Cycling incidents envolving vehicles on the roads - Carte Blanche

[nathrix]

Please email any incidents you or someone you know of with regard to this topic to Carte Blanche stories @ carteblanche dot co dot za

 

I created a poll just out of interest and it does not cover every scenario there is, but it will provide some info about the type of incident.

 

Provide as much information as possible in your mails to CB with pictures if you can. It's time we stop sitting on our hands, we must stand up and be counted. A few individuals will not make any difference, we need all of you to make the difference. The NRTR is outdated and it does not protect cyclists on the roads at all, it just restricts us more. We must start demanding more cycle lanes, better laws with regard to cycling on roads which protects the cyclist, address the lawlessness, policing, etc.

 

It's better doing something than nothing at all, so we need to start somewhere, don't you think?

Edited March 18, 2014 by nathrix ® ©™

[scotty]

Perhaps change poll to more than one selection.

[Disylizzy]

What scotty said.

 

EDIT: Can you add in cut-off by a vehicle, ie they're turning right or left in front of you as you approach the intersection and you have to take evasive action to avoid them.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Disylizzy

[kosmonooit]

I have escaped certain death so many times on the roads by taking pre-emptive actions, but its the one that you don't see that will kill you.

 

It should also be legal to cycle on pavements - I believe pedestrians and cyclist can co-exist, and lots of room for cycle lanes on Joburg's pavements (just mind the gaping holes left by looted stormwater and man hole covers).

 

Bicycles and cars are incommensurable, certain in SA, with the appalling level of driving skills and the prevailing culture.

Edited March 18, 2014 by kosmonooit

[Plentipotential]

A 20 year old jumped a red light and rode me off my bike, I still can't believe he never did more damage, I guess I got lucky. Front of car hit me square on from my right hand side and bent the crank badly enough that it could not turn past the frame. The force transferred through the frame and bent the seat post past the 30 degree angle. Front wheel folded in half. By a stroke of luck I saw it coming and pulled my foot from the cleat so managed to get my leg out of the way otherwise I would have been in real trouble. I no longer ride on public roads, luckily I ride a MTB.

 

Anyway the youngster never had a license, was in his mothers car without her knowledge and left the scene without giving me all his details. Police said they did not have an address for the car despite me getting the registration no. off the license disk.

 

Will I share this with Carte Blanche? No. Why? They won't make any difference to the problem. As long as the authorities do not enforce the laws of this land the people of this land will do as they please.

[LongDonkey]

Is this going to be a one sided comment on how cyclists are not safe due to cars etc. This is kinda a very wide topic when you come to cyclists interacting with other road users. What is the objective of the CB expose?

[Grebel]

What scotty said.

 

EDIT: Can you add in cut-off by a vehicle, ie they're turning right or left in front of you as you approach the intersection and you have to take evasive action to avoid them.

 

Happens a lot! I was out for an early morning ride with 900 Lumens on maximum brightness and some does turned in front of me coming down Bevis road in Pinetown. Doing a stoppie on a road bike is not fun....

 

I don't ride on the road anymore. Sold my road bike shortly after Burry died.

[Disylizzy]

A 20 year old jumped a red light and rode me off my bike, I still can't believe he never did more damage, I guess I got lucky. Front of car hit me square on from my right hand side and bent the crank badly enough that it could not turn past the frame. The force transferred through the frame and bent the seat post past the 30 degree angle. Front wheel folded in half. By a stroke of luck I saw it coming and pulled my foot from the cleat so managed to get my leg out of the way otherwise I would have been in real trouble. I no longer ride on public roads, luckily I ride a MTB.

 

Anyway the youngster never had a license, was in his mothers car without her knowledge and left the scene without giving me all his details. Police said they did not have an address for the car despite me getting the registration no. off the license disk.

 

Will I share this with Carte Blanche? No. Why? They won't make any difference to the problem. As long as the authorities do not enforce the laws of this land the people of this land will do as they please.

 

What I would like to think that Carte Blanche is doing is that they're bringing to light that cyclists get the short end of the stick.

 

We may not be able to solve this issue now, but I like to think that if we keep highlighting the risks of vehicles taking no regard for cyclists, that maybe eventually we'll have safe roads to drive on, because drivers will hopefully think twice before thinking screw the cyclists, they're in my way.

 

Probably the biggest thing that we as cyclists can come together and do is to educate other road users that we have as much right to the road as them. One of the biggest things that I get hassled with are people yelling profanties such as get off the road and try to intimidate me by trying to run me off the road because "I don't belong there". If you want a prime example of this mentality then just take a look at some of the comments that were left on the article on News24 yesterday about the 2 cyclists that were hit on Friday out in Stellenbosch.

 

And this comment is really to everyone that thinks your story won't make a difference so why bother. If we can get numbers and stats, then we've got actual proof of incidents, not just hearsay. And numbers and actual stories make a far bigger impact if they're as close to being correct as possible.

[nathrix]

Perhaps change poll to more than one selection.

What scotty said.

 

EDIT: Can you add in cut-off by a vehicle, ie they're turning right or left in front of you as you approach the intersection and you have to take evasive action to avoid them.

 

Made the changes

 

Is this going to be a one sided comment on how cyclists are not safe due to cars etc. This is kinda a very wide topic when you come to cyclists interacting with other road users. What is the objective of the CB expose?

 

If you have any suggestions for cyclists/commuters to be safer on our roads and how to create awareness we are all ears.

 

 

EDIT - If you have already voted then "Delete My Vote" and vote again

Edited March 18, 2014 by nathrix ® ©™

[Wyatt Earp]

Is this going to be a one sided comment on how cyclists are not safe due to cars etc. This is kinda a very wide topic when you come to cyclists interacting with other road users. What is the objective of the CB expose?

 

This doesn't look a topic where we discuss who is at fault and who is not.

Carte Blanche seems to be the most watched program when it comes to exposés as well as sensationalism.

Bottom line is this.

 

Cyclists are being killed on a weekly basis, the perpetrators walk away from their crime.

Our government in all their years of existence have done very little to protect and keep safe those who commute by bicycle and then those who do cycling as a recreation.

 

Again I reiterate, it's not about who is right or wrong, it's about the death toll which is spiralling out of control.

And if we were to look at stats, you will find it's as a result of negligent driving for the majority of the time.

People don't stop at stops, or intersections anymore, they don't slow down for a yield sign.

 

Sit on their mobile device and play with twitter, Facebook ,whatsapp..........whilst they should be looking at the road, the road we share with them.

Like the guy whose mirror scraped my thigh on Sunday morning whilst he was changing his sim in his phone, and I was well within the yellow line on a double road which had three cars on it.

 

Some may say.

Why Carte Blanche, what will it achieve ?

"This government doesn't care" and whatever other negativity they can come up with.

 

We have a choice, sit on our laurels and complain, or try every possible avenue to try and spread awareness.

The more people we can make aware of the situation, the greater the possibilities that something might get done.

 

So simple, the objective as it was the last time with the bike-jackings, it creates awareness and goes a long way in changing the odds we have against us.

You are of course welcome to do nothing, but don't forget to thank those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to try and make a difference, when you actually start reaping the rewards of their work.

[Wannabe]

Off Topic slightly, but still has bearing on this.

Had a good chuckle yesterday. Was driving in my vehicle close to Bellville CBD. Narrow road, and an old clunker of a car driving very slowly infront of me, with no space for me to pass. As we approached the entrance to a small "Cafe on the Corner" type place, there was a "commuter" riding in the same direction we were driving. As soon as the clunker infront of me got next the cyclist (at a crawling speed), he suddenly decided that he needed something from the shop, and immediately turned left, cutting the cyclist off. As we were driving very slowly, the cyclist could take evasive action, but he still got pushed of the roadway and into the shop's Parking Area.

I saw that something was afoot, and watched the reaction of the cyclist. To my great delight I saw him leap of his bike and accost the driver of the car. As they disapeared in my rearview mirror, it looked as if the cyclist was busy pulling the driver out of the car.

 

Moral of the story, both people involved was "people of colour", and that is not just us "serious" cyclists that is getting gatvol with the poor regard car drivers has for us.

[Moriarty]

The bicycle is easily one of the best inventions man has ever come up with. As a cheap, healthy, environmentally friendly and just fun way of transport it cannot be beaten. The more cyclists we have on our roads the safer it will become for all of us as long as we behave reasonably and at the same time vigorously defend our right to be respected as legitimate road users. It is an ongoing battle to get this respect an debate and media attention can only help to advance it. To this end, we should be participating in it.

 

My 2 cents.

[nathrix]

Some photos from @BicycleSafetySA creating awareness and discussion: wrecked bicycles, drunk drivers, people using their phones while driving, taxis and cars driving in the yellow lanes or on the roads edge, fatalities, injuries, reckless driving, hijackings, stabbings, etc. Go and have a look, there's too many tp post here, it's carnage out there. We are dropping like flies. Something needs to be done, even if it saves only one life, who knows, it could be yours.

[Wez-O]

There should also be an item for cars that turn in front of oncoming cyclists. Sometimes its due to the driver of the vehicle not seeing the cyclist, sometimes it's due to arrogance and not giving a damn as cars are bigger and heavier than bikes right?

[nathrix]

There should also be an item for cars that turn in front of oncoming cyclists. Sometimes its due to the driver of the vehicle not seeing the cyclist, sometimes it's due to arrogance and not giving a damn as cars are bigger and heavier than bikes right?

 

Added, thanks

 

 

Also, what he said from this https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/137392-hit-and-run-in-bloem-another-one-of-us-run-down/page__view__findpost__p__2243354 thread

 

He was hit by a car. The witness did not get the number plate. However, another couple earlier saw this guy riding very recklessly and then took a picture of his number plates so he will be reeled in soon enough.

 

Maybe we should go to the court when this guy needs to appear - I wanna see what he looks like and hear what he has to say.

 

I also believe we need stricter laws in terms of when nightclubs need to close. They should close by midnight by law. This will mean everyone have to go home. Bloem also needs roadblocks as we NEVER have any.... People aren't afraid to drive drunk here.

 

People leaving a club at 5AM is a danger on the road especially for cyclists.

 

Just look at how many robots / lamp poles / cars / lives get destroyed close to the 2 most prominent night clubs in Bloemfontein

Edited March 18, 2014 by nathrix ® ©™

[LongDonkey]

 

So simple, the objective as it was the last time with the bike-jackings, it creates awareness and goes a long way in changing the odds we have against us.

You are of course welcome to do nothing, but don't forget to thank those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to try and make a difference, when you actually start reaping the rewards of their work.

 

If you have any suggestions for cyclists/commuters to be safer on our roads and how to create awareness we are all ears.

 

Fully agree. Not bulleting anyone here. Just need to be aware that there will be a view from all perspectives of the situation. Stupid road users, stupid cyclists, stupid government, etc etc. If awareness is the objective then i think its a good thing. I am sure they will present the situation as it is and highlight the problems, they are usually quite good at stimulating debate and even reasonable options are often presented.