Interesting article in the news today!

[Tubehunter]

Off News24:

 

Community cycling group taking charge of their destiny

2016-02-14 09:00

Benita Enoch, GroundUp

 

Johannesburg - They are a community of nearly 200, who can't afford public transport to get to their places of work every day. Together, they look out for each other’s safety, meet to discuss routes and even fundraise with the little they earn. They are the Diepsloot Cycle Group (DCG).

Martin Mathe is the president of DCG. Like everybody else in the group, Mathe works odd jobs. He is a painter and gardener. When GroundUp spoke to him, he was working in Lonehill. He told us his 15km commute to work was hard work, but it was better than spending money on a taxi.

"It costs R22 one way to get to work. It's very expensive. It's also expensive to fix the bike when it breaks. We have a shop in Diepsloot; that guy [the owner] does repairs for us."

Mathe says DCG has made requests to the Gauteng Provincial Government, Steyn City's planning committee and Gekco – the company that started lobbying for a cycle lane on the stretch of William Nicol from Diepsloot.

 

Kristen Kallesen of Gekco says the idea of promoting cycling as a means of transport came with her project to create "green" environments. She wanted to see less pollution in the Joburg suburbs.

"In 2012, when we were already in talks about creating cycle lanes, I drove past a group of cyclists who seemed to be having a meeting on the side of the road on William Nicol. So, I stopped the car and approached them and found out more about the DCG. I invited them to be part of the planning process, since they were already travelling that stretch of road on bicycles."

http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/698/f6a6bf52d55d4db9980f0786fdd05349.jpg

Many meetings followed, as a result of which pedestrian lanes were widened to accommodate cyclists. Kallesen says the existing surface area of William Nicol Road cannot be made wider to allow for more of a safety zone for cyclists, and cyclists are essentially sharing the pedestrian walkways.  

Mathe said they have held meetings with various stakeholders about a cycle lane from Diepsloot into Fourways Mall.

He said their biggest concern was safety. "In Dainfern, the taxis have made a rank, and they drive very fast there. They are quick to shout at us when we pass by because [they feel] we are taking up their space."

It was in this vicinity, three years ago, that Mathe and the DCG lost one of their members when a taxi hit him while cycling to work on William Nicol Drive. Mathe rallied members to donate R5 each for the family of the deceased. It may not seem like a lot, but when a lack of disposable income means one has to leave at the crack of dawn to cycle to Fourways, Sandton and even Bedfordview, R5 is significant.

"We had our last meeting in December at Diepsloot Mall," he said. "Not everybody can afford helmets and we would like some [reflector] jackets so [motorists] can see us."

Mathe said he had organised groups of cyclists from his community to leave together for work, scheduled according to the times they need to start working. Members communicate by SMS and phone. Travelling in groups means someone is on hand to assist should something go wrong.

- See GroudUp for the full story.

[DJR]

I support them fully. Dedicated cycle lanes is the safest way to go and also the best way to encourage more cycle commuting.

[Pieterlab1]

I support them fully. Dedicated cycle lanes is the safest way to go and also the best way to encourage more cycle commuting.

Dedicated cycle lanes will become dedicated taxi lanes.

[DJR]

Dedicated cycle lanes will become dedicated taxi lanes.

Separated from the road by a barrier, is what I meant, not just a painted line.

[GemmerKat]

Separated from the road by a barrier, is what I meant, not just a painted line.

 

Fully support a dedicated lane for cyclist and agree is must be separated with a barrier to prevent taxi and selfish drivers from abusing the lane. Unfortunately it will not prevent motorcycles from using it, there will also be some douche taking advantage...   

[kosmonooit]

Cool article and something pleasant to read on the local news for a change.  There's enormous potential for commuter cycling here from the 'locations' to workplaces. There is a lot of commuters from Tembisa as well every morning, one would think the powers that be would analyse and take cognisance of where the demand is and put the resources in developing cycling routes accordingly instead of spending 100's of millions of R's painting green strips on roads on routes that nobody is using (ie Braamfontein, Brixton, Auckland Park)

 

This just reflects the huge disconnect between the actual bulk of cyclist commuters and their needs and those in the ivory towers controlling the public finances & budgets who fancy this or that on a whim, and listen to overpaid bonehead 'consultants' and their deluded big scheme of things. And its more about giving pals and those in favour phat capex contracts. No one is saying lets be cost-effective and get the right person to do the job.

 

There is this theory of technology called the "Social Construction of Technology", whereby people, by using existing technology, actually direct and 'shape' it future. Think of where these commuters are choosing to cycle: where ever there is a wide & safe verge (even facing the traffic on the route from Tembisa), on the pavement where there is a path, basically where ever there is a safe and decent surface, so planners and designers of cycle paths so take notice of this, and stop wasting money on what they think is the solution:  the green paint and rubble strips on existing roads which only serve to make traffic flow worse by narrowing the road, and taking away the verge, and which the taxis use anyway.

 

</rant>

 

I propose Cycle Lane Design Rule #1: Cycle lanes, where ever possible, should be separate from the roads.

[raptor-22]

Will never work in Cape Town. We have the worst drivers in the country

[Goodbadugly]

Will never work in Cape Town. We have the worst drivers in the country

You have not been in mbombela lately...

[Allrounder]

Will never work in Cape Town. We have the worst drivers in the country

and it gets worse when it rains

[Reinhardt89]

_{Awesome! And to all the naysayers, it will never work... until it does. Cycling can lift our people out of poverty with proper planning. People need to stop seeing cyclists as some weekend warrior with lycra. Rather as someone wanting to save money, help the environment and improve their physical health.}

[DJR]

@ Kosmonooit

 

I agree, the planners should really look carefully at what the users need and what they want, and be guided by that. We build far too many white elephants.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

@ Kosmonooit

 

I agree, the planners should really look carefully at what the users need and what they want, and be guided by that. We build far too many white elephants.

Agreed. I don't know why they didn't concentrate on the most affected parts / heaviest user base first. Far more blue collar commuters that come in from the outer areas than there are MAMILs

[Spinnekop]

There is a nice cycling commuter base from Mamelodi also. 

Like said above.  There is a huge potential for this to grow and help ease traffic.

[wiledog_x]

There is a nice cycling commuter base from Mamelodi also. 

Like said above.  There is a huge potential for this to grow and help ease traffic.

yip. I see them every day down Solomon Mahlangu (Hans Strydom) - dozen of okes pedaling it to work and back. Govt should take  notice....

[DJR]

There is a nice cycling commuter base from Mamelodi also. 

Like said above.  There is a huge potential for this to grow and help ease traffic.

This is where the "build it and they'll come" principle should be applied. If you identify a true need, even if those who will be using it are unaware of the need, once you provide the infrastructure, they will come and use it. (As in the Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams.) 

[Guest notmyname]

Taxi bosses and drivers will loose revenue and then behave as they do when people car pool out of the kasi. Beatings, violence and intimidation. #lovethisplace