Statement regarding cancellation of the 40th Cape Town Cycle Tour from David Bellairs

[Mamil]

What separates you and I from the people who's budget for food and rent is what we pay to replace a drivetrain in a month is not hard work or any other virtue. It is an accident of birth in a system that relies on massive discrepancies in access to resources for it's survival.

 

It is human nature to assume that if we have wealth that we deserve it. It is axiomatic to that belief that those who are poor deserve that too because they're stupid or intransigent or just plain inferior.

 

The sooner we realise that these imbalances are not sustainable the better.

 

The protests, no matter their immediate cause, are the canary in the coal mine of a global crisis and hotshot attitudes are a major constitutive element of this crisis.

 

We are all part of the probem, protesters, government and us too in our entitlement and our impotent outrage at a world whose complexities are hard to live with.

 

 

 

If you must know, my bike is worth somewhere around 140k. Pinarello,Di2, SRM power meter etc. Busy planning to buy a F10, so soon my bike will be worth around 200k. I also have three other bikes worth around 100k. I worked hard to get those bikes and I do not feel one bit of guilt. I did not ride the race today and glad I did not come to CT although I had entered. Would've cost me a lot of money to go there and I would have been completely pissed off. Its not just the money, its the months of training and planning that went into it.

 

The protesters should be targeting the ANC government and not my hobby / sport.

[Johny Bravo]

 

 

 

"unkulunkulu uphendulile" → "God answered"

Today, the weather took the blame. Next time, mmmm, they might not be so lucky.

[Skubarra]

Apart from the start the wind was not a valid reason. And the start was self inflicted as it is known to amplify the wind.

 

The protest action was avoidable by the spooks at Intelligence actually doing some spooking rather than trying to find dirt on JZ's opponents, real or imagined. Did the protesters actually have any demands in the weeks or months prior to last night?

 

The fire at Hout Bay did not go near the road that the route uses, it was on the other side of the mountain. 

 

My moan is that 2 of these reasons you list as valid reasons for the organisers to cancel the event with no thought of any compensation were ENTIRELY avoidable with proper planning, a functioning police intelligence service, proper security and an obligation to give us what we paid for.

 

This is a massive and extremely profitable business. It is not a few mates getting together to organise a coffee ride. Maybe it's time the organisers are forced to have a plan B. Rather than plan B being a 47km ride or total cancellation.  Why is there no insurance in place in the event of a cancellation?

 

The wind didn't blew only at the starting chute. I saw screen captures of wind measurements of more than 50km/h on Chappies and 110km/h in other places in the city bowl. What if the wind got even worse during the day? A call had to be made and ultimately our safety is more important than our right to ride, I have no issue with the organisers erring on the side of caution even if it can be proven in hindsight that the cancellation was premature.

 

I also don't see how the organisers are supposed to be in a position to control protesters or fires. Insurance would also not have saved our day, who do you think would end up paying for the insurance anyway?

[ChunkyMonkey]

To Davis Bellairs and team....

Well done , I take my hat off to you

That was a hard decision, but the right one...

Thanks

[mikkelz]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10212270774191292&id=1436403653

[Mlayne]

I love cycling and this sport.. but am seriously worried about Hubbers only showing a selfish concern for themselves not been able to ride the race twice or looking for a refund when the sport by it very nature is highly dependant on road and other natural conditions. Also consider all the charities benefiting as well as cycling in general via PPA from. Proceed of race.

Yes, one of the most dangerous areas is the start but coming down Chappies or Llandudno is also extremely treacherous when the wind is howling down over the mountain. We may be able to handle our bikes but it take a moment of lost control or concentration for a massive accident especially in groups 4a down where there are Less capable bike handlers and people have spent longer in the saddle than our 2 or 3 hours. So wind is a valid reason... And yes I rode and finished in 2009(scary as hell) and was in Start chute today when race was called off because I was to scared missing out and of making the right decision to not ride myself.

If someone was seriously injured or killed we would be complaining that the race should have been stopped.

Notwithstanding our serious bourgeois attitude in not understanding why a protest is occurring we are more concerned that we are inconvenienced but the very same people protesting are the ones propping up our very comfortable lifestyle and by working in our factories or companies where we earn thousands and they earn pennies. Or the the very workers that keep our roads clean of debris or fixing potholes that we can ride our very expensive wheels without fear of of accident or damage. Yes it is disappointing and tragic that the race was stopped in a decision not taken lightly for either of the three reasons provided but for one moment stop thinking of ourselves and consider what makes people protest in the first place, yes some are politically motivated but others are very much due to dire circumstances and lack of adequate living conditions.

[Dgas]

What separates you and I from the people who's budget for food and rent is what we pay to replace a drivetrain in a month is not hard work or any other virtue. It is an accident of birth in a system that relies on massive discrepancies in access to resources for it's survival.

 

It is human nature to assume that if we have wealth that we deserve it. It is axiomatic to that belief that those who are poor deserve that too because they're stupid or intransigent or just plain inferior.

 

The sooner we realise that these imbalances are not sustainable the better.

 

The protests, no matter their immediate cause, are the canary in the coal mine of a global crisis and hotshot attitudes are a major constitutive element of this crisis.

 

We are all part of the probem, protesters, government and us too in our entitlement and our impotent outrage at a world whose complexities are hard to live with.

 

 

 

Dude, I am not wealthy, I have a job which I look after and do everything that I can to keep. I do deserve what I have, I would have the same whether I was living in Europe or USA or anywhere else. I would have the same level of education and I would earn accordingly. By the way, SA labour is not cheap it cost more to build and construct here than in most other countries.

 

To get out of the poverty cycle the country needs more bussiness. The CTCT is a business and a very profitable one, the CTCT is not there for my benefit but it is there to support that business and to bring money into the Western Cape area. I am guessing here, but the timing of the race is very closely aligned to a periodical downturn in the tourist industry in Cape Town in March. Falls very neatly in between the Christmas holidays and Easter. The majority of the riders are from out of Cape Town and hence bring in much needed money. The money does not go directly to the protesters or shack dwellers, but some of them or their family will be employed in restaurants and B&B and shops that I will go to. There are also a number of charities that the CTCT supports which goes to the poor of the Western Cape. I do realize that the shack dwellers haven concept of this, all they see is a bunch of rich whites having fun on their bikes, the value of which could feed their family for a year.

 

The CTCT will go ahead next year, but there maybe be a few people less, especially those that are coming from out of town. And less money will finds its way to those protesting.

 

You cannot take away from me to solve SA's problems, you cannot tax me more to make SA a better place. You need to create wealth by supporting business in whatever form. Business creates work, which creates jobs, which creates salaries, which take away hunger, provide a roof over your head, and in cases like mine buys bicycles. If you make it difficult for business, such as the situation is in SA, investment goes somewhere else and more poverty comes our way.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Dgas

[lechatnoir]

The fire at Hout Bay did not go near the road that the route uses, it was on the other side of the mountain. 

 

No, you're right. But what if it had, and fire services needed access through closed roads? Would have been a real mess. On this point, better safe than sorry

[Dgas]

I love cycling and this sport.. but am seriously worried about Hubbers only showing a selfish concern for themselves not been able to ride the race twice or looking for a refund when the sport by it very nature is highly dependant on road and other natural conditions. Also consider all the charities benefiting as well as cycling in general via PPA from. Proceed of race.

Yes, one of the most dangerous areas is the start but coming down Chappies or Llandudno is also extremely treacherous when the wind is howling down over the mountain. We may be able to handle our bikes but it take a moment of lost control or concentration for a massive accident especially in groups 4a down where there are Less capable bike handlers and people have spent longer in the saddle than our 2 or 3 hours. So wind is a valid reason... And yes I rode and finished in 2009(scary as hell) and was in Start chute today when race was called off because I was to scared missing out and of making the right decision to not ride myself.

If someone was seriously injured or killed we would be complaining that the race should have been stopped.

Notwithstanding our serious bourgeois attitude in not understanding why a protest is occurring we are more concerned that we are inconvenienced but the very same people protesting are the ones propping up our very comfortable lifestyle and by working in our factories or companies where we earn thousands and they earn pennies. Or the the very workers that keep our roads clean of debris or fixing potholes that we can ride our very expensive wheels without fear of of accident or damage. Yes it is disappointing and tragic that the race was stopped in a decision not taken lightly for either of the three reasons provided but for one moment stop thinking of ourselves and consider what makes people protest in the first place, yes some are politically motivated but others are very much due to dire circumstances and lack of adequate living conditions.

 

Unfortunatly it is very difficult to get money out of people just for charity, hence there is a bicycle race and you are happily parting with your money. No bicycle race, no charity. This year they got their money. Five more years of protests, no bicycle race, no charity. 

 

I have no doubt they feel they need to make their case heard and they probably have reason. But in my opinion they are targeting the wrong event. The CTCT is, in all probability, a mostly white event.  A demographic that has very little, or less than none, power in government. Pissing a few cyclists of is not going to get anything done apart from a few posts on the hub, which is not exactly a political powerhouse.

[Mamil]

Hotshot indeed

[Mlayne]

I don't disagree with that but just stating that we maybe need to think of the reasons they do what they do....

[KurTieB]

Without a doubt the correct call was made. I for one was extremely disappointed but after seeing videos of the start and how people were literally blown off their bikes, you can't blame the organisers for doing what they did. Had they gone ahead with the race and people had damaged bikes and hospital bills because of it, I'm sure they would have moaned just as much as the bulk of the moaners and groaners are doing in this forum. See you all at the 2018 CTCT!

[Bonus]

I can't even take the family with MTBs on Helderberg this afternoon. With sweat, French and busted fingers plus 2 broken tyre levers I managed to get 4 slicks onto 4 MTB rims yesterday. I don't have the mental and emotional energy to put the knobblies back on this afternoon.

 

 

I think I would just cry!

[jugheaddave]

With regards to the protest action, TIA (this is Africa) its only going to get worse....

[AngryAustrian]

With regards to insurance, I know my cyclessure policy has some add on event insurance if you cannot participate. Not sure the T&C of that and if it would pay in this case but may be worth looking into if you have bike insurance.

[vert space]

For us who live out of Cape Doctor land entering the CTCC is a gamble. The outcome of the gamble is for the entrants account. I took the gamble in 2009 and 2010 and will not throw the dice again.

The shortened race again highlighted the gamble.

Should the race have continued and cyclist injured, the organizers would face law suits and and not forgetting angry hubbers posting angry insults at the organizers.

It is a beautiful race to do and if I lived in Cape Town I would enter every year cause all it would cost me is race entry.

Don't be a sore loser when a gamble does not go your way.

 

Last night was full moon. Some hubbers turned into werewolves and were howling at the moon