creating awareness of cyclists

[Formerly known as easy rider]

Sadly,cyclists being "taken out" by motorists seem to have become a daily occurence lately.

For the past few months I have been facilitating  training rides, both in the morning and afternoon on the same route.Kremetart riders know the road, the Vivo/Louis Trichardt road.

 

I drive behind the last rider with hazard lights on. The other day a taxi stopped me and asked how fast these bicycles go as he had clocked them at 60kmph he said(he seemed very impressed). He was very pleasant and asked all about the training, bikes, etc.

 

The shocker came as he was leaving when he said to me that it is a good idea for me to drive behind the riders because if I was not there they would have to get off the road for the cars. I told the guy that bicycles were allowed on the road. He assured me that they were not and had to pull off when cars came!!!!!

 

Now with this kind of ignorance it is little wonder that cyclists are being killed at the rate they are.I am not singling out taxi drivers here, in fact the taxi guys are very pleasant and patient, and have become fans,they wave and hoot and always wait till it is safe to pass. It has been the "boere" in the bakkies that rant and rave and wave their fist at us on these rides(especially after the bulls lose!!!!)

 

My point here is how to educate motorists.

There are bicycle signs on this road.This road is a well used training route by riders in Louis Trichardt.

I saw a pic of an Aussie sign in the March Ride mag of  "share the road" with a rider on his bike and a car next to him.(maybe someone could scan and paste it for us)

How do I get permission to erect signs such as these on the route,hell it would go a long way to creating awareness of a cyclists rights.

 

Your advice please, I don't want to spend my life driving behind riders to keep them alive!!!

 

[Dicky DQ]

Speak to shaunh

[Guest Big H]

The only signs you may erect are those conforming to the size and specifications as defined in the SARTSM (South African Road Traffic Sign Manual) and you may only erect these sign with the permisson of the relevant Roads Authority. On National Roads it will be SANRAL (South African Roads Agency Limited) On provincial roads in your area it will be the Limpopo Roads Agency and in town it will be the Greater Louis Treurgat / Makhado Local Authority. Any signs not authorised by them may be removed and destroyed.

[Formerly known as easy rider]

H, I figured as much. This Aussie sign as in the ride mag really gets the message across.

 

Since it takes 5 guys from the provincial roads dept 4 days to dig 3 wheel barrows of sand from a culvit, I was figuring that if I put the signs up, it would take them a few years to take off!!

 

The problem being if a who haa takes place and the local press make a big deal of it and the signs are removed,I'm worried that this would lead to motorists being further convinced that cyclists have no right to be on the road.

 

Was wondering if I should have a go at putting up those correx board posters along the road.Problem is the local kids use them to make stuff out of.

[Kiwi]

The only way you are going to get through to those that need getting through to is with government backed TV advertising and a proper police presence on the roads. People tend to think twice when they get hit in the wallet.

[fiasm]

I saw a pic of an Aussie sign in the March Ride mag of  "share the road" with a rider on his bike and a car next to him.(maybe someone could scan and paste it for us)

 

 

http://www.woj.com.au/2006/11/27/wheels-of-justice-say-no-to-road-violence/

 

here is a link containing one such street sign

[AndreZA]

First they have to stop selling BMWs and big 4X4s. Then half the incidents would disappear. Remove the taxis and another 25% are gone. Take away women?s drivers licenses and another 25% gone and thirdly, educate the riders from the big clubs that they are riding like d*se and then there will be about 1 or 2 cases a year.

 

[Canaris]

First they have to stop selling BMWs and big 4X4s. Then half the incidents would disappear. Remove the taxis and another 25% are gone. Take away women?s drivers licenses and another 25% gone and thirdly' date=' educate the riders from the big clubs that they are riding like d*se and then there will be about 1 or 2 cases a year.

 

[/quote']

 

increase the petrol price to R20 a litre and the problem will also be reduced substantially.  Further increase the tax on luxury cars.  Increase speeding fines, confistcate cars from drunken drivers.  All these things reduce the number of cars on the road, also.

[shaunh]

I have sent numerous e-mails to the RTMC Road Traffic Management about including cyclists in there Road Safety Campaign, but have not received a reply.

 

If you can remember when the famous singer Lebo Matoza (spelling) was killed in car accident, there were about 10 massive billboards with her on it with a slogan 'Speed Kills'. We need some of these that states "Did you know that a bicycle has the right to use the roads?"

 

It is very frustrating dealing with these administrations and I am hoping that, with the price of fuel rising to unacceptable levels, that these administrations  will start planning for cycling to become a major transport player in the future and therefore put the necessary safety plans & education in place.

 

In the mean time, we as cyclists need to become more responsible and make ourselves more visible out there!! BE SAFE!!

shaunh2008-06-03 02:04:46

[RaceChick]

First they have to stop selling BMWs and big 4X4s. Then half the incidents would disappear. Remove the taxis and another 25% are gone. Take away women?s drivers licenses and another 25% gone and thirdly' date=' educate the riders from the big clubs that they are riding like d*se and then there will be about 1 or 2 cases a year.

 

?

[/quote']

 

 

 

Women drivers drive better than men Mampara!!

[shaunh]

Former, I have had signs removed, after they (Gautrans) have approved them and erected them for me, by their own people only a week after it was erected. It took a whole month of investigations to finally find out why it was removed and another 3 weeks to have them put up agin.

 

It is not the fact that they take long doing things, but when things (signs) are erected illegally, they are quick to respond.

 

BTW a sign and pole costs over R600 so I would hate to have them destroyed.

[shaunh]

First they have to stop selling BMWs and big 4X4s. Then half the incidents would disappear. Remove the taxis and another 25% are gone. Take away women?s drivers licenses and another 25% gone and thirdly' date=' educate the riders from the big clubs that they are riding like d*se and then there will be about 1 or 2 cases a year.

 

[/quote']

Women drivers drive better than men Mampara!!

 

Don't stop selling cars, BUT PLEASE STOP selling Cellphones. IMHO, driving with a cell phone on your ear is worse than driving after a few too many!!

[IanJ]

Does anyone know what the official stance is on supporting cycling as an alternative means of transport? I heard that they are scared of losing too much revenue on Fuel tax.

 

Shaunh did you not make any contacts at that conference last year in Midrand?

 

[Red Zone]

I dont believe that signage will do the job, it sure helps but is not enough.

You need to separate cyclist from motorists. I suggest that people should be allowed to use their cars only when it is dark, the rest of the time the roads should be exclusivly for bikes. and maybe babes on rollerblades.

 

Seriously. Bike Lanes are the only way to have safe® cycling. In the UK there are cameras photographing people driving in bike lanes. We have some way to go here though

[shaunh]

Does anyone know what the official stance is on supporting cycling as an alternative means of transport? I heard that they are scared of losing too much revenue on Fuel tax.

 

Shaunh did you not make any contacts at that conference last year in Midrand?

 

 

IanJ, yes made all the contacts, had the meetings, had the follow-up meetings and sent numerous e-mails, but still waiting.

 

It seems that with 2010 and all the other 'things' happening, they not worried about 'lil ole me'.

[IanJ]

Would numbers help Shaun? What about getting personalities involved like Andrew Mc etc.

 

I know it is the kind of thing CSA should be doing but couldn't we set up some kind of representative body or am I jumping the gun?