Lost my bottle

[Joe Low]

Well okay, not THAT kind of bottle, though it was a good thread whilst it lasted.

 

Having been a very happy roadie for quite a few years, I've been doing 80% on the mtb for the last 18months.

 

So went out yesterday afternoon on the road bike round Bedfordview, Edenvale, Dowerglen etc. and was perpetually spooked by:

 

 

Holes in the road

Motorists

Perdestrians

Dogs

 

And i used to be happy bombing through the centre of Jhb out to the Lido and back through Alberton, City Deep etc.

 

It just seems to flippen dangerous, or i'm too old, or its busied up a lot, or i need some of what Happy Martin smokes.

 

But from now on the road its Kyalami and events only.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Joe Low

[dirtrider]

I use to commute from Centurion to Sandton city many years ago everyday but like you said , it just got to dangerous , but its not really the above mentioned , more the bike-jacking risk !!! And not even the stuff happy Martin smokes helps .

[LeTurbo]

 

Perdestrians

 

 

Walking Afrikaans horses?

[MTBc]

 

Walking Afrikaans horses?

 

ekse

[Wipeout2]

Traffic was like month end this past weekend, not sure why, as it is not month end yet.

[Ramrod]

Traffic was like month end this past weekend, not sure why, as it is not month end yet.

School holidays?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Yeah, traffic seems a lot worse lately, dont know why, perhaps school holidays or people are just driving more often. I ride around Midrand and its crazy, sometimes I am completely surrounded by 36 wheeler trucks, cars and taxi's - fortunately I have never really had any issues, but Yah, can get scary.

[HappyMartin]

Only place I was a bit concerned about yesterday was the bridge near Simba hill. Been a few hijacking there and I forgot all about it until I was approaching the area. New bike so no insurance yet. Thought I would just chance it, what the hell, but was pleased to see a SAP van parked under the bridge.

 

I started cycling by commuting around Ft Lauderdale. That was insane. Had to change my route every so often as people used to wait for me and try to take my bike. Hard way to learn cycling. Not much bothers me after that.

 

Oh and after 6 months of that I loaded my bike with panniers and rode from Jerusalem to Nelspruit and then commuted between Yeoville and Sandton for the next 2 years.

 

You can die anytime of anything. Doesn't help to worry about it all the time.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Only place I was a bit concerned about yesterday was the bridge near Simba hill. Been a few hijacking there and I forgot all about it until I was approaching the area. New bike so no insurance yet. Thought I would just chance it, what the hell, but was pleased to see a SAP van parked under the bridge.

 

I started cycling by commuting around Ft Lauderdale. That was insane. Had to change my route every so often as people used to wait for me and try to take my bike. Hard way to learn cycling. Not much bothers me after that.

 

Oh and after 6 months of that I loaded my bike with panniers and rode from Jerusalem to Nelspruit and then commuted between Yeoville and Sandton for the next 2 years.

 

You can die anytime of anything. Doesn't help to worry about it all the time.

 

Interesting I have spent many hours on a bike around Ft Lauderdale, we did a lot of business with a Miami based company and I had an apartment just off Cypress Creek in Ft Lauderdale.

 

The roads are hectic, but generally they are much wider and most have a big shoulder so I never felt in serious danger in the traffic on my bike,..... on my Motorbike............well thats something else entirely.

 

I Loved Ft Lauderdale for the people, the beaches, the great climate, my wife loved Ft Lauderdale for Sawgrass Mills shopping complex...........

 

Just as an aside, did you ever do the Lighthouse to Lighthouse race in Miami? Started at the Lighthouse in Key Largo and ended at the lighthouse in Key West, was great, you could race with anything human powered on wheels, skate board, bicycles, roller blades, go carts, anything.........I dont think its still run though, I am talking 10 years back, was sponsored by Target supermarket.

[Kranswurm]

Interesting I have spent many hours on a bike around Ft Lauderdale, we did a lot of business with a Miami based company and I had an apartment just off Cypress Creek in Ft Lauderdale.

 

The roads are hectic, but generally they are much wider and most have a big shoulder so I never felt in serious danger in the traffic on my bike,..... on my Motorbike............well thats something else entirely.

 

I Loved Ft Lauderdale for the people, the beaches, the great climate, my wife loved Ft Lauderdale for Sawgrass Mills shopping complex...........

 

Just as an aside, did you ever do the Lighthouse to Lighthouse race in Miami? Started at the Lighthouse in Key Largo and ended at the lighthouse in Key West, was great, you could race with anything human powered on wheels, skate board, bicycles, roller blades, go carts, anything.........I dont think its still run though, I am talking 10 years back, was sponsored by Target supermarket.

Did Stander get shot there?

[Joe Low]

You can die anytime of anything. Doesn't help to worry about it all the time.

True, but you cant help the way you feel sometimes either. I dont see me doing a lot of roadbike riding in the suburbs for a while.

 

Your adventures on a bike sound great. I did some similar stuff, rode across London and Paris, but eissh that was more than 30 years ago.

[HappyMartin]

Never did that race. Never heard of it to be honest. Got to know Sawgrass Mills quite well. Still have a zippo lighter I bought there, was smoking in those days.

 

I lived in Plantation and worked at a photo lab called Color Lab of Florida. Rode 11 miles each way every working day for 5 months. Very interesting in hurricane season. Never had any hurricanes but a few major tropical storms. Rain like I have never seen or ridden in since.

 

I had more negative experiences in 5 months there than I did in 2 years of commuting in Joburg. And let's just say commuting here was not exactly incident free.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Never did that race. Never heard of it to be honest. Got to know Sawgrass Mills quite well. Still have a zippo lighter I bought there, was smoking in those days.

 

I lived in Plantation and worked at a photo lab called Color Lab of Florida. Rode 11 miles each way every working day for 5 months. Very interesting in hurricane season. Never had any hurricanes but a few major tropical storms. Rain like I have never seen or ridden in since.

 

I had more negative experiences in 5 months there than I did in 2 years of commuting in Joburg. And let's just say commuting here was not exactly incident free.

 

Interesting, I never experienced any issues, loved it actually, was very happy there. I lived in a gated community and mostly only closed my door to keep the leaves out.

 

I know Plantation well, used to go to a sports bar there "Bokampers". Still have a few mates in "Sunrise" just up the drag.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Did Stander get shot there?

 

Not sure, cant place it.

[HappyMartin]

[

 

Did Stander get shot there?

 

Good memory. Yes he did

[GrumpyOldGuy]

[

 

Good memory. Yes he did

 

Hmm, interesting, read a bit about him now (Stander) its a while back and although I knew he was killed I must say I didnt know he was shot in Ft Lauderdale. Seems it was by accident though,..... quite a tragic end.