My deep loathing for religion was compounded even further today. I was out and about again, this time exploring north of the river, around Gallons Reach. There is a big new retail park there which I was looking around. I was starting to think of heading home when unfortunately I took a wrong turn and headed onto some rather deep gravel. I thought I could make it but almost instantly my wheels got stuck. I tried reversing but that made the problem even worse, and pretty soon I couldn’t go anywhere.

I was down a bit of a back street behind the large shops, so there was nobody around to help. However, within a few minutes a couple came through the gate I had initially been heading towards. I called out for help, but to my astonishment they completely ignored me. They were obviously a Muslim man and woman, presumably a couple, who  got on their knees to pray.

I called for help again, but again they completely ignored me. To be honest that made me rather exasperated: I was sure they could see and hear me, so why weren’t they helping? Was their religion more important to them than a disabled man who clearly needed help? How sickeningly perverse could you get?

In the end I was rescued by two kindly women on their break from working in one of the shops. They went and got a security guard, and I was free within a few minutes. Nonetheless I was still incredulous at what had happened. I don’t want to sound like an islamophobe, but surely that couple could have broken off their prayer to help me. Or does religion matter more to such people than a disabled man urgently needing assistance?!