slowpoke

covie, surely then for safety sake it makes sense if you are in a car to always (even at a green light, stop street, etc) yeild to the potentially gun-wielding taxi/bus/whatever. also then for safety's sake you should also not defend yourself or your property if attacked/mugged/etc? yours is one view on the matter. another view is: the rider going up will have more difficulty to get going again. hence logic would say that they should be left to retain what little momentum they might have. yet another view is: you have greater control of your bike going downhill so it is easier to take evasive action. and another: if you aren't a good rider and you're belting downhill you are likely to endo if you try stop so you should have right of way. i personally do move aside whichever way i'm going - i am capable of doing so if i'm riding uphill - if it's too steep i get off and carry / push so i'll be off the track anyway. if i'm the stronger rider i feel that that means i'm capable of doing so better than the other rider and i don't care to be rude and discourage weaker/beginner riders. if i'm the weaker rider then i feel like i don't want to block the other rider. either way i do it cos i can, even if it's my ROW. but if you can't ride well enough to abide by the mtb code and generally accepted rules so be it. as you say the person with ROW will usually end up yielding anyway.

as madaboutmerida has said - internationally riders going up have ROW. but then again, internationally there is greater respect for fellow people in general. based on the argument presented by covie and company i take it they stop at green lights etc to make sure no busses or taxis etc are coming because according to them larger/faster/more aggressive entitles one to ROW? i know SA is slipping into a state of anarchy, but i always thought mtb'ers claimed to be the "friendly and polite" side of cycling - clearly that is no longer the case.

precisely the reason i use Rudy's - i have been so close to losing my eyesight (i have two dead organ donors and their families to thank for being able to see) and the Rudy's sit so comfortably, with the inserts in, whether i'm mtb'ing, road cycling, etc. heck, even though my prescription dark glasses (i'm not allowed outside without a minimum level of anti-glare dark glasses) were selected very specifically for use on the motorbike and to look as fabulous on me that glasses can (i'm no picture and the specs don't help), on long distance trips i still prefer to look like a fly and use the Rudy's. but that is the point - find glasses that fit right and that you can wear outside in bright light with no other protection for the number of hours that you plan to be out there without your eyes starting to hurt and burn and suffer in all the other ways from glare etc. you must also be sure that if you have to have inserts that when you "test" the glasses you allow for the fact that the rx inserts will be there and the amount of space they will need - a low script will have minimal impact. a strong script / multiple corrective requirements script will be thicker and thus will require more space between the glasses and your face. you must then also consider how the refraction of the light through the lenses and then the rx inserts will impact. if the lenses and rx insert can almost match in curvature (ie you are just very short sighted or for sighted with no other major problems) then the light refraction issue will have minimal impact. and the list goes on. end of the day find what fits right, feels right when you go outside into the glare, and fit your budget to it accordingly. some people find that they will rather "scimp" on luxuries to ensure that they (and their eyes) are happy and comfortable when outdoors.

singletrack - you owe me a new coffee-free keyboard after posting that!

covie, very often yes, the price is in hte marketing. but having extremely sensitive eyes and having been though cornea transplants for both eyes differences in refraction and glare reduction are very obvious to me. of the cheaper brands though, d'arcs are the best - as i said before i used them for adventure racing but only for the "high risk" sections. anything else the difference in quality for glare reduction etc was worth using the Bolle's (i was lucky and was sponsored my Bolle's and the insurance payout on those left minimal extra to pay in to get the rudy's when i had to replace)

yippeee!!!!

you're very very strange... head/shape/fit wise... i've had d'arcs (when i was still sort-of-able to use contact lenses) and i've had bolle's (sponsored) and i've got rudy's. i also have a pair of safety goggles for when working with an angle grinder etc. the d'arcs fit like the safety goggles. i only used them for the abseilling and water-based legs of adventure races. the rest of the time durign those events i used the bolle's (with inserts). when the bolle's went bye-bye in a cycling crash i replaced with the rudy's based on comfort. the d'arcs also never came remotely close to cutting the glare to same extent as the bolle's (and the rudy's are better). the visual clarity also was way sub-standard to those other two. obviously if you don't need the inserts and level of glare-reduction then sure, d'arcs are the best of the cheaper options and definitely will result in less tears if something happens to them (which is why i did use them when i visually could)

"desperately trying to call you" is a standard comment from lazy people. std bank executor services did this to my cell number one day to give me an answer about my inheritance. they couldn't explain how there was no missed call on my phone, no voice mail was left, nada. yet work wise i never have a problem. suddenly it appeared that they had 2 numbers wrong with my cell number. but they had called me on it before. wtf????

good on you cbrundson!

RIP :-( condolences to family and friends

glad that you and you boys are ok

best i hope that MichH doesn't post any pics of me here.

if you're anywhere near wilgeheuwel side then go to dr de wilde and see what he says - he fixed my collarbone after my 'shova crash, sorted me (no surgery) after my mtb off-the-brdge the year after that and he sorted michaelH's "better-half" out as well. he does charge 150% med aid rates but he's worth it.

you have to remember this is our B team. our A team is England

well said slave and harry - every single day in SA AT LEAST one cyclist or biker or pedestrain gets killed and countless other road users in general. unfortunately our officials only care about enforcing income-generating laws, not life saving ones

hope your buddy heals up soon

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Robbers-target-cyclists-bikers-20100509 Fanie van Rooyen, Beeld Pretoria - Five cyclists and three motorcyclists were attacked and robbed of their cellphones, money and bikes shortly after one another near Pretoria on Saturday morning. Two armed robbers hid in the long grass next to a gravel road in Hoekplaats, south-west of the city, and forced the eight men off their bikes, tying them up with wire. Deon Cilliers, 39, from Lonehill in Johannesburg, who was attacked along with four other cyclists belonging to the Cycle Lab cycling club, said on Sunday that the robbers were very calm and focused. Training ride "We were on a training ride and went up the steep hill, as always, because it's good exercise," said Cilliers. On their way up the hill they were overtaken by three motorcyclists. "When we came close to the top of the hill I saw one of the motorcyclists lying face-down on the ground. The next moment an armed robber jumped in front of me and pointed a silver revolver at me and my friend. "The robber told us to be quiet and stay calm. He and another robber made us lie down on our stomachs next to the three motorcyclists and tied our hands behind our backs. "Three minutes later they overpowered the next cyclist, and another minute later the last two cyclists were also attacked." The robbers took their cellphones. "One of the cyclists' right hand is smaller than his left hand, so he was able to free himself and untie the rest of us." Motorbikes left behind The motorcyclists, whose vehicles were left behind by the robbers, gave the cyclists a lift and flagged down a police vehicle. "Every weekend we hear about another bicycle hijacking; it has to be stopped," he said. Police spokesperson Agnes Huma said the value of the stolen goods, including the five bicycles, amounts to about R200 000. Andr? Snyman, head of the national anti-crime cellphone network eblockwatch, said they are in the process of establishing a national helpline for cyclists. "Lately we've realised that more and more cyclists are being hijacked, so we decided to launch a nationwide support system for cyclists. Bicycles don't have tracking systems like many cars do, and it's much easier to sell a stolen bicycle than it is to sell a car," said Snyman. "Some of these bicycles cost up to R65 000, so it's 'easy money' for the criminals. "A bicycle is also much easier to move and hide than a car." Snyman said eblockwatch will provide its cyclist members with an emergency reaction service on their cellphones, and in future they will ask security companies to help secure popular cycling routes in Gauteng on Saturdays.

can i be elected to cgc please? i could do with the extra cash!

oom, was definitely a raleigh

yesterday morning around 6:45 - white hilux double cab (i have the reg number) and raleigh on back (race number 179 from the honda race)... the yellow lane of HP is NOT for driving in because you're late for your ride (or whatever). i know i always brag about how i stick to the law but i was going a llittle fast (typical bloody biker) but you made me look like i'd found reverse on my cbr!!! if you cycle the way you drive then it's obvious why cyclists are viewed as inconsiderate and not deserving of being on the roads, even though you are a mtb'er

wtf!?!?!?!?! i don't even spend R5k servicing a suzuki SV (FULL service including replacing chain and sprockets) AND a honda NXR (replacing chain) AND doing a whole whack of repairs on a Mongoose Meteor (i did hurt my poor baby - the honda CBR had a go at me about hurting his brother so revenge by the 2 wheelers was sweet). you were definitely taken for a ride on that! i have and ride and maintain 3 motorbikes and 2 bicycles but i certainly don't spend what you spend - take the other advice given here - find a new lbs or learn to do it yourself

so what is the latest news on the condition of the cyclist AND the biker??? HUGE kudo's to the other biker who put himself and his bike at huge risk by riding through the grass. is a cycle race really worth the risk of killing yourself or someone else? really? honestly and truly? that is why i don't even participate in races anymore.

100% agreed. ShaunH and I can also confirm this.