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I've noticed a few themes developing in forum threads about the lack of road events and how PPA is dropping the ball. Don't bash the PPA here. It's pointless. As a member driven organisation it is run by a 12 person executive committee elected by the members at the AGM on a 2 year cycle, 6 members are replaced every year. Joseph de Maistre said of democracy that every nation gets the government it deserves. And this is true of the PPA. At the last AGM a staunchly pro road riding list of candidates, drawn from the local road clubs and others with credibility in promoting road riding and racing in the Western Cape, appeared on the ballot for election to the committee. Not one of the pro road candidates was voted in while the mountain bike sympathetic candidates all got voted on or returned. I was one of the casualties, as was Lance Burger who had served on the committee for many years and was instrumental in the court case against CSA about sanctioning on fun rides. It is the right of members to choose who they want to represent them. I respect that. Of 15,000 members less than 200 can be bothered to spend 3 hours at the AGM. As Joseph de Maistre said, you get what you deserve. But if you don't go to the AGM and vote for the candidates that will represent your needs then please don't come to the hub and bash the PPA for doing what those members who turn up and vote want the PPA to do. Stand as a candidate or vote and make a difference. Or stop the bashing. Full disclosure: I was forced to resign as a member of the PPA and am no longer eligible to be a committee member. While a committee member I was instrumental in locating and purchasing the offices the PPA now occupies, a task that had been on the agenda for a number of years prior to me being elected. I was also the chairman of the safe cycling committee that launched the stay wider campaign on a national basis using celebrities like the late Gugu Zulu, DJ Fresh, Joel Stransky, DJ Suga and Anne Siroky. We sold thousands of stay wider shirts and had a presence at every major road race nationally. Edit: Removed the facts that may be construed as "sour grapes" to avoid issue of voting being clouded. Edit: Made title more relevant.

It's good to see that work has started on the Constantia to Tokai cycle path with widening of the sidewalk on Kendall to include a cycle lane and signs up at Ladies Mile about NMT improvements. It is great to see and should be completed by summer, I would hope.

The Safe Cycling Initiative #staywider brought to you by Pedal Power Association is collecting data and film evidence of conditions out there on the roads as experienced by bike riders. Tell us about the route you ride, how often you use the route, times of day you ride and a bit about yourself for a chance to be allocated the use of a Fly6 HD rear facing camera with red safety lights incorporated in the unit. We are looking for riders who spend time on their bikes in traffic along typical commuter routes. You will film your commute and upload footage to us for analyses. Please email your motivation to liz@pedalpower.org.za.

To promote safer cycling for all those who use bicycles, the Safe Cycling Initiative from PPA has specifically targeted motorists through our new campaign. We have recruited high profile celebrities from a non cycling background to personalise and convey our message to all road users to stay wider of the rider. All we are asking for is to give us space and share the road with us. We have print adverts, radio spots, bumper stickers, awareness rides and the new lumo high visibility cycling shirt. Attached are some of personalities we are using. And the bumper sticker.