Shocking incident between van driver and cyclists in Camps Bay

[madbradd]

O ya .. driver has laid a charge of assault

http://cyclingtipscontent.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/assault-6.jpg

 

With Conti GP Attacks?

[Meezo]

 

With Conti GP Attacks?

 

sram FORCE!

[ThePubSA]

With Conti GP Attacks?

[madbradd]

 

 

sram FORCE!

 

Maybe.... but I think he just saw RED. Driver is lucky his stem wasn't LOADED.

[Wyatt Earp]

Cool because I personally have never been part of an angry mob that attacked somebody.

 

Absolutely.

I don't like mob mentality.

[eddy]

Maybe.... but I think he just saw RED. Driver is lucky his stem wasn't LOADED.

 

surely not with:

 

[GoLefty!!]

I think they went Shamal

[Amanda_S]

Copy of Letter I sent to Siphesihle Dube

Spokesperson for the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle

Ministry of Transport and Public Works

Western Cape Government

E-mail: Siphesihle.Dube@westerncape.gov.za

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr Dube

 

I have read your press release - and watched the videos you posted in your media release of the cyclists attacking the driver of a taxi in Cape Town recently. I agree the violence is not acceptable at all.

 

However Mr Dube, I am hoping as a fellow cyclist to point out why this happened, its not an isolated event - and perhaps by educating everybody concerned, we can prevent this type of road rage

 

 

It is NOT recorded what happened in the lead up to this event, so I can only assume this taxi or van driver acted most inconsiderately and put the cyclists at huge risk, like is so often the case - which provoked the outcome seen in the videos.

 

Please may I point this out to you :

 

1. Taxi's cause near death every single day to cyclists (and pedestrians - and other drivers, such as new learners, on the road ) - because they do NOT adhere to the road laws or drive even remotely considerately.

 

2. The taxis - MORE THAN often - drive offensively, they overtake cyclists without the required 1 meter distance to cyclists, they skim us, and often clip us because they do not pass widely - as is the law.

Do they even KNOW the law with regards to passing cyclists, and what is being done to educate them ?

 

3. Taxis overtake cyclists -who have speed momentum, then break immediately with no indication (I have two friends that went through the back of taxi windows in the last year!) Cracked collar bones and facial surgery necessary in both instances. Both of these were non aggressive cyclists, mothers of children in primary school- cycling in SINGLE FILE.

 

3. Taxi's do not have the inclination to understand, that cyclists have as much right to the road as they do - they are more than often, grossly inconsiderate to all other road users (cars/cyclists and pedestrians)- and a law unto themselves, and more than often go unchallenged, because we fear violence if we confront them (even passively) . I am yet to see a taxi driver, say "sorry"

 

 

 

4. They do not seem to understand that cyclists, are not wrapped by 4 metal doors, like they are, and that simple fact, should make them take more care for another human that is more vulnerable than they are in their vehicles. Its called compassion

 

5. They do not stop and drop in "sensible areas" - they stop in RANDOM places - with no warning (such as slowing down sensibly with indicators on) . They overtake us in great haste - and then immediately slam on breaks right in front of us - and we are CLEATED into our pedals, meaning we can not put our feet down..

 

6. They stop on street corners, on blind corners, in the middle of traffic lights even - in the middle of intersections , at stop streets - and let passengers on and off.

They often brake completely unexpectedly - and often do not even have the courtesy to pull over to the side of the street, or even LOOK in wing mirrors.

 

7. They drive MUCH faster than the speed limit in residential and congested areas, to make sure they maximise their road time and taxi fares, and are thus a hazard to all other road users

 

8. There seems to be VERY little control on taxi driver behaviour - this type of behaviour goes completely unchecked - it is getting crazier out there by the month.

 

9. As a cyclists myself, and a mother of three young girls- I take my life into my hands each time I want to train on the roads in our country - which is such a shame- because a fit nation is a healthy nation.

The taxi's scare the hell out of us, we are all tense and stressed when they come passed, they are unpredictable, inconsiderate and a law unto themselves

 

9. It is actually NOT always possible - or SAFE to cycle in single file for a few reasons.

a. we need to be able to overtake the cyclist in front of us - just like cars can - so often we are two abreast until we overtake and have enough space to pull in again

b. there are MANY pot holes in the road, and we often have to push out from the curb - our roads need attention, desperately

c. when training for a race (like the Argus this weekend) cyclists HAVE to practise as a peloton (pack)- for safety reasons

d. sometimes, when the road is narrow, cyclists ride two or three abreast ON PURPOSE, to prevent taxis from overtaking us on narrow roads, until the road widens and we can pull to the side again. This is because if the road is too narrow for a cyclist and a taxi/car , the cyclist will be the one that is more hurt/killed , so we ride next to each other, UNTIL its safe to go single file again - to keep the cars off our back - and keep ourselves alive. This is something non-cyclists won't understand, and are often abused unfairly for this safety tactic, by people hooting and zapping and yelling at us.

 

 

NOw while the event recorded is not acceptable - and a real shame, if you take the time to understand, that taxis put cyclists (and other road users ) through HELL on a daily basis, is it any wonder, that this rage was sparked to this extent. Its pent up anger and frustration at having our lives put at risk every time we ride

To say "its our choice" to cycle, it is, but it is also our right to cycle safely on our roads.

 

South Africa's Olympic cyclist, Burry Stander was killed by a taxi in just the way I described above, a great tragedy for not just his young life, his bride, his family and his Olympic career as one of our most respected athletes.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/01/04/168616791/olympic-cyclist-dies-after-being-hit-by-taxi-in-south-africa

 

I know that many, many cyclists have this sentiment, and while non of us condone the road rage in the video - we are all fed up that the taxi drivers literally get away with murder daily and urge you to look at the bigger picture of EVERYBODY'S safety

 

Thank you for your time

Amanda

 

 

 

 

[madbradd]

Things sure escalated quickly. One guy was wielding and AKSium

[Peach.]

So after your comments today I will assume you are voting for ANC.

 

Elaborate?

[HappyMartin]

Huh? Was this a taxi incident? I thought it was a van picking up water sachets.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Copy of Letter I sent to Siphesihle Dube

Spokesperson for the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle

Ministry of Transport and Public Works

Western Cape Government

E-mail: Siphesihle.Dube@westerncape.gov.za

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr Dube

 

I have read your press release - and watched the videos you posted in your media release of the cyclists attacking the driver of a taxi in Cape Town recently. I agree the violence is not acceptable at all.

 

However Mr Dube, I am hoping as a fellow cyclist to point out why this happened, its not an isolated event - and perhaps by educating everybody concerned, we can prevent this type of road rage

 

 

It is NOT recorded what happened in the lead up to this event, so I can only assume this taxi or van driver acted most inconsiderately and put the cyclists at huge risk, like is so often the case - which provoked the outcome seen in the videos.

 

Please may I point this out to you :

 

1. Taxi's cause near death every single day to cyclists (and pedestrians - and other drivers, such as new learners, on the road ) - because they do NOT adhere to the road laws or drive even remotely considerately.

 

2. The taxis - MORE THAN often - drive offensively, they overtake cyclists without the required 1 meter distance to cyclists, they skim us, and often clip us because they do not pass widely - as is the law.

Do they even KNOW the law with regards to passing cyclists, and what is being done to educate them ?

 

3. Taxis overtake cyclists -who have speed momentum, then break immediately with no indication (I have two friends that went through the back of taxi windows in the last year!) Cracked collar bones and facial surgery necessary in both instances. Both of these were non aggressive cyclists, mothers of children in primary school- cycling in SINGLE FILE.

 

3. Taxi's do not have the inclination to understand, that cyclists have as much right to the road as they do - they are more than often, grossly inconsiderate to all other road users (cars/cyclists and pedestrians)- and a law unto themselves, and more than often go unchallenged, because we fear violence if we confront them (even passively) . I am yet to see a taxi driver, say "sorry"

 

 

 

4. They do not seem to understand that cyclists, are not wrapped by 4 metal doors, like they are, and that simple fact, should make them take more care for another human that is more vulnerable than they are in their vehicles. Its called compassion

 

5. They do not stop and drop in "sensible areas" - they stop in RANDOM places - with no warning (such as slowing down sensibly with indicators on) . They overtake us in great haste - and then immediately slam on breaks right in front of us - and we are CLEATED into our pedals, meaning we can not put our feet down..

 

6. They stop on street corners, on blind corners, in the middle of traffic lights even - in the middle of intersections , at stop streets - and let passengers on and off.

They often brake completely unexpectedly - and often do not even have the courtesy to pull over to the side of the street, or even LOOK in wing mirrors.

 

7. They drive MUCH faster than the speed limit in residential and congested areas, to make sure they maximise their road time and taxi fares, and are thus a hazard to all other road users

 

8. There seems to be VERY little control on taxi driver behaviour - this type of behaviour goes completely unchecked - it is getting crazier out there by the month.

 

9. As a cyclists myself, and a mother of three young girls- I take my life into my hands each time I want to train on the roads in our country - which is such a shame- because a fit nation is a healthy nation.

The taxi's scare the hell out of us, we are all tense and stressed when they come passed, they are unpredictable, inconsiderate and a law unto themselves

 

9. It is actually NOT always possible - or SAFE to cycle in single file for a few reasons.

a. we need to be able to overtake the cyclist in front of us - just like cars can - so often we are two abreast until we overtake and have enough space to pull in again

b. there are MANY pot holes in the road, and we often have to push out from the curb - our roads need attention, desperately

c. when training for a race (like the Argus this weekend) cyclists HAVE to practise as a peloton (pack)- for safety reasons

d. sometimes, when the road is narrow, cyclists ride two or three abreast ON PURPOSE, to prevent taxis from overtaking us on narrow roads, until the road widens and we can pull to the side again. This is because if the road is too narrow for a cyclist and a taxi/car , the cyclist will be the one that is more hurt/killed , so we ride next to each other, UNTIL its safe to go single file again - to keep the cars off our back - and keep ourselves alive. This is something non-cyclists won't understand, and are often abused unfairly for this safety tactic, by people hooting and zapping and yelling at us.

 

 

NOw while the event recorded is not acceptable - and a real shame, if you take the time to understand, that taxis put cyclists (and other road users ) through HELL on a daily basis, is it any wonder, that this rage was sparked to this extent. Its pent up anger and frustration at having our lives put at risk every time we ride

To say "its our choice" to cycle, it is, but it is also our right to cycle safely on our roads.

 

South Africa's Olympic cyclist, Burry Stander was killed by a taxi in just the way I described above, a great tragedy for not just his young life, his bride, his family and his Olympic career as one of our most respected athletes.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/01/04/168616791/olympic-cyclist-dies-after-being-hit-by-taxi-in-south-africa

 

I know that many, many cyclists have this sentiment, and while non of us condone the road rage in the video - we are all fed up that the taxi drivers literally get away with murder daily and urge you to look at the bigger picture of EVERYBODY'S safety

 

Thank you for your time

Amanda

 

 

 

 

 

Erm, Amanda, may I be the first to point out to you... It was NOT a taxi. It was a support vehicle for the 10 km run that was helping with the post race cleanup. Your rant is clearly misdirected and grossly generalistic in nature, and not at all in keeping with the event in question.

 

Next time you send an email like this to a minister, or anyone, for that matter, do not assume so much or presume to know what went on based on your previous, unrelated experiences.

Edited March 4, 2014 by cpt armpies mayhem

[DIPSLICK]

Personally I think that letter sounds like you condone it, even if you say you do not and I don't like you speaking on cyclists behalf especially not ME

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

To continue - the letter you've just posted continues to sow unsubstantiated and frankly false "fact" and further confuses the event itself, not to mention other people's views regarding the event. It's this type of misinformed rant that does more harm than good and perpetuates a feeling of resentment towards those who have nothing to do with the circumstances at all.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

In fact - I find taxi drivers here in the cape to be some of the most accommodating and friendly drivers on the road when it comes to their treatment of cyclist and moto riders.

 

As dips said - do not presume to address the Minister on our behalf.

[ThePubSA]

I cant possibly have popcorn after my SCHWARMA