still rattled on.  Huh!, some people, where is their empathy for pram pushers on rat-run pavements.  Then last week, somewhere in between Tescos and Castlecourt, I found myself jammed between some pavement works, building scaffolding and a crowded bus stop, and yes, I had my pram with me as usual.  We all came to a standstill, there was nothing else for it, we couldn’t move, and as for the guy behind me, well let’s just say his language was colourful.

Anyhow, that’s enough of my whinge binge, it would just be nice to see things getting back to normal for our pedestrians. So, ahoy there all you demolition boys out there, we know you are only doing your job and you are doing a splendid job in improving our pedestrianisation, we are all truly grateful that you are making it a safer, more attractive environment for shoppers, visitors and workers, there is just one ‘but’ from me, I have found that lately there has been a lot going on all at once, but as phase one of the transformation includes 13 streets, then what can I say, I guess there is a lot of ground to cover.