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RANT: Cape Town City cycle lanes


Hairy

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  • 3 months later...
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Was the fining blitz a one time thing, or will that be a continued campaign until people learn not to park in that green bike lane?

 

Its been a while since I last rode home from work via Woodstock, so it was interesting to note how many cars park along that stretch.

From Lower Church St to the circle, there was one car in the lane.

From the circle to the lights before the bakery, it was bumper to bumper.

 

Trying to dodge parked cars is hazardous on a road bike with those big bumps/cats eyes that demarcate the bike lane.

It appears that things are getting worse.

I ride home along that stretch every Tuesday & Thursday, and its a mess.

 

Clearly no enforcement, so that one time blitz of fines just pissed everybody off.

If they were to return and try that again, there will be a lot of resistance. And good luck trying to maintain that law...

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The bike or should I say dedicated taxi lanes in Sandton are to be avoided by all means if you are on a bicycle.

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Did a spin through town to meetings yesterday and the cycle lanes were really just a space to double park to do deliveries or stop outside a shop to buy something!

 

Had words with a police officer who was parked in the lane, turns out he was on official business and was also going to be buying something to eat at the place across the road. Got on the phone with his captain who said he would deal with the matter and get back to me .... still waiting for the call which was meant to have been 20min after mine.

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Its not ideal but should you be working late and need to commute home via the woodstock bridge in the dark and alone, jump on the MiCity and get off after pardon Island. 

Are you mad... The most dangerous stretch of road in cape town for cyclists!! I was bike jacked knife and gun point of this path!! Stay away rather Uber!!

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Are you mad... The most dangerous stretch of road in cape town for cyclists!! I was bike jacked knife and gun point of this path!! Stay away rather Uber!!

Hey Stoffies, 

 

i think he means the actual bus.

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Are you mad... The most dangerous stretch of road in cape town for cyclists!! I was bike jacked knife and gun point of this path!! Stay away rather Uber!!

Hi Stoffies .Did you get any further feedback from SAPS on the bike jacking?I remember you saying there was a link with other bike jackings.
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Are you mad... The most dangerous stretch of road in cape town for cyclists!! I was bike jacked knife and gun point of this path!! Stay away rather Uber!!

Our group of 5 rode through there on Sunday and as the devil would have it, had a puncture right in the middle of the dangerous part. (The devils' thorns are ripening now,) We simply gathered people and bikes into a tight bundle and while some eyes scanned the surroundings for trouble the puncture was fixed in record time. Saw no baddies at all, but then, we were looking so mean, they probably dived for cover.

 

That stretch is just too isolated to ride alone anymore. The fences are broken in several places and there are many homeless people that live along the railway lines. It is impossible to police because there is no visibility. Monitoring with a patrol every now and again won't help. Fixing the fences, putting up cameras and removing the bad element, will work, but it doesn't seem a priority for the City of Cape Town.

 

As an alternative, I recently tried two options to avoid that stretch of the cycle path:

1. Along the N1 from the city centre to the Paarden Eiland turn off and then along Marine Drive to link up with the cycle path at the market. The N1 bit as well as the first part of Marine Drive was a nightmare with cars and massive trucks all trying to turn me into a bloody patch on the tar. I will not try that again.

2. From Woodstock over the Church Street bridge and onto the N1 to the Paardeneiland turn off and so on. That was an even worse nightmare. I'm glad I got out of it alive. 

 

So, now I ride the dangerous part of the cycle lane, but I ride with a group if at all possible. Otherwise I wait for another cyclist of two to come by and gang up with them through the dangerous part. Sometimes I have to wait a bit, but it is better than getting mugged.

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Hi Stoffies .Did you get any further feedback from SAPS on the bike jacking?I remember you saying there was a link with other bike jackings.

Not even a call from SAPS. I spoke to WO Miles who was dealing with the case and they said it was impossible to send a patrol vehicle into that area for various (stupid) reasons. He was most unhelpful.

 

I will now just keep warning people not to use the cycle path.

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I know all too well of the parking issues, loading, just stopping to check the phone (at least it's not while driving) or just a drop off zone. Especially Albert road, Woodstock...it drives me mad! What safe routes are there out of town to the burbs?

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Was at canal walk the other day and this poepol parks his black mitsubishi double cab over 2 parking spaces, and at the lifts, not even far away. So gatvol of these people. Would love to slap a sticker on his windshield.

 

 

 

remove 4 x valve caps, insert 4 x small stones, close valve caps. when he returns he'll have 4 flat tyres. a time consuming exercise to remedy with only a single spare.

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remove 4 x valve caps, insert 4 x small stones, close valve caps. when he returns he'll have 4 flat tyres. a time consuming exercise to remedy with only a single spare.

 

And if you are caught, a Malicious Damage to Property charge against you. 

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Coming back from our Saturday morning Atlantic ride, we used the BRT cycle lane from the Civic Centre to the Church Street station. We encountered a private security company patrol car along the way, driving in the red bus lane. Does anyone know anything more about this? Is it getting patrolled regularly? Or were they just taking a shortcut?

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Coming back from our Saturday morning Atlantic ride, we used the BRT cycle lane from the Civic Centre to the Church Street station. We encountered a private security company patrol car along the way, driving in the red bus lane. Does anyone know anything more about this? Is it getting patrolled regularly? Or were they just taking a shortcut?

They and the Police are patrolling regularly, I got a big wave and grin last week from a guy in one of the private security cars.

The cops generally give a thumbs up when you wave and nod thanks.

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