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

[eccc whippet]

and then you get a clever oke riding at 6.10 (still pretty dark and overcast) am this morning on Otto du Plessis between Melkbos and Big Bay (no shoulder on this section) without a fekking rear light. AAAAND he is wearing one of these

thank goodness he was wearing a bright color shirt...what attracted your attention...his shirt...bike or helmet...considering it wasnt a flashing light?

[Bateleur1]

After reading the first 5 pages of this topic (I will read the rest later today after work) I have come to the following conclusions:

 

1. Barring one or two contributors to the topic no one understands the purpose of the thread, the topic was "How can we stop the carnage" not how can we better or more fully describe what leads to the carnage, which is what most comments have been about.

 

2. As always a big part of what is going on here is the inaction mentality, i.e. I will not act because my actions are doomed from the onset. Yes one person CAN make a difference and a group that stands united even more so.

 

3. There are some ideas been discussed here that could make a very real difference, but until they are met with action nothing changes.

 

I now summon those with courage to take the first steps, this is a call to action, lets sit together and exchange ideas so we can draw up a detailed "plan of attack"

 

Some of my intial suggestions would be design and distribute flyers with the primary idea of educating people. My suggestion would be something along the "are you part of the problem or part of the solution" message.

 

Make people sign a pledge, drive a campaign at a busy intersection (like Beyers/Christiaan de wet) where motorists take a pledge to be responsible drivers.

 

Bottom line is if everyone sits and waits for someone else to do something NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE

 

Eagerly awaiting your suggestions/input.

[kosmonooit]

To fix a problem you have to understand it .... several contributions have been made, and I have another one to make soon. Sadly though most of these issues we cant do much about (ie ineffective traffic police) to fix that we would have to call for a reversal of the regimes employment policies. that's not going to happen any time soon.

 

If you are going to cycle on the roads, its more a case of a work-around of the situation, how to avoid being ridden over.

 

And if we really wanted to get Joe Public's attention on the matter here's one thing we could do -  have flash mob sit-ins at key intersections, with placards. I've made that suggestion before elsewhere several times but the thing is most here are not disposed to take protest action like this, besides we don't really have unity as a group or any really effective representation.

Edited February 16, 2017 by kosmonooit

[nonky]

Did anyone else see the muppet on a bike on the N1 Northbound btwn Jhb and Pta this week?

 

He was close to the samrand exit...at least, he was in the emergency lane.

[Patchelicious]

Did anyone else see the muppet on a bike on the N1 Northbound btwn Jhb and Pta this week?

 

He was close to the samrand exit...at least, he was in the emergency lane.

Was a Strava KOM that I couldn't leave alone, sorry. #StravaWanker

[Warren_G]

Life is much cheaper down here Bonus, offending drivers are given a slap on the wrist for killing someone, that's if they even bother to stop.  Education is so vitally important, most don't know what it feels like to be passed at 80km/h 10cm from your handle bar...like last night, thanks massive Merc driver!

[nonky]

Was a Strava KOM that I couldn't leave alone, sorry. #StravaWanker

 

Hahahaaa...average speed for Top 10 on that section is like 165kmp/h!!!

[Bonus]

Life is much cheaper down here Bonus, offending drivers are given a slap on the wrist for killing someone, that's if they even bother to stop.  Education is so vitally important, most don't know what it feels like to be passed at 80km/h 10cm from your handle bar...like last night, thanks massive Merc driver!

I got slapped on the right shoulder by the mirror of a taxi riding along Christiaan de Wet a few years ago. Scared the bejesus out of me :-(

[mazambaan]

Well, boringly back to the topic. What about a bit of research to see if there is / are some common pattern/s to the "accidents" involving vehicles and cyclists?

 

Then try target those areas. If it is drivers not knowing how to deal with cyclists (plenty think they have no legal right to the roads), then target licencing offices, driving schools and schools.  If it is drunk drivers, target the shebeens/bars/casinos they frequent by publicising, policing and legal action (ha ha).

 

Certainly try get all cyclists to understand maximising visibility and adhere to road rules.  Take on the facebook and twitter critics publicly.

 

Stickers given the people already aware of cyclists and random (I agree with them on routes used a lot by cyclists) signs don't seem to be helping too much. 

 

Rant over.  I will stay off road for now. As much as possible anyway.

[eccc whippet]

i decided to walk to the shop yesterday...instead of driving...i can tell you from that experience (we dont have pavements where i live) it has nothing to do with cyclist behavior...you are wasting your time...rather learn to ride defensively.

 

the only difference yesterday...instead of going with the flow on the bike...i was facing the traffic...i could see how the humans (young women drivers are the worst) in their steel shells are absolutely fearless...if you dont step off the road and clear the path for them...they will run you down.

 

try it sometime...take a walk in your hood...and walk on the road facing the traffic where you would normally be cycling...now i know why kids dont play on the road like we did when we were kids...it is just too dangerous.

 

if you are a cyclist and have a sign which shows 1.5 m wide of the rider...be more considerate to others...you make cyclist look bad.

[lukeram]

I just typed this on a PPA thread...

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/165923-what-is-the-ppa-doing/?p=3067603

Edited February 17, 2017 by lukeram

[RocknRolla]

I recently had to write a learner's for motorcycle again. I have done so on 3 previous occasions, passing each time. A learner's valid for two years, and if you are a serial procrastinator like I am, you end up doing stupid things like writing a learners a couple of times...

 

Well, I have come to realise, that it's not a stupid thing. It reminds one of the rules of the road, both basic and advanced. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, perhaps it's beneficial to remind oneself of the rules of the road, in order to maintain good behavior.

[kosmonooit]

i decided to walk to the shop yesterday...instead of driving...i can tell you from that experience (we dont have pavements where i live) it has nothing to do with cyclist behavior...you are wasting your time...rather learn to ride defensively.

 

the only difference yesterday...instead of going with the flow on the bike...i was facing the traffic...i could see how the humans (young women drivers are the worst) in their steel shells are absolutely fearless...if you dont step off the road and clear the path for them...they will run you down.

 

try it sometime...take a walk in your hood...and walk on the road facing the traffic where you would normally be cycling...now i know why kids dont play on the road like we did when we were kids...it is just too dangerous.

 

if you are a cyclist and have a sign which shows 1.5 m wide of the rider...be more considerate to others...you make cyclist look bad.

 

That's what I see as well, the situation for pedestrians is similar to cyclists, we are allies. Here in Jhb there are some roads that have no pedestrian way or pavement!  Or the pavement is in such a bad condition it cant be used. And often there is no pedestrian lights / place to cross at intersections and traffic lights. I see that every day, and often try to use these myself when cycling.

 

Pedestrian safety is just as much an issue as for cyclists. Although I did read once that the highest fatalities on the roads are drunk pedestrians

 

Reflects once again on the quality of the people running the show, in this case Jhb Roads.

Edited February 17, 2017 by kosmonooit

[Frosty]

this is what i did...put the question out to all my "friends" on face book.

 

" a question to people who drive motor vehicles on the road...What can i do to make it safer to ride my bicycle on the road? " 

How about a follow-up question? What can you do to make it safer for me to ride my bicycle on the road?

I've asked both questions on my FB page. Three friends have replied so far:

 

This was also posted - for people in my age group (not sure on the range - have asked) - edit: from the Liberty app:

Edited February 17, 2017 by geraldm24

[Bateleur1]

So last night my youngest got the little book from school they need to prepare for their cycling license.  So just before bed I grabbed it to have look as I also need to make sure she has everything fitted to her bike according to regulations.

 

It turned out to be a very interresting read.  Apart from the normal to be expected topics of how to ride your bike, how to turn in traffic, following distances and how to deal with pedestrians, there was one thing that stood out for me.  They were consistently drilling in defence driving behaviour.  There is the law and then there is using your observation of a situtation.  It is pointless in applying the law but you get run over by a car that is not paying attention or you run over a pedestrian with your bike cause he was playing on your phone.

 

They also go into depth that you as a cyclist must understand the limitations that car drivers have wrt to blindspots in mirrors etc and that they could not see you at a point.

 

If there is any interrest I will scan the pages this weekend and post them here and give a brief translation of what is said if you guys are interrested.

[Frosty]

http://www.rtmc.co.za/rtmc1/Docs/JanDec2015.pdf

 

The link to the 2015 road traffic report. Makes for some sickening reading.

 

8.5 Number of Fatalities

Over the 12-month period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 the number of

fatalities increased by 242 (2%) from 12 702 fatalities over the same period the previous

year to 12 944.

 

Some graphs from the report - 320 cyclists in 2015.

Perhaps this number is not important to the RTMC and Dept. of Transport, when compared to the number of fatalities in the other categories. While it is considered unthinkable by the cycling community and the 320 families affected.