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I think its quite sad really, the quota system has sort of fallen away in most main stream sports, where it was never really very successfull anyway, to introduce it now into cycling, in my opinion just shows how far cycling still has to go to be looked at and accepted as a main stream sport, and how backward thinking this committee is. By all means lets start looking for, identifying and growing talents from all race groups, but the "big brother - do as I say attitude" really dos no justice to the efforts already in place.

Thats an interesting line of thought AfreekduSoet - I accept your reasoning.

*Sigh* I can well understand your frustration ewep, I see it all the time as well on Witkoppen road, (which I drive up and down about 4 times a day), cyclists weaving in and out of traffic, riding three or four abreast, jumping lights and stop signs,using abusive language and offensive signs and so on - I dont let it bother me anymore - if they get flattened by an 18 wheeler I would "largely and in general" say "its their own fault". Harsh, Yes, Tough, of course, but the rules of the road are for everyone, common respect and human courtesy are basic human instincts, if you "live by the sword", unfortunately you "die by the sword as well".!

I understand all the points put forward - however I find it very hard to accept / believe that sane everyday people (of which you probably count yourself one) see this as an invitation to an open day on cyclists. I mean, if you were not a cyclist, would this article make you believe it was okay to ride one down? As sane normal folk, I doubt it - you would in all likelyhood have a bit of a chuckle and move on. However, if we want to look at the facts, we see quite clearly that motorists who hoot aggressively, drive too close to cyclists, thump on the steering wheel or suchlike are simply expressing "Anger or Rage", this in all probabilities has nothing to do with the cyclist, but all to do with "immediate stress management" (eg) they may have missed an important meeting in traffic, they may have had an argument with their wife / husband / children, they may be in a position of extreme stress at work and this aggressive behaviour is simply a vented expression on the cyclists - or for that matter, family, friends, pets, the front gate etc. It has absolutely nothing to do with reading a newspaper article. Motorists who jump lights / stop streets, drive too fast or swerve in and out of traffic (maybe causing a cycling accident as well ) simply have bad driving habits - thats all. Again, it has nothing to do with reading newspaper articles. Sure, its emotional and pulls at the heart strings, and sure, I have no issue if folk feel the need to take the matter further, but in reality, its just a bit of poor journalism expressing an opinion,which I dont believe is a fair reflection of even 0.002% of the population .

To be honest, I read the article and had a bit of a chuckle. Sure its in bad taste, and sure it could be derogatory, and sure it could be inflamatory, but, in the end, its only his opinion. 99% of news today inflames or insults or demonizes someone.!!! - dont tell me you believe and act on everything you read.! So whats the issue, I really dont believe the majority of SA citizens are going to now start waking up in the morning and say - HEY LETS KILL A CYCLIST TODAY - Beeld condones it.!! Give the population a bit more credit please, and for "GOODNESS SAKE", stop taking everything so seriously, see it for what it is - a bit of bad journalism - and move on!!. What next, should smokers start a petition and a march down eloff street because some joker wrote about how they ruin the ozone and should all be eliminated. *Sigh* - I dont know, I just dont know. PS- Please dont start a thread in reply about the (or any) cyclist who was run down by a motorist and the ..............................................!!! I am well aware of these situations, and have experienced it first hand, but these are non related issues, no person in a sane mind will ever run a person down because of a news article.

Hmm, yes, "hello peter" has its advantages, but I think its also somewhat abused unfortunately, to the extent that certain major retail companies have threatened law suits against users who post defamatory or fictitious accounts on line. Needs to be taken with a pinch of salt I think. On TDF cycles, I must agree, I dont deal much with local shops but after a crash at the Lost City race, I dropped my bike off at TDF cycles with the very basic instruction of "Fix it" - they did an excellant job, kept me informed all along what they were doing, had it ready on time, the cost was actually less than I expected, and to this day, I say, fitted the best Bar tape I have ever used. Certainly one of the more professional operations around.

Hmmmm, I like the idea of a cold castle en route dudet - I havent done that for years - I also like the idea of chatting to someone in the bunch instead of gasping for breath and wondering when that nut up front will take a breather - I like the idea of finishing with a bit of energy left to do something else in the day and I like the idea of looking out in the morning and if its cold and raining...................well just going back to bed.! My wife has never complained, but I enjoy participating in things with her, its fun and I look forward to it. Honestly it will take a huge change of mind set for me to re-license this upcoming year - so, Scotty I may just take a little draft behind you next time - have mercy on me hey.

My club called yesterday to ask me to send in my license form for 2007. I said I will think about it. Honestly I have been a licensed vet for, I dunno, maybe 7 or 8 years now, but I no longer have the urge to spend the 12 or so hours a week training, which I believe, is needed to just stay in the bunch, - I say "just stay in the bunch" - I have no illusions of ever winning". Cycling takes up an inordinate amount of time, and I feel one misses out on many other pass times I enjoy because of a training schedule - and for what?? - I have no real answer to that. My wife and I enjoy so many things, scuba diving, hiking (I gave up a spot on the otter trail two years ago to train for the Shova - something I have always regretted), golf, boating, water skiing and so on, these interests have just sort of taken a back seat over the last few years and I am keen to expand my outdoor choices. So will I re-license? - I dont really know.!!The club thinks I should, but I am in two minds. Maybe I will just turtle along next year in the open sections and re-gain some interest in cycling raceing.?

I dont know, but been dragged through the criminal justice system, having to appear in court, getting a criminal record which will end most job opportunities, the stress of living with the uncertain future, the worry of what will happen to your family were you to be incarcerated, the fear of jail, the time to think you caused the death of two innocent people, loosing your drivers license and having to face the family in court must have been severely stressfull. I believe the punishment must fit the crime, but its not up to me (or any of us) to decide whats fit and just.

I hear today in the news that the gentleman who ran down the two runners in Bedfordview earlier in the year has pleaded guilty to culpable homicide in the Germiston magistrates courts. He said he had taken medication and admitted his negligence caused the deaths of the runners. He will be sentanced in January. So, there you have it, as a personal friend of one of the runners this is a victory for the rule of law, and to all the nay sayers a sign that things are happening, and taking the law into your own hands is never going to achieve anything.

I just want to make two points here - 1)How anyone can say, hiding in WAIT, in superior numbers, with the clear intentional mindset to assault someone, can be considered "self defense" is quite beyond me. 2)Lets take a hypothetical situation here - your elderly father who you love very much, one day in a moment of poor judgement waves a finger under the gardeners nose, hey maybe he even swears at him and certainly he makes his opinion known. The gardener that afternoon recruits 6 of his best buddies and hides out in the back, when your father takes a late evening stroll, they assault him, your mother sees this and tries to difuse the situation, they beat her up too, then just for good measure they pepper spray your father. Unbeknown to them, he had a weak heart and the stress and the violence was too much and he has a heart attack and dies. Do you - 1* Say, "Gee" before I get too upset I would like to hear their side of the story.? 2*It was self defense. So "Hey" thats okay!? 3* My father should never have raised his voice, so he actually deserved it.? 4*I think we should all get together with the assailants over a cup of tea and discuss this rage issue.? OR 5*You drive to the nearest police station and lay a criminal charge.? My bet is its 5 - because its the right thing to do.!! You know it and I know it. My bet is you will be screaming blue murder at the police station demanding a case be opened and the assailants prosecuted. Why did these thugs not do likewise?? Anybody who condones violence and this criminal behaviour aligns themselves with criminals everywhere.

Slowpoke, I am provoked every day, probably you too, I am cut off in traffic,I am blocked and verbally abused by taxis, I have had friends murdered, I have had my house plundered - ...............I could carry on but why.........you know the scenario. Dos this give me the right to take the law into my own hands and beat up on people who I think deserve it.? Not in a civilised society it dosnt.! .........BUT YOU SEEM TO BE MISSING THE MAIN POINT - even if they were provoked, were they injured - NO. Instead of acting within the law and reporting the incident, they carefully and with a clear mind, discussed the situation, they planned an attack, they recruited assistance, they WAITED for the victim to arrive and they carried out a criminal and heinous assault on a defenseless old man (I understand they also pushed a woman around as well) - there is no excuse for this thuggery - it was premeditated and planned - it was not spontaneous and their lives were not threatened when they carried out this attack. Great moral fibre they poccess.

A very poignant piece MwdeJager, if only more of us would take note.

I dont understand the mentality "Lets hear the other side"!! What other side.? Did the old man assault them - NO.! So whats the "other side of the story" - nobody, nobody, has the right to assault anybody with fists and pepper spray unless they were attacked by like force first. Waiting for him at a traffic light showed a clear mind and a clear and pre meditated intentional mind set to beat him up - that is pre meditated assault and is a criminal offence - there is NO OTHER SIDE.!

Spidy, spidy,spidy - driving a car is NOT endagenring your life, it is his right as a citizen of the country (as yours) to drive on the roads - how he drives is not for you or me to decide - it remains his right. In any event who says he drove negligently - nowhere have I read that - but even if he did, its not up to 6 young cyclists to change his habits - report him to the authorities, take the number do whatever, there is more than enough violence and aggression in the country without condoning this senseless, irresponsible and animal like behaviour. Just because some cyclists feel their rights are impinged by bad drivers, some drivers feel their rights are impinged by poor cycling habits - its not anybodies right to take action on their own, that is mobster behaviour, be it cyclists, runners, drivers, taxis whatever, there are rules and clear regulations, act within them, and dont expect mercy if you act outside of these (as these mobsters did) by the authorities. If we all just take matters into our own hands, what dos this say about us as god fearing, law abiding, honest citizens - it serves no purpose, and we will just descend into anarchy.

What a disgrace, six able bodied young cyclists attack a 60 year old man with pepper spray and fists and its somehow condoned by some??? What next, do you baseball club the cashier at your local supermarket because they were impolite or the cleaner because they left the floor wet and you fell.?? Cyclists are not above the law, cyclists are not some kind of elitist group who can do and say as they feel fit, cyclists are not in a position to take the law into their own hands, cyclists are not in a position to defer their anger on defenseless old men. Its an absolutely disgracefull situation and I hope the full weight of the law is brought against these mobsters.

Yes, sure old dog - I agree, its just not "my thing".