Cyclists' Safety in the light of Burry and other's recent deaths - Merged Thread.

[Sharkie 2]

Have to add....

This morning on my way to NF (by car), Andrew McClean and a bunch of Cycle Lab riders (red kits) were riding in a bunch on Cedar road just before the Sasol Garage. 3 riders next to each other at some point.

 

Guys, there is a yellow lane of some sort, single file please. Stick to it.

I expected more from organised rides and experienced riders.

 

Andrew, if you read this, and feel I'm being unfair, PM me, I'll happily provide my mobile nr so we can discuss.

We are allowed to ride in the lane! Nowhere does it state in the road regulations that we should ride in the emergency lane as this is against the law!

['Dale]

3 things are key, as I read this important thread.

 

Visible policing.

Stronger consequences are needed when one breaks the traffic laws, like a point system (inevitable loss of license), and

Greater pride in being a citizen of this beautiful and dynamic country.

[scotty]

The Lido route is a potential accident bomb waiting to happen due to sheer size of the groups, yesterday the bunch was huge i thought we were in a race.

[TNT1]

Prehaps some drivers education like they do at schools overseas would work well here? Get some common sense before you go for your learners and drivers.

 

Remember when I was a kid, the school took us to this wee center next to the drivers testing place, and it was like mini roads with stop signs and robots and stuff, and the traffic cops made us ride our bikes around and taught us the rules of the road, and put the fear of god into us if we didn't listen or broke the rules. Must have been about std 1 or 2...

[gogo@]

From a story in today's The Star about CoJ's plans:

 

The plan also stated that one of the key projects in this area was the development of 50km of cycle lanes and 200 cycle racks at key public transport interchanges, but does not give estimated completion dates or costs.

 

This has been the case for at least the last 12 years…

Sigh...

To me it's the big picture that needs looking at. Hope this is what the Burry Stander Foundation tackles - with the help of every other foundation/body that can. Changing attitudes of course matters, but it's getting the practical details like road-use planning, infrastructure development and maintenance, education, management and policing that makes it all work. Can't just say "let's have a cycle lane/path" (shared, of course, with grannies, runners, kids on tricycles) and think that will magic all problems away.

Keen to see the Foundation up and running but why the hell do we have to go through (keep going through) all this?

My view, what "really happened", is that we just keep putting sticking plasters on pot holes in this country and hope all our problems will go away. THAT's what happened to Burry, like to so many other people in so many other places.

So I hope that it's the case there will be a foundation that can tackle the real underlying issues, but it won't be able to do it on its own.

[SilverRider]

A car once turned right in front in me during a morning commute. The lady driving the car made a right hand turn into a parking lot, and I really had to brake hard to avoid her. When she stopped I went over to her to ask what her problem was and then came the reply: "Julle fietsryers jaag altyd!!". So I just said to her that she was welcome to take a look at my speedometer to check my average speed for the ride which was an embarrassing 20km/h. And as I pointed out to her the traffic law states that when you want to turn right, you have to wait for all oncoming traffic.

She was not impressed, but she still didn't take it to heart because a few months later we had the same encounter at the same spot.

[breaker]

The M5 is a freeway from Klipfontein Rd to where Prince George Drive starts.

The M3 is a freeway from Wynberg Hill to the end of the Blue Route.

 

Okay, so to confirm its okay to cycle on the M5 from prince george drive, and on the M3 from Wynberg Hill in the direction of Muizenberg?

[TNT1]

We are allowed to ride in the lane! Nowhere does it state in the road regulations that we should ride in the emergency lane as this is against the law!

 

What he said!

[TNT1]

The Lido route is a potential accident bomb waiting to happen due to sheer size of the groups, yesterday the bunch was huge i thought we were in a race.

 

Ya, and it's been a while since an incident out south....

[slowpoke]

We are allowed to ride in the lane! Nowhere does it state in the road regulations that we should ride in the emergency lane as this is against the law!

 

But it does categorically state to ride as far left as possible and in single file. It also states that it is illegal to deliberately prevent another road user from passing you.

[(Deon)]

Do you take pictures of every traffic transgression you see?

 

What would you have done if it was just a SLOW driver? Or like you said a wide load without out escort?

 

I often get stuck behind a truck on my way home and just have to drive at 30 because that is the max speed the truck can do on that hill.

 

Get over it and see where the real problem lies.....if the authorities were doing their job these guys would feel that there is a reason to adhere to the rules.....right now I bet you they feel that "well Everyone else breaks the rules so why must we listen"

 

This country has got to a point where where I see people in traffic doing the same as taxis, pushing in, going down the left etc. Why? Because the taxis are getting away with it, so other people are now doing the same......the problem is that their is no ACCOUNTABILITY !

 

You are not paying attention to what you are saying.

 

"This country has got to a point where where I see people in traffic doing the same as taxis, pushing in, going down the left etc."

 

Are you not doing the same but in the name of safety?

 

"...right now I bet you they feel that "well Everyone else breaks the rules so why must we listen"

 

Not "they", you! You are feeling exactly that, but you put the blame in the laps of the authorities. You are not prepared to look at personal change until "they" can do their jobs. Essentially, you are saying that change cannot start with anyone else but those who enforce the law. Really?

[TNT1]

it is illegal to deliberately prevent another road user from passing you.

 

Does that apply to the w@nker doing 80km/h in the very right lane in a 120km/h zone on the highway?

[tombeej]

We are allowed to ride in the lane! Nowhere does it state in the road regulations that we should ride in the emergency lane as this is against the law!

 

True, we are allowed to ride in the main traffic lane and the yellow lane is for emergency vehicles only.

 

But why did you not mention in the same breath that riding three abreast is also very much against the law? Like riding through a red traffic light, it's exactly the same thing.

 

It really doesn't help us to shout about 'the law' on issues that suite us, and then totally ignore other laws because we find them inconvenient.

[slabs]

Off the topic, but have a look at this advert and think about (1) how few road deaths there are in Aussie and (2) how all road users in this country need to become more considerate of each other.

 

This is an eXtremely well made (Australian) commercial...

One of the most intense (gut-wrenching) I've seen.

Fact is, only the "tell it like it is" campaigns really ever impact.

Even then, people often think - and say; "It'll never happen to me..."

If THIS doesn't save lives, I'll be surprised - disappointed too of course.

(I'll leave it up to you to share, in turn)

 

 

Take a look...

CLICK ON:

 

DUI

Edited January 7, 2013 by slabs

[tombeej]

Does that apply to the w@nker doing 80km/h in the very right lane in a 120km/h zone on the highway?

 

People driving at 80km/h in the passing lane on a freeway are certainly w@nkers, just as much as those palookas riding 2-3 abreast on their bikes. Both need to go back to school and learn how dangerous their actions are - to themselves and others.

[slowpoke]

Does that apply to the w@nker doing 80km/h in the very right lane in a 120km/h zone on the highway?

 

Yes, unless he is busy passing slower vehicles he is wrong. If there are 4 lanes and there are no other vehicles around, even if you are travelling at 120km/hr or above you should be in the left hand lane. if the vehicle in the left most lane is doing 80, the one in the next lane is at 90 then a vehicle going at 100 may pass the vehicle at 90 in the right hand lane, BUT ALL SHOULD MOVE LEFT AGAIN AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.

 

The average South African thinks it's a "slow" "medium" and "fast" lane - utterly incorrect. Vehicles sitting at 100 in the middle lane when the left lane is clear are just as wrong as the vehicle sitting in the right hand lane "because I'm doing 120".

 

KEEP left. PASS right.