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

[Patchelicious]

You are implying the cyclist did something wrong.

 

As stated on a previous page I also follow these rules as I have learnt it is a must. I believe in OWN THE ROAD if you fee unsafe.

Quote "it was a left hand bend with a solid double. There was no way the van could pass safely even if the rider was in the gutter. So he moved into the centre to make his presence a real factor for the motorists behind him.

 

I do exactly the same thing in left hand bends as motorists are inclined to cut corners and that is exactly where I would be. As do a lot of people who ride in traffic regularly. I'm also inclined to overstate my rights as a rider when a motorist buzzes me.

 

Put yourself where it is safest for you as a bike rider? As is your right on a public road?" end Quote.

We have said before that when in a situation where you need to ride in the middle of the road for a few meters (like Savage in Bakoven etc) the right thing to do is to acknowledge cars behind you and then make sure to thank them with a thumbs up or wave when they come past.

[lechatnoir]

We have said before that when in a situation where you need to ride in the middle of the road for a few meters (like Savage in Bakoven etc) the right thing to do is to acknowledge cars behind you and then make sure to thank them with a thumbs up or wave when they come past.

 

100%. Signal your actions, make it look like you're making an effort, then thank the motorists behind when they come past. Just don't wave in a way that you encourage them to try and pass.

 

The issue with lefthanders is that an oncoming car taking the curve to the right will most likely cut inside too, giving a motorist trying to pass a cyclist taking a left curve even less space, most likely meaning they'll cut inside even if they WERE going to give the cyclist space.

[Duane_Bosch]

We have said before that when in a situation where you need to ride in the middle of the road for a few meters (like Savage in Bakoven etc) the right thing to do is to acknowledge cars behind you and then make sure to thank them with a thumbs up or wave when they come past.

I do this exact thing around a few left handers between Seapoint & Bakoven. Cars tend to cut corners. We all do it. Listen to your wheels on the cat eyes when you drive around a left hander. So I ride in a way to force them to wait till I finish the corner before overtaking.

 

The other day my fiance and I almost got take out by one of those truck/busses on the first left hander on chappies. Intersected the truck/bus at one of the lookouts and gave the driver a PROPER piece of my mind. I emailed the company and in typical fashion did not even receive so much as a reply let alone an apology.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Duane_Bosch

[BLACKvoodoo]

The only way this is going to end is if we cycle into oncoming traffic so that you can see something coming to kill you AND from a motorists point of view there is no way the cyclist will cycle in the road beyond the yellow line.

[BLACKvoodoo]

The horse has already bolted guys. 

All my non cycling friends talk about is how irritating cyclists are,

you've made this bed. 

 

It doesn't matter how many overly theatrical gestures you make , he's still going to flip you the bird and mouth something that rhymes with Bunt.

Edited May 8, 2017 by BLACKvoodoo

[Bateleur1]

The only way this is going to end is if we cycle into oncoming traffic so that you can see something coming to kill you AND from a motorists point of view there is no way the cyclist will cycle in the road beyond the yellow line.

 

Say whaat?!?!

[ChrisF]

If someone calls you something despicably rude or pushes in front of you at the movie queue or plays their music too loudly at 3am or insults your mom's sexual fidelity or rides in front of your car .....  it is then justifiable to attempt to physically harm that person because after all they were in the wrong.

 

Hang on sorry, my bad, I forgot where I was for a moment.

 

Here is a perfect case study - https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/168026-lucky-to-be-alive-nfsv/page-1

 

Car driver in the wrong ...  Cyclist in stiches ....  THANKFULLY the cyclist is alive !

 

 

 

Me - spent three months in hospital after a lady took me out on a motorcycle.  The fact that she stood still for nearly a minute, then pulled out right in front of me made no difference to me.  The fact that the hospital and bike costs were covered, helped "financially", but that in no way helps to keep us save out there.

 

Nephew - killed on bicycle when a truck driver skipped a stop sign .... 

 

Niece - killed when a vehicle did an illegal U-turn.

 

sister's fiance - killed when a car made an eratic move over solid white lines knocking him off his bike.

 

 

We can talk for days on end about what car drivers should be doing .... FACT is that way too many car drivers have no business behind a steering wheel - we see this when we are on our bikes and when we are in our cars.

 

 

PLEASE ride your bikes with due consideration of the reality of the type of drivers we share the roads with !!

 

 

Forget about being "right", and ride as defensively as possible

[BLACKvoodoo]

Say whaat?!?!

Yup , I'd rather be facing the danger than obliviously talking about my last EPO rush to my 4 mates next to me.

[Nqobile Ndlovu]

Couldnt help throwing in my one cent to this topic thats been through the thresher 100 times over.

Among the stakeholders in SA roads are your local, distict and national authorities who are responsible for building and/or maintenance and classification of roads.

South Africa in general has extremely poor provision for cyclist and pedestrian movement resulting in them (cyclists and pedestrians) being forced to share already congested road facilities with cars. This causes a mix of conflicting objectives and the result is simply carnage.

However, developed countries on the other hand have cycle lanes in the cities, pedestrian walkways and better public transport access (not taxis!! proper buses). Even Zimbabwe has cycle lanes, albeit in massive disrepair, but their town planners contemplated the requirement!!

One way to address this massive oversight is to ensure that all new residential developments are made to build walkways and cycle lanes as part of their project, old areas to be retrofitted with cycle lanes and walkways by the local councillors that you vote in.

[BLACKvoodoo]

Couldnt help throwing in my one cent to this topic thats been through the thresher 100 times over.

Among the stakeholders in SA roads are your local, distict and national authorities who are responsible for building and/or maintenance and classification of roads.

South Africa in general has extremely poor provision for cyclist and pedestrian movement resulting in them (cyclists and pedestrians) being forced to share already congested road facilities with cars. This causes a mix of conflicting objectives and the result is simply carnage.

However, developed countries on the other hand have cycle lanes in the cities, pedestrian walkways and better public transport access (not taxis!! proper buses). Even Zimbabwe has cycle lanes, albeit in massive disrepair, but their town planners contemplated the requirement!!

One way to address this massive oversight is to ensure that all new residential developments are made to build walkways and cycle lanes as part of their project, old areas to be retrofitted with cycle lanes and walkways by the local councillors that you vote in.

 

I really agree with what you wrote but can we honestly say that this current government is going to worry about this when they still have so much to steal before their friends do?

[Patchelicious]

The horse has already bolted guys.

All my non cycling friends talk about is how irritating cyclists are,

you've made this bed.

 

It doesn't matter how many overly theatrical gestures you make , he's still going to flip you the bird and mouth something that rhymes with Bunt.

The bed can be remade.

 

That's is why I promote Considerate Cycling. Show consideration and bit of gratitude to drivers and you will see how surprised they are.

 

Calling it quits on being a decent human being is EXACTLY why we are in this position in the first place.

 

The polite cyclists have an obligation to help convince the douchey ones to be less douchey.

[lechatnoir]

The polite cyclists have an obligation to help convince the douchey ones to be less douchey.

 

^^^^^^^^ THIS!

[Pure Savage]

The horse has already bolted guys. 

All my non cycling friends talk about is how irritating cyclists are,

you've made this bed. 

 

It doesn't matter how many overly theatrical gestures you make , he's still going to flip you the bird and mouth something that rhymes with Bunt.

 

You have non cycling friends, I got rid of that negativity. 

 

Couldn't really care about someone's feelings, prefer being alive. People's attitudes towards cyclists do not make it safer/less safe to cycle. 

 

Case in point: the truck that rode over the cyclist in Tokai, the driver was not angry towards cyclists, as a poor driver, did not leave enough space to pass a cyclist. If said cyclist was riding defensively, there would be a family with a father, a driver not going to court and a delivery that was only 2 minutes late instead of never arriving.  

 

Where in the above does the anger a motorist had towards a cyclist add to the death toll? 

 

Malakas

Edited May 8, 2017 by Pure Savage

[Patchelicious]

You have non cycling friends, I got rid of that negativity.

 

Couldn't really care about someone's feelings, prefer being alive. People's attitudes towards cyclists do not make it safer/less safe to cycle.

Attitude towards cyclists doesn't really make it safer.

 

BUT the things that WILL make it safer requires public support, and that's where it makes a difference.

 

Being be polite takes no more effort than being rude, so just do it.

[Patchelicious]

Dp

Edited May 8, 2017 by Patchelicious

[Geronimo]

At the end of the day, the driver lost his job. The cyclist did not. 

 

Also, the driver lost maybe 45 seconds to his day? Maybe the cyclist did not think it was safe for the van to overtake on that corner? 

The driver lost his job BUT the rider could have lost his life by challenging the driver. No thank you. I will keep on riding the way I do by not letting my ego get the better of me and not to challenge cars and trucks for road space.