How to stop the Cycling Carnage on SA's roads?

[Phatman]

"...To obey the rules of the road as far as it is practically possible in any given circumstance." - BDF

 

Be the change you want to see. It's such a cliché, but it starts with each of us, both as cyclists and drivers. I'm sure many of us have ridden 2 abreast, spoken on my phone while driving etc (including myself). But if we each resolve to follow the rules, on two wheels or four, we may make an impression on one other person at least. It's not much, but it's a start. And it's never too late to start.

Edited January 29, 2017 by Phatman

[Geronimo]

The question was - what can be done about it. Got any ideas?

Yes. Move to a civilised country or take the law into my own hands. I might get a "fair" trial like Dick suggested.

[Mamil]

Yes this is the first step. It adds nothing to the discussion to say well in <insert someplace> they are proper drivers whereas in ZA they are all junk. 

 

As participants in the culture of our roads, WE ARE THE PROBLEM - the issue of road safety is not going to be solved by some external force coming along and fixing it. We are the road users who are making the roads unsafe. The more WE follow the rules, drive with respect, ride with consideration the more others will do the same.

 

The second step is perhaps advocacy - organised rides to hand petitions to local and national authorities - publication of stories like Daniele's in social and conventional media. Public demonstrations of solidarity in response to deaths like the spate of recent ones.

 

 

"...To obey the rules of the road as far as it is practically possible in any given circumstance." - BDF

Be the change you want to see. It's such a cliché, but it starts with each of us, both as cyclists and drivers. I'm sure many of us have ridden 2 abreast, spoken on my phone while driving etc (including myself). But if we each resolve to follow the rules, on two wheels or four, we may make an impression on one other person at least. It's not much, but it's a start. And it's never too late to start.

[Mamil]

'k bye.

 

Yes. Move to a civilised country or take the law into my own hands. I might get a "fair" trial like **** suggested.

[Warthog]

Spain is a civilized society inhabited by civilized people who can can see the consequences of their actions. When I am in Europe I see long lines of vehicles behind cyclists when unsafe to overtake even when cyclist is going 10 kays an hour uphill.

 

Then there is za..

 

I will no longer cycle from my house on my road bike, will shlep it to the cradle an cycle. Sad but can't leave my wife worrying about me..

 There lies the problem. There is none, NONE, in SA. starting right form the top. If there is no consequences for the prez for stealing/corruption on grand mal scale, why should there be for the commoner for something "minor" as skipping a light...

 

I keep thinking about, was it New York's, philosophy of "No Tolerance". I think that is all that will work here...

 

But only, serious, full-blown, all-out ZERO TOLERANCE.

 

How will that sit with us?

[Mamil]

Yes this does work but may not be possible in the South African context. I think we can practice a form of zero tolerance on ourselves - 

 

I will not use my cell when driving unless it is on a handsfree kit

I will not roll through intersections when riding

I will not drink and drive

I will not drive through red robots - if it turns orange before my wheels have crossed the line - it's a red robot

I will not drive above the speed limit.

I will maintain a two second following distance

 

How many of us can commit to that. Of course the president is a corrupt thief, of course we live in a kleptocracy where multiple tiers of government are sucking the marrow from the bones of the economy while an ever expanding majority gets poorer and poorer. 

 

Making the roads safer can only start with how WE drive and ride.

 

 

 There lies the problem. There is none, NONE, in SA. starting right form the top. If there is no consequences for the prez for stealing/corruption on grand mal scale, why should there be for the commoner for something "minor" as skipping a light...

 

I keep thinking about, was it New York's, philosophy of "No Tolerance". I think that is all that will work here...

 

But only, serious, full-blown, all-out ZERO TOLERANCE.

 

How will that sit with us?

Edited January 29, 2017 by Mamil

[Dullscalpel]

Going to be a difficult one... taxi drivers, our neighbouring country foreigners that lives in Obs/Woodstock/Salt River area don't give a toss about their fellow road users, almost been run over many times commuting and then you have that odd lady who pulls out of a parking space on the side of the road who just drives off as though they are the only person on God's green earth!

 

To add to that, the state of the bicycle lane from town to the Southern Suburbs in Cape Town is quite bad, with people either parking in them, deteriorated road condition or broken glass! How much has the think bike campaign or stay wider of the ride actually changed the mindset of people? My opinion, not much at all! However, I hope it does change because I love commuting, it gives me a sense of accomplishment...

I agree with everything here. There is no simple solution. We need to change lots of little things in order for it to be safe  for cyclists. There is no consideration for anyone who uses the road (be it from taxis, bakkies, or other motorists). I have a feeling that the problem is too big to fix. But maybe I am being overly pessimistic

[kosmonooit]

Until the lethally low standards and culture of drivers/driving improve:

 

- ride on the pavements if at all possible

- ride facing the traffic,so you will have time to avoid a driver that is too vrot or otherwise occupied to see you.

 

Desperate times require desperate measures.

[kosmonooit]

And if you are going to ride on the pavements, pedestrians have right of way at all times, and be courteous about letting them know you are coming and acknowledge if & when they give way.

[mtbDobby]

I recently cracked my road bike frame and got an insurance pay out......and to be honest I am thinking of retiring the road bike, its just to dangerous out there on all fronts.

 

We as South Africans are all to self absorbed and not worried about our fellow man and until that changes on a individual level we wont get this right.

[Paul Ruinaard]

I think the issue is much bigger and cycling is just a small microcosm of it. Not sure what to do though and its an uphill struggle

 

For me I now don't even trust the ride from my house in Craigavon or Broadacres in to the cradle - I put the bikes on the rack and drive to the cradle.  I was on my way to Valverde yesterday and was very thankful i wasnt on the bike by the way the taxi drivers on the way to Diepsloot were driving - straight through red lights at close to 100 kmh in the emergency lane. If you were stopped there on your bike or hidden from view behind a car you would have been very dead.

 

Its no longer worth the risk.

[EmJayZA]

Hey there,

 

First post here, but this topic has struck quite a chord with me. 

 

As much as I am all for practicing what we preach, we also need to encourage our friends and family not to drink and drive. Seen way too many drunk drivers in and around Fourways. Even at more "normal" hours. We seem to have an accepting culture when it comes to this. 

[nonky]

it all originates from the pervasive culture of self-entitlement.

 

"it's my god-given right to...[insert unlawful, inconsiderate behaviour here]"

 

how the hell do we even start to address that?

[coppi]

Anyone got any good ideas?

 

I'm looking to see why/how road cycling is so safe here in Spain. What are the differences etc.

When I have some useful info I will pass it on.

 

Bonus.

Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland etc. have a cycling culture that goes back almost 100 years.....................that is the BIG difference

[NickGM]

Anyone got any good ideas?

 

I'm looking to see why/how road cycling is so safe here in Spain. What are the differences etc.

When I have some useful info I will pass it on.

 

Bonus.

I spent a few weeks in spain as part of a couple of different holidays and one of the things that struck me was their attitude toward drinking. A couple of drinks with a meal was OK. Getting drunk was not. It was frowned upon. It's quite different here, we are far more cavalier about drinking and I think quite often that unfortunately spills over into drinking and driving. At varsity it was pretty common to brag about how you drove home drunk. So that's a factor. A big cultural/attitude shift is required but I have no idea how you change that. Maybe we can all start by telling our mates who drink (even 1 or 2) and then drive that they are knobs. It's a cliche but "be the change you want to see".

 

And then there's the fact that in many cases vehicles are unroadworthy and licenses are pretty easy to come by, often illegally. Vehicles in the UK required pretty stringent roadworthy certification each year and their driver's test is actually pretty difficult. Neither of which is the case here. 

[Serious Panda]

Only 1 way and that is by not cycling on the same roads as car traffic. Cycling on SA roads is madness. The end.