So there I am this morning stopped outside Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch having a quick chat to a friend I bumped into on my road ride back to Somerset West when two road cyclists rode past with the one guy not wearing a helmet. This guy seemed to be a seasoned cyclist judging by his bike and legs. Very soon after that I headed off and eventually caught and passed them on the R44. Helmetless guy had stopped and was waiting for his friend who was not as strong. They then overtook me. The reason for my rant is not only the fact that this guy was riding without a helmet, but also that he seemed to only want to ride on the right hand side of the yellow shoulder line. I don't understand why you'd want to do that given that there is a perfectly good shoulder on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West that is the width of a car. Also, much of this section of road has a 100 km/h limit and many motorists travel at speed. A couple of drivers gave this guy a "courtesy" hoot, I guess to prompt him to move a little to the left. His friend was then weaving back and forth across the yellow line trying to hang onto his wheel. I then passed them again when the friend's legs started giving in. I guess what I'm trying to say is: 1. Wear a helmet. 2. Don't ride like an idiot where you put yourself in danger and give cyclists a bad name. Share the roads and also be considerate towards other road users. 3. If you are going to take a friend for a ride, ride at their pace and try not ride them into the ground. Rant off.
