[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[DJR]

 

Two links worth reading/watching:

 

2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour WILL take place

 

Lunch with Dave – Facebook Live Q&A (25 January 2018)

 

This year's event will be entirely off the municipal water grid. 

 

So, driving home last night, after a long day at work, I listened to the radio.

 

This green dude talking about saving water, I agreed with what he was saying.......but then he came up with this dumb argument: They should cancel both the Cycle Tour and the 2 Oceans, not because they will use too much water, because he knows that the impact is absolutely minimal, but because we need to send a message that the situation is serious! (He doesn't cycle or run, or own a hotel or a guest house or a restaurant in Cape Town.)

 

How about this as a better argument?:

 

Arrange both events as a showcase of how it can be done responsibly and send that message! Ride and run for WATER this year! Encourage visitors to bring their own and to use the minimum.

 

(The senior in team DJR won't just be bringing a 100 litre tank full of water, he'll bring us a 1000 litre tank to add to our ability to catch rainwater. He says that's what he would have paid to stay in a hotel.)    

Edited January 25, 2018 by DJR

[DJR]

Heard someone say that it is going to be a Tour de Savanna this year........it's dry but you can ride it. (With apologies to the cider ad)

[Icycling]

 

Two links worth reading/watching:

 

2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour WILL take place

 

Lunch with Dave – Facebook Live Q&A (25 January 2018)

 

This year's event will be entirely off the municipal water grid. 

--

Some notes from Dave's video…

 

Figures

• More than 50% of participants come from Cape Town (theoretically zero effect)
• Around 15,000 from outside of CT 
• 30,000-32,000 of 35,000 entries actually start the race
• Average stay is 2.3 days

 

Wind

• No significant set of data that says the wind blows any more or any less at the CTCT time of year
• Wind will blow 10km/h less at the new Grand Parade start than at the Civic Centre (importantly, there's no tunnelling effect)

 

Civil unrest

• Affects all areas of society, target because its a large event
• Part of the strategy is to engage with local communities + inclusion 
• Work being done via Rotary in Masiphumelele - working hard to link this work back to CTCT
• Moving water point from Sun Valley (has to move cause of roadworks) to Masiphumelele – ownership of that water point to the community (funds to be used for high school Matric dance) 
• There are six different alternate route options, if needed

 

 

[edit to update with notes from video]

 

I know I am not going to be popular for saying this. I am also 100% aware that the Cycle tour will have ZERO impact on the fact that "Day Zero" for water will happen Cape Town regardless.

 

But the sentiment by many people living in Cape Town are the cyclist are just a irritation on the road and quite selfish (not sure why because we only use the space we need and general ride to the left and on in the center of the lane). The Cycle tour bring all these cyclist (people) to the Cape for a cycling event - surely they know we don't have water - that's the general feeling of the greater population. This just creates even more animosity from the general population of Cape Town towards cyclist. Dealt with this animosity 1st hand at a coffee shop this morning. Please understand the general population does not consider all the positive the Cycle tour does - including not draining the cities water supply, and its very hard to educate the general population any different. Once they formed their opinion it hard to change that mind set.

 

"From the stats - yes only about 15 000 cyclist are from out of town - but how many are coming alone or with families - I am going to suggest the event for 2 days swells the population of Cape Town by more than 15000 but closer to 45 000 - that's a thumb suck." That was one argument used against me / the cycle tour this morning.

 

Possibly "The water shortage Cycle Tour" should announce rather earlier than later a different route ( one of the 6) - a shortened version - maybe the 48 km route from 2 years back or even possible include to Kalk bay and back via Boys drive (steep at the beginning)  - sharp left on a down hill into Westlake Ave (by the golf course) and back to freeway - not sure if that's one of the 6 routes or even possible to manage. These route basically should not attract "Civil unrest."

 

So still have a Cycle tour but discourage out of towners to come and rather encourage the local to take up these entries becoming available by out of towner not coming. The process would need to be managed ASAP and would involved out of towners informing the organizers that they will not attend. Just a fun day out for the locals of Cape Town to enjoy cycling on closed road including the freeway. Now stress on getting a time - sub 3 etc.

 

Read my opening paragraph again before criticizing the suggestion!

Edited January 25, 2018 by Icycling

[Jase619]

It's amazing how many hubbers are happy to believe that the organisers are just winging it and pulling off annual events with 30k participants by pure luck & coincidence.

 

The part I appreciated was how they are engaging with local communities to avoid the civil unrest disruptions we had last year. Certainly nobody can 100% guarantee that nothing will happen but it's good to know the organisers are pro-active and not just leaving it to chance as many hubbers believe.

 

Yeah, I am waiting for the armchair experts to pop back up and defend there stand point now. . . 

 

I do like how they have gone the inclusion route with an attempt to involve the communities instead of policing the situation. This will have a much more positive impact than I think we realise.

[DJR]

I know I am not going to be popular for saying this. ...............

Correct

[Icycling]

Correct

But having the event completely cancelled on the day will even be less popular!

[Spinnekop]

So, driving home last night, after a long day at work, I listened to the radio.

 

This green dude talking about saving water, I agreed with what he was saying.......but then he came up with this dumb argument: They should cancel both the Cycle Tour and the 2 Oceans, not because they will use too much water, because he knows that the impact is absolutely minimal, but because we need to send a message that the situation is serious! (He doesn't cycle or run, or own a hotel or a guest house or a restaurant in Cape Town.)

 

How about this as a better argument?:

 

Arrange both events as a showcase of how it can be done responsibly and send that message! Ride and run for WATER this year! Encourage visitors to bring their own and to use the minimum.

 

(The senior in team DJR won't just be bringing a 100 litre tank full of water, he'll bring us a 1000 litre tank to add to our ability to catch rainwater. He says that's what he would have paid to stay in a hotel.)    

I completely understand what you are saying.

 

But it IS a perception.  You will not get away from it.

Cape Town is hosting two sports events.  

You run.....you are thirsty.  You cycle, you are thirsty.

And dirty.  Preparing of food.

 

People from up town will come down and use water.

 

It is that easy.

 

What do you think is ONE of the arguments when you guys hit day zero?  We should have, could have, would have.

[Meezo]

i'm with Icycling and Spidey here...

 

is the drought not a "crisis" ?

is the city not trying, to get the national government to declare CT a "crisis zone"

 

Although, the event can run as they say it will, and it will be boost economy like they say it will, the fact of the matter is, Cape Town is in a crisis.

 

its like having a sale and then increasing the RRP leaving the normal price as sale price, it might not be illegal, but it doesn't sit right with ones ethics and morals

[Ferro]

By that argument then why stop with just cancelling the CTCT and 2Oceans? Lets then also cancel all other sports as they also make you dirty and thirsty. What about going to work? Can we cancel that too?

[Skubarra]

i'm with Icycling and Spidey here...

 

is the drought not a "crisis" ?

is the city not trying, to get the national government to declare CT a "crisis zone"

 

Although, the event can run as they say it will, and it will be boost economy like they say it will, the fact of the matter is, Cape Town is in a crisis.

 

its like having a sale and then increasing the RRP leaving the normal price as sale price, it might not be illegal, but it doesn't sit right with ones ethics and morals

 

Maybe Shebeen should post his little graph again on the water usage on Argus day.

 

If you do the math on how many liters of water the event & the people doing it actually use then cancelling it would not even extend day zero by a few minutes.

 

There are things we as a community in Cape Town can do that can actually help us avoid day zero, cancelling CTCT is not one of them.

[Meezo]

By that argument then why stop with just cancelling the CTCT and 2Oceans? Lets then also cancel all other sports as they also make you dirty and thirsty. What about going to work? Can we cancel that too?

 

 

@MmusiMaimane says business communities, informal settlements and hospitals will have water on day zero #DefeatDayZero @TeamNews24

 

 

he also mentioned, schools as well.

i do believe something was mentioned of schools with no rain water/borehole setups will be closed, not sure if that still valid, as to businesses that cannot meet the water quota per person

[Icycling]

By that argument then why stop with just cancelling the CTCT and 2Oceans? Lets then also cancel all other sports as they also make you dirty and thirsty. What about going to work? Can we cancel that too?

The new big building in town - FNB building will be, according to my sister, who works in it. It will be shut down on day Zero - something to do with aircon. So in her case, yes going to work will be canceled! They have been told they may need to go to JHB office to work.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Icycling

[Jase619]

But having the event completely cancelled on the day will even be less popular!

 

Why would it be cancelled?

[Spinnekop]

By that argument then why stop with just cancelling the CTCT and 2Oceans? Lets then also cancel all other sports as they also make you dirty and thirsty. What about going to work? Can we cancel that too?

Dude......we'll see what happens when you guys hit Day -365. 

Who goes to work and who trains when in order for people not to die.

[Meezo]

Maybe Shebeen should post his little graph again on the water usage on Argus day.

 

If you do the math on how many liters of water the event & the people doing it actually use then cancelling it would not even extend day zero by a few minutes.

 

There are things we as a community in Cape Town can do that can actually help us avoid day zero, cancelling CTCT is not one of them.

 

Agreed

[Mongoose!]

Why would it be cancelled?

 

because of the "wind"