Road cyclist --think before you ride,

[tunariaan]

I went towards Seweweekspoort from George yesterday.

Saw some guys riding Outeniqua pass , thinking as a cyclist i reckoned , nah there is a broad shoulder they should be fine.

Although it was raining with some mist on the pass i thought ja they should be ok, 50/50

I ride there myself a lot but not in that conditions and not on a Sunday morning when its school holiday with the road super busy.

 

i dont think it was any of the George locals as conditions were not safe and most guys wont ride

.

Then i saw some more guys at the back of the pass Outshoorn way after the highway becomes narrow.

I couldnt believe my eyes, were these guys just plain stupid, bad viz, wet road and no shoulder to speak of on a super busy road.

Why do guys ride here?

Often we hear of guys who got run over and riding in places like these i understand why.

 

Now im not talking about guys riding in yellow lanes and who get knocked over by drunk stupid riders.

If you not familiar with the area and are maybe here on holiday, ask before you ride .

Riding there yesterday was just stupid and you guys are lucky to be alive.

Be safe guys

[Sepia]

Good topic Tuna.

 

I too have seen seen many stupid invisible cyclists riding in impossible conditions.   Think first otherwise you are to blame.

 

"Live by the sword and will die by the sword"  and I too am not referring to those unfortunate souls who have been ploughed down by drunken/cell phone drivers.

 

It is always the same thing," I did not see him"

[Bankie99]

Yeah I have to agree that the road after Outeniqua pass towards Oudtshoorn is def a NO NO for cycling as there is absolutely no yellow line or shoulder.

 

I drove that road last week after the oyster fest to spend 2 days in Oudtshoorn and I even considered cycling from Wilderness but I checked the roads out on google maps first and saw no yellow line/shoulder and that immediately put me off.

[tunariaan]

Yeah I have to agree that the road after Outeniqua pass towards Oudtshoorn is def a NO NO for cycling as there is absolutely no yellow line or shoulder.

 

I drove that road last week after the oyster fest to spend 2 days in Oudtshoorn and I even considered cycling from Wilderness but I checked the roads out on google maps first and saw no yellow line/shoulder and that immediately put me off.

as you go aver the pass you turn left into waboomskraal, nice loop for road cycling the come back over pass again

[Eldron]

I really don't understand the "it's our right" style rider.

 

I fully agree that it is "our" right to ride on ANY bicycle legal road in SA but should we? Between poor drivers, unlicensed drivers, drunk drivers and IDONTGIVEASHITINEEDTOGETTOWORK stressed out weirdos I reckon picking your roads is the right thing to do.

 

A collision between a car and bike is only ever going to have 1 outcome.

 

Better to be wronged and alive than right and dead.

[Patchelicious]

I really don't understand the "it's our right" style rider.

 

I fully agree that it is "our" right to ride on ANY bicycle legal road in SA but should we? Between poor drivers, unlicensed drivers, drunk drivers and IDONTGIVEASHITINEEDTOGETTOWORK stressed out weirdos I reckon picking your roads is the right thing to do.

 

A collision between a car and bike is only ever going to have 1 outcome.

 

Better to be wronged and alive than right and dead.

You make a good point.

 

We can be "it's our right" debaters and protestors, but when it comes to actual riding, let's just try and stay alive.

 

It's my right to walk through Hillbrow at midnight, and I will argue this until crime is no longer an issue, but will I actually go and walk around Ponte at night? probably not.

[bertusras]

You make a good point.

 

We can be "it's our right" debaters and protestors, but when it comes to actual riding, let's just try and stay alive.

 

It's my right to walk through Hillbrow at midnight, and I will argue this until crime is no longer an issue, but will I actually go and walk around Ponte at night? probably not.

 

That is actually a brilliant analogy, well put!

[J∆kk∆ls]

You want see something scary...those same cyclists behind the wheel of a car! 

[Eldron]

You make a good point.

 

We can be "it's our right" debaters and protestors, but when it comes to actual riding, let's just try and stay alive.

 

It's my right to walk through Hillbrow at midnight, and I will argue this until crime is no longer an issue, but will I actually go and walk around Ponte at night? probably not.

Exactly.

 

Riding here in Denmark really has opened my eyes to the "risks" I took riding my road bike in SA.

 

I am almost a reformed roadie now :-)

[Hackster]

This weekend I was a passenger in a car that had to brake hard to avoid hitting a pedestrian who stepped into the road.

 

It was a very difficult experience for the driver because she was also aware that there was a cyclist very close behind us.

 

This experience has made me think long and hard about my own following distances when cycling. 

[bikebloke]

You make a good point.

 

We can be "it's our right" debaters and protestors, but when it comes to actual riding, let's just try and stay alive.

 

It's my right to walk through Hillbrow at midnight, and I will argue this until crime is no longer an issue, but will I actually go and walk around Ponte at night? probably not.

go on a tour maybe you will find its not as bad as you think around Ponte ..

http://www.dlalanje.org/ 

 

but I get and agree with your point (ponte) 

[Spokey]

as you go aver the pass you turn left into waboomskraal, nice loop for road cycling the come back over pass again

This is a beautiful route I do on my 30 plus and 40 plus year old Honda CBs! Cycling I stick to the dirt in this area.

[RossW]

Exactly.

 

Riding here in Denmark really has opened my eyes to the "risks" I took riding my road bike in SA.

 

I am almost a reformed roadie now :-)

Just love the dedicated cycle paths 

[rudi-h]

I guess one can argue that cycling on a SA road without a shoulder is stupid...  but the other argument is why should it be wrong to ride on a beautiful road, and where else should you ride if you want to get from A to B?

 

I just came back from cycling in scotland.  Their roads are narrower and way more winding than SA roads, yet bike touring is a big thing and I have seen many cyclists including myself cycling on many roads worse than outeniqua pass from a narrowness / blind corner point of view.

 

Shows you what the world can be like with some patience, respect and education...

[eccc whippet]

A good example of "tight" roads would be the road between...Hillcrest and Cato ridge...with mist..narrow roads...no orange line...i would have thought people would stay away from that section on any day...yet we ride it...I have had some close encounters...mainly from impatient drivers who drive too fast too close.

 

the M4 north of Durban...we wont even go there...a high speed highway with the worst of every driver....where there is a yellow line (well somewhere under the grass and bush)...i am surprised so few of us have been hit and killed...sand which falls half into the first lane...potholes...pedestrians...runners who run then decide to go past on the right....etc etc

 

my point...as a roadie...if I had to think before I ride...I would need a MTB and lots of bush ( were people get more broken bones than roadies)

 

and everyone told me i should sell my R1 (super bike) because it is "dangerous" to ride a motor cycle.

[Allrounder]

I pass safetyboot commuters on a daily basis on the R300. Very brave men.