Road Ettiquette Cape Town, Chappies etc

[DJR]

........ I get a fright and swallow my saddle

Me too, and it involuntarily makes me bunnyhop sideways to the left and off the road!

A SHORT tap on the hooter, from some way back, is percieved as a friendly warning.

[JGR]

Was coming down Kloof Road above Clifton on Sunday morning. A group of 6 came flying past riding about 3 abreast. Then got stuck behind 2 cars - started tailgating them. The one car didn't really know where they wanted to go and made as if to turn off to the Roundhouse then straightened out again. Three of the cyclists had to swerve across the road into the oncoming lane - one of the guys went right into the far gutter. If there was a car coming the other way they would all have been dead! Later that morning drove down towards beach road past the circle at the end of Sea Point and there was a cyclist getting stretchered off to hospital. From what I'd seen earlier in the day it didn't surprise me at all.

Victoria road was nuts on Sunday. Road from Camps Bay to Kommejtie and decided i wanted to do an extra and went to seapoint and back - those last 10 kms took nearly an hour as there were so many cars. I had to knock on a car window as it slowly started to push me off the road

[Da Vinci]

So today while waiting in a queue to enter the stop and go at the start of Chappies I watch 2 Cyclists jump the queue and proceed up the road that is still open to oncoming traffic - basically driving head on to cars approaching - both on road bikes (have pic of one guy) I'm mean really that stretch is so narrow - how unfair to the cars!!! Have also heard reports of cyclists being rude to the road work guys stopping the traffic and ignoring them and continueing down despite traffic oncoming.

[Meezo]

So today while waiting in a queue to enter the stop and go at the start of Chappies I watch 2 Cyclists jump the queue and proceed up the road that is still open to oncoming traffic - basically driving head on to cars approaching - both on road bikes (have pic of one guy) I'm mean really that stretch is so narrow - how unfair to the cars!!! Have also heard reports of cyclists being rude to the road work guys stopping the traffic and ignoring them and continueing down despite traffic oncoming.

 

Name en Shame the spanner

[Da Vinci]

Don't know how 2 upload pic from a Rasberry 2 the Hub BUT I will when I get infront of a PC. White Specialized (now don't be mean) road bike with red wrapped bar tape, rider wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with Bianchi on the back and white helmet. His buddy was in turquoise but did see what bike he was on - my bus didn't catch up to him.

[Let's Ride]

Don't know how 2 upload pic from a Rasberry 2 the Hub BUT I will when I get infront of a PC. White Specialized (now don't be mean) road bike with red wrapped bar tape, rider wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with Bianchi on the back and white helmet. His buddy was in turquoise but did see what bike he was on - my bus didn't catch up to him.

 

Sleeveless shirt - explains it all.

[DJR]

So today while waiting in a queue to enter the stop and go at the start of Chappies I watch 2 Cyclists jump the queue and proceed up the road that is still open to oncoming traffic - basically driving head on to cars approaching - both on road bikes (have pic of one guy) I'm mean really that stretch is so narrow - how unfair to the cars!!! Have also heard reports of cyclists being rude to the road work guys stopping the traffic and ignoring them and continueing down despite traffic oncoming.

When I was there a week or so ago, the stop-go guys waved cyclists through to let them ride up from Hout Bay on the closed part of the road. It was possible to ride through the closed section without getting in the way of the traffic coming down towards Hout Bay. It was kind of nice to ride behind the barrier and not have to worry about traffic sneaking up behind you. I'm not sure if the closed section has changed since then, but it made sense to do it like that. Otherwise the cyclists would delay cars going up from Hout Bay because the one way section is very narrow and cyclists climb too slowly up it and it would be difficult and dangerous for cars to overtake them.

[tunariaan]

Be interesting to hear from Hubbers who do drive these big vehicles - altho most will obviously be extra aware of bikes. There is definatley 2 sides to these things.

But now my "Facepalm" of the morning: Driving home on the N7 this morning - just past Dunoon - 4 Guys on Road bikes and in Kit bunched (2 2 and hugging)but within the yellow line and one of the guys closest to the line - NO HELMET

 

As jy dom is moet jy x.;.$

[Da Vinci]

When I was there a week or so ago, the stop-go guys waved cyclists through to let them ride up from Hout Bay on the closed part of the road. It was possible to ride through the closed section without getting in the way of the traffic coming down towards Hout Bay. It was kind of nice to ride behind the barrier and not have to worry about traffic sneaking up behind you. I'm not sure if the closed section has changed since then, but it made sense to do it like that. Otherwise the cyclists would delay cars going up from Hout Bay because the one way section is very narrow and cyclists climb too slowly up it and it would be difficult and dangerous for cars to overtake them.

I did look at the road and barrier and wondered and i wasn't sure if a bike could do that - maybe they could. Will be honest and say i could not see the marshall and if he did wave them thru or not. If it is the case then i do get the going up part - but they definatley couldn't do it on the down. I'm on chappies again sunday so will suss it out again. So for now no pics - not fair if the cyclists were in the right.

[GoLefty!!]

riders, we are our own worst enemy most of the time. We tend to be far too aggressive when we're in the wrong, especially the compettive ladies and guys. Whats up with that? too much EPO in the blood stream? Some of the ladies females have mouths that must have done time on a street corner somewhere. Not lekker and not becoming of seemingly educated and usually attractive women. Get a grip. No need to swear (en ja gevloek soos a straat vrou) when you're clearly in the wrong racing down Main Road Lakeside 4 abreast at 9am in the morning while holding the motorised traffic back since Muizenberg....

If I wasn't driving I'd have taken a picture.

[pierre.s]

Just the other day I had to accommodate a rider overtaking his buddies up the hill at SFC/La Pineta/Louw se bos on the R44 (Somerset West to Stellenbosch) at 7:30 in the morning. That's the busiest time of the day on that road. He went about 300mm over the yellow line. He moved suddenly without lookin and without warning.

 

To these riders: Please consider the emotional stress that the poor innocent driver has to go through for the rest of his life knowing he knocked down a rider that jumped infront of him, while you are enjoying the long comfortable back-road ride in the sky (where you may ride 10 abreast if you like ! .

[thatsme]

Who are these guys?? Every cyclist & driver (so everyone really) I know gets high blood pressure over this kind of behaviour, but it still happens. Really don't understand.

 

Da vinci, thanks for bringing it up in a measured way. Please make sure any driver you're with knows that MOST cyclists really appreciate any considerate behaviour on his part, and do their best to do the same (and are also frustrated by these eedjits).

 

Sorry you have to deal with it

[Meezo]

i had a close encounter on sunday with a fellow cyclist or mtb'er(unknown to me) final sprint before summit, and my buddies were waiting for me on top, some nice words were exchanged between him and my 20+ mates.....

 

Once blood settled and i caught my breathe i chased after him to apologize, at the end of the day it wasn't worth it!

If you are a hubber, i'm sorry again for Sunday, fortunately for both of us, there wasn't any vehicles coming up, otherwise it could of been alot worse

[DJR]

I did look at the road and barrier and wondered and i wasn't sure if a bike could do that - maybe they could. Will be honest and say i could not see the marshall and if he did wave them thru or not. If it is the case then i do get the going up part - but they definatley couldn't do it on the down. I'm on chappies again sunday so will suss it out again. So for now no pics - not fair if the cyclists were in the right.

The marshals did stop us just like the other traffic when we came down towards Hout Bay. I agree that it would be totally nuts to ride against the oncoming traffic coming down. There is also no need for it, because bikes can descend that road as fast or faster than cars.

[Bike Mob]

Interestingly the speed limit on Chappies is 40kmph the entire way, if a cyclist is doing 30 then thats a small margin to have to wait while they slim down from 2-3 abreast to single file.

 

Riders should filter down when approached from the rear and on that stretch of road considering the speed limit it may be a safety advantage to ride abreast to make sure that vehicles approaching from the rear are forced to slow down and then overtake safely, instead of swerving around at 60kmph or more that they are doing.

 

I laugh at drivers that hoot at me there, they are breaking the law and I am entitled to use the entire lane, and only move left when required to do so, yet They blame the rider.

 

On the descent i can ride down faster than the cars anyway.

 

PS thanks for the post as the bus driver, and please allow us to motorpace you up there, a nice even 40kmph is just fine

[Pappa Bear]

I personally think that it is very dangerous to ride on Chappies.....

Do they even pay the toll ?