Cyclists Killed in Durbanville: State of SA Roads

[Garfield2010]

As long as cyclists and motorists share the roads the danger will persist. It is not worth the risk. Ride offroad.

 

Its not that simple. Off road also has problems. For example people/drivers don't expect bikes on gravel roads hence it is also dangerous... Then bike jacking is a lot more common off road.

 

We need a solution. Maybe they should have 24 hour camera surveillance on certain "cyclists" friendly roads. It is amazing how a person's way of going about things changes when he knows he is being watched. Put up huge warning boards stating the next 40km is monitored by cameras for the protection of cyclists and see how many hit and runs do take place???

[SwissVan]

 

This past Sat I was involved in a cycle accident - and I don't think we as cyclist even know how vulnerable we really are let alone motorist! My accident did not directly involved a car but their had been a car crash their earlier in the day I have been told. Hit some oil and in no time lost control / front wheel - 1 x broken collar bone! Latter in the day I know of at least 1 more accident at the same spot with a motor cycle!

 

 

Hope the collarbone heals up quickly

 

It bugs me how after an accident no one is responsible for cleaning up the debris that is left behind. At the least the speed cops could sweep up the glass and small fragments and arrange that someone cleans up spilt liquids properly.

 

Yeah I know speed cops do some work is wishful first world thinking.....

 

[finallygotabike]

Which is why I pose the question... What else can we do? Impose stricter sentences on motorists? Build more cycling lanes?

 

Motorists (including us) first need to tolerate each other on the road - only then can we expect tolerance towards cyclists. Currently we have zero tolerance in SA society, therein lies the problem!

[Big H*]

Which is why I pose the question... What else can we do? Impose stricter sentences on motorists? Build more cycling lanes?

 

Please explain how you will train in the so called "cycling lanes"...... also the heading of your post is misleading ..... "State of SA Roads" ...... and then talk of café or drag racing?????

[scuzzy]

O honestly feel we should stop worrying about the motorists. We put so much effort into what they are doing wrong, and it is a real fued, where, because we feel we have just as much right on the road, some of us will be "spitefull".

 

Focus on being safe, we have all been through this, ride in single file, bla bla bla.

 

I honestly cannot see motorists changing there attitude. 2 wheels will never beat 4 wheels.

[scuzzy]

"Motorists have NO excuses for knocking over cyclists..."

 

I can actually think of quite a few

[Guest Smimby]

Typical hub er comments here.

"Ride off road"- what about the builder commuting to work?

"Use velodrome"- what about someone living in somersetwest ?

"Cyclist are to blame also"- hmm no! We should all share the road. And I don't see motorist or taxis sharing it with cyclist.

 

They push us to side of the road. Moan that we don't pay a license fee etc. so where is the sharing.

 

On my commute to work I see maybe ONE cyclist breaking a road rule out of the 8-10 I see but I see EVERY 2nd motorist break at least 2-5 at ANY ONE time.

 

Even if you manage to cleanup the cyclist side you will not stop the problem as the route cause is with the motorist. And I am yet to see ANYONE addressing that!

Ie. what is being done about taxis? Nothing(fining them is nothing) and the golden arrow says that it was not the drivers fault since the cyclist clipped the curb and fell----huh? If the bus was passing the cyclist SAFELY like he would and should be passing another road user (1.5m comes to mind also) then that would not have happened.

 

So please stop look at the symptom and address the cause cause. SA drivers!!!

 

 

 

[flyguysa]

Typical hub er comments here.

"Ride off road"- what about the builder commuting to work?

"Use velodrome"- what about someone living in somersetwest ?

"Cyclist are to blame also"- hmm no! We should all share the road. And I don't see motorist or taxis sharing it with cyclist.

 

They push us to side of the road. Moan that we don't pay a license fee etc. so where is the sharing.

 

On my commute to work I see maybe ONE cyclist breaking a road rule out of the 8-10 I see but I see EVERY 2nd motorist break at least 2-5 at ANY ONE time.

 

Even if you manage to cleanup the cyclist side you will not stop the problem as the route cause is with the motorist. And I am yet to see ANYONE addressing that!

Ie. what is being done about taxis? Nothing(fining them is nothing) and the golden arrow says that it was not the drivers fault since the cyclist clipped the curb and fell----huh? If the bus was passing the cyclist SAFELY like he would and should be passing another road user (1.5m comes to mind also) then that would not have happened.

 

So please stop look at the symptom and address the cause cause. SA drivers!!!

 

Agree with you 100%!

 

The main reason why SA drivers are so bad is the corruption from licencing to enforcement, another feather in our government's cap.....

[Reg Lizard]

It start with education and then we need to see a change of attitude from cyclist and motorist. So I think it would be a good idea that when people write their learners licences that speicific sections be inserted in the manual with regard to how a motorist should behave when approaching cyclist and what precautionary meassures should be taken(and pedestrians- but I think that has already been covered).

[Rapunzel]

"Motorists have NO excuses for knocking over cyclists..."

 

I can actually think of quite a few

I do agree that we sometimes need to play devil's advocate and look at each case on it's merit. Most of the time motorists are to blame but in this durbanville case, it appears that the cyclist fell after clipping the curb and fell under the bus (the curb juts out at the traffic light and the cyclist may have misjudged his proximity to it).

Before judging the bus driver, imagine how it must feel to be sitting 2m up in your bus at a red traffic light, a cyclist pulls up on your left and you cannot see them and as you both pull away the cyclist falls under your bus wheels.

[Guest Smimby]

Scuzzy

 

So the 2 cyclist riding single file and one got killed should focus on safety??? Is that not what they were doing?

 

Your comment about a reason why a cyclist should be knocked over is nonsense!!!!

 

You do not have ANY right or reason to hurt ANY other living creature.

[lloydkayak]

I cycle into work almost every day now... half of my route on the bike lane, the other half there isn't one. I am courteous as much as I possibly can be, doing what I can to make sure I am not obstructing anyone.

 

I have been met with nothing but consideration from even exasperated motorists ( I accept a lot of the accidents out there happen to considerate cyclists like myself).

 

I get irritated with cyclists that ride like idiots because their actions ultimately make the roads more dangerous for me, motorists start targeting cyclists, not john on the red bike!

 

Many guys at work are super anti-cyclists on the roads, I listen to the stories and what they have to say... Half the time, they have a right to be frustrated by the cyclists...

 

This is all derailling the fact that all these accidents/deaths of late are really tragic! Making my post seem irrelevant

[American Flyers]

The biggest problem is that most drivers don't have patient or don't want to slow down or give us space...

It is easier to knock cyclist over than face on-coming traffic.....

The law on SA roads are becoming out of hands...

We, cyclist better come together and block N1 and N2 to get governement to do something about it...

[scuzzy]

Scuzzy

 

So the 2 cyclist riding single file and one got killed should focus on safety??? Is that not what they were doing?

 

Your comment about a reason why a cyclist should be knocked over is nonsense!!!!

 

You do not have ANY right or reason to hurt ANY other living creature.

 

I am not justifying it I am saying that I can think of a reason

 

Have you cycled on Bottelary recently at that time of day, have you noticed that you cannot see a thing with the sunrise at that time of day?

 

Again, I am not justifying, just saying that I can think of a reason. IT IS STILL A HUGE TRAGEDY

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I cycle into work almost every day now... half of my route on the bike lane, the other half there isn't one. I am courteous as much as I possibly can be, doing what I can to make sure I am not obstructing anyone.

 

I have been met with nothing but consideration from even exasperated motorists ( I accept a lot of the accidents out there happen to considerate cyclists like myself).

 

I get irritated with cyclists that ride like idiots because their actions ultimately make the roads more dangerous for me, motorists start targeting cyclists, not john on the red bike!

 

Many guys at work are super anti-cyclists on the roads, I listen to the stories and what they have to say... Half the time, they have a right to be frustrated by the cyclists...

 

This is all derailling the fact that all these accidents/deaths of late are really tragic! Making my post seem irrelevant

 

Nice measured comment. Thumbs up from me.

 

In my opinion no motorist ever gets up in the morning and says "I think I'll go mow down a few cyclists today" and to think along those lines, or worse, make comments like "motorists are murderers" etc as I often see is just stirring up emotions without any reason.

 

I ride daily in some of JHB's most congested roads, 99% of the time I have absolutely no issues, its nothing but a change of mind set, treat everyone you meet as you would like to be treated, wave harassed and irritated motorists through ahead of you, and Smile, Yup Smile, at folk in the lane, its a forgotten feature among many cyclists I think,.....maybe I am just old and slow so people feel sorry for me and give me wide berth, .......but I like to think its because I treat them as equals.

[Red Zone]

IMO there is a huge role for political will, in the Cape we are starting to see a shift towards a more cycle friendly city, this means more cycle lanes and more awareness about cyclists.

 

Once a city has a bike ethos such as, Amsterdam, Copenhagen Berlin, Rio, Portland, etc... and 1) cyclists are seen as a large, well behaved civilised group and 2) most motorists are either cyclists are have family members that are cyclists, there is a fundamental change to the attitude of motorists, town planners, police, politicians etc...

 

Unfortunately in CT there are some very simple opportunities that are just not being taken, such as:

1. New roads being built or upgraded without cycle lanes being added.
   
2. Neighbourhoods are planned and designed to be unfriendly to cyclists
   
3. There is no signage on busy cycling routes, traffic control infrastructure largely ignores cyclists
   
4. No enforcement for Cars parked in cycle lanes and the general abuse of bike lanes in the city
   
5. No requirement for cycle parking and showers in new commercial developments (this is often the case in the UK)
   
6. Traffic officers (based on my observation) have never taken an interest in enforcing cycle safety