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

[gogo@]

Your 2nd statement is otter nonsense, a drunk driver still has medical.

Road Accident Fund claims require assessment of liability, so, if you break the law, the fault is yours. If both parties break the law, liability is shared. Affects the value of your claim. Not sure about insurance but it wouldn't surprise me if the same applies. Medical aid? Fine, but enjoy the pain!

My main issue with what you're saying is that there's a law for you and a law for me, which makes rubbish of trying to organize ourselves for any kind of common good. We're talking about the most basic road rules here: that we cycle with traffic, because we are traffic. Why is it so difficult to accept this?

[Niner]

 

 

I agree with most but strongly disagree with the bolded text. Doing that you are endangering other cyclist. It becomes more and more a problem for me who cycles in traffic almost daily to avoid collisions with cyclist cycling headon into the traffic.

 

I am saying that it has become a survival game....

 

I am saying that we are not the route cause...

 

I am saying please do WHATEVER you must to get home alive....

 

If that means you skip Red light turn left, or need to ride a certainse tion off road, or facing traffic.....do what you NEED to do to stay alive.....

 

I am saying I am not going to listento anyone shouti g "rules" at me at the risk of ending up dead.

 

I am not saying break all rules all the time, I AM saying BE SAFE

[Niner]

 

 

You are then barely in the road reserve at four meters from the shoulder breakpoint. That is NOT the road anymore but a different track. Cycling on the tarred shoulder with a road bike is pure stupidity though. The speed difference between the oncoming traffic and yourself makes it extremely dangerous and the oncoming traffic does not expect you there.

Speed has nothing to with it.

 

Cars see ,people riding like this everyday anyway.

 

Your posts not logical

Edited January 4, 2013 by Niner

[gogo@]

 

 

Seems to me that all the laws your refer to does not keep cyclist alive.

 

What difference does the speed make? Nothing man. You can behave just like a pedestrian on your bike.

 

Maybe this "law" is wrong and we should ride into traffic, at least then I can see the driver is going to pass me with only 4 cm clearance and stop, rather than get pulled under the wheels off a 14 wheelers

 

Please people open your minds and rethink everything regarding cycling and how we can stay alive as everything we have been doing till now does not seem to be working.

Sorry, but so far, after more years than most on the Hub have been breathing, these rules HAVE kept me alive. The threat always comes from those who break them.

Do you really, seriously, cycle head-on towards 14 wheelers??? Where do you cycle? What roads?

[Bateleur1]

I am saying that it has become a survival game....

 

I am saying that we are not the route cause...

 

I am saying please do WHATEVER you must to get home alive....

 

If that means you skip Red light turn left, or need to ride a certainse tion off road, or facing traffic.....do what you NEED to do to stay alive.....

 

I am saying I am not going to listento anyone shouti g "rules" at me at the risk of ending up dead.

 

I am not saying break all rules all the time, I AM saying BE SAFE

 

I hear you.

 

I just say that riding up agains the traffic on the road surface is the dumbest survival tactic. The rest I support you fully.

 

Anyway, you guys must stay safe. I am logging off. Safe weekend to you all.

[Niner]

 

Road Accident Fund claims require assessment of liability, so, if you break the law, the fault is yours. If both parties break the law, liability is shared. Affects the value of your claim. Not sure about insurance but it wouldn't surprise me if the same applies. Medical aid? Fine, but enjoy the pain!

My main issue with what you're saying is that there's a law for you and a law for me, which makes rubbish of trying to organize ourselves for any kind of common good. We're talking about the most basic road rules here: that we cycle with traffic, because we are traffic. Why is it so difficult to accept this?

 

Trying to organize ourself for what?

 

To be killed while adhering to your rules?

 

Tell me...

 

How many cyclist died breaking the rules?

 

How many taxis has been confiscated in the last year? None!

 

I will ride and drive to keep myself alive, and if that means going over a red light in a dodge area at 1 in the morning I will do it the safest way I can but technically I will be breaking the law.....will I care....no because I want to get home alive rather than hijacked....

 

If you can not understand that this is Africa and that is how we must survive here then please....carry on living in your dream world.

 

Cyclist does because of the other road users disrespect of us.

[Niner]

 

Sorry, but so far, after more years than most on the Hub have been breathing, these rules HAVE kept me alive. The threat always comes from those who break them.

Do you really, seriously, cycle head-on towards 14 wheelers??? Where do you cycle? What roads?

 

So how many cyclist that died last as a result of them NOT keeping to the rules? NONE.

 

So the problem is cyclist breaking the rules it is cars breaking them and in the most recent case a taxi

 

So please, you are so passionate about rules, go out and stop taxis and tell them to adhere to the rules.....ohhh you might get shot I hear people say....so it is ok to shout rules here but not at the taxis!

Edited January 4, 2013 by Niner

[Pieterg]

Dumb please don't do it I had a few near hits with other cylists

[gogo@]

I am saying I am not going to listento anyone shouti g "rules" at me at the risk of ending up dead.

 

I am not saying break all rules all the time, I AM saying BE SAFE

Look, no one is shouting, and no one is shouting "RULES" like we're at school and it's all arbitrary. Me, I'm just concerned about people who don't have much cycling experience and are nervous. I understand that. I started running on the road last year and found it terrifying, running into oncoming traffic, even though I know that's the right, sensible thing to do... so it's also what you're used to, what you've learned to do.

Just limit your craziness to yourself.

And I think we agree that a big part of the problem is there's no policing of crazy behavior (but you won't like this) including cyclists who break the law.

Friend, I really hope you can look after yourself on a bicycle. For the sake of whoever you are putting at risk of hitting you, never mind your family. Otherwise you really should not ride anywhere near the road, if it's that unsafe. It's not about rules, it's your life.

[rudi-h]

depends on the road I would say.

 

I used to ride on a road with a very wide shoulder. There I would cycle towards oncoming traffic for the following reasons:

 

1) The shoulder is supposed to be open at all times (except for emergency vehicles) therefore nobody has to dodge anybody else.

2) In the case where two cars are overtaking and occupying the emergency lane, it give you enough time to see it coming and to swerve off of the shoulder / road. If you were to cycle with the traffic, then two cars (often trucks) pass each other and the result is a 16 wheeler passing so close to you that the wind almost throws you off the bike. I'd rather have the choice of getting out of the road completely

 

On narrow roads where drivers are forced to swerve into the oncoming lane to pass you I ride with the traffic for the reasons stated earlier in this post.

[pezulu]

I took this pic on 2012-12-17 at about 06:30 at the corners of Roger Dysan and Voortrekker roads (the Exxaro corner).

Could this be a contributing factor for the number of road deaths?

 

Edited January 4, 2013 by pezulu

['Dale]

See you enemy, knowledge is power!

 

 

What happens when you meet a cyclist going in the right direction? You will definitely Care if that cyclist is me with a car coming up behind me.

 

:-D

 

You go left...

No, YOU go left.

 

*boom, crash*

[wessie12]

I took this pic on 2012-12-17 at about 06:30 at the corners of Roger Dysan and Voortrekker roads (the Exxaro corner).

Could this be a contributing factor for the number of road deaths?

 

ek het vandag dieselfde gesien op die n2 hoofweg en as n fietsryer/ motoris is dit totaal onnodig en uiters gevaarlik. slegs n handvol fietsryers frustreer motoriste en die res van ons ly daar onder. motoriste dink ons is arrogant en windgat... kom ons stel die voorbeeld en hou op vingerwys... ons almal het n plig teenoor pad veiligheid as fietsryer en motoris.

['Dale]

ek het vandag dieselfde gesien op die n2 hoofweg en as n fietsryer/ motoris is dit totaal onnodig en uiters gevaarlik. slegs n handvol fietsryers frustreer motoriste en die res van ons ly daar onder. motoriste dink ons is arrogant en windgat... kom ons stel die voorbeeld en hou op vingerwys... ons almal het n plig teenoor pad veiligheid as fietsryer en motoris.

 

Highway riding...

 

:-O

[pastapouch]

Oh for sure. That's why I feel much safer on my mtb. But I take my hat off to all the roadies. Damn, riding on the Tar everyday with these palooka taxi drivers.

Sadly, its not only the taxi drivers who are palookas, I commute regularly from Krugersdorp to Parktown, taxi's are the least of my problems as they are usually in the fast lanes, and they're most likely to give a wider birth.

As stated numerous times above, bad idea to ride facing traffic.

cAN WORK, when it very quiet in the opposite direction. I did that a lot commuting to Randburg.

I am saying that it has become a survival game....

I am saying that we are not the route cause...

I am saying please do WHATEVER you must to get home alive....

If that means you skip Red light turn left, or need to ride a certainse tion off road, or facing traffic.....do what you NEED to do to stay alive.....

I am saying I am not going to listento anyone shouti g "rules" at me at the risk of ending up dead.

I am not saying break all rules all the time, I AM saying BE SAFE

+1 . Look behind you every now and then, even if it is quiet. You may just see an idiot approaching and take action before it stoo late.

[Niner]

ek het vandag dieselfde gesien op die n2 hoofweg en as n fietsryer/ motoris is dit totaal onnodig en uiters gevaarlik. slegs n handvol fietsryers frustreer motoriste en die res van ons ly daar onder. motoriste dink ons is arrogant en windgat... kom ons stel die voorbeeld en hou op vingerwys... ons almal het n plig teenoor pad veiligheid as fietsryer en motoris.

 

And motorist have duty to stay behind us like we are a slow car, taxi, bus etc. this behavior does not kill cyclist MOTORISTS kill!