Cradle Route Drivers Rant

[EmJayZA]

Accident happened much earlier and was a cyclist down around 8:15am just after the lion circle heading towards the caves.  No car involved or near by, was being helped and comforted at the time by other cyclists, so looks like a fall and landed badly (maybe lost control or touching of wheels).  On our way back from the caves a little later the ambulance was there and the rider was being attended to.

 

Unless of course this was a completely separate incident to the earlier one

 

That's the spot. Too much of a coincidence. Happy to hear it was only minor 

[Dirkitech]

Just to show how easy it is to indicate that a cyclist has broken the law and thus cannot hold the motorist accountable for the accident... how many of us actually ride road worthy bicycles???

 

186. White retro-reflectors to be fitted on front of certain vehicles

(3) No person shall operate a pedal cycle on a public road unless there is fitted on the front of such cycle a white retro-reflector complying with the provisions of regulations 189 and 192.

187.Red retro-reflectors to be fitted on rear of certain vehicles 

(4) No person shall operate a pedal cycle on a public road unless there is fitted on the rear of such cycle a red retro-reflector complying with the provisions of regulations 189 and 192.

 

Now how many cyclists have lights? not many I have seen either.

I keep forgetting to do this, just 1 small reflector behind the seatpost and maybe on the front forks.

I wonder if wearing a headlight with a white forward light and red rear light makes the reflectors legally not necessary?

 

 

Which is why i have a 900 lumen front flasher on my bars as well as 300 lumen rear and why i ride with them on in bright sunshine.

sounds like you just want to antagonise drivers by simulating a car that has their brights on... that doesn't bode well for the rest of us pointing our lights towards the ground several meters ahead of us

[Fat Boab]

Just to show how easy it is to indicate that a cyclist has broken the law and thus cannot hold the motorist accountable for the accident... how many of us actually ride road worthy bicycles???

 

186. White retro-reflectors to be fitted on front of certain vehicles

(3) No person shall operate a pedal cycle on a public road unless there is fitted on the front of such cycle a white retro-reflector complying with the provisions of regulations 189 and 192.

187.Red retro-reflectors to be fitted on rear of certain vehicles 

(4) No person shall operate a pedal cycle on a public road unless there is fitted on the rear of such cycle a red retro-reflector complying with the provisions of regulations 189 and 192.

 

Now how many cyclists have lights? not many I have seen either.

 

 

Any idea what regs 189 and 192 are?

[The Ouzo]

It does not matter who is at fault and who broke the law, when you have a 1 to 2 ton steel cage vs less than 150kg of flesh and steel there will always only be one outcome, and as cyclists we need to keep that in mind when we ride.

 

It grinds me when I see cars doing stupid things, but it grinds me too when I see cyclists doing stupid things, like others on here I prefer to ride alone. I'd love to not have to always be on the defensive but that is the risk we take partaking in the sport we love.

[Mojoman]

It does not matter who is at fault and who broke the law, when you have a 1 to 2 ton steel cage vs less than 150kg of flesh and steel there will always only be one outcome, and as cyclists we need to keep that in mind when we ride.

 

It grinds me when I see cars doing stupid things, but it grinds me too when I see cyclists doing stupid things, like others on here I prefer to ride alone. I'd love to not have to always be on the defensive but that is the risk we take partaking in the sport we love.

Last Friday heading home after work I did see a proper local tjop riding down the long downhill into Magalies towards the Wimpy, straight over the stop street without a glance and then carried on down the road..on the wrong side...all one handed while holding a cell phone to his ear and having a conversation! 

[AdamA]

Any idea what regs 189 and 192 are?

 

189. General requirements for retro-reflectors (1) Every retro-reflector required to be fitted to a vehicle or load in terms of these regulations shall— (a) not be lower than 300 millimetres and not higher than one comma five metres from ground level, measured to the centre of the retro-reflector: Provided that if, due to the design of the vehicle, it is impossible to fit retro-reflectors on the sides of the body of such vehicle at the prescribed height, the retro-reflectors shall be fitted as near as possible to such height; (b) if it is a— (i) white retro-reflector, be in a vertical position and face squarely to the front; (ii) red retro-reflector, be in a vertical position and face squarely to the back; and (iii) yellow retro-reflector, be in a vertical position and face squarely to the side, but, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in these regulation, a motor vehicle manufactured, built or imported by a registered manufacturer, builder or importer may have a red retro-reflector fitted at the side towards the rear of such motor vehicle; © be clean and in good condition and not be obscured to the extent that it will be rendered ineffective; and (d) not be fitted to any movable part of the vehicle: Provided that this provision shall not apply to a warning sign contemplated in regulation 191 (2) (a). (2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in these regulations, if due to the design of the vehicle it is not possible to fit a retro-reflector in the prescribed position, it may be fitted as close as possible to the prescribed position.

 

192. Unlawful use of reflector or reflective material (1) Subject to subregulation (2), no person shall operate on a public road a vehicle whilst a reflector or reflective material fitted to such vehicle does not reflect a— (a) white colour to the front of such vehicle; (b) red colour to the rear of such vehicle; and © yellow colour to the side of such vehicle, but, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in these regulations, a motor vehicle manufactured, built or imported by a registered manufacturer, builder or importer may have a red retro-reflector fitted at the side towards the rear of such motor vehicle. (2) The provisions of this regulation shall not apply in respect of— (a) an ambulance, rescue vehicle, police vehicle, a vehicle driven by a traffic officer in the execution of his or her duties and a fire-fighting vehicle; (b) a number plate; © a warning sign referred to in regulation 191; (d) direction indicators referred to in regulation 326; (e) a sign referred to in regulation 293 (2) or 295 (2); and ( f ) retro-reflective material as contemplated in regulation 192A. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subregulation (1) the pedals, pedal arms or spokes of a pedal cycle shall, if such cycle is operated on a public road during the period between sunset and sunrise and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavourable weather conditions, persons and vehicles upon the public road are not clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres, be fitted with yellow or white reflectors or reflective material.

[Paul Ruinaard]

I keep forgetting to do this, just 1 small reflector behind the seatpost and maybe on the front forks.

I wonder if wearing a headlight with a white forward light and red rear light makes the reflectors legally not necessary?

 

 

sounds like you just want to antagonise drivers by simulating a car that has their brights on... that doesn't bode well for the rest of us pointing our lights towards the ground several meters ahead of us

Hmm

 

Lets talk about antagonising motorists.

 

So FWIW:  I use a 900 lumen light but when on flash mode its a lot less than that it seems as it last about 30 hours strobing.

 

But

 

On the continuum of being irritating to get noticed vs not being noticed i would rather irritate and therefore attract attention to myself.

 

Almost to a tee any rear impact or head on overtaking accident is caused by the motorist not seeing the 2 wheeler. Mostly because as a 2 wheeler you have reduced frontal area and often fade in to the background too easily by what you wear.

 

The object is to therefore stand out from the background as much as possible.

 

And as for the regulations - they are all great but if i need to break them to survive then i will happily pay the price rather than not be noticed and pay that price. You aren't exactly doing this because the taxis and such road users play by the regulations.

 

I have seen on my motorbike how far away you notice a bike with orange headlights on bright (covers that is) versus normal white lights. It's all about increased frontal area as well. So dual LED lights mounted wide on bright make you seem bigger and therefore the car driver will notice you sooner

 

In my book he difference between irritate and be seen is irrelevant - increased visibility is what i want. Often if the motorist can't work out how substantial the object behind the light is they will think twice about overtaking oncoming to me. If they even see me and do that assessment they are taking me in to account - and that is all i am trying to achieve.

 

Its not that i enjoy irritating motorists. Most of the time i ride in the day - i am not training in darkness at all - and if i do ride at night its off road and yes then i have 4000 lumens on the bike but mainly because i am night blind.

[Sven137]

Which is why i have a 900 lumen front flasher on my bars as well as 300 lumen rear and why i ride with them on in bright sunshine.

 

 

So you're one of them cyclists that like blinding people... i just see black dots for a few min after a cyclist with bright lights come past in the opposite direction.....  almost as bad as those moron motorcyclists riding with their brights and spots on full blazing away blinding other road users.

 

I have the same problem on my motorbike when blinded by selfish motorcycle riders coming the other way or coming up behind you with brights and spots blazing .. i cant see the road for a few seconds as i am blinded and the black dots take a bit of time to subside...  but they're happy they've seen and screw other road users.