UK has same cycliing safety issues

[Konaman]

Read the comments below article - many motorist there also feel that cyclists do not abide by the laws and are idiots

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/bike-blog/audio/2011/dec/16/focus-podcast-roads-safe-cyclists

 

I feel it must start with us cyclist first by getting our house in order, before we can attempt to change the mindset of motorists regarding cyclist. Most motorists here feel they have the "right of way" on our roads, and cyclists are just an irritation. What do you think?

[RooiWillie]

This is quite a delicate discussion. I will say that it is not just cyclists and Motorists, but also the government. How many bike lanes are there in the country? We need roads with a shoulder. We need awareness campaigns. We need more respect for fellow road users. We need law enforcers that enforce the whole law and not just the bit that rolls in the money at the hot spots.

 

In short, we need change. And till such time, that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians choose to ignore the rules and the other people on the roads, you can get used to riding MTB.

[The Drongo]

"UK has same cycliing safety issues..."

 

You think?

 

I would say they have far greater problems, what with their finances, The Torys and Richard Hammond !

 

EDIT: Come to think of it, I don't recall Klackson commenting much on cyclists. I know Hammond couldn't behave on one though. He kept kicking the buses!

Edited January 9, 2012 by The Drongo

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Drove past a Metrocop traping this morning. She was asleep in the chair. She is a symbol for the current regime.

[Seeker911]

This is quite a delicate discussion. I will say that it is not just cyclists and Motorists, but also the government. How many bike lanes are there in the country? We need roads with a shoulder. We need awareness campaigns. We need more respect for fellow road users. We need law enforcers that enforce the whole law and not just the bit that rolls in the money at the hot spots.

 

In short, we need change. And till such time, that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians choose to ignore the rules and the other people on the roads, you can get used to riding MTB.

 

I think this pretty much sums it up.

 

One of the biggest obstacles is that we have an entirely new generation of drivers on the road today who thinking is quite literally 100 years behind were it should be. Then you have a mature generation of drivers who are totally gatvol of the new generation and simply dont give a damn anymore compounding the problem. If you cant beat them join them attitude. This situation is again compounded by a government that is self centered and has a totally different agenda and would not not even give this topic the time of day. So yes get used to using your MTB and if you dont have one get one if you value your life.

[andydude]

Personally I think it has much less to do with "bicycles" or "motorists", but much more an attitude or other underlying problem. The anger on the roads is just an outlet for anger brewing underneath, and that anger is due to other reasons.

 

Most people are just so stressed and carry anger in themselves that the slightest irritation brings out the anger to the fore. And I do think that a lot of what people feel inside still has to do with apartheid and the hurt it caused. We are all trying to be politically correct, but the one thing I like about Mr Malema is that at least you know exactly where you stand. If he hates you, he'll tell you. The others (we all) just say what we want other people to here because we don't want to offend, but inside they believe differently and they creates friction inside.

 

We've gone through so much change in the last twenty years and I think it is time for some introspection and really try to get to the bottom of our own behaviour before trying to convert other people in being e.g. better or more considerate road users.

[Cippo]

Lots has to change and yes we need to get our house in order as well. It might not change the way drivers drive but it will hange how everyone sees us and not painting all of is with the same brush. We see it everyday that some of us just do as we please and disobey the rules of the road. Do we think we are invincible. If there are cycle lanes use them. If there are red traffic lights, Stop! Who do you blame if you get knocked down on Otto Du Plessis and there is a cycle lane right there. Yes the goverment has to provide more lanes and atleast in Cape Town its happening and we will get there eventually. Just yesterday I was approaching Hans Strydom from Buitengracht and a cyclist just completely ignored the red light and crossed in front of me when it was green for me. We all know thats a huge intersection with different phases for the lights. If I knocked him who would get the blame.

[Lucky Luke.]

If you want respect from motorists move to Holland. If you want to ride your bike, accept where you live and learn self-preservation. I lived and cycled in London for 8 years. Safety-wise I am 1000% better off using the roads in Cape Town.

[BOXABOY]

There are a number of threads regarding the issue of us cyclists. In my opinion there are always 3 sides to any story and many cyclists don't respect the laws of the road, but drivers don't respect fellow drivers - so why would the give a flying f about us.

[Big H*]

To most of the people above........ STOP JUSTIFYING and start accepting responibility!!!!

 

To try and say cyclists behaviour is NOT a problem is like trying to fart against thunder........ And you know it.

Edited January 10, 2012 by eccentric1

[bontie]

If you want respect from motorists move to Holland. If you want to ride your bike, accept where you live and learn self-preservation. I lived and cycled in London for 8 years. Safety-wise I am 1000% better off using the roads in Cape Town.

 

I cycle around London at present. Somehow I feel safer on the roads here than I did in Gautengeleng. Sure there are some motorists who display bad attitudes towards cyclists, but imo they are fewer than in SA. I try to ride responsibly and obey the traffic rules and I must say a smile and a wave goes a long way...

[Addict]

Interesting reads! I must say I would probably not get involved in conversations like this but after this mornings ride I am really disappointed to say the least! I ride in the Elite peloton although I work for a living, so we do quite a lot of miles, we even have a vehicle with huge warning lights on and it stil does not make a difference. This mornings ride and absolute show case of how SELFISH AND DIS-RESPECTFUL South Africans can be! What a sad country with a sad situation to say the least.. the only thing good about it is probably the weather... and the person commenting on the Racial thing... NOT LONG GONE! It creates hate within ourselves for others! Where has the law of "Treat other the way you would like to treated" gone ??? Our first encounter would you believe is with a motorcyclist, a white dude, swearing at us, I mean his as big as us, why does he not ride on the side of the rode? Why does he feel his got right of way? Cyclist have the right to use he road!!! My second encounter is with a bakkie full of black dudes, almost driving over me, and excuse me for shouting to watch out, if they could get off the bakkie they would probably have asaulted me...

We, Us, Cyclist definitely have a responsibility to obey traffic rules and not act like we own the rode but this has to stop! We need to become much more vocal.... we need to influence people Positively everywhere we go and every conversation we encounter about cycling. It's a growing sport and lots of people look to take it up. I mean I have daily conversations with guys at my work and around me who openly say they hate cyclists. Why? Because they are jealous???

Let's become VOCAL!

[Lucky Luke.]

I cycle around London at present. Somehow I feel safer on the roads here than I did in Gautengeleng. Sure there are some motorists who display bad attitudes towards cyclists, but imo they are fewer than in SA. I try to ride responsibly and obey the traffic rules and I must say a smile and a wave goes a long way...

 

Maybe things have improved since I left end of 2004 - I hear there are now 3x as many bikes on the road. I found the sheer volume of traffic and unaware pedestrians were the main issues. I had plenty of crashes there that I would say were unavoidable - getting doored with no time to react, people running into the road, drivers overtaking and turning left in front of you. So far I've escaped every dangerous situation whilst riding in SA. I've also never ridden in Gauteng and getting mugged or shot is not really an issue for me so far.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Lucky Luke.

[2wheelsgood]

Interesting reads! I must say I would probably not get involved in conversations like this but after this mornings ride I am really disappointed to say the least! I ride in the Elite peloton although I work for a living, so we do quite a lot of miles, we even have a vehicle with huge warning lights on and it stil does not make a difference. This mornings ride and absolute show case of how SELFISH AND DIS-RESPECTFUL South Africans can be! What a sad country with a sad situation to say the least.. the only thing good about it is probably the weather... and the person commenting on the Racial thing... NOT LONG GONE! It creates hate within ourselves for others! Where has the law of "Treat other the way you would like to treated" gone ??? Our first encounter would you believe is with a motorcyclist, a white dude, swearing at us, I mean his as big as us, why does he not ride on the side of the rode? Why does he feel his got right of way? Cyclist have the right to use he road!!! My second encounter is with a bakkie full of black dudes, almost driving over me, and excuse me for shouting to watch out, if they could get off the bakkie they would probably have asaulted me...

We, Us, Cyclist definitely have a responsibility to obey traffic rules and not act like we own the rode but this has to stop! We need to become much more vocal.... we need to influence people Positively everywhere we go and every conversation we encounter about cycling. It's a growing sport and lots of people look to take it up. I mean I have daily conversations with guys at my work and around me who openly say they hate cyclists. Why? Because they are jealous???

Let's become VOCAL!

 

I think you have inadvertently touched on one of the reasons behind the lack of respect from motorists towards cyclists. Cycling is not transport in SA, it's a sport. If you saw people kicking a ball along the side of the road, you wouldn't hesitate to tell them to GTFO as it's clearly not their place to be there. Motorists know that most cyclists are not riding to go anywhere in particular, they're just riding to train, for recreation, for fun, for pretty much anything but getting from point A to point B. If cycling was seen as a serious mode of transport - and this would have to come from a governmental level, I think motorists' attitude might change.

 

But maybe not, because as has been rightly said in this thread, there are a lot of quietly angry people driving out there, and unfortunately it's very easy to be provoked into irrational anger over something when you're cocooned in over a ton of metal, glass and plastic and have that subtle disconnect from anyone else on the road.

Edited January 11, 2012 by 2wheelsgood

[ROCKITRIDEIT]

Maybe things have improved since I left end of 2004 - I hear there are now 3x as many bikes on the road. I found the sheer volume of traffic and unaware pedestrians were the main issues. I had plenty of crashes there that I would say were unavoidable - getting doored with no time to react, people running into the road, drivers overtaking and turning left in front of you. So far I've escaped every dangerous situation whilst riding in SA. I've also never ridden in Gauteng and getting mugged or shot is not really an issue for me so far.

 

I am a pom who's lived here in CT on and off for a few years now. please don't hold either of those things against me....

 

I cycled for a number of years in and around London both as my daily commute to Canary Wharf and also for leisure/training. In London the volume of traffic is higher, the number of people greater, the levels of stress arguably higher, the roads narrower, the weather (and visibilty) crappier, the buses bigger and redder but just as dangerous, and the taxis smaller and blacker but just as dangerous.

 

On my London commute I found that I was ofen the fastest moving vehicle on the road given how jammed up London traffic could be, and there are dedicated cycle superhighways, cycle lanes and bikes are allowed use of bus lanes as well. This all made for a relatively safe and quick commute. ipod-wearing peds typically represented the most danger as they would obliviously walk out inbetween vehicles right in front of you, so you always had to have your wits about you. As Saffers don't walk anywhere there isn't really the same ped danger.

 

As LL said cycling in the UK has had a popularity explosion in recent years, the Mayor of London introduced the bike hire scheme (sponsored by Barclays) and there were tax breaks for employers and employees buying bikes for the purpose of commuting. The increased numbers of cyclists on the roads, especially inexperienced cyclists, has I believe resulted in higher accident numbers...it is simply a numbers game.

 

Here in CT I find the roads just as safe/dangerous (glass half full/empty) as in London. yes the roads are wider but the traffic tends to move much more quickly on average, rarely am I the fastest moving vehicle on the road. I have had 2 accidents here in the last few years, one was at the tokai circle when a car turned left in front of me without indicating, and the driver hapily paid for all my repairs, no harm done.

 

The other accident was ironically the fault of a british tourist who had decided there was a photo opportunity not to be missed on chappies, so he brought the car to a complete halt on the descent into hout bay full in the middle of the road...i introduced my head to his rear windscreen and my front rim had seen better days, but again no harm done.

 

Errmmm to sum up my rambling, I guess as cyclists we need to think not only for ourselves but also do the thinking for other road users and peds as well, as we are vulnerable out there.

[gummibear]