porky

I was out at 5.30am this morning RUNNING not cycling and came across a small bunch of riders at an intersection, there were no cars but the lights were red and they were waiting. I kinda found that refreshing. This is the kind of responsible attitude we can all live with, motorists, cyclists, runners everybody, - unfortunately you can take a horse to water but you cant make it drink.!

Refer me to that post.! Check your facts before you point fingers.

A nice measured reply windbreaker, one which I am sorry to hear, especially the incident about Chris Atwood. Its sad, but I guess theres always the exception to the rule in all aspects of life. For me and I like to think, most of the population, riding a cyclist / runner off the road is as alien as robbing a bank, its just not something we conciously think of doing or acting upon as rational, compassionate humans. I dont know any cyclists personally who have been killed in accidents, but I did know a runner who was killed just down the road from me in Bedford view, the driver was drunk or high, I forget which, and took him out on a corner, injuring a few of his companions as well. I am sorry it happened and I felt badly for his family as I sort of knew them from a few meets we attended, but, I refuse to allow the criminal act of one individual to cloud my view of the compassion of humanity in general. I run and ride, I spend an inordinate amount of time on the road and I honestly believe there are more motorists who will sooner stop and help than ride you down - maybe I am just an optomist or I live with my head in the sand, I dont know, but I believe in the inherant good in people, I really do, and I believe if we appeal to that good nature, they always respond likewise.!

Well, one can really learn a lot on this site (Hub). I had to step out and go see some clients in my murderous steel weapon, but before I left I gorged myself on McDonalds, drank a few brandy and cokes, admired my protruding paunch and stocked up on Camels for the ride. Whilst driving there I took special care to ride the three cyclists and five runners I encountered off the road, I also ensured, I, along with the other "754 motorists spidy encountered" was speeding and weaving between lanes to justify my association as a "nitwit" motorist, oh, and I purposefully didnt lock my seat belt.!! On my return journey, I first called Car Magazine and identified myself as a semi literate ****w*t, an enviromental polluter and best of all an impatient lane hogging Imbecile!! For good measure I also later resigned my job, cos somebody here felt driving was only for "fat polluters", and, as I cant visit clients in my suit in Bloem by bicycle (or even Sandton for that matter), I felt it was only just and I am now one with the cause.! Good grief guys, go back and read some of those generalisations, they are ludicrous and inappropriate - so, a few people made some comments on a motoring board about cyclists and suddenly ALL MOTORISTS are worse than the Taliban.!! With intolerant ME,ME,ME, attitudes like this, its no wonder we are in the state we are, the country,the cyclists and the motorists. porky2009-02-16 11:40:18

Ai,Ai, the thread is going downhill fast............................!!porky2009-02-16 08:13:58

Yeah' date=' but don't tell Porky and co when they get behind the wheel... [/quote'] Haa,Haa, - Yeah,Yeah,Yeah, TNT, "Murdering Porky", maybe I gonna change my nick.!

Doesn't really matter if the cyclists are in single-file or not. What matters is if you attempt to murder them (and on occasion actually succeed) in proving you are right. Whoopee. You get to be right' date=' and some poor women gets to be a widow. Nice. [/quote'] Ag please TNT.!! Get with the programme, no driver gets in his or her car and says I will MURDER a cyclist today - stop been so melodramatic.!! ............and lets cut the bleeding heart widow bit as well, - lets stick to facts - Its PLAIN wrong to ride 4/5 abreast and expect motorists to meekly drive behind you - you have alternatives - finished, there is no argument! Trucks and other heavy duty vehicles take up the road due to their size,- they have no other alternative - thats it, finished, theres no argument.! As I said in another post - look after your own safety, if the bunch you are in is acting in a way which is endangering your safety, - stop riding with them.!

I also applied mid December, apparently a message is sent to the club to enquire if one is an actual member, and my club approved this first week January, called them today and they told me "still no licenses" - so YAH, also waiting.

Say for instance there is slow moving lorry in the road. One that moves slower eben than cyclists. Do you drive into the truck? Force it off the road? Arsehole. That argument has been done to death TNT, I hear what you are saying but a big truck, bus, slow moving vehicle "HAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO", it takes up the road due to its inherant size - cyclists on the other hand "CAN RIDE IN SINGLE FILE" - big bunches taking up the entire road is not acceptable - they have alternatives. I spend 6 hours a day in the car most days, I will sit behind a slow moving truck (even though its irritating) because I understand the fact that it is one lane big, I will not sit behind a group of cyclists riding 5 abreast because they have alternatives - most drivers are the same. porky2009-02-16 04:34:22

I think the MAJORITY of weekend cyclists are not really concerned about the road / cycling accident rate - they only train a few weekends before Argus and a few before 94.7 so they hardly spend a lot of time exposed to the road issues. Cyclists who ride daily are far more aware of these issues, simply because they are far more exposed to them, unfortunately, in my opinion the ones who ride daily are far more likely to break the rules of the road as well. Getting even 1000 cyclists to publicly boycott a race will be nigh on impossible, let alone 35000, so..................what to do?? My answer is simple - look after yourself, wear bright clothing, switch on your light, even in the day, ride predictably and indicate your intentions, ride as far left as possible, put a foot down at every red light or stop street, give motorists right of way - ALWAYS, dont ride in big groups that take up excessive road space, dont ride with other cyclists who disobey the rules of the road, smile and thank motorists.!! Enjoy the ride.! porky2009-02-16 04:20:54

I would never attend ANY protest ride or similar type of activity. Generally in my opinon, these are just rides to inflate everybodys already enlarged egos, irritate other road users even more, stretch visible traffic rescources even more than before, serve no particular purpose, are paid scant attention by those who actually can do something and allows already obviously "errant" behaviour under the guise of a "protest" Name me one "protest" ride that has achieved anything (and there have been many) except enraging motorists and other road users even more.! I am with anyone who says lets do this via the channels, lets send a letter to the correct authorities, lets get a counciler involved, lets write factual letters to the local newspapers, lets rally muncipalities, whatever......................but so called "protest rides" - NEVER - dont count on my support.

I think the OP was actually enquiring as to how many brands will actually survive in SA - personally I doubt any of the big brands will disappear internationally. Locally as the economy tightens the bigger brands with the big overhead structure will feel it first, I dont believe for one minute any of the brands have very deep pockets, some may be a bit deeper than others but none are held in such high esteem that a financier wont dump them if they loose money continually. Smaller brands with a tight cost structure can be more flexable with pricing and when cash is tight, the consumer shops around more than usual for a bargain. Smaller guys can secure the sale with price. Unfortunately, smaller guys dont have the footprint, but pulling back into their shell and waiting it out is usually easier. porky2009-02-13 11:06:18

Yes, medals are quantity specific - the more you order the cheaper it becomes, although we have never seen medals at R8.00 - if one amortises the art work cost and the dies, the ribbons and the transport, we always found it was closer to R15.00 - but I guess it depends on the manufacturer and type of medal as well. If there was a race of 1000 cyclists and only 10 ordered medals, the cost would be higher than their entry fee, so to keep costs down an organiser orders as many medals as possible, sometimes not even putting a date on so they can be used for a few years.

I guess you need to weigh up things - food for the month - three hours on a bike.! Hmmmmm.!

with pineapple of course. and cheese. Why don't they ever offer pizzas at races? Yah, I once did a race somewhere out in the sticks past Potch. I think it was called "The Crocodilian" or something and at the finish all the riders got a Vetkoek (and a medal of course) - I thought it was sort of unique.

agreed' date=' especially with online entries it cant be that difficult to organise. How much does it cost to make a medal? [/quote'] Its not feasible Mampara, how would you control this, on the day I will wager many cyclists who didnt order a medal will take one - then what?? - unhappy cyclists who did pay up for one.! You cant stop each cyclist as they cross and check a number or something, its too time consuming especially on races with 1000 or more entrants. Just take the thing and throw it away if you dont want it, R20.00 is not going to change race entries much.

I have been involved in many a running event organisation and one cycle event - the organisers CANNOT stop giving medals - the mass market demand them. Its not about an ego trip for the cyclist, runner, its about recognition and acknowledgement from the organisers side for taking the time to participate. Medals are not the prime cost any way, a generic medal like most races use these days is very inexpensive, last time I looked was about a year ago and they were around R18.00 / R20.00 each, a race specific medal may cost a few bucks more, but its not going to make much differance. It would be a very BOLD organiser who decided not to hand out medals - personally I dont do much with them either, but so what, like goody bags they are considered a standard and we saw how folk complained when the Fast one didnt hand them out - imagine if you didnt get a goody bag or a medal - I am willing to bet this board would have 100 pages of complaints. porky2009-02-10 00:20:27

Haa,Haa, - Yah, I agree with that - let the wannabees ride with the pros - two laps at least, I mean otherwise its too easy, and the rest of us can enjoy the race on our own terms. Watch the wannabee circle quickly deplete itself.!

Also' date=' as to your saying that the race was a 100km freewheel, I am afraid you need to look at your Garmin / polar stats. Mine says that 17.773km of the race was in fact uphil. [/quote'] Yah, my Garmin battery went flat at 66 kms but up to then I also registered a fair bit of climbing - maybe I rode a differant route to the others.!

Its not that hard, and I am not a fanatical cyclist, (check my other post to see where AL lost me) - I maybe pick 5 or 6 bike races a year which suit me, as an eg I wont do the Jock anymore, its too tough and it takes me too long to recover, most folk are the same, they do races which suit them if its too tough they skip it - "SPORT IS FOR ALL RC" - not just the young and strong - differant folk have differant objectives, commercial races need to cater for all.

What a joke, races must be tougher.!! How old are you bud.? Not everyone is in their 20 s and early 30 s where a race like this is easy, so now youngsters who were still in 3 cornered pants when I was running comrades and riding Argus, want it all tougher.?? Me, I am nearly 50, and am still running comrades and two oceans and riding races - agreed not in record times, but if you are still around and think all races must be tougher when you are 50, come chat.!! Heres a newsflash sunbeam, - Commercial races are for everybody, toppies like me, moms with kids, and those who just want a day in the sun - go race the jock if you want a toughie - there may only be 100 of you though.! porky2009-02-09 11:40:09