What is the PPA doing?

[Patchelicious]

Why PPA ? Have I missed something ? Who do I pay my license fees to these days ? 

The e-mail that I received from the, post 1, prompted me to ask the very simple question.

[andydude]

 

 

What exactly is the PPA's mandate?

 

That, my dear sir, is the most important question nobody has directly asked. And everything sprouts from that.

 

"The PPA is a public benefit organisation with the primary objective of promoting cycling."

 

Now in my mind I would question that, because it's too vague. Perhaps on purpose so.

 

The result is that it covers EVERYTHING from poor commuters to the pro racers.

 

In that sense, nobody will be happy, because every "group", like commuters, mtb, road racers or whoever thinks they should be allocated more.

 

The PPA is NOT for any specific group, even though most funding comes from road related subs and events.

[Frosty]

Can someone please send me Robert Vogel's email address by PM.

[andydude]

Why has their income dropped?

Because subscriptions dropped.

 

Why? I don't know. But if I may venture a guess, many people have said they won't join the PPA anymore, because they don't see any benefit for them. And I think there is a move to more MTB.

[scotty]

Correct but can be done, We had a hubber Shaun Hannie who did exactly that, approached the road agencies for approval  to put up signs, received donations (I recall even BigH donated) for manufacture of signs then erected them, this was an individual who took initiative Not CSA, NOT PPA, NOT CGC. 

This was his initiative, his safety project was called sign up.

 

This is an individual, where are the projects from the cycling bodies ??? 

[Patchelicious]

Because subscriptions dropped.

 

Why? I don't know. But if I may venture a guess, many people have said they won't join the PPA anymore, because they don't see any benefit for them. And I think there is a move to more MTB.

All the more reason to broadcast the crap out of what you are doing.

[Patchelicious]

Can someone please send me Robert Vogel's email address by PM.

Gerald, you have my 100% backing to act as the voice of the people here.

[carbon29er]

This thread is just rehashing stuff that has been said a thousand times before. Unfortunately most of the complaints made years ago are still true today. There is little point getting wound up by things like this.

 

Make sure you are as safe as you can be when on the road. Don't share the road when on a bike. Own it. That is the safest way to ride. But when in a car give the cyclist as much space as you would want on a bike.

 

Is it time to take the promotion of safety for road cyclists out of the hands of people who have little interest in doing it effectively? Rhetorical question.

[Frosty]

Gerald, you have my 100% backing to act as the voice of the people here.

I want to send him a note about the post I made on the road safety survey. Two people from different industries approaching the minister of transport is bound to have more impact that just one - the carnage on our roads affects everyone, not just cyclists.

 

I have send a mail to the info at pedalpower address but I'm not sure I'm going to get any joy from that.

[andydude]

Thank you Patches for starting this, and everybody else for good comments!

 

There is definitely a will from the hubbers to improve cycling, whether safety or better races, etcetera. And a will to keep PPA on their toes, which is 100% correct!

[Wannabe]

Patch, as lovely as their "stay wider of the rider" initiative is (hell, even I have two of those shirts), it means jack squat to the motorist. All he / she is seeing is another stupid cyclist in lycra, taking up space on his / her road.

 

We need to have the message go out to the motorist that we have the right to be on the road (even if some / most cyclists behave like asses) and that there is a law that protects us / gives us that safety line of at least one meter.

I cycle quite a lot, in both the Northern and Southern burbs, and I have not seen any (or so little, that it just as well could have been none) signage up that informs the motorist that it is a road also frequented by cyclists, and that we have the right to be there. 

Put up signage and billboards, that is stationary and permanent in one spot, informing the motorist of the LAW that gives us that one meter. (as on the photo's I shared earlier)  A piddly cyclist of two with a gaudy shirt, stating "stay wider of the rider" is of little use as the motorist is squeezing past that same cyclist.

 

OK, I have ranted enough now, from now on I'll only be an interested spectator.

 

[Icycling]

Icycling, on 01 Feb 2017 - 7:45 PM, said:

PPA seems so UN-appreciative of the Cape Town Cycle tour (road and MTB) - I maybe wrong - but on the PPA web site I don't even see this event listed on their calendar! 99er falls under all events and other. They use this event to try and get more member - we all know how - yet the don't list it. I hope its just my eyes that have failed me and its on the PPA web page somewhere.

 

http://www.pedalpower.org.za/Events/

 

if you are looking for the CTCT, why not just look at the CTCT dedicated web site ..... http://www.capetowncycletour.com/

 

it is not like the CTCT is an unknown event.

 

 

 

The reason why I bring this up is the manor in which people / this organization take things for granted. They have become a bunch of takers from roadie to MTB riders. They don't care how they get the money to put into MTB they just want to take.

 

The CEO  / management of PPA has gone to the birds - it took more than 2 month after the AGM for PPA to update the website with the new committee member. That was only done as I (me a non PPA member) sent a number of mails out (one below) - the management cannot even get the basics right - how the hell they going to get road safety right? The website was updated that same day with the new committee once I had highlighted it.

 

PPA logo is on the cycle tour web site.

 

Begin forwarded message:

"From: Peter
Subject: I suppose a rant
Date: 16 November 2016 at 9:42:28 AM SAST
To: Steve Hayward
Cc: Gary Kruger , Robin Hunt-Davis

Hi All,

Think it’s over 2 months since the AGM - yet on the public PPA page - website things still not updated. Yes Steve you are still the chairman and yes you guys CC (cannot find Riaan email address) are still on the committee!  http://www.pedalpower.org.za/committee/

As per what I have said on Facebook:

"Looked at the PPA website this morning and notice the committee page still has not changed Steve still chairman etc. If the staff cannot even organize for the website to be updated - not sure if they can organize road fun rides in Southern subs. The web site not been updated is a very poor reflection of the people in charge at PPA - AGM was many weeks back. That's my opinion."

"Abbas Harris its an embarrassment to the the association and a complete lack of respect to those who have left the committee / position people held and those who have come onto the committee and the new positions held. PPA spend vast sums of money (may dry up in 3 years) on a CEO and general manger - if they can’t see to this what can they see too? Complete lack of respect to those who serve with only small honoraria for those who accept it at the end of their terms. Incompetents at a high price!”


Regards

Peter Wheeler"






 

[Wannabe]

Dear Andre

You are invited to apply to ride in the PPA Safe Cycling STAY WIDER OF THE RIDER start group 2J (07h17*) or 5C (08h46) at the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour.

Show your support for safe cycling by riding the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour in a STAY WIDER OF THE RIDER jersey. And if you would like to ride in one of our two start groups, please apply using the link below!

 

Snip Snip.

 Your name also André?

I also received this invite this morning.

[Patchelicious]

I want to send him a note about the post I made on the road safety survey. Two people from different industries approaching the minister of transport is bound to have more impact that just one - the carnage on our roads affects everyone, not just cyclists.

 

I have send a mail to the info at pedalpower address but I'm not sure I'm going to get any joy from that.

This is the mail address from the PPA Cycling Safety

 

PPA Safe Cycling  <liz@pedalpower.org.za>

[Patchelicious]

 Your name also André?

I also received this invite this morning.

Yeah, maybe only the Andre's got it.

[Patchelicious]

Patch, as lovely as their "stay wider of the rider" initiative is (hell, even I have two of those shirts), it means jack squat to the motorist. All he / she is seeing is another stupid cyclist in lycra, taking up space on his / her road.

 

We need to have the message go out to the motorist that we have the right to be on the road (even if some / most cyclists behave like asses) and that there is a law that protects us / gives us that safety line of at least one meter.

I cycle quite a lot, in both the Northern and Southern burbs, and I have not seen any (or so little, that it just as well could have been none) signage up that informs the motorist that it is a road also frequented by cyclists, and that we have the right to be there. 

Put up signage and billboards, that is stationary and permanent in one spot, informing the motorist of the LAW that gives us that one meter. (as on the photo's I shared earlier)  A piddly cyclist of two with a gaudy shirt, stating "stay wider of the rider" is of little use as the motorist is squeezing past that same cyclist.

 

OK, I have ranted enough now, from now on I'll only be an interested spectator.

Nice suggestion!