Shocking incident between van driver and cyclists in Camps Bay

[Wyatt Earp]

Looking at the bigger picture for a second this really isn't an isolated incident, this happens all the time, only difference is this time it was caught on camera, quite frankly the lawlessness on the roads in South Africa is just ridiculous you just have to look at it on your way to work... in the morning people mounting pavements driving down one ways , no one cares, i say no one , i mean of course there are those that do.. however it is just a total lack of respect for others, it's not only the taxi's its your neighbor in his 4x4, like I said just lawlessness its a joke really. all we can really do is drive / ride a little bit better each day and be a little more patient and hopefully that makes a difference...

 

I agree with all you said here, however I want to highlight this one piece, agreed it's not an isolated issue, but the problem lies within.

Once you get on your bike, you become a cyclist, motorists are a dime a dozen and even cyclists become motorists when not on the bike, so immediately as a cyclists we stand out like a sore thumb, first bit of an excuse to create isolation around it.

 

They then ride in kit that represents someone, being it a sponsor, club or company they work for, excuse number two to make it even more of an isolated issue.

They probably ride these roads often and motorists become very annoyed, as they did here in The Cradle, that just fans the fire even more.

 

It then gets caught on video and even cyclists are disgusted an appalled by what they see.

All of these little factors thrown in to one little melting pot of "an excuse to an explosion waiting to happen" and boom, whoever hates cyclists, whoever was looking ,waiting and hankering after a reason an excuse to have their say, got it handed to them on a silver platter.

 

Thanks to these guys we are going to become even more the reason to become another "stereotype" another "gang" "group" of a certain demographic that people want to hate.

 

Big heroes on the day, but I can assure you when that warrant officer knocks on their door, they will be eating much humble pie, unfortunately and regardless of what happens to them, the damage to the entire cycling community has been done.

[Cassie]

Random thought before Morpeus descends...what about a lobby to make jumping robots and stop streets an offence that carries a criminal record? For motorised and other vehicles. Attempted murder/homicide, attempted suicide?

 

Tumbles, Tumbles...that will fall under the bestiality act... :eek:

[Eddy Gordo]

I didnt want to comment but .....

One of the main reasons for these reactions with this incident and so many others is the lack of the law in many suburbs around the country. I know that should I take a walk around the neighborhood I would have to watch my back constantly. I live in the near vicinity of Meezo, so maybe he could also comment about this.

In other parts of cape town you dont have to be this weary. This is due the the law and government being as corrupt as what they are and the failure to deal with a criminal element whether it be the taxi on the wrong side of the road or the drug dealer up the street.

 

I am in no way condoning this behavior. I remember as a youngster, people were afraid to jump stop streets cause if they did, the would be a cop waiting down the road to issue the fine. What happened to this type of policing?

 

Then again I will state that there is a majority of cyclist and motorist out there that believe they own the road and no one should get in their way otherwise they will face consequences like what happened here.

 

I hate riding on any road where there is a group of cyclists riding. Main reason being that they dont believe in sharing the road, especially when 2 abreast, they will rather stay like that than give way for a car to go pass. Like someone said you and your bike will lose to a car anyday, rather single file or dont ride, same for motorist if you cant have the patience for the cyclists on the road then dont drive there

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

Alot of angry cyclist out there that think they going to win this Argus Cycle Tour starting in group X.

 

shucks! i'm also starting in that group!

[Gerlach]

I am not one to normally comment on potentially explosive topics, but feel so disgusted and outraged at this incident I cannot help myself!!!

 

To the "cyclists" on the video..... Thank you very much! I deeply appreciate the luminous target you have painted on my back!!!!!

Its great to act like a pack of rabid dogs when there are a number of you together! (Please note I was not there so am not apportioning blame to any group!)

Your testosterone induced rage has done more to damage the already fragile relationship between cyclists and motorists than any single incident in Cape Town Cycling history. Your selfishness in acting out as a gang of "vigilantes" will have far reaching effects on ALL cyclists for years to come! Your feelings of being invincible in a group may stop motorists from reacting to groups of riders in the future, however it will make those of us who prefer to ride in solitude, (for those of you in the video who have no grasp of English, punctuation or Capital letters, Solitude means riding on our own), a far easier target for aggressive motorists!

If you are indeed members of a club and spend any time at all riding the Argus route, you will know that it is a risky route to ride, you will know motorists are unpredictable, you will know that 70kgs of body and a 10kg bike will always come 2nd to a ton of car!

 

To the club involved, Mr Chairman, please have the balls to publicly admonish the degenerates who have crept into your club! They should be publicly named, publicly shamed and banned from competing in any sanctioned event for Life!! I guarantee you that a life WILL be lost on Cape Town roads as a direct result of this incident!

 

It is such a shame that of the thousands of cyclists who have lobbied for the City of Cape Town to accept us as road users, who follow the rules of the road, who promote cycling safety, it only takes a small group 59 seconds to destroy it!

 

There, I have said it all politely. That in no way contains any of the words or sentences I would like to use!!

Thanks for that one DPG!! I think this one is speaking out for all of us that is riding two wheels.

[Rushdee]

John Maytham and Dave Bellairs discuss on 567 Cape Talk:

 

[MarcL]

http://mc2cycling.co.za is the club concerned.

 

Disgusting behavior and undoes all the good work PPA does for safe road cycling.

In my view all club members should be barred from the Argus unless they identify the guilty parties and then PPA should ban those members for life...

 

We don't need savages like that in our peloton.

[Bat]

Hopefully the companies who sponsor this club will put pressure on them to do the right thing. As mentioned before, this incident is going to make cycling on the road very dangers from here on.

 

Lets ride safe and lets be aware of our surroundings.

 

 

[jmaccelari]

FYI, this made the news here in the UK.

[canadonis]

Alot of angry cyclist out there that think they going to win this Argus Cycle Tour starting in group X.

 

shucks! i'm also starting in that group!

 

We can't win the race????..omg..I'm starting at 8, please check I'd rather not ride if I can't win...

[Ride4Life]

It just took me 2 hours to read 26 pages of comments, thoughts and views. All I can say is if you want to act like that in public you need to back yourself up. So I want to dare these riders to speak up without hidding behind a fake plat form. Faizel Hendricks was big mouth on facebook then his post "disapeared".

Please correct me but we are are creatures of habbit. We always ride with the same people. You want to act like "men". Step up and tel the truth. Even better go to the cops and justify your actions. We all know you now and what your facebook profile pic looks like. I just went on it and also know who your china's are that ride with you and I know people are goig to slander this post or even like it. But someone is also gonna share it with the authorities.

 

Let the rant and rave continue.

 

Ps no caps locks were harmed in this post

 

 

[Rushdee]

http://www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Environmental-health/News/CT-cyclists-attack-motorist-20140303

[Stefalbertyn]

That club does a lot of good as well and now sit with their reputation ruined by a few thugs (who did it in front of juniors & children from what I gather) NEVER MIND THE CLUB's INITIAL REACTION! that was probably uninformed and a knee jerk as well - and probably not even from the pres of the club.

 

Instead of trying to kill the club off, I think fellow cyclists should support them in doing the right thing and sorting this terrible mess out - which I believe they are actually trying to do right now.

I hate some of the pettyness portrayed - like the one post on the forum lambasting the club as the only club with a photo of riders abreast on their webpage = when that photo was clearly taken at a cycling event/race/funride.

 

If you scream from your tower to have the club closed down - like so many people did in the most vile language on their facebook page before it was closed, (mostly of racist and intollerant towards religion) - think about those kids first- would you rather have them out on the streets doing drugz & ****?

 

The development work that Muhammadeyah has done is well known and respected. Don't throw the baby out with the water as we say in Afrikaans.

 

I trust those thugs will have to explain their actions to the cops as it is purely criminal, but I would love to see the club get back on their feet and carry on.

 

My 2 cents

Stef

[Mtblife]

What ever the case, motorist and taxi mainly in SA deserve the bad wrap. In Johannesburg the way taxis drive should bring the government to bring in the army let alone more unless good for noting bribe wanting traffic police.

 

In the Cape, you still have a little law and order come to Jhb and get a taste of our roads, you will not believe how good you got it. You also not believe how far taxis can take it till you see it first hand. People get killed hear daily in by taxis.

 

I put the blame squally on a government bent on stealing instead of ruling properly and creating what we all have forgotten , civil society !!!

 

Back from three weeks in the USA, I tell you that we have long forgotten what a free first world society is all about.

 

Anacary rules every where outside of the western cape. Defend you little bastion of normality.

 

CAPE TOWN, It's like another country.

[Tumbleweed]

Via Cape Times:

 

Driver's name: Ibrahim Waggie. A 19-year-old student:

“There were about 30 cyclists taking up a whole lane and I overtook them. I stopped at a robot, when this man just started hitting me.

“One guy hit me with the wheel of his bicycle twice. One hit me with fists. I was sprayed three times with pepper spray. It lasted 15-20 minutes and|I couldn’t drive away because I couldn’t see. They were beating the van, it’s full of dents.”

 

Will post a link later.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Tumbleweed

[Meezo]

Via Cape Times:

 

Driver's name: Ibrahim Waggie. A 19-year-old student:

“There were about 30 cyclists taking up a whole lane and I overtook them. I stopped at a robot, when this man just started hitting me.

“One guy hit me with the wheel of his bicycle twice. One hit me with fists. I was sprayed three times with pepper spray. It lasted 15-20 minutes and|I couldn’t drive away because I couldn’t see. They were beating the van, it’s full of dents.”

 

Will post a link later.

 

 

Eina! HKGK