Durban cyclist hit by van in cycle lane

[Long Wheel Base]

For runners this can work. You can dive into the bushes or off the road if you see a car coming, as you don't have much momentum.

 

For bikes it cannot work. If you are doing 40 to 50 km/hour in a bunch and cars doing 100 kays coming from the front, it will not end well.

Yip. Has been said in many threads before that if we ride towards the cars the impact is actually 300% worse due to the fact that obviously the speeds get added together but also due to the higher closing speed the reaction time is slower from both car and cyclist.

[Tubehunter]

Yip. Has been said in many threads before that if we ride towards the cars the impact is actually 300% worse due to the fact that obviously the speeds get added together but also due to the higher closing speed the reaction time is slower from both car and cyclist.

 

More important is that even focussed, observant drivers subscribe to a system of traffic in this country that has people keep left and pass right, so that they can anticipate adequately what to do in dynamic driving situations, that makes no allowance for bicycle speed traffic coming towards them against the direction of traffic flow. (You all know how difficult it can sometimes be to have to pass that idiot who camps in the right hand lane as he feels he is driving at the speed limit so that entitles him to drive a different system to every other road user and that's with someone travelling in the same direction with more than enough response time to factor in your way around them!)

 

Also consider fellow cyclists who are travelling with traffic if you're cycling against traffic towards them. There's only so much space on the same verge. Who swerves which way and into the road when you meet at a very rapid pace?

[KarlvN]

This debate seems to have evolved into a discussion about the merits of mountain biking ...in the mountain...

 

(moving along)

[Meezo]

This debate seems to have evolved into a discussion about the merits of mountain biking ...in the mountain...

 

(moving along)

 

"Ja Jaco, alles spechilized"

[KarlvN]

"Ja Jaco, alles spechilized"

 

huh?

[Meezo]

huh?

 

i'm sure you've heard that specialized clip, cant upload to thebikehubsa, however... sorry for de railing

[FootballingCyclist]

In all honesty I don't think many drivers even care about the cycle lanes. Last weekend I was cycling through Lower Main Rd in Salt River and traffic cops were busy issuing fines to atleast 10 cars and taxi cabs which were parked in the cycle lane.

 

Also on my way home I saw a gentleman slowing down and looking as if he was going to turn into 1 of the factories in lower main whilst I was in the cycle lane and didn't even bother allowing me past first and I had to slow down but luckily nothing happened and I went past him and carried on on my way home, then literally a minute later just further down, this oke obviously found the place he was looking for initially and just suddenly turned up the ramp about 10m infront of me(I was going at about 35km/h due to the tailwind), I had to pull dead brakes and swerve out the way or else I would have gone straight into the side of the car. I stopped my bike and peed off went over to his window and used a few choice words, and the gentleman in return told me to F off the roads are made for cars so why must he wait for me to pass, I am meant to slow down for him.. As he was an "elderly man" and there were many bystanders outside Old Biscuit Mill, I chose to rather keep quiet and ride off home before I did or said something and then all cyclists would be put in a bad light again...

 

So my point is, majority of SA motorists simply do NOT care about cyclists.. Sorry for telling you all something you already know.

 

Apologies for the hijack aswell...

[tombeej]

i have always thought that cyclists should ride that circuit in reverse so you can see what is coming.

 

personally i always ride on pavement and mostly against traffic flow so i can see, but then im not a roadie so ill take your word for it. Certainly something needs to be done for the roadie guys.

 

Just a small reminder that riding a bike on the pavement is breaking the law. The pavement is for pedestrians only.

 

Then riding in the road against the flow of traffic is about 100 times more dangerous than riding with the flow of traffic, and you will cause all sorts of accidents that way. 

[tombeej]

More proof that they need a physical barrier on cycle lanes.

Hope the rider gets well soon...

 

I've thought about that many times while cycling on that beach circuit in DBN with our reserved cycling lane. 

 

A physical barrier won't work - would cause huge problems - both for cars and for cyclists.

 

Firstly, there are sections of the cycling lane that are reserved for bikes only during certain times of the day. For the rest of the day they are open to cars.

Secondly, long sections of that cycling lane are only wide enough for just 1 rider. If you created a physical barrier there, there would be no way to overtake a slow rider. Bunches train there with up to 20 in a group, all rolling through, and going round the slower individuals/bunches all the time. There has to be a way for them to go around these slower folks. 

 

The only way I've thought it can work is maybe for a string of red cats eyes to be embedded along the yellow cycling lane line, that light up when the lane becomes reserved for cycling and then turn off for the other parts of the day. 

 

And of course if there's active police presence during the reserved hours. The cops are doing this. Not all the time and not along the whole stretch, but they are there. And I always wave a 'thanks' to them when I go past them.

 

What must be said: 99% of the time cars and bikes look out for each other on that beach circuit. We are all generally considerate of each other. It's just the 1% that cause problems. I personally have no idea how to make the road 100% safe. If anyone else can guarantee this then I'll be all ears.

[pe3nguin]

Just adopt the Tombeej patented method. Cycle in the middle of the lane. Problem solved

[Mawbs]

Just a small reminder that riding a bike on the pavement is breaking the law. The pavement is for pedestrians only.

 

Then riding in the road against the flow of traffic is about 100 times more dangerous than riding with the flow of traffic, and you will cause all sorts of accidents that way. 

 

sorry but i could care less if its against the law to ride on pavement, i always ride on it 

[Dazshell]

I've thought about that many times while cycling on that beach circuit in DBN with our reserved cycling lane. 

 

A physical barrier won't work - would cause huge problems - both for cars and for cyclists.

 

Firstly, there are sections of the cycling lane that are reserved for bikes only during certain times of the day. For the rest of the day they are open to cars.

Secondly, long sections of that cycling lane are only wide enough for just 1 rider. If you created a physical barrier there, there would be no way to overtake a slow rider. Bunches train there with up to 20 in a group, all rolling through, and going round the slower individuals/bunches all the time. There has to be a way for them to go around these slower folks. 

 

The only way I've thought it can work is maybe for a string of red cats eyes to be embedded along the yellow cycling lane line, that light up when the lane becomes reserved for cycling and then turn off for the other parts of the day. 

 

And of course if there's active police presence during the reserved hours. The cops are doing this. Not all the time and not along the whole stretch, but they are there. And I always wave a 'thanks' to them when I go past them.

 

What must be said: 99% of the time cars and bikes look out for each other on that beach circuit. We are all generally considerate of each other. It's just the 1% that cause problems. I personally have no idea how to make the road 100% safe. If anyone else can guarantee this then I'll be all ears.

According to 2 of our members who rode this morning, the cops were there this morning....parked IN the cycle lane opposite Rovers at 4.15, causing riders to have tp go out into the traffic lane to get around them!  When the accident happened, they had gone.

[Patchelicious]

sorry but i could care less if its against the law to ride on pavement, i always ride on it 

Hmmmm

[Sepia]

sorry but i could care less if its against the law to ride on pavement, i always ride on it

I ride pavement wherever I can.Narrows the risk. Try Cowies hill.

[Hairy]

good chance the van was cutting the corner on that bend, there is a section of road I cycle home on with a bend like that and the flipping cars ALWAYS cut it short and it get's scary

[Lurch the stalker]

Just a small reminder that riding a bike on the pavement is breaking the law. The pavement is for pedestrians only.

 

Question is, do you obey the law that says you can't ride there, or the signs on the pavement marking it as a cycle lane..?

(I've seen it in a few places around the Centurion/Eldoraigne/Valhalla areas)

 

I've thought about that many times while cycling on that beach circuit in DBN with our reserved cycling lane. 

 

A physical barrier won't work - would cause huge problems - both for cars and for cyclists.

 

Firstly, there are sections of the cycling lane that are reserved for bikes only during certain times of the day. For the rest of the day they are open to cars.

Secondly, long sections of that cycling lane are only wide enough for just 1 rider. If you created a physical barrier there, there would be no way to overtake a slow rider. Bunches train there with up to 20 in a group, all rolling through, and going round the slower individuals/bunches all the time. There has to be a way for them to go around these slower folks. 

 

The only way I've thought it can work is maybe for a string of red cats eyes to be embedded along the yellow cycling lane line, that light up when the lane becomes reserved for cycling and then turn off for the other parts of the day. 

 

And of course if there's active police presence during the reserved hours. The cops are doing this. Not all the time and not along the whole stretch, but they are there. And I always wave a 'thanks' to them when I go past them.

 

What must be said: 99% of the time cars and bikes look out for each other on that beach circuit. We are all generally considerate of each other. It's just the 1% that cause problems. I personally have no idea how to make the road 100% safe. If anyone else can guarantee this then I'll be all ears.

 

You raise some good points that I would be lying if I said that I had thought of them.