Klapperkop Access Control - If you ride here read this!

[River Rat]

A bar code scanner system , like they have at the Warrior race , so you scan the permit holders and have all their details

it can aslo scan all drivers licences for non permit holders( people wanting to enter the golf course ect)

 

Its also much easier to track numbers on something that captures automatically.

Just a question of costs but I'll research this.

[i24]

If a big group like TBC or Cycle Lab goes through and everyone has to sign in as well as cars waiting to get in to the golf course it will end up in a mess. In my opinion this will not work.

 

At Tokai you need a permit (annual, or day) and then you must sign in anyway. Takes 20 seconds to write your name and permit number on the clip board. Even when you have to do things the SANParks way, if the venue is nice enough the cyclists will arrive!

 

To cater for a large group, you could have two clip boards...

[River Rat]

One of the reasons for access control is to not only from an entry perspective but also to ensure that everybody has actually left the reserve before you close the gates at night. This means that you have to have some form of record of who is in and who has left. This means that the armband would have to be scanned and this might just be too costly for the current budget. The other potential problem with the armband is that once it is stolen the criminal has free access and the guards would have no way of knowing a valid armband from a stolen one. So the current thinking is a permit with a photograph with a large number displayed for ease of recording.

[Scalpel]

So for audit purposes to close gates at night a person will have to sign in at the one gate and sign out at the other gate. This will cause frustration amongst users.

[Pall Catt]

From a purely selfish perspective, as a person who almost exclusively cycles on the road in Klapperkop during the busier times where I've never really felt threatened, I'm not thrilled by the prospect of having to sign in and out every time. But I understand that the reserve is not only for me and I appreciate the efforts made to make it a safer place for all and would like to echo the calls for making it as streamlined a process as possible, especially for the regular users.

 

In some ways I think its not so much a case of having to control who gets in but more an issue of controlling who manages to get out and what they go out with. If proper perimeter patrols combined with some sort of alert system and ongoing fence repairs could make it harder for any criminals to make a quick escape with bikes and other valuables then I dont think they will really bother coming in in the first place.

 

But that said, if the proposed measures really are effective and mountain biking becomes safe and possible there again then I suppose that's a fair trade-off for the compromise.

 

As for big cycling groups, couldn't you just have a system whereby a single representative signs in for the whole group and in doing so accepts responsibility for all its members?

[Hennie VR]

I think a card ID can work. It's simple and quick to take out and show the guard and does not take up to much space.

 

Simple: Name and surname, ID photo and a big permit number on the card. The guard can take the card and on a seperate book for permanent permit holders record only the permit number entering the reserve. Day visitors that don't have permits can fill in a separate book and have to produce identification. 

 

However. you mentioned that the sign in will also be used to make sure everyone has left the reserve at sunset. How will this work if I enter at the bottom gate and exit at the top. 

 

Thanks for the positive feedback River Rat. It's great to see people like you taking steps to better the area   I visited Klapperkop on Saturday for the first time in over a year and it was plenty fun. I really miss riding there on a regular basis. Hopefully with the improved security I will start doing so on a more regular basis.

[River Rat]

So for audit purposes to close gates at night a person will have to sign in at the one gate and sign out at the other gate. This will cause frustration amongst users.

Hopefully the entry and exit could be a simple show of the card with a large number on display, but leaving the guard the option to examine it more closely if he suspects a problem. No doubt the two gates would have to tally with each other as to the number of entries and exits, when there is a disparity you can scan the permit numbers to see who is still in the reserve.

[River Rat]

From a purely selfish perspective, as a person who almost exclusively cycles on the road in Klapperkop during the busier times where I've never really felt threatened, I'm not thrilled by the prospect of having to sign in and out every time. But I understand that the reserve is not only for me and I appreciate the efforts made to make it a safer place for all and would like to echo the calls for making it as streamlined a process as possible, especially for the regular users.

 

In some ways I think its not so much a case of having to control who gets in but more an issue of controlling who manages to get out and what they go out with. If proper perimeter patrols combined with some sort of alert system and ongoing fence repairs could make it harder for any criminals to make a quick escape with bikes and other valuables then I dont think they will really bother coming in in the first place.

 

But that said, if the proposed measures really are effective and mountain biking becomes safe and possible there again then I suppose that's a fair trade-off for the compromise.

 

As for big cycling groups, couldn't you just have a system whereby a single representative signs in for the whole group and in doing so accepts responsibility for all its members?

All of your points are valid and this is indeed an effort to make it harder for criminals to operate in the reserve, whereas currently they have free reign and some of the reports we are receiving would suggest that they are becoming more organized.

 

But your comment on compromise is spot on, we have to do something and unfortunately someone is going to affected negatively by it. But the input received here helps in trying to minimize the impact of this

[kingalton]

so for the time being, has anything actually been put in place yet? or is it as it has been?

[River Rat]

so for the time being, has anything actually been put in place yet? or is it as it has been?

NC and FGNR are in the process of procuring gates, booms, hut and toilets, with my estimate for installation about 6 weeks away. The only visible change is that there are NC staff members permanently patrolling the fence lines and repairing where necessary. I saw 7 of them in the reserve on Wednesday morning.

[kingalton]

ok great, thanks a lot, what time do they start and end their patrols?

[River Rat]

ok great, thanks a lot, what time do they start and end their patrols?

At the moment it's normal working hours but we're working on getting them there from sunrise to sunset.

[DPLot]

I train on klapperkop daily and this will have a huge effect on me.

 

I think signing in and out would be a bit pointless as criminals don't really abide by the rules.

 

But a big number board like used at the trial parks could be a good option as it will avoid stopping and signing in and out. I know if the bike gets stolen it can easily be ridden out of the park but the thief will clearly not look like a cyclist and should easily be spotted and stopped. 

 

I'm glad something is being done to increase security but it doesn't help the security is keeping the people away it is trying to protect.

 

Apart from the above mentioned I'm thankful for the initiatives and I'm sure a good median between security and accessibility can be achieved

[River Rat]

I train on klapperkop daily and this will have a huge effect on me.

 

I think signing in and out would be a bit pointless as criminals don't really abide by the rules.

 

But a big number board like used at the trial parks could be a good option as it will avoid stopping and signing in and out. I know if the bike gets stolen it can easily be ridden out of the park but the thief will clearly not look like a cyclist and should easily be spotted and stopped. 

 

I'm glad something is being done to increase security but it doesn't help the security is keeping the people away it is trying to protect.

 

Apart from the above mentioned I'm thankful for the initiatives and I'm sure a good median between security and accessibility can be achieved

Unfortunately, your point that the thief won't look like a cyclist was tested a couple of weeks back  the perpetrator dressed up like a jogger when he robbed two women at viewpoint 5 at around 17h30 ( Kneepad, sweatband the lot!) . These guys are well aware of the efforts of the Community Policing Forum , Hi Risk Unit and the authorities, they are currently two steps ahead of us.

[Sitting slip]

Why not have a fundraiser to get extra cash for security upgrades. Host a hill climb on the road and on the gravel....think a lot of shops will love to be a sponsor and the KOM hunters will flog in.

[kingalton]

Why not have a fundraiser to get extra cash for security upgrades. Host a hill climb on the road and on the gravel....think a lot of shops will love to be a sponsor and the KOM hunters will flog in.

great idea.