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#becyclistaware


gummibear

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The only thing that is going to get anyone's attention is a mass protest/sit-in on a busy important road/intersection or somewhere that will bring the place to a halt: preferably city, local and national gov,

Which from understanding is what Bicyclesafety are trying to achieve, judging by their twitter feed and Facebook page .

 

Where I may foresee this not working will be the willingness and the pro activity of the cycling community to want to get involved, it's easy saying let's arrange a protest ride or action, but will there be enough numbers to make a huge impact ?

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No, I questioned the efficacy of hashtag campaigns.

 

Edit: Before you get all high and mighty, it seems that I'm not the only one questioning just that:

-RQ6EwYN_bigger.jpegBicycle Safety SA@bicyclesafetysa 17h17 hours ago

16200+ #becyclistaware followers and we can only get 25 retweets!!!!! We are obviously not serious about this. So sad

 

As to the second part of your question, maybe bone up a bit on hub history, pull your head out your arse, or anyone else's it happens to be up...you may find some interesting interchanges between myself and your "Lawman" about bicycle safety, including a couple of thank yous, instances where differences were put aside for a common good. That you suggest that my question has something to do with some enmity says more about you than either of us. I'm bigger than that; I would like to think he is too. You? Well...

Hahaha......Mr Weed. You have just discredited yourself with your response to a question about a question you raised. Your comments and reference to dark bodily orifices into which a cranium apparently would fit indicates that your game is severely lacking and speaks of an inflated self perception that actually might not be the case in the real world. Instead of managing the dynamics involved in this thread and adding value to a serious issue, you seem to have a nack for red herring fishing tactics......while standing on the shore. Barry old chap.......you have no clue. Now please excuse me.....I need to put my head back in its place.

 

Move along, nothing to see here......à bit too dark.

 

Back to the topic at hand.......awareness.

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Which from understanding is what Bicyclesafety are trying to achieve, judging by their twitter feed and Facebook page .

 

Where I may foresee this not working will be the willingness and the pro activity of the cycling community to want to get involved, it's easy saying let's arrange a protest ride or action, but will there be enough numbers to make a huge impact ?

 

 

Huge impact is getting the cyclists that are using the roads, to obey the rules.

 

Single file, as far left as possible, stopping at traffic lights, indicating intention.

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Huge impact is getting the cyclists that are using the roads, to obey the rules.

 

Single file, as far left as possible, stopping at traffic lights, indicating intention.

Now let's just imagine for a second in a perfect world that this was all happening ,will it then automatically stop people being mowed down and killed whilst cycling within the yellow lane ?

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Now let's just imagine for a second in a perfect world that this was all happening ,will it then automatically stop people being mowed down and killed whilst cycling within the yellow lane ?

No it won't, but it will stop other incidents. There isn't a one solution fits all thing that could fix this.

 

But the best place to make change is the areas where you can actually implement change. If we can make the cycling world a slightly safer place by improving our behavior, we should. Then you can systematically work on the next easiest area to fix and so on.

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Now let's just imagine for a second in a perfect world that this was all happening ,will it then automatically stop people being mowed down and killed whilst cycling within the yellow lane ?

 

 

Only if the motorists are also obeying the rules.

 

How does one achieve this?

 

By making rule transgressors the exception, and not the rule such as it currently is.

 

I for one would be interested to know if drivers on the road, are to do a learner's licence test tomorrow, what their score would be?

 

Perhaps it has to do with the level of tuition when training to obtain a license.

 

I have seen some hairy driving by people with bicycles on the back of their cars, given the popularity of cycling and the diversity of the cycling population, if each cyclist sets an example, certainly the exception will not be the rule.

 

We have to start touching on corruption, paying of bribes and the inability of police officers to enforce the law...I wonder how many fights have broken out at JMPD about who gets to be on unmanned camera duty, because there is on average two pigs sleeping in a vehicle per unmanned camera. If these pigs were taken out of those vehicles and put at an intersection purely to catch red light jumpers, etc. And do some enforcing other than sending a letter in the post, this would already have a large impact.

 

 

Ultimately tho, I think the road users have strayed too far. I also think the average taxi driver does not have the want or the savvy to change their behaviour - it's a culture that has developed, and like most cultures, some things are impossible to change.

 

you guys must think i do f-all else than consider SA traffic. But given the amount of time I spend in it...it may make more sense.

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You alter behavior with reward or punishment.

 

A rule such as automatic culpable homicide charges (or whatever relevant charge, I'm not a lawyer) if you kill a cyclist, could start the behavior alteration.

 

Laws are easier to change than cultures, you just need somebody with a vested interest to drive the change.

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Hahaha......Mr Weed. You have just discredited yourself with your response to a question about a question you raised. Your comments and reference to dark bodily orifices into which a cranium apparently would fit indicates that your game is severely lacking and speaks of an inflated self perception that actually might not be the case in the real world. Instead of managing the dynamics involved in this thread and adding value to a serious issue, you seem to have a nack for red herring fishing tactics......while standing on the shore. Barry old chap.......you have no clue. Now please excuse me.....I need to put my head back in its place.

 

Move along, nothing to see here......à bit too dark.

 

Back to the topic at hand.......awareness.

 

This is a game to you? You introduce a personal angle to this to evaluate someone's "game"? Backtrack a bit. I asked a question about how effective hashtag campaigns are. Cursory read of the thread shows at least two people engaging on just that. That's a contribution. You come along and suggest my comment was somehow motivated by the "Lawman's" involvement. How did you get to that? How did that contribute to the thread? I corrected you.

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yep, preferably not a bunch of cyclists hitting the local shebeens and establishents in town once a month....

 

At night...But, then what was the right approach of Critical Mass and other "protest" rides worldwide? Some went the anarchic, free-for-all route; others the self-organised route; yet others the co-opt the authorities route.

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No, I questioned the efficacy of hashtag campaigns.

 

Edit: Before you get all high and mighty, it seems that I'm not the only one questioning just that: 

 

16200+ #becyclistaware followers and we can only get 25 retweets!!!!! We are obviously not serious about this. So sad

 

As to the second part of your question, maybe bone up a bit on hub history, pull your head out your arse, or anyone else's it happens to be up...you may find some interesting interchanges between myself and your "Lawman" about bicycle safety, including a couple of thank yous, instances where differences were put aside for a common good. That you suggest that my question has something to do with some enmity says more about you than either of us. I'm bigger than that; I would like to think he is too. You? Well...

 

don't really follow this lawman stuff, but I agree with you that these sorts of efforts, however well meaning are just a waste of time and breath.  Unless part of a concerted and integrated approach, involving (dare I say it) government in some form, they really just amount to a bunch of cyclists moaning about how dangerous their sport is.  Sometime they also come off a bit whiney, which does not help the cycling image.  Hashtags and radio plugs merely bring momentary attention to the individuals involved, and do little for the cause, which for me often raises a question as to motive.  Disclaimer - I am quite a cynic

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don't really follow this lawman stuff, but I agree with you that these sorts of efforts, however well meaning are just a waste of time and breath.  Unless part of a concerted and integrated approach, involving (dare I say it) government in some form, they really just amount to a bunch of cyclists moaning about how dangerous their sport is.  Sometime they also come off a bit whiney, which does not help the cycling image.  Hashtags and radio plugs merely bring momentary attention to the individuals involved, and do little for the cause, which for me often raises a question as to motive.  Disclaimer - I am quite a cynic

As opposed to being an activist ........

A lot of hot air and opinions on this thread and this topic ......... but no real solutions 

Instead if everyone giving their OPINION as to what a waste of time this is .... why not rather become actively involved, or are we all just leaving it to others to fight for the happiness we so deeply crave ?

 

These sorts of efforts normally do go nowhere you are correct on that point ........ they go nowhere because everyone wants to blow hot air instead of getting on their bikes and showing their support .

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As opposed to being an activist ........

A lot of hot air and opinions on this thread and this topic ......... but no real solutions 

Instead if everyone giving their OPINION as to what a waste of time this is .... why not rather become actively involved, or are we all just leaving it to others to fight for the happiness we so deeply crave ?

 

These sorts of efforts normally do go nowhere you are correct on that point ........ they go nowhere because everyone wants to blow hot air instead of getting on their bikes and showing their support .

Tis easier to critisise someone else's ideas that come up with your own.

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Billboards with graphic images of the mangled bodies of cyclists who have died on the roads should get people talking.

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Tis easier to critisise someone else's ideas that come up with your own.

Which is exactly the trend of this thread ........ if you were referring to me then nice try .

 

Billboards with graphic images of the mangled bodies of cyclists who have died on the roads should get people talking.

 From understanding that part of the plan moving forward .

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Billboards with graphic images of the mangled bodies of cyclists who have died on the roads should get people talking.

 

Correct me if I am wrong. But aren't you closely connected to the media?

Surely then you should be able to pull a few strings and get the correct people involved?

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