Pacman

Not done any light painting in a while.....

Not since:
Chained Monster
Alien Chest Burst
Light Rider
What's in a Name?


"Bwaaaaooooaaarrrrrgggggghhhhl"

The etymology of this word is unclear, but in modern English there are two distinct uses, one as a verb, the other as a noun.

v. to act incorrectly

A cyclist being passed by a car containing one or more adult males who may, or may not, be deficient in terms of intelligence, speech and/or basic vitamins, but certainly containing more than the recommended levels of testosterone, will likely have encountered this charming phrase which removes the necessity for detailed discussion on the merits of cycling (or, indeed, driving) by carefully encapsulating all that can be said by either side.

As the car moves past the shout of 'Bwaaaaooooaaarrrrrgggggghhhhl' introduces an intonation peculiar to the circumstances, with the activity of sound waves from a moving vehicle providing the correct pronunciation. When uttered in a situation where both shouter and shoutee are stationary the word will have no meaning at all. However, when used correctly the meaning roughly translates as:

"I say, chap on a bicycle, I must take issue with your mode of self-conveyance. I am, as you can see, in a motorised vehicle, propelled as it is by an evolution of the internal combustion engine. This being the case, combined with the unarguable fact that I pay road tax and therefore have more of a right to be on the road than can be afforded to bicyclists, means that I am superior to you in almost every facet of life. You are slow where I am fast; you are a danger to pedestrians whereas I must abide by the rules; you should be wearing a helmet for if I drive in a manner which is injurious to you it shall be me that gets blamed for the action when we all know cyclists are merely asking for it by their very presence on the dangerous roads. And so I must say to you that you should not be on my road at all and I would be most grateful if you would vacate this area immediately."

n. an expression of dismay

To be heard expressed by cyclists in a number of situations, viz. having just undressed in the toilets at his workplace the cyclist realises he has left his suit hanging on the coatstand outside; on realising that a puncture has afflicted a tyre; on realising that he has left his puncture repair kit at home; reacting to a motorist shouting bwaaaaooooaaarrrrrgggggghhhhl.