Passing gap for cyclists won't work: report

[LeTurbo]

The proposed 1.5m safe passing gap for cyclists on roads may be difficult to maintain and enforce, according to a report on Saturday.

 

eThekwini's deputy head of road system management Carlos Esteves said the 1.5m gap would not be practical as the standard lanes were around 3.5m or slightly less, the Saturday Star reported.

"My sense is that it will be difficult if not impractical to enforce 1.5m," Esteves said.

"You can't achieve a cyclist, plus 1.5m and a motorist without encroaching on the other lane."

Cyclists across South Africa have been calling for the measure and started calling it the Burry's Gap after the death of mountain bike ace Burry Stander on January 3.

Stander was killed in Shelley Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast in a collision with the taxi.

Automobile Association public affairs head Gary Ronald said the gap was at a national discussion level and forms part of last year's amendments to the Traffic Act,

"Where the road is wide enough, it will work, but we have quite a few roads where it is narrow and difficult to apply without cars going into the oncoming traffic."

 

http://www.timeslive...n-t-work-report

 

 

 

It works in Europe and the UK and the roads are much narrower than in SA so why won't it work in SA?Damn twat is to lazy to get the metro to do their work.

 

 

Interesting ... the sign shows two cyclists riding abreast! What is the world coming to?

[Wipeout2]

Interesting ... the sign shows two cyclists riding abreast! What is the world coming to?

was going to say the same

[Brogue]

The problem is that somehow car drivers does not want to leave the lane when overtaking a bicycle, although the law expects them to do so. Also they don't want to slow down either.

Yep, those damned motorists. Who needs cars anway, just get on a bike and "trap vir die vale". It will remedy quite a few ills we have in the world today!

[Let's Ride]

The squeaky (those that know him will understand) Carlos Esteves is really a disappointment. He's well qualified and should know better or at least offer some solutions. All I can think is that he is looking after his pension and blocking everything in the Mike Sutcliffe tradition. Intransigent, uncaring people like him are one of the many reasons why SA has such a high road death toll (particularly amongst pedestrians); let alone cyclists. I think he views taxis, buses, cars and trucks as his main responsibility in that order; cyclists and pedestrians don't even feature or get any real care. This is depsite eThekwini making a few promising steps earlier on the route from North Beach through Durban North.

 

I measured by bike handlebars - 700mm for a bicycle and just under 1000mm for a motorcycle. My medium sized car is is under 2m wide. There should be enough space for this and a bicycle, even a motor bike, in a 3,5m wide lane.

 

But you probably ride 1m away from the gutter...