Pooh_bear

Does anybody have a route map and profile for this event 50km + 50km?

Today I decided to take off for a Sunday afternoon ride. Already decided to take it slow, and don't get into issues with drivers. Bah, I should have went offroad rather. After traversing the town where drivers cut me off, stop suddenly in front of me and pedestrians walking out in front of me I was almost thankful when I got to the R44, double lanes, most drivers using the right lane anyway. At the crossing at the Engen a old guy with a SUV tries to knock me down, apparently when the light is green for cyclists a SUV will still have right of way. No matter I'm chill, I'm cool, I ride my bike to get rid of the stress from work. At the De Zalze crossing where the traffic goes to Jamestown (steep uphill) I'm going about 5kph being very careful to stay left, but still go straight as I'm heading to Somerset West. I notice a car parked of on the left hand side after the crossing, but being unfit and old I slow down even more plus I'm very chuffed I navigated the crossing with no incident. So still checking the car parked to the left, I check behind me, but the light has not turned over yet and there is no vehicles moving behind me. I veered to the right to miss the parked car, going just over the yellow line, as I'm almost next to it, the driver almost jumps out of the car, glares at me and says, "Jeez, you must see the car, buddy". Wow, really? I did see the car, I checked for traffic behind me, I had enough space between us to pass while his door is open. Fully expecting him to do something like walk away, cross the road, meet a buddy or stretch his legs, I keep looking behind me, while this guy gets back into his car and just sits there. Completing the hill I again checked and he was still parked there. This leads me to be believe that he simply tried to knock me of my bike with his car door, fully expecting me to be within car door reach. He must have been cheesed off when he found out that cyclist are smarter than drivers

This is so freaking awesome! Next weekend I'm going skydiving.

I called the police and hospitals in the area, none of them helpful. I'll continue to monitor news and report and will try to follow up with my sources. I did not intent for my post to spark controversy, I cycled without the holster today, had a great time. Thanks guys, I will keep you posted.

I heard from three sources that swear that last Sunday morning at about 10 near the Welgevonden (Stellenbosch) road on the R304, a cyclist was attacked and apparently injured because he would not let go of his bike, they took the bike and his cellphone. I don't know if it was a local person or not, but I called both the Stellenbosch and Cloetesville police stations, both claimed not to know anything about the incident, thus according to ichops, if a cyclist is attacked on the road, but no one knows about it, it did not happen. I'll continue to try to get more information, as I feel safety should be out of concern to all of us. But first I need to go for a ride, before the wind picks up. P.S. I don't like riding with it, it's damn uncomfortable and hot as hell, but if my life depends on it ...

Agreed, however insurance is small compensation when your not breathing anymore. I know gun laws, I know what I'm getting into, after all I own a gun, they don't just hand things over the counter. Of course I hope I never have to use it, but it seems that our lives are in danger, on bike, on the street, in our homes. The thing is I don't think I'm the first one out there to do this, I may be the first one to state it on a public forum.

I heard a cyclist was attacked last Sunday at 10 in the morning near the area where I ride myself. Seems he did not want to let go of his bike, or so I heard, and got slashed across the top of his hand as well as the wrist. Now I feel that everyone of us has the right to protect him or herself. So I fashioned a holster to hold my .22 while riding. If I'm attacked they can have the bike, but I'll be the guy that brought a gun to the knife fight. The holster is on my person so anything can be taken, but short of being stripped naked the attacker won't find the gun and it is within easy reach. I'm not going to be robbed and stabbed and just stand there.