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PPA launches Stay Wider Of The Rider safe cycling campaign


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The number of cyclists and motorists on our roads are increasing each year. As of 2013, accidents involving motor vehicles and cyclists have increased by over 80% and statistics show that 40% of all road fatalities are vulnerable road users, including cyclists.

 

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Quite a clever tweak to the old "Stay alive at 1.5" campaign given that the law in Cape Town is now only 1.0m gap.  Think I might just buy one of these.

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Surely PPA should be advocating the highway code (an example below - not sure which country but I am sure all are more or less the same) and that is it?

http://www.highwaycode.info/using-the-road-159-to-203

If anything the slogan should be something on the line of cyclist stay alive when overtaking procedure are adhere to (RSA one’s below) or cyclist stay alive when vehicles overtake in separate lane (motorised or non motorised)

https://www.arrivealive.co.za/Safe-Overtaking-and-Road-Safety


1. Asking the question – Should I overtake?

Any driving movement can be considered with reference to the questions “Is it safe, legal and convenient?” A decision to overtake should start with the question "Do I really need to overtake"?

There is often very little advantage to be gained for the risk taken!
Only after answering “YES” to the following questions should you start to overtake:

Can I see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe?
Can I overtake without affecting any other vehicles' position or speed?
Am I able to pull back to my own side of the road in plenty of time after completing the manoeuvre?
Can I abandon the overtaking manoeuvre if another hazard comes into view?
Will I come into conflict with any other road user?
Will I end up making a third line of vehicles abreast at any point during the manoeuvre?
Will it be legal to overtake here?
 I would like to suggest that PPA did cyclist a disservice by the slogan at 1.5 cyclist stay alive and rather should have got Government to enforce the rules of the road as they stood! What I believe PPA should doing in campaigning that cyclist may ride 2 abreast (we the only country in the world where this in not legal) - riding 2 abreast should have no impact on the way motorist overtake a single or 2 abreast cyclist if the overtaking procedure are stuck too by the motorist. Then on a more sensitive issue and some country / states have made it legal - PPA should be campaigning for cyclist to be allowed to go through red robots when it is safe to do so.
 

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 I would like to suggest that PPA did cyclist a disservice by the slogan at 1.5 cyclist stay alive and rather should have got Government to enforce the rules of the road as they stood! What I believe PPA should doing in campaigning that cyclist may ride 2 abreast (we the only country in the world where this in not legal) - riding 2 abreast should have no impact on the way motorist overtake a single or 2 abreast cyclist if the overtaking procedure are stuck too by the motorist. Then on a more sensitive issue and some country / states have made it legal - PPA should be campaigning for cyclist to be allowed to go through red robots when it is safe to do so.

 

National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No. 93 of 1996) stipulates, inter alia, that vehicles may only be adjacent to another vehicle when overtaking and that all vehicles must obey at traffic signals,

 

In terms of the act a pedal cycle is classified as a vehicle.

 

While there is plenty of research to suggest it is safer for cyclists to ride 2 abreast as it primarily reduces overtaking distances, the Act does not allow this practice.  Ironically it is illegal for a motor vehicle to pass cyclists riding 2 abreast as if they are overtaking.

 

Unfortunately there is a large amount of ignorance in the community surrounding the rules of the road regarding other road users as well as a lack of tolerance by both motorists and cyclists of one another.  Compounding this is the willful disregard of some of the basic laws of the road by cyclists, such as stopping a red traffic lights at busy intersections and not indicating intentions.  As much as we don't respect some of the laws, our deliberate flaunting of them does reduce our credibility when we request tolerance from motorists.  While it is no excuse to endanger the life of a cyclist because he didn't obey the rules of the road, we must be seen as being respectful of other road users if we are to be taken seriously.  Let's remove this from the motorists' arsenal against us.

 

The PPA #staywider campaign is aimed at changing the mindset of the community enabling better laws that protect all road users. The criminal justice system in SA cannot cope with enforcement alone, we need acceptance by the community to effect change,

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I popped in to PPA yesterday on the way to the airport back to Durban yesterday to look at the new shirts. 

 

Very nice!  Good quality and nice slim fit.  Sizing is a bit on the small side (your will need to get 1 size up from your normal shirt size) but they look very cool.  Bought 1 for each of the 5 of us in my morning training group.

 

The yellow is not the same as the old 1.5m shorts.  It is now a Lumo yello.

Edited by Dazshell
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Wish they would launch "cyclist are required by LAW to ride on the road" and not on the "pavement"

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I like the campaign - mainly because I don't believe you can use laws to affect people's attitudes.

 

You can add as many laws as you like but a twat will remain a twat.

 

Give me 100 "stay wider of the rider" campaigns over 1 times 1.5m rule any day.

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