Is it legal to ride on 'M' roads?

[xdoomx]

With the recent tragedy in Durban on the M4 I'd like to have it cleared up once and for all.

 

• I have always been under the impression that it was legal to ride on M roads but illegal to ride on N roads. Is this true or not?
• I've also seen some talk that hints that only Mxx roads are legal and Mx roads are illegal (ie M single digit roads are illegal and M double digit roads are illegal).
• If I have a life insurance policy or medical aid will they still pay out of I ride on an illegal road (eg I get hit while riding the N3)

 

Thanks

 

 

Is the minister correct or incorrect?

 

"KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate spokeswoman Zinhle Mngomezulu said it was illegal to cycle on a highway, unless “it is a controlled event”, such as a race where traffic authorities controlled and limited traffic."

From: 

http://mini.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/two-cyclists-killed-in-dbn-accident-1980954

----------------------------

Mngomezulu says that this stretch of the M4 is not a designated cycling zone. She pointed rather in the direction of the nearby M12 and M21 roads that are off the freeway.

A visit to these roads indicates clear blue cycling signs. 

Mngomezulu advises that cyclists adhere to these designated spaces for the sake of safety. "It has been zoned as a 100 zone but that doesn’t mean cyclists are allowed to be on this stretch of the road. We have the M12 that has got the space designated for cyclists," says Mngomezulu.

From: 

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/2451c6804b98cde4b09dfb90e75bf5d6/Durban-cyclists-killed-by-alleged-drunk-driver

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

M or N designation by itself does not denote a no-cycling zone. Sections of both can have "freeway" or "highway" designation, and other sections do NOT have "freeway" or "highway" designation. It is this status which controls, or rather denotes, whether a specific stretch of the M or N road is open to cyclists. 

 

Blanket statements such as "N roads are not open to cycling" are not correct, and you cannot base legality off that designation 

[GLuvsMtb]

The short answer is yes and no.

 

If the sign indicating the road name is in blue = freeway = no bikes

If the sign indicating the road name is in green = not a freeway = bikes allowed.

[Mailman7412]

It has nothin to do with M or N classification. If that piece of road has a freeway demarcation sign when you get on it, it is illegal to cycle on it. 

 

It is even legal to cycle on parts of the N1

[Mailman7412]

okay let all of us say the same thing together    

[GLuvsMtb]

 

Road on left (N2) = blue sign = freeway

Road on right = green sign = not a freeway

[eccc whippet]

So the big question is...which section of the M4 can you ride on and which cant you ride on.

 

it "seems" you are allowed to ride along the most dangerous part of the M4 the section where the yellow line gets narrow and goes over the la mecy bridge...i am told it is because there is no alternate road.

 

there was a person shouting his mouth off after the accident about an unwritten rule that cyclist would not use that part of the M4...nobody sent me the memo that he had.

 

this is not going to bring back anyone who has already lost their life on this road...and it is certainly not going to make the road any safer...however i just feel it would be a good idea to clear this up so that we can get facts straight.

[Mongoose!]

I really wish Cycling SA / PPA or any other body that takes our money every year for licences (that actually do nothing for you  )  can get more involved to clarify roads allowed / roads not allowed to ride. - in the whole of South Africa

[Cadre]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1454919375.136800.jpg

Road on left (N2) = blue sign = freeway

Road on right = green sign = not a freeway

The M4 continues North from the old Argyle road intersection in the vicinity of Suncoast Casino. What colour does your map show from there to ..say Umdloti? Thanks.

[xdoomx]

Great, the blue highway sign thing makes sense. It's a pity there isn't a 'no bicycles' sign to go along with it. This might be a good idea to implement on this section of the M4 so that riders know they're breaking the law.

 

If this weekends tragedy was the other way around and the car swerved to avoid the riders and the driver ended up dead there would be massive kick back.

Would the riders be liable for culpable homicide?
This is something we don't often think about as cyclists we're obsessed with our own safety with less regard to the safety of others. One nervous driver at high speed or on a 2 way road and there could some horrible fatalities at our hands due to being on a road we're legally not supposed to be.

[Pure Savage]

The N1 out of Cape Town is not a free way until after the marine drive off ramp.

 

Not really the point, if you apply the 1m passing rule you should never hit a cyclist...

[BikeLuddite]

In the UK, it's illegal to cycle on M class roads. There are no N roads, M in the UK is equlivalent of M/N of SA in my opinion.

 

But from my own personal sensibilities of seeing drivers in SA, I would never ride on a road where the official speed limit is 100 or higher as it is a recipe for disaster as those poor chaps endured yesterday 

 

In this, case I would not recommend anyone, regardless of experience, to ever ride on an M road even if it were legal.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The N1 out of Cape Town is not a free way until after the marine drive off ramp.

 

Not really the point, if you apply the 1m passing rule you should never hit a cyclist...

Neither is the N2 until you get to the Hospital Bend, and even then the M3 continues to be open to cyclists all the way to the top of Edinburgh Drive (Wynberg Hill) where it turns into a freeway going down to Blue Route. 

[xdoomx]

Certain traffic is obviously not allowed on certain parts though. Pedestrians on highways have a similar affect. A pedestrian was hit near the same stretch of the M4 on the weekend as well.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/fatal-crash-causes-durban-gridlock-20160205

 

Sure, ideally we want to be able to ride EVERYWHERE and have everyone avoid us by 1.5m but certain parts are just too dangerous and would require the implementation of separated bicycle lanes (for bicycles) or a pavement (for pedestrians). 

[Ryanpmb]

In the UK, it's illegal to cycle on M class roads. There are no N roads, M in the UK is equlivalent of M/N of SA in my opinion.

 

But from my own personal sensibilities of seeing drivers in SA, I would never ride on a road where the official speed limit is 100 or higher as it is a recipe for disaster as those poor chaps endured yesterday 

 

In this, case I would not recommend anyone, regardless of experience, to ever ride on an M road even if it were legal.

 

And I would never ride a bike in central London - that traffic is manic.

 

Completely derailling the thread but, given your handle - what bike do you ride? I'm thinking steel, singlespeed, possibly a fixie 

[GLuvsMtb]

The M4 continues North from the old Argyle road intersection in the vicinity of Suncoast Casino. What colour does your map show from there to ..say Umdloti? Thanks.

open google maps on your phone. You can see where the road is freeway and where its not. Certain freeways run through towns and in these areas it is not freeways (think of the N2 running straight through Knysna).

 

PS: Just because something is legal, doesn't make it a good idea. Judgement is required from time to time as well.