Jonkershoek/Stellenbosch - Bike lane. Why not use it?

['Dale]

I was riding along Spanschemaat this morning on the gravel path on my gravel grinder. I came up behind 2 people walking their dogs and slowed to a stop before asking if i could pass. I uncleated and waited so I could get past safely . The elderly gentleman proceeded to give me an earful about how I was not allowed on the gravel path with my bike. As far as I know, the gravel path is a bike and pedestrian path - there is nothing saying bicycles are not allowed on that path. I don't understand why we cannot all be civil and share the spaces equally.

Maybe he's had a tough time with other cyclists or runners.

Even got taken out one fine morning by a guy on a fat bike.

Who knows.

 

Where cyclists are vulnerable on the road with cars, cyclists render pedestrians vulnerable on paths as there's metal and rubber involved.

[MTBeer]

I was riding along Spanschemaat this morning on the gravel path on my gravel grinder.  I came up behind 2 people walking their dogs and slowed to a stop before asking if i could pass.  I uncleated and waited so I could get past safely .  The elderly gentleman proceeded to give me an earful about how I was not allowed on the gravel path with my bike.   As far as I know, the gravel path is a bike and pedestrian path - there is nothing saying bicycles are not allowed on that path.  I don't understand why we cannot all be civil and share the spaces equally.

you want to see walkers with an anti-mtb attitude? Go ride Pat's Track on Lion's Head

[Shell Belle]

you want to see walkers with an anti-mtb attitude? Go ride Pat's Track on Lion's Head

 

Haha no thanks 

[Shell Belle]

Maybe he's had a tough time with other cyclists or runners.

Even got taken out one fine morning by a guy on a fat bike.

Who knows.

 

Where cyclists are vulnerable on the road with cars, cyclists render pedestrians vulnerable on paths as there's metal and rubber involved.

 

I do understand this - my worst is when guys on bikes on the greenbelt think they are boy racers and come past pedestrians as fast as they can.  This is why I always make a point to slow down, ask nicely if I can pass, and uncleat if necessary.  

 

If you want to train intervals, don't use spaces where there are walkers and dogs and children.  But I stand by my previous comment - there is no reason we can't all share the paths.

[Schmorglebot]

I ride this road pretty regularly, and trust me, if you're pinning it then that path is the last place you want to be. I'd rather (hardly) inconvenience a vehicle than do that left/right/left shuffle with oncoming pedestrians/cyclists or worse yet a parent with a pram.

 

That being said I personally don't ride 2 abreast purely because there is no shoulder and I don't want to get in anyone's way

[Patchelicious]

That being said I personally don't ride 2 abreast purely because there is no shoulder and I don't want to get in anyone's way

Seems like you poses powers that few other here seem to have or consider normal! Did you go to study this, or was there a nuclear meltdown, or where you simple bitten by Arachnidis Considersis?

[Schmorglebot]

Seems like you poses powers that few other here seem to have or consider normal! Did you go to study this, or was there a nuclear meltdown, or where you simple bitten by Arachnidis Considersis?

 

It's a curse, and also why I don't have any downhill KOMs that go through stop streets

[dave303e]

If you ever run the spruit or botanical gardens you will see cyclists treat runners similarly to how cars treat cyclists. 

 

It is the same as any other food chain, picture birds sitting on different levels of powerlines- the top ones look down and all they see is sh!t, the bottom birds look up and all they see is a$$holes...

[Patchelicious]

People are knobeads. People run, cycle and drive.

[Fat Boab]

People are knobeads. People run, cycle and drive.

 

If you have these, you really need to see a doctor............

[Patchelicious]

If you have these, you really need to see a doctor............

Sometimes typos make a post so much better!! ????

[Quagga]

^^ what he said ^^

 

 

 

Driving to Meerendal on Sunday morning we once again encountered the following :

 

- two cyclists riding next to each other, one in the yellow lane on IN the road (section between the two circles next to D'Urbanville).  With cars coming from the front there was no safe way past them .... light tap on the hooter was greeted with the friendly middle finger.

 

- MOST using the tracks next to the road as far as possible.

 

- then the dreaded section of road works .....  NO alternative but to ride IN the road, with zero safe space for cars to pass.  Not one car tried to "sqeeze past" a cyclist in this zone, patiently waiting for a safe space to pass without endangering the cyclists.

 

 

dare I say .... it would appear the average motorist along this section is more accommodating than that small percentage of cyclists that wants "to own the road" ....

 

 

at least this small sample would suggest the majority of cyclists in this area have a healthy sense of self preservation.  Can only wonder what will happen when our friend with the middle finger waves it at the wrong grumpy old fart with a bull bar ....

There is nothing wrong with that dude.

 

Like you said one is OFF the road and the other one is as far as safely left. So they are not breaking rules.

 

The rule does not state that a cyclist MUST ride next to the road. Yellow lane or not

[Odinson]

There is nothing wrong with that dude.

 

Like you said one is OFF the road and the other one is as far as safely left. So they are not breaking rules.

 

The rule does not state that a cyclist MUST ride next to the road. Yellow lane or not

 

They are. Cyclists are to ride in single file on the road. They were both on the paved road surface, as I read Chris' post. 

[ChrisF]

There is nothing wrong with that dude.

 

Like you said one is OFF the road and the other one is as far as safely left. So they are not breaking rules.

 

The rule does not state that a cyclist MUST ride next to the road. Yellow lane or not

 

seriaaaaaas ? 

 

 

 

okay, I will take the bait .... FORGET the rules !  Ride to stay alive !!!  NO need to ride IN the road blocking cars when there is a nice yellow lane section.

 

 

You now remind me of the two gents we saw at 18:30 on Sunday afternoon St John Road (just past the Durbanville race cource).  Getting nice and dark.  One gent with a "normal" beard had a dim flashing red light on the back of his bike - and he rides furthest from the traffic.  His buddy has one massive LONG beard, red baggie-pants and a red helmet, BUT no red light, actually just plain NO light - and YES he rides the balance beam as he stays right on top of the yellow lane .....  Again - FORGET the "rules" - this guy is playing roulette, and somebody is not going to see him and then we hear of another "tragic accident" ....  I feel sorry for the CAR driver that has to deal with the issues of hitting such a rider !

 

 

PS - I commute, so I spend a fair bit of time sharing the roads with cars, and trying my best to stay alive out there.  So very aware of the dangers, and always astonished when otherwise intelligent people suffer complete brain-fade when they put on a cycling helmet.

 

 

 

o-damn ... I did take that bait, hook-line-and-sinker ...

[AdamA]

They are. Cyclists are to ride in single file on the road. They were both on the paved road surface, as I read Chris' post. 

 

 

There is nothing wrong with that dude.

 

Like you said one is OFF the road and the other one is as far as safely left. So they are not breaking rules.

 

The rule does not state that a cyclist MUST ride next to the road. Yellow lane or not

 

The way i see it is....

 

The Rules:

You are NOT allowed to ride inside the yellow line

You MUST ride single file  (unless your are over taking) 

You must NOT ride in the road if there is a designated bike line (a yellow line is not a designated bike lane).

 

 

The Logic:

If you are going to ride two abreast, then do so in the yellow lane and break two rules at once, and be safe.

if you are going to ride two abreast in the road, then that's the risk you take.

 

 

Remember:

it's simple maths - 75KG@15km/h Vs 2500kg@60km/h .... you're gonna loose

Arrive Alive.... if you don't... well then you're dead and it does't matter who's fault is was.

[Patchelicious]

Rules also state that I AM ALLOWED to go walk around Ponte Tower at 11pm on Friday night.

 

Am I going to excersise that right simply because I CAN and am ALLOWED too? Hardly.