PPA: Please obey the rules of the road

[Cog Masher]

Chappies should be a cyclist's paradise...So, more signs to warn motorists about cyclists and reiterate the low speed limit (20kph in parts).

Ban tour buses from chappies, they are a total hazard even to motor vehicles.

 

As far as other areas in the South Peninsular lots can be done too: Warning signs and even painting a yellow line demarcating a road shoulder would go a long way..

 

Come On PPA!!

[Quagga]

Jeez Coenie, thats a lekker kind, did you get her number?

Got the image from here.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rachel-stevens-seen-phone-behind-8150037

 

But I see that action in traffic 10 times a day

[Duane_Bosch]

If we going to wish, rather use it on something useful, like closing chappies for bikes and joggers only from 06:00 till 09:00

That would be AWESOME!! And easy to achieve. Just open the toll gates at 9.

 

On the subject of drivers on their phones. As someone who often commutes by motorbike I'd say AT LEAST 60% of the motorists I pass on Victoria are looking at their phones and not the road.

 

Just think about that for a second. MORE THAN HALF of the motorists on the road are more interested in their mates Facebook status than driving their cars.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[carbon29er]

Why do you have your knives in for the PPA?

 

Like I set my filters to check for Spez deals on the Hub, I get the sense your filters are set to wait for anything PPA related and klap them every time they post here.

 

In my view, you raised a fair and reasonable point but the manner in which you go about doing it leave me with no other option but to conclude that you have an axe to grind with anything PPA or CEO related. 

 

All of us have a responsibility - be mature about this fight and don't play the man / association!!

 

Be safe out there boys and girls!!!

No alerts. No axe to grind.

 

I'm distressed that my kids don't want to ride on the road and am looking for ways to make them safer. And everyone else who rides a bike on our roads. Ironically I feel quite safe and can handle myself in traffic. Personally I don't care if I get a few centimetres or a few metres. I think you'll find a common theme over quite a few years about cycling safety in my posts.

 

PPA has a responsibility to all cyclists, it's in their constitution. I'm just a little tired of the sole focus on mountain biking and the ramping down of the Safe Cycling Initiative going from requesting more space, stay wider, to begging to allow us on the roads.

 

The rest is fact, I merely post what I see.

 

I don't doctor the screen shots of photos taken while driving or the direct quotes from a press release telling me "If you want to be treated like a road user, you need to act like a road user."

 

I don't need to, as unbelievable as it may seem, they are published. I just copy them.

[DJR]

Chappies should be a cyclist's paradise...So, more signs to warn motorists about cyclists and reiterate the low speed limit (20kph in parts).

Ban tour buses from chappies, they are a total hazard even to motor vehicles.

 

As far as other areas in the South Peninsular lots can be done too: Warning signs and even painting a yellow line demarcating a road shoulder would go a long way..

 

Come On PPA!!

Just some background re Chappies and tour buses:

 

I ride Chappies a lot. A few years ago I had numerous problems with the big buses overtaking very dangerously, especially on left turns, forcing me into the gutter when the back wheels came past. I felt that it was just a matter of time before someone got killed by one of the buses. So, I complained to several of the tour operators. The response I got was all positive

 

The bus companies listened and added bike awareness to the training of their drivers. True story. I am convinced that the bus drivers have improved the way they overtake as I now get far fewer close calls. In fact, I often have a bus patiently waiting for slow old me until it is safe to overtake and they definitely give me more room.

 

I would like to hear others' observations in this regard also. Carbon29er, ICycling, Savage, you ride Chappies probably even more than me? What do you think? 

Edited November 16, 2016 by DJR

[carbon29er]

I think I've had one issue with a bus in the past 3 months, out of an average of 6 that pass on every ride. And that was in the toll area where I was in the cycle lane about to hit the pavement but couldn't wait. He then passed me further up before pulling off to the right to stop at the lower viewing site.

 

When I stopped to talk to him he was categorical that I had no right to be on the road.

 

Clearly he was one bad apple.

 

To me buses are not the real problem as they are only allowed up from Hout Bay where the shoulder is acceptable to cycle in and they descend slower than we do on the Noordhoek side.

 

The problem, in my opinion, is the ascent from Noordhoek once you get over little Chappies. There is no shoulder at all, recognized by a 20 kph speed limit and no passing allowed. But that is where the bakkie and SUV driver thinks it's fair game to rub up against cyclists.

 

I really think it's time we lobby for average speed prosecutions in the 20 kph section to the top of Chappies.

[Patchelicious]

I think I've had one issue with a bus in the past 3 months, out of an average of 6 that pass on every ride. And that was in the toll area where I was in the cycle lane about to hit the pavement but couldn't wait. He then passed me further up before pulling off to the right to stop at the lower viewing site.

 

When I stopped to talk to him he was categorical that I had no right to be on the road.

 

Clearly he was one bad apple.

 

To me buses are not the real problem as they are only allowed up from Hout Bay where the shoulder is acceptable to cycle in and they descend slower than we do on the Noordhoek side.

 

The problem, in my opinion, is the ascent from Noordhoek once you get over little Chappies. There is no shoulder at all, recognized by a 20 kph speed limit and no passing allowed. But that is where the bakkie and SUV driver thinks it's fair game to rub up against cyclists.

 

I really think it's time we lobby for average speed prosecutions in the 20 kph section to the top of Chappies.

Is there no way that we can make arrangements to have videos like yours and some others submitted to an authority that then prosecutes?

 

Maybe the PPA can use some of their R20m trust to make a few examples of these bad apples?

[carbon29er]

Is there no way that we can make arrangements to have videos like yours and some others submitted to an authority that then prosecutes?

 

Maybe the PPA can use some of their R20m trust to make a few examples of these bad apples?

I just posted a reply to The Sheriff on the taxi takes out cyclist thread about reporting offenders at https://safelyhome.westerncape.gov.za/reports. They do take it very seriously. Offenders get quite a shock when an officer turns up with some evidence of wrong doing.

 

After a few posts about my bad attitude I committed to myself not to make any more negative comments about PPA in this thread so I can't answer your last point.

[Quagga]

Can we post here when I fellow cyclist behave like and idiot and give the rest of us a bad name?

 

Asking before I name and shame....

 

I was at a traffic light, cyclist keeps going while red for him / his friend stopped and waited.

Yes he was going over the light slowly but it give motorist just another reason to hate us.

 

Drive up next to him and say "hey dude, that is not good for the cyclist image"

 

F-oof before I give you a PK was his FIRST words....I mean WTF, you are doing something wrong and now you get agro?

Edited July 9, 2018 by Quagga

[Hairy]

Can we post here when I fellow cyclist behave like and idiot and give the rest of us a bad name?

 

Asking before I name and shame....

 

I was at a traffic light, cyclist keeps going while red for him / his friend stopped and waited.

Yes he was going over the light slowly but it give motorist just another reason to hate us.

 

Drive up next to him and say "hey dude, that is not good for the cyclist image"

 

F-oof before I give you a PK was his FIRST words....I mean WTF, you are doing something wrong and now you get agro?

classy guy this "cyclist" you made friends with

[Bonus]

Got the image from here.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rachel-stevens-seen-phone-behind-8150037

 

But I see that action in traffic 10 times a day

 

How is this even news??

 

In SA I used to see more people every morning on my way to work on their phones whilst driving than not.

 

In the UK it became a big no-no for a few years but now, with reduced policing and a population who think the world revolves around them, it's rampant again. No one gives a toss.

[Vetplant]

Can we post here when I fellow cyclist behave like and idiot and give the rest of us a bad name?

 

Asking before I name and shame....

 

I was at a traffic light, cyclist keeps going while red for him / his friend stopped and waited.

Yes he was going over the light slowly but it give motorist just another reason to hate us.

 

Drive up next to him and say "hey dude, that is not good for the cyclist image"

 

F-oof before I give you a PK was his FIRST words....I mean WTF, you are doing something wrong and now you get agro?

Honestly, I have given up on this, you never get a positive result for trying to correct someone's behavior without a mandate. 

 

Visible policing is the answer. If a cop has a chat with him once or twice it may prove much more persuasive than me or you.

 

But alas, try to convince the Metro police of the importance of visible policing. The fines they earn while sitting behind bushes on the highway is much more profitable.

[Eldron]

Some advice from an expat in a country with near on zero cyclist deaths per year.

 

Change your tune from "but THEY also break the rules" to "I should drop breaking the rules". You don't lose some kind of weird contest if you don't break the rules and they do.

When you ride or drive then ride or drive - don't be so distracted by phones/ear phones/mate that talk too much that you aren't aware of what is around you.

Consider others.

 

Of courser SAs road death problem is waaay more complicated than that but it's a fine way to start and they're all things you can control.

[Pure Savage]

We just shout "CRIMINAL" 

[Quagga]

Honestly, I have given up on this, you never get a positive result for trying to correct someone's behavior without a mandate. 

 

Visible policing is the answer. If a cop has a chat with him once or twice it may prove much more persuasive than me or you.

 

But alas, try to convince the Metro police of the importance of visible policing. The fines they earn while sitting behind bushes on the highway is much more profitable.

Very true words you speak there.

Edited July 9, 2018 by Quagga

[karma]

Nothing profound, but we really are our own worst enemies. 

Take a drive to from Green Point to Noordhoek on Saturday or Sunday, and witness.

 

For the most part, I don't blame motorists for having attitude towards us, if you 100% disagree with me, you are blind to the truth.