To the Roadie on the West Coast Road Last night

[Ward]

Something that I fail to understand are those cyclists who ride on the main West coast road and yet there is the fantastic cycle track that was built for us alongside the main road with no traffic! Is it a macho thing or some sort of a death wish. This main west coast road is a dragstrip of note and especially on sundays it is never policed.

The Cape Town authorities have provided these cycle tracks and lanes for our safety, use them!

 

I would gladly use the cycle paths if i was either on my way to work(which i wont be for another 2years) or if i was training with one buddy, but to train on them with all your mates and/or the rest of your club is almost impossible,a rep from our club had to complain to the City Council about removing the concrete blocks that were inbetween the two lanes at every 20metres. And thats what many people dont understand the cycle path is for communters and cyslists tat are training alone or with a friend or two. But yes, those lanes are probably the best thing that the government has done in a long, long time. PS. cycle lanes in Bothasig are now being painted.

[Hairy]

Was it a pelotrain top ?

 

It might well have been....in passing I picked up the letters P and O in bold white font. I will pay more attention next time.

 

We met this gentleman again the other morning, well before sun rise and he was still riding in the road with no lights and along a section with no shoulder ..... passed by him saying "Hey where are your lights" and his reply was, and please imagine a little boy crying because he dropped his icecream on the floor "Just leave me alone now" ..... can't wait to see him again!

[Antoo]

I'm trying hard to decide who the actual tjop is.

I suppose that the roadie could be considered a tjop for not accepting the well intentioned admonition from a fellow hubber with a large heart.

Then again, the well meaning hubber, after not getting the response that he anticipated, get's into a 'nut comparing' exercise with the said offender.

 

If the point was to fix him, you fixed him good............truth be told, I just don't get it.

 

It was his own nog that was at stake or have I missed something.

[Hairy]

I see you are from KZN and would then not know this stretch of road.

 

You do however have a clear understanding of the high numbers of cyclist being killed on the roads.

 

Now I have commuted this route for close to ten years now and in the time before the cycle lanes we lost many riders on these roads and also many close calls.

 

The simple matter is that we as a cycling community need to police ourselves. This rider is cycling in the dark, with dark kit on, no lights front or back, on a section of road with very fast moving cars and in most instances zero shoulder to ride on whilst there is a very good cycle lane to use.

 

The argument of him training on the roads is null and void as I passed him while I was on the cycle lane

 

Should he have used the above argument on the morning in question it would also be null and void as this was early with next to no users on the whole loop from Table to Town.

 

Basic principles here. If you do not have lights on your bike, and this rider who rides a very nice bike should know better one would think, then do not ride where your life is clearly in danger.

 

This sort of behaviour also does the community as a whole much credit when we lobby for safer roads.

 

Sorry Antoo, if you are alluding to that I could be the chop I take exception or assume you have not fully understood the matter at hand or have not read the whole thread.

[Hairy]

This is where we met him last ... no shoulder and great cycle lane

[Karooryder]

If the point was to fix him, you fixed him good............truth be told, I just don't get it.

 

Yep...what I don't get is thread-ening the poor show-off (see what I did there B)). He will probably not be reading this and he does, I'm convinced the thread will only encourage his arrogance.

[Hairy]

Yep...what I don't get is thread-ening the poor show-off (see what I did there B)). He will probably not be reading this and he does, I'm convinced the thread will only encourage his arrogance.

Ok, so you recommend I do nothing?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yep...what I don't get is thread-ening the poor show-off (see what I did there B)). He will probably not be reading this and he does, I'm convinced the thread will only encourage his arrogance.

 

I fail to see any threat in Hairy's posts here? Merely looking out for fellow riders and telling the guy that he's being a dumbass.

 

You flash drivers who leave their lights off when it gets dark, no? Why not tell a fellow cyclist to put his on?

[Patchelicious]

Ok, so you recommend I do nothing?

 

I recommend you dont act like a total chop and turn this into a roadie MTB knobbly thing.

I am sure he cycles because he likes it, just as much as you do. I am also sure if he was to post here, he would probably say your initial vocal exchanges were probably not very polite.

 

In summary, coming here looking for a reaction with a one sided story just makes you seem the douche. Just saying.

[Karooryder]

Ok, so you recommend I do nothing?

 

Well Hairy, let's face it - what you have encountered here happens every single day on South African roads. Kudos, obviously, for voicing your concerns to the oke about his safety as well as the bad reputation that this idiot perpetuates about cyclists. Unfortunately, he seems to be one of those hardegatte who will (sadly, perhaps) only learn the hard way but let's not turn this into a roadie / MTB, pro / no pro issue, which it is obviously not.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Karooryder

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I recommend you dont act like a total chop and turn this into a roadie MTB knobbly thing.

I am sure he cycles because he likes it, just as much as you do. I am also sure if he was to post here, he would probably say your initial vocal exchanges were probably not very polite.

 

In summary, coming here looking for a reaction with a one sided story just makes you seem the douche. Just saying.

 

Never was an MTB / Roadie debate, man. Always was a "you're a douche for not using lights" debate.

 

The chirp about knobblies was as a result of the offender chirping Hairy re his "beginner" status, and the resultant ass-whooping he got when Hairy & co would up their legs and showed him who was the real beginner. THAT's the MTB reference.

 

Next time you tjoon someone, make sure to READ the post first. It might help you take your foot our your ass when it gets handed to you.

[Hairy]

I recommend you dont act like a total chop and turn this into a roadie MTB knobbly thing.

I am sure he cycles because he likes it, just as much as you do. I am also sure if he was to post here, he would probably say your initial vocal exchanges were probably not very polite.

 

In summary, coming here looking for a reaction with a one sided story just makes you seem the douche. Just saying.

 

Dear Sir

 

May I suggest you recall your personal comments directed towards myself as you have personal knowledge of me.

 

Then it should also be noted that this is not a thread of MTB vs Roadie. I am cyclist first and foremost. This is a thread about an individual who is putting his and others lives and personal property at risk. Other and personal property .... motorist swerves to miss cyclist, has an accident and the rest I am sure it obvious.

 

Regards

Hairy

[Karooryder]

I fail to see any threat in Hairy's posts here? Merely looking out for fellow riders and telling the guy that he's being a dumbass.

 

Do you also fail to see my weak twenty-past-three-pee-em-I-wanna-go-home-and-snooz attempt at wordplay?

[Patchelicious]

It might help you take your foot our your ass when it gets handed to you.

 

If it gets handed to me, its already out of my ass, clean your fingers!

 

Everything on this entire thread is based on ONE side of the story, so believe what you want......

[Hairy]

Well Hairy, let's face it - what you have encountered here happens every single day on South African roads. Kudos, obviously, for voicing your concerns to the oke about his safety as well as the bad reputation that this idiot perpetuates about cyclists. Unfortunately, he seems to be one of those hardegatte who will (sadly, perhaps) only learn the hard way but let's not turn this into a roadie / MTB, pro / no pro issue, which it is obviously not.

 

Agreed, this is not a MTB/Roadie issue.

 

The pro thing is because I found the humour in this rider calling me a "beginner" and hence me labeling him as a "pro"

[Hairy]

If it gets handed to me, its already out of my ass, clean your fingers!

 

Everything on this entire thread is based on ONE side of the story, so believe what you want......

Would you like for me to invite witnesses to this thread in order to validate my "story"