Things I've learnt from commuting

[Reinhardt89]

I'm starting my first commute on 7 March after moving to Rondebosch.

Is there anybody who cycles from Rondebosch area to the CBD?

[SilverRider]

I have said for the last couple of years that in my experience pedestrians are worse than cars. And lo and behold yesterday I had a collision with a pedestrian who was walking in the road. About half to three quarters of a metre from the sidewalk which at that specific stretch of road is actually quite broad to cater for the masses. She didn't move out of the way even though she could see the traffic approaching from behind me. So I hit her with the handlebar because I couldn't swerve out for her otherwise I would have been hit by a car. She immediately claimed that the car caused the accident and that she was on the sidewalk. Luckily nothing is broken except my temper. Grazes on my knee and a hole in my elbow. Best of all is my helmet who save my head.

[R-squared]

I have said for the last couple of years that in my experience pedestrians are worse than cars. And lo and behold yesterday I had a collision with a pedestrian who was walking in the road.

A bell is very useful but in the modern era of earbuds and floating along gazing at smartphone screen, a foghorn might be more appropriate to warn dim-witted pedestrians of your presence

[cfcjim]

I have said for the last couple of years that in my experience pedestrians are worse than cars. And lo and behold yesterday I had a collision with a pedestrian who was walking in the road. About half to three quarters of a metre from the sidewalk which at that specific stretch of road is actually quite broad to cater for the masses. She didn't move out of the way even though she could see the traffic approaching from behind me. So I hit her with the handlebar because I couldn't swerve out for her otherwise I would have been hit by a car. She immediately claimed that the car caused the accident and that she was on the sidewalk. Luckily nothing is broken except my temper. Grazes on my knee and a hole in my elbow. Best of all is my helmet who save my head.

I feel your pain, metaphorically of course, pedestrians in CT City Centre seem to be suicidal. A while ago a woman shouted at me because I asked her to get out of the way: she was walking in the middle of the road (Hout St quite a small one way.) staring at her phone, so I think my request was reasonable.

But she went mental, almost as though I had no right to be there and her parting shot was "Why don't you drive a car?". Bizarre!

 

Glad you weren't seriously hurt.

[Belgarath]

I made a mistake Monday... tried to (at speed) transfer from the road to the pavement. Front wheel got on, back wheel didn't. Did about a 10m tail slide before gravity won. Left side is roasted, and I'm missing a fair bit of skin off my elbow.

 

Cycling home this afternoon, though...

[SilverRider]

A bell is very useful but in the modern era of earbuds and floating along gazing at smartphone screen, a foghorn might be more appropriate to warn dim-witted pedestrians of your presence

With all the extras like lights and bells etc your will barely have space for grips one of these days

 

I probably should have ringed the bell but what baffles me is that she made eye contact and could see the approaching traffic and still continued on her merry way.

[SilverRider]

I feel your pain, metaphorically of course, pedestrians in CT City Centre seem to be suicidal. A while ago a woman shouted at me because I asked her to get out of the way: she was walking in the middle of the road (Hout St quite a small one way.) staring at her phone, so I think my request was reasonable.

But she went mental, almost as though I had no right to be there and her parting shot was "Why don't you drive a car?". Bizarre!

 

Glad you weren't seriously hurt.

Thanks!

 

Pedestrians all over are a species like no other.

[DJR]

I'm starting my first commute on 7 March after moving to Rondebosch.

Is there anybody who cycles from Rondebosch area to the CBD?

I do it in the opposite direction (on bike and with car) and I see several regulars every morning going towards town along Main Road on the Mowbray to Claremont part that I do. I doubt they hang out on The BikeHub, but I'm pretty sure you'll easily meet up with someone to ride with. Earlier is better from a traffic point of view. 6am is still pretty quiet, but soon you'll need a good front and back light. Taxis can be quite scary at first, until you realize that they often are much more predictable than parents taking kids to school. The trickiest place from a traffic point of view is the Salt River circle. There you have to be wide awake because few drivers know what to do in a circle and get so nervous they do the wrong thing. It can be bypassed if you stay in Main Road in stead of using the Albert Road green cycle lane. I'm in 2 minds over which is safest. Crime wise, there is no real issue as there are enough people around, even through Salt River and Woodstock.

[Reinhardt89]

I do it in the opposite direction (on bike and with car) and I see several regulars every morning going towards town along Main Road on the Mowbray to Claremont part that I do. I doubt they hang out on The BikeHub, but I'm pretty sure you'll easily meet up with someone to ride with. Earlier is better from a traffic point of view. 6am is still pretty quiet, but soon you'll need a good front and back light. Taxis can be quite scary at first, until you realize that they often are much more predictable than parents taking kids to school. The trickiest place from a traffic point of view is the Salt River circle. There you have to be wide awake because few drivers know what to do in a circle and get so nervous they do the wrong thing. It can be bypassed if you stay in Main Road in stead of using the Albert Road green cycle lane. I'm in 2 minds over which is safest. Crime wise, there is no real issue as there are enough people around, even through Salt River and Woodstock.

 

 

Thanks DJR! Yeah really looking forward to it, although I read through the crime hotspot forum the other day it got me a bit worried haha. I'll be using the Liesbeek Parkway cycle lane, Albert Road Cycle lane and then I'm still deciding weather I should use the BRT cycle lane from the Lower Church street bridge, or just go over Christiaan Barnard bridge with the cars. I work in the Civic Centre.

[DJR]

Thanks DJR! Yeah really looking forward to it, although I read through the crime hotspot forum the other day it got me a bit worried haha. I'll be using the Liesbeek Parkway cycle lane, Albert Road Cycle lane and then I'm still deciding weather I should use the BRT cycle lane from the Lower Church street bridge, or just go over Christiaan Barnard bridge with the cars. I work in the Civic Centre.

I'm worried about the BRT cycle lane from the Church Street station to the Civic Centre when riding alone. It's just too isolated with too many homeless  and dodgy characters.  I would use that if riding with someone else but not alone. Otherwise I would carry on along Albert Road all the way to the station. Then hop on the pavement and around the station forecourt to end up at the Civic Centre.

[Chavo]

A bell is very useful but in the modern era of earbuds and floating along gazing at smartphone screen, a foghorn might be more appropriate to warn dim-witted pedestrians of your presence

 

 

With all the extras like lights and bells etc your will barely have space for grips one of these days

 

I probably should have ringed the bell but what baffles me is that she made eye contact and could see the approaching traffic and still continued on her merry way.

 

Perhaps something like this will help pedestrians hear us cyclists approaching 

[BSG]

Perhaps something like this will help pedestrians hear us cyclists approaching [emoji38]

They still wear earphones

[jimmycool]

How about something like this?

[DJR]

I've just learnt a new lesson:

 

Be careful when the council workers are cutting the grass next to the cycling path with their weed eaters. They throw the devils thorns all over the place. Both my front and back tyres now look like hedgehogs, but the cheap Chinese shop sealant did its' job and I got to work.

[jimmycool]

Even better.

[SpruitCommuter]

Had this awesome person jump the red light as I was starting to cross the intersection in from of him/her. Note that in this still the light is green for traffic travelling into the intersection from the left of the picture (and consequently has been red for some time for the Audi already).