LeTurbo

I am an idiot on three levels at least: a cyclist, a motorist, and a Hubber. Darn.

Good to hear - I hope the shop does well. I feel sorry for old Olaf, but hey, we all have to move around in life.

This doesn't bode well for Sunday.

Which reminds me - World Naked Bike Ride this Saturday, 10 o' clock I think, at Prestwich Memorial.

So a friend writes this on her FB page: NICE - fkn cyclists - and Capetonians, nogal! [Two names here, mine and another's] - hope you and your mates don't behave like this! Apparently the incident is on YouTube and went viral. Was in the Cape Times too. Personally, I'm sick of "thinking bike" when just yesterday some dingbat in lycra chose to ignore the turning circle entirely and shot in front of me as I pulled off. Don't they know they have less protection without a car wrapped around them? To which I felt I had to comment: A question: if it had been a car, would you have still pulled out? If he was coming from the right, did he not have right of way? But no, I don't behave like this or condone it ... as a cyclist, I've had to accept that cars will turn left only a few metres in front of me (often from the right lane, and not knowing the bike brakes are not nearly as efficient as a car's); that they will overtake me, then suddenly brake for a parking (brake comment as before); that young people enjoy yelling in my ear just as their car passes or, as it seems happened in the incident above, throwing things from the car and squirting the cyclists with water. No, we learn to breath deeply and just say "Well, I'm still alive and that's the main thing" - even if, as has happened, the cyclist's arm is broken from a too-close wing-mirror. We just smile at the truck that forces us off the road, or the pedestrians that step in the way without looking, the cellphone-using drivers, the tikheads that try to rip us off our bikes so they can steal them. Yeah, we know that we have less protection; and we know that people are much more aggressive in their cars than they would be in the office; that drivers believe motorcyclists and cyclists and pedestrians don't belong on the road; that drivers say "ride single file" while they ignore double white lines and many other very basic road laws. We know these things because we drive cars too, and we see how different motorists' behaviour is when we use our different modes of transport. Can't justify the guys attack, but there have been times when I have been so angry at a driver's self-righteous behaviour that has nearly ended my life that I've contemplated swinging my bike through their windscreen. I just thank my HP that I haven't done that, but I understand how years of frustration could have just sparked a kindling fire. Ah well, there but for the grace of God go I. Edit: another thought. All the cyclists here are angry - why was that? Surely, if only one cyclist stripped his moer, the others would have pulled him off (if reading this thread is anything to go by). No, they're all pissed off. That driver, or his passengers, did something they shouldn't have, I'm pretty sure of it. If the video had covered the entire situation, I wonder whether our perspective would be different? If it showed the driver doing something wrong, I doubt it would have got even a fraction of the exposure.

And then it's the World Naked Bike Ride at 10:00, so you can get in a whole morning's cycling.

I blame the runners. If they hadn't thrown down their sachets, there'd have been no need to clean up, and no need for a van, and then none of this would have happened.

The lost waterbottle thread still springs to mind.

Why should a car have to swerve to avoid any cyclist? Surely the car was then too far left? And this is the problem of riding national roads, like those out near Wellington or Riebeek Kasteel. It's become the norm for drivers to go into the yellow line, though it's illegal. The correct procedure is for the overtaking car to wait until it's safe to do so (these days, that seems to mean crossing double solid white lines). The cyclist must best evaluate the situation. For example, I know that my road home has the light coming directly into the driver's eyes at sundown. I prefer to ride on the right of that road, knowing from personal experience that you can see bugger all ahead of your car, especially not a skinny cyclist.

There's a bit of a course at UCT, just as you take the Woolsack Drive turnoff from the M3, heading out of town. It's on the left, but I'm not sure how you'd actually get there to park.

I reckon Skylark is right - these guys were coked/methed/whatever to the gills and saw an opportunity. The OP was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Laat ons nie almal paniekerig raak nie! Three okes (driver excluded?) plus a 29er in a Yaris would normally be a good laugh.

Dad David said it was on the flat stretch near the curio sellers. Guys, we mustn't let incidents like this rule our lives. Otherwise, we just hand over control of the city to the gangsters, like I think has happened in GP. The "Evil takes over when good men stand by and do nothing" sort of thing.

Just heard your Dad on Cape Talk!

F***! This, now, is too much. Thank heavens you're OK. But now we have a real problem as cyclists. Simon, any pics of your bike so we can ID it if we see it. Because I think this is one attack we need to take very seriously. That road is probably the most popular cycling route in the country.

Mail all the Cash Crusaders and Converters, Dave. Let BMC and Avron know. Check Neil's Wheels. Check out the places on Voortrekker Road...

Oh FFS! I've just seen about Dave's SOMA on FB and this forum, and now this. I want to beat the **** out of someone.

So! You admit it, even without the pictures. Ha! 100psi, DJR? Too soft. 130 is nice, where the tyres send little stones pinging across the road. Or, in the case of commuting, into someone's car door.

All roadies lead to roam.

Losing your noodle is fairly common on The Hub. Rags too.

Francois, if your shoulder's already sore, maybe you should get it checked out. Sorry you had to have a start like this to the day.

Olaf sold up in Kenilworth - I think he's working for one of his original suppliers. He was a whisperer of note, but what can you do when another bigger bike shop sets up less than 100m away from you?

Yoh! Well, at least you're still looking at things with a sense of humour, even if she wasn't a) looking at things, b) exercising any sense at all. No serious damage, I hope.

Glad you're OK. Sounds like you were sensible about the whole thing. Now, surely there's a way to track your phone?

This what you meant to post? In a landmark case that is likely to affect sports like road running, the Western Cape High Court on Friday found that organisers of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour were not legally required to run the events under the sanction of the national federation, Cycling South Africa (CSA). Midway through last year, Cycling South Africa (CSA) claimed that all cycling events would have to be sanctioned by the national federation, including those run by the Pedal Power Association who organise the Cycle Tour. This meant that all the riders competing in the Cycle Tour may be forced to pay licence fees to the national federation and CSA warned that if PPA failed to adhere to the rules, it could ban many of SA’s top riders from competing. PPA responded by taking the matter to court and, in the judgement on Friday morning, acting judge KM Savage ruled against CSA with costs. “It is declared that the applicant, the Pedal Power Association (PPA), does not require the prior sanction or approval of the first respondent, Cycling South Africa, or members of the first respondent, in respect of cycling events organised by the applicant, including fun rides or league rides,’ the judgement read. The judgement also means that PPA also does not need the sanction of CSA before it can work with provincial and local authorities in the organisation of the race. The ruling also has repercussions in sports like running, where all runners are forced to either pay an annual fee or a temporary licence, whenever they run an event under the auspices of the national federation, Athletics South Africa. – Mike Finch

Drop low in the bars, and point your right hand forward (above your head, as it were) while making a fist. Wear a red cape.