ewep

But it will feel GREAT!!!!!!!

Until brannas and Coke, or a free lita Ford Cortina wif big takkies come into play! I have marshalled 2 Tour de Soweto races, and at both races the people in and around Soweto were great. Yes, there were problems here and there, but in general the people were more tolerant, etc. (this includes the taxis!) than the people we read about here.

Unfortunately VERY VERY true! I work in Rosebank as well and some of these fancy fancies have tried to intimidate our security to let them park on the company grounds. And yes, the stereo typical 4x4 SUV driver. Scotty, found this on the bike as well. East Rand people are more tolerant.

Tell me where. Will get some mates on bikes and spin his car full of chips.

Daarsy nou!!! If a 1980, fully rusted 2.4 liter Toyota Hilux, overloaded to 2.5m above the cab sits in the same lane it's an "african thing". But if 2 cyclists sit there it is comparable to murder. EISH!

Eish, and you need a pill, a CHILL pill. Everyone in this country and the Hub has a right to an opinion. Not so? Or is yours the only one that counts?

Agreed. One in 10 people might be the asshole on the road. Unfortunately the relaxed drivers are always at the back of the queue.

Ja, Winnie and the blue light brigade.

I have 2 pairs of Mr Price Sport specials. OK bibs for short rides (max 90 minutes!) Anatomic Gold - comfortable padding. Maybe a bit on the thin side for those Panorama or Jock days, but The Fast One type rides, 100%, actually 110% Vermarc for me is tops though. I (1)don't have the R's and (2)can't motivate R2500 for a pair of shorts. The Vermarcs are great and VERY comfortable.

Knievel, you by any chance drive a Kia????

Anyone have a black armband that I can use. Not doing the Argus but will wear it while marshalling this weekend.

While I was still a cyclist I thought that TB was a lot of dwang, a lot of people on bikes, wearing bibs, etc and still jaaging around on their bikes. On joining I realised that this is not the case. As Stranger has said, TB is an AWARENESS campaign. TB is not a policing forum or a "we are holier than though" group. As a cyclist and a biker I have transgressed some rules, and I have to live with it. TB is there to get the OTHER party to open their eyes, whether that be biker, cyclists, trucker, bus driver, car driver!!!! If I, as a TB member, can get one guy to realise what dangers there are for us (the 2 wheel clan) and he tells his wife, in laws and parents then we have 6 more people looking out for us. Shaun, great sticker, but won't it be a good idea to rather "use" the already successfull TB camp? Everyone knows the TB sticker, the butt ugly yellow thing. And because it's so ugly, everyone recognises it, and it's free. Finally, a question from my side. I would like to get an indications of whether you as a cylists would be willing to pay for a reflective vest, aka bib, for training rides. Not the TB ones (you'll get dehydrated on a bicycle in that thing) but the same principal? By wearing this you'll be (1) more visible and (2) "spreading the word".

I agree, we do need to remove the "us and them" attitude. As far as I have seen on the hub most rantings have been about cyclists and motorists as opposed to cyclists and motorcyclists. If I remember correctly recently there was a thread about motorcyclists ranting about cyclists on a motorcycle forum. So I think it is from both sides. A start would be to get in touch with Supercycling to raise awareness and possible get some channels open for cycling clubs to start working with Think Bike. I am with Cycle Lab Club in Fourways and Think Bike does great work on our club rides, which we appreciate very much. That also hopefully raises some awareness for Think Bike when the motorists and public sees this. Oi Andy, why haven't you come to greet as yet!!!!????

Macsteel Race 4, and SJEEZ what an improvement! Number 1, Germiston Wheelers, VERY VERY nice! A lot of organisers can take a page out of your book. Guys and gals, thanks. What a good and well behaved race. You made our lives much easier. I started with the elites at 06:00. Thanks to Metro we had a rolling road closure, which worked great. The Elites helped when we couldn't get trucks, etc. off the road, and for that I have to thank them. In general I only had 2 vehicles giving a bit of problems, but after shouting at one (and making my name GAT by trying to pull away in second and letting the SV die) and wild gesturing at the other all went well. Another thanks from our side for allowing us to bring backed up traffic through. Maybe some people should join you and take a page out of your book! To my marshaling partner Scorpius, thanks buddy, you made life EASY!! Generally the race went well. There were a few downs, but nothing serious. Finally, a BIG thank you to all for the "Thank you's" Total KM's for the day: 218km Total time on bike: about 5:45

Ride for Sight Race 3 for the marshals. Not a good one today, for numerous reasons. Being "general sweep" I was at the beck and call of the JOC and my fellow marshals. Waiting for the Racing Tandems to start I got the call that I fear above all, accident, guys down and serious. Got there, traffic duty and got the ambulance out. Anyone that knows how the gent in Elites is doing, please PM me. Right now for the rest. One of the bunches nearly got disqualified on the R554 by one of the Head Marshals for ignoring warnings. I had a rider in the VD group just plain ignoring warnings for going to the left and the same story in the B/L bunch. Ladies and gentlemen, please note, the TB marshals are going to start getting stricter. We have let you race, with the request to listen when we ask you to go left. To absolute NO AVAIL! We have asked very nicely at races, I've asked on numerous occasions here and you have been warned on the road. The TB marshals WILL start disqualifying riders endangering their own and the bunches lives! The TB marshals WILL disqualify a whole bunch if they rules and request relating to traffic and safety! If you want to play chicken with a truck on your plastic bike, please feel free to do so, ON YOUR OWN TIME. Please please speak to the guys and ladies in your bunches. They are going to get YOU hurt, not only themselves!!!!! A quick funny story. On the dual carriageway between Heidelberg and Benoni I was called by a A/L rider (sorry, did not get the number, I was laughing too much). On getting closer the dude tells me to pull the V/D riders back as they want to race. According to him "the V/D's are too slow". So I told him to attack and get out, I was even willing to close the right hand lane. According to him it was too dangerous to attack. Dude, if you're on here, if you want to race don't expect me to pull out your competition if you aren't fit and ready to race. See all at the Macsteel!!

Race 2. A complete surprise from the marshal side of things. We got the request for us to marshal the Emporeers one on Friday, 5 February. A bit of a logistical problem as a lot of the marshals, like most other people, plan their weekends in advance. BUT we made it, we had enough bikes to help with the bunches!! This morning I started with the Elites. Not my favorite group, NOT due to the cyclists but due to the number of other bikes and cars involved in and around the bunch. The race started off very well, with short attacks starting on the highway. The pothole section was, errrrrmmmmmmmmmmmm, JA! I'm very glad the Elites came through there ok, but sheesh, I was uncomfortable on my bike, so I don't want to know what it was like on the bicycles. The rest of the race was quite uneventful from a marshaling viewpoint. All went well, and I was very happy. An apology from my side, there was a delivery truck messing up traffic right on the end straight. I tried to get the box out of the way but he just upped and ignored us, as if a noisy bike and all other traffic control around him did not exist! Lap 2. All went well here as well. Helped here and there, stopped here and there, but all ok. To you speed freaks, you have an open invitation from me. I would love to take you out so you can see what these guys do for the sport and for their health. Just remember, FULL KIT, i.e. ATGATT. Some of these guys and gals were still coming in when we left. I have to congratulate the EMPD for the effort they put in today. These guys and gals went out of their way to make it easy and safe for all of us on the road today. They tried, not all knew exactly what is going to happen, but the really tried and succeeded. You guys ROCKED!! A few requests from the marshaling side. We, at stages, need to get through the bunch, give us a gap, we just want to get back up front. Secondly, at the pothole section some marshals had problems getting the cyclists through safely. I know everyone wants to race and get through safely, but you as a cyclist will NOT win when playing chicken with car/truck. Please keep an open mind here. We're just there to help you guys. Finally, remember we are NOT paramedics. We are not qualified to assist you when you're hurt. To the dude who got all snotty a km or 2 from the end when I had no idea what to do, please remember this. I can not assist you, and I can not push you around, I'm a marshal and NOT your personal assistant. Overall, a good one. Thanks for all the thank you's and the chats at the waterpoints. See you at the Ride for Sight!!

DD, no problem. A quick anecdote, on one of the races, I think it's the Sattelite last year, a photographer pitched up and asked the marshalls (not TB) for a lift. They went down quite hard when the cyclists caught up with the two because (1) he didn't know a bicycle can corner faster than a bike and (2) he got a fright when the bunch were right up close and personal. Because the two were "new" partners he got a fright, put the bike onto the verge, where the photographer got a fright and eventually the fall. The long and short, you as a photographer should pick your rider VERY carefully and if possible go for a ride. As a rider I need to do the same and make sure that you have (1) been on a bike before and (2) at least ride/have ridden a bicycle recently.

Just a quick idea on my day Sunday. Briefing and group allocation - Nasrec: 05:00 Departure from Fanbeltpark - 12:30 Total mileage (including to the start and from the venue) - 395 km

Race 1 for the year is over and done with. The TB marshals found this long swim interesting but also rewarding. I think all involved on the day prayed for some respite from the rain. I was constantly watching the clouds, but to no avail! It just kept on coming down. I think the parellel between the bikes and bicycles are actually quite close as we had to take corners, etc VERRRRRYYYYYY slowly. I started out with the VC group and we (2 marshals and one noob) had an awesome ride! You guys really made our work easy. Thanks for listening and reacting to our warnings and requests. I know the race was substantially smaller in numbers, but the feedback from the TB marshals were awesome. It was great to hear that all went well and no dangerous riding or threats were to be had. If this is the way the 2010 season is going to be, BRING IT ON!!!! See you at the Carnival!!

The 2010 racing year is beginning and, because of that, the TB marshals had a training session yesterday, both for all noob marshals but also as a "refresher" for the guys who've been around. As the Fast One is usually one of the less favorite marshalling events, and the start of the new year, I would like to ask all Gauteng participants to please help with the following: You will be allowed to race. BUT if a marshal shows you to move to the left of the white line it is with your safety in mind. Get back over the line immediately. THINK for yourself! If you want to do a breakaway on a blind rise is that safe?????? Look at the marshals as the guys will warn you as far as possible of any road hazards, i.e. potholes, etc. Don't always follow the marshalls like sheep. Remember, a motorbike is slower into a turn than a bicycle. I have shot past a turnoff as I went into the turn too hot and had too shoot past. Look for directions from the footmarshalls. Marshalls will help in any which way they can with medical emergencies. We all are in contact with the Joint Operations Center of the race, so if you see someone hurt, etc, flag down a marshal. Please please please ask your team cars to give us a bit of respect for what we do and what we ask them to do. Quite a few marshals have had close calls because team cars think they have the right to do as they please. Finally, the marshalls are there for your safety during the race, but we have to look after ourselves as well. Most of us have taken wild chances to get traffic of the road because of cyclists ignoring our warnings. PLEASE help us to make this a safe racing year for you, your fellow cyclists, the vehicles on the road and all the marshals. See you on Sunday!!