Netwerk24 Cycling related News and Views - Should cyclists be allowed on the roads?

[coppi]

 

The licencing also helps with prevention of vehicle theft.

 If this also helped prevention of bicycle theft in this country it would be enough to justify it !

Anyway I still feel there will some sense of control wrt numbers etc.

[pista]

With the price of petrol you are going to see more bicycles on the road.Guess those not happy with bikes on the road will just have to get used to them.

[Geronimo]

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https://www.netwerk24.com/Stemme/MyStem/stem-hoort-fietsryers-op-die-pad-20180606

 

JA ons behoort op die pad.

 

Where the f@%k are we supposed to be?? On the moon?

S..t questions deserve s..t answers

[GaryvdM]

Hi Gary, 

 

Licensing Bicycles would raise awareness in the cycling community that bicycles 'actually' have to be roadworthy and we (cyclists) also have to abide by the rules of the road.

 

I think the problem is that people don't know the rules

• Car drivers don't know the rules pertaining to bicycles and they're un-aware that they are breaking them
• Cyclists don't know the rules pertaining to bicycles and they're un-aware that they are breaking them.

I don't know the rules pertaining to Trucks, Taxis or Caravans (Apparently the rule for caravans changed a few years ago)

 

So I was talking about vehicle licensing (which I disagree with for bicycles.)

 

When you talk about knowing the rules, I'm assuming you thinking about driver/rider licensing. And I think that a license for cyclists is not a bad idea, with something equivalent to a learners license test.

 

Yes, there are people that don't know the rules. There are also people who know the rules, but who disagree with them, for example me. I know that it's illegal to ride 2 abreast. I think that it's a stupid law.

[Patchelicious]

So I was talking about vehicle licensing (which I disagree with for bicycles.)

 

When you talk about knowing the rules, I'm assuming you thinking about driver/rider licensing. And I think that a license for cyclists is not a bad idea, with something equivalent to a learners license test.

 

Yes, there are people that don't know the rules. There are also people who know the rules, but who disagree with them, for example me. I know that it's illegal to ride 2 abreast. I think that it's a stupid law.

We know the rules, as driver or cyclists, we choose to ignore them.

 

That’s not a licensing issue.

 

Motorists use licensing as justification for their irritation, it’s is not the causation. Licensing will not remove this irriatation. If they start licensing bicycles again, people will just use another justification for their irritation.

 

I think that the best way to remove irritation is to not irritate in the first place, but that means we need to act, and I get the distinct impression that we don’t like taking blame for other people’s irritation.

 

Be a considerate road user, regardless of vehicle type. But seeing as this is a cycling forum...... don’t ride your bike like a dwis.

[Patchelicious]

Hi Gary,

 

Licensing Bicycles would raise awareness in the cycling community that bicycles 'actually' have to be roadworthy and we (cyclists) also have to abide by the rules of the road.

 

I think the problem is that people don't know the rules

• Car drivers don't know the rules pertaining to bicycles and they're un-aware that they are breaking them
• Cyclists don't know the rules pertaining to bicycles and they're un-aware that they are breaking them.

I don't know the rules pertaining to Trucks, Taxis or Caravans (Apparently the rule for caravans changed a few years ago)

To be fair, Gary’s response was to Coppi who said “licenses like we used too”, which is a little different to what you are saying.

[AdamA]

Lets extend that logic:

 

1. A human body will never beat a chain saw

2. Rights don't mater when you dead

 

So you better get out of the way when someone comes at you with a chainsaw?

 

When you are operating a 2000kg car, you need to careful with it. We live in a society..

 

Am I understanding you correctly?

 

Are you saying that a careless car driver and a chainsaw murderer are equivalent?

 

if so, then we should flee from both like the plague... yes?

 

This is where the logic goes pair-shaped.... we will flee from the Chainsaw dude... but we will demand our right to the road, stand our ground, pull zaps, ride 2 abreast and ride in the middle of the road when we should be 'fleeing' ie getting out of the road.

 

I am all for Cycling, 

I am also for road safety, 

 

I enjoy ridding on the road, but I always try to be careful and like when I commute on my Motorbike, I always have to be aware of what the cars are doing, checking Mirrors and Blind spots.

[Fruity]

With the price of petrol you are going to see more bicycles on the road.Guess those not happy with bikes on the road will just have to get used to them.

Yip, and a couple who have a child will have to buy a tandem with a child seat attached.

 

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

[AdamA]

I know that it's illegal to ride 2 abreast. I think that it's a stupid law.

 

I also think its a stupid Law... there is no point in ridding on the road if you can't ride next to your mate and have a chat.

 

But its the law never the less... 

[Imploder]

We know the rules, as driver or cyclists, we choose to ignore them.

 

That’s not a licensing issue.

 

Motorists use licensing as justification for their irritation, it’s is not the causation. Licensing will not remove this irriatation. If they start licensing bicycles again, people will just use another justification for their irritation.

 

I think that the best way to remove irritation is to not irritate in the first place, but that means we need to act, and I get the distinct impression that we don’t like taking blame for other people’s irritation.

 

Be a considerate road user, regardless of vehicle type. But seeing as this is a cycling forum...... don’t rid your bike like a dwis.

Spot on!

[Cippo]

Should minibus taxi's be allowed on the road?

[GaryvdM]

Am I understanding you correctly?

 

Are you saying that a careless car driver and a chainsaw murderer are equivalent?

 

if so, then we should flee from both like the plague... yes?

 

This is where the logic goes pair-shaped.... we will flee from the Chainsaw dude... but we will demand our right to the road, stand our ground, pull zaps, ride 2 abreast and ride in the middle of the road when we should be 'fleeing' ie getting out of the road.

 

I am all for Cycling, 

I am also for road safety, 

 

I enjoy ridding on the road, but I always try to be careful and like when I commute on my Motorbike, I always have to be aware of what the cars are doing, checking Mirrors and Blind spots.

 

Maybe I miss understood you, but the comment I was replying to made it sound like you were defending the actions of careless and belligerent drivers.

 

I know we have to take our safety into our own hands. I get scared on the roads too. It doesn't make it right.

[Cippo]

I get irritated with motorists that don't care that I'm allowed to be on the road like everyone else. I do my bit and stay as far left as I can riding with a rear light day or night. Then, I get irritated when Im riding my bike and or my car and I see cyclists in groups riding 2 and 3 abreast (where the road is clearly busy and not wide enough or have a cycle lane or a yellow line) thinking they own the road or trying to make themselves more visible in this way hoping cars and taxis speeding and driving like crazy will not run over them. You will lose against a 2TON machine. I know even if all of us ride single file or 2 abreast where its allowed its not going to solve anything still. I try as much as I can not to impose my presence when out riding and be as aware of my surroundings as much as possible. Realistically, society in general is in a rapid decline and some people have become so selfish in their deeds they don't care if it affects the next person.

[Patchelicious]

Should minibus taxi's be allowed on the road?

If they are legal and abide by the law, of course.

[Dirkitech]

We know the rules, as driver or cyclists, we choose to ignore them.

 

That’s not a licensing issue.

 

Motorists use licensing as justification for their irritation, it’s is not the causation. Licensing will not remove this irriatation. If they start licensing bicycles again, people will just use another justification for their irritation.

 

I think that the best way to remove irritation is to not irritate in the first place, but that means we need to act, and I get the distinct impression that we don’t like taking blame for other people’s irritation.

 

Be a considerate road user, regardless of vehicle type. But seeing as this is a cycling forum...... don’t ride your bike like a dwis.

This is true- when I rode my motorbike without a license my father was shocked speechless. He asked "how can you ride without a license, you'll get killed". I simply told him me owning a license is not going to stop any car, taxi or truck with a licensed driver from killing me.

(I do not currently ride without a license, for what its worth. Also, this equation ignores things like life insurance, bike insurance, other stuff that are largely irrelevant if you're dead)

 

I get irritated with motorists that don't care that I'm allowed to be on the road like everyone else. I do my bit and stay as far left as I can riding with a rear light day or night. Then, I get irritated when Im riding my bike and or my car and I see cyclists in groups riding 2 and 3 abreast (where the road is clearly busy and not wide enough or have a cycle lane or a yellow line) thinking they own the road or trying to make themselves more visible in this way hoping cars and taxis speeding and driving like crazy will not run over them. You will lose against a 2TON machine. I know even if all of us ride single file or 2 abreast where its allowed its not going to solve anything still. I try as much as I can not to impose my presence when out riding and be as aware of my surroundings as much as possible. Realistically, society in general is in a rapid decline and some people have become so selfish in their deeds they don't care if it affects the next person.

I believe I'm feeling the effect that you describe here.

There are cyclists cyling through Linden with lights on bright, pointed straight forward. It blinds me as a driver on my way to work, ticking me off, then I get to work, kit up and get on my own bike with my headlight. In spite of it being pointed down, i can still see glares coming from car drivers when stopped at robots and cars overtaking often seem to try and pass as close as possible without hitting my- perhaps hoping the wind vortex would pull me over?

My point is, along with cyclists riding 2 abreast, that there are ignorant and/or selfish cyclists making vehicle operators more hostile towards us on the bikes. Some bad hypocrisy amongst those cyclists.

[mecheng89]

Peeps getting cross!

 

Cyclists belong on the roads. It's the worst of the Department of Transport's problems at the mo, so they won't give a hoot. 

 

It's up to us to police ourselves. If a club member is behaving recklessly, call him out! Tell him he has to buy everyone coffee and a yummy croissant! Watch him (or her) quickly stop their BS. It works.