Andreas_187 Posted November 19, 2017 Share They say with age comes wisdom because of more accumulated experiences etc but this is my take on a very serious subject.My biggest fear is being hit from behind so i went and bought the brightest rear light I could find.[RED of course because I could not find a BLUE light}" The Red /Blue topic I shall leave for another day"What a HUGE, huge difference ; you just owe it to yourself and your Family to make yourself as visible as possible , from as far as possible.Apart from that always be as polite and friendly as possible and keep your cool.I make a point of stopping at every Stop, making eye contact and greeting or nodding at the occupants of the Vehicle. Try it , it works for me ; lots of fun experiencing the interaction.Hope this helps.I bought the Bontrager/Trek Flare R and there's a noticeable difference to how close car pass since I've had it. When I'm in a car I can literally spot a guy with a Flare R from half a km away. Having a good rear light should be your absolute minimum requirement for riding on the road IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eccc whippet Posted November 19, 2017 Share I dont believe...Spending tens if not hundreds of thousands of rands on signs along the m4...stating safety begins with "YOU" is gona make the M4 any safer...what as waste of rate payers money. I dont beleive believe safety begins with "YOU" ...i believe it begins with the road surface and safe environment. They could have used the money to widen the road creating a bigger space for cyclist to travel...secondly it doesnt help to widen the road if the trees grow across the road which again force cyclist to ride in the path of the motor vehicles...as for the potholes and sand which create more obstacles motorists and cyclist have to swerve out the way for. Speed traps...camera and the presence of traffic officers make people drive more responsibly. Road blocks removing unroadworthy vehicles and drunks would also create a safer environment. I am yet to see a road block...speed trap...police or traffic officer on the M4 going put to Balito. Maybe spending millions on fitting signs next to robots asking people to please stop at red robots might be a money well spent ...or just imagine they could fit signs on the freeway telling people they shouldnt drive in the yellow line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majoubert@mweb.co.za Posted November 19, 2017 Share RESPECT for each other , not even the laws of the country will or has been able to remedy that unfortunately . The solution lies within each of us , everyone in South Africa . The wonder is that if that change takes place within each of us , then not only cycling will become safer however a list of other urgent changes will take place . Unfortunately respect for life in our country is not a priority and we have the need for a major shift even considering bringing back the death sentence for murderers and rapists .... Apologies for these harsh thoughts , I am part of the road accident statistics and had to be resuscitated 3 times after being run over on a gravel road by accident by a cellphone yielding speedster on a farm gravel road , not on purpose ! Accidents happen , giving respect is hard work and I doubt if our South African collective is up to the challenge by asking nicely .... Not skeptic or sarcastic or sour grapes from my side accidents ,are not called so for no reason neither is RESPECT ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zagato Posted November 19, 2017 Share I bought the Bontrager/Trek Flare R and there's a noticeable difference to how close car pass since I've had it. When I'm in a car I can literally spot a guy with a Flare R from half a km away. Having a good rear light should be your absolute minimum requirement for riding on the road IMO.Ditto !!--Saved up and pulled the trigger on a Bontrager Flare R; now i can concentrate on the road ahead.Best purchase i ever made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loose cog Posted November 28, 2017 Share Balanced article found on the great helmet debate. http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1365/is-it-safer-to-wear-a-helmet-when-cycling?_mout=1&utm_campaign=cyclist_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted November 28, 2017 Share Lights dont work .... or so I thought this morning .... this with TWO flashing lights on the front !! Car driver approached from the front, turning right, in front of me ... slowed down, looked me in the eye, then turned the steering wheel right in front of me, idling along .... me grabbing a handful of brakes .... DRIVER - turns her head to right, looking away from me .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted November 28, 2017 Share Balanced article found on the great helmet debate. http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1365/is-it-safer-to-wear-a-helmet-when-cycling?_mout=1&utm_campaign=cyclist_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletterIm sure our fellow hubber would agree that his helmet helped prevent a more serious injury. https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/171163-cyclist-down-r27-past-black-river-in-paarden-island/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas_187 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Lights dont work .... or so I thought this morning .... this with TWO flashing lights on the front !! Car driver approached from the front, turning right, in front of me ... slowed down, looked me in the eye, then turned the steering wheel right in front of me, idling along .... me grabbing a handful of brakes .... DRIVER - turns her head to right, looking away from me .... Your glass is half full... maybe if you had no lights at all that would happen twice a day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted November 29, 2017 Share Lights dont work .... or so I thought this morning .... this with TWO flashing lights on the front !! Car driver approached from the front, turning right, in front of me ... slowed down, looked me in the eye, then turned the steering wheel right in front of me, idling along .... me grabbing a handful of brakes .... DRIVER - turns her head to right, looking away from me .... That has nothing to do with lights not working and everything to do with that driver being a asshole. No amount of lights will stop intentional assholeness, but it will at least help prevent some of the unintentional incidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eccc whippet Posted November 29, 2017 Share I bought the Bontrager/Trek Flare R and there's a noticeable difference to how close car pass since I've had it. When I'm in a car I can literally spot a guy with a Flare R from half a km away. Having a good rear light should be your absolute minimum requirement for riding on the road IMO.even Jareds wheels were lit up when the drunk killed him and Richard...all the lights were still flashing when they loaded what was left of his bicycle in the body bags. Create a safer environment you save lives...it is that simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Gordo Posted November 29, 2017 Share I reckon to try and get some reflective bands on the legs and arms as well, or even a reflective vest. It definitely helps to be more visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted November 29, 2017 Share even Jareds wheels were lit up when the drunk killed him and Richard...all the lights were still flashing when they loaded what was left of his bicycle in the body bags. Create a safer environment you save lives...it is that simple.Agreed, and riding with lights does contribute to creating a safer environment. We need to acknowledge that there is no silver bullet here, no single solution. We can however each lobby our own, we dont need to always agree that the other guys solution is the "best", but we must acknowledge and support their solutions, while still lobbying our own. Fighting about the "right" solution detracts from us actually just starting to employ "some" solution. Lights, helmets, obeying road rules, educating motorists, better law enforcement, better prosecution and deterrents etc etc all help in their own way. We need to do the ALL. So unfortunately in Jared and Richard's case, lights wouldn't have helped, but I am very sure that they have helped others from suffering the same unfortunate fate though. Effectiveness of lights is a difficult one to measure, I am not sure how many times I would have been knocked over if I didn't use a light, but I am not about to try and find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted November 29, 2017 Share Agreed, and riding with lights does contribute to creating a safer environment. We need to acknowledge that there is no silver bullet here, no single solution..... JIP !!! Lights, as many as possible, front and rear. Reflective strips around my ankles bright yellow jacket I do everything I can to ensure observant drivers can see me. THEN ride as if you are invisible .... dodging those operating cell phones behind the steering wheel ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finallygotabike Posted November 29, 2017 Share RESPECT for each other , not even the laws of the country will or has been able to remedy that unfortunately . The solution lies within each of us , everyone in South Africa . The wonder is that if that change takes place within each of us , then not only cycling will become safer however a list of other urgent changes will take place . Unfortunately respect for life in our country is not a priority and we have the need for a major shift even considering bringing back the death sentence for murderers and rapists .... Apologies for these harsh thoughts , I am part of the road accident statistics and had to be resuscitated 3 times after being run over on a gravel road by accident by a cellphone yielding speedster on a farm gravel road , not on purpose ! Accidents happen , giving respect is hard work and I doubt if our South African collective is up to the challenge by asking nicely .... Not skeptic or sarcastic or sour grapes from my side accidents ,are not called so for no reason neither is RESPECT ! You pretty much summed it up - we have no respect for each other in this country! The way we treat each other outside of our homes just shows how SA as a society has completely broken down, we have no moral fibre to keep us on the straight and narrow and as such everyone is looking for the quickest/easiest way out or to cut a corner. SA's social conscience has left the station a long time ago and until we can rectify this, no amount of money spent on reflectors or fancy lights or even special helmets will stop the carnage!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted November 29, 2017 Share You pretty much summed it up - we have no respect for each other in this country! The way we treat each other outside of our homes just shows how SA as a society has completely broken down, we have no moral fibre to keep us on the straight and narrow and as such everyone is looking for the quickest/easiest way out or to cut a corner. SA's social conscience has left the station a long time ago and until we can rectify this, no amount of money spent on reflectors or fancy lights or even special helmets will stop the carnage!!!!The social fibre of our country is a massive problem and its a slow moving trend that takes generations to correct. And I agree, that lights, reflectors and helmets etc etc wont STOP the carnage, but will increase our chances a bit. Nothing will STOP it, but we mustn't resign ourselves to this fate. Just because we have no moral fibre in our society, that doesn't mean you should go ride your BMX on the N1 in rush hour traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Gordo Posted November 29, 2017 Share JIP !!! Lights, as many as possible, front and rear. Reflective strips around my ankles bright yellow jacket I do everything I can to ensure observant drivers can see me. THEN ride as if you are invisible .... dodging those operating cell phones behind the steering wheel ... I used to have great fun a few years ago with one of my previous vehicles which happened to be white. The alarm sounded almost like a police siren and the remote had a panic button on it.I used to catch many cellphone wielding, stop street jumping fools. I had a great laugh too especially when they drop the phone from their ears but the hand remains there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.