The rain briefly stopped, and I took the chance to get out on the bike. She coughed indignantly (once) before starting, protesting the lack of attention. Subsequently, she went back to her usual growl/purr.
It's good to know that riding came back to me more smoothly than did driving, but I guess, when you compare the lengths of hiatuses, that makes sense.
As I was getting back into the swing of it, I found myself behind a mini-4x4 with the bumper sticker: Caution! Sudden Braking. I've seen similar signs on buses, rubbish trucks and the like, which by virtue of their function have some excuse. On a private car? It might as well read: Caution! Bad Driving. I'd quite like to put the sign on various pedestrians, cyclists and taxis, though...
Because the hardest thing to get used to again is always the traffic. In South Africa, a red light is a suggestion, and indicators can mean anything you want them to (as can hazard lights). In the UK, most people obey the basic rules, but indicators are often seen as either optional or something you use once you've started to manoeuvre.
Also on some roads, particularly the ones with unexpectedly tight curves, the signposts seem to set out to confuse. Not only does every country I've ever ridden in have a different gauge for how sharp a bend needs to be before it needs special signage, but within the UK, every council has its own ideas on the subject too.
When you add into the muddy road conditions a curve, adverse camber and a bunch of cars without a clue, sudden braking becomes the norm, and all you can do is try to sit far enough back not to have to do it yourself.
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