Cyclist shot at cradle...

[Andymann]

Some time back when I was still with Yamaha we had demo days out at Dewildt where people could take YZ's and WR's on a loop for testing.  We had all the bikes fitted with Tracetec trackers because the MX bikes had no batteries.  They aren't fail safe, because they need to be close to a radio transmitter to register, but we were able to at least advertise that the bikes were all being tracked, and in the time that we did it, we never had an incident.

 

I spoke with Tracetec a few years back about looking at bicycles after a mate of mines bike was stolen, but the problem was you need to hide the tracker away and it's flat like a credit card.  I suggested that if you could manufacture a unit which was cylindrical, and slide it down the seat tube, and then plug the seat tube with either an epoxy or a plastic bung so that the tracker was unable to be removed, you might actually be able to trace where all the frames are ending up.

 

There were quite a few mails exchanged, but they never really seemed interested.

[geomark]

I am not sure if any club rep was there.

 

We have to form a structure / organisation for it, if there isn't such a thing here in 

JHB or GP. I am fairly new here so maybe others can let us know if there is anything like that? I would be down to join / help organise. 

Guys, not to be grumpy but we seem to have slipped into 2 pages of chat about microdots, which is great but really not addressing the core problem.

 

I am not a club rider but do use the Cradle fairly regularly, I would assume that clubs by their nature already have a security plan in riding in groups and are not going to be the most motivated.

 

gerrit is there a contact for the local group NPO organisation where we could invite them to give us a rundown of the plans on the hub and try to organise a fundraiser as a start before seeing if can do longer term funding drives?

 

I too would be prepared to donate some time and money but need a place to start.

[gerrit_c]

Guys, not to be grumpy but we seem to have slipped into 2 pages of chat about microdots, which is great but really not addressing the core problem.

 

I am not a club rider but do use the Cradle fairly regularly, I would assume that clubs by their nature already have a security plan in riding in groups and are not going to be the most motivated.

 

gerrit is there a contact for the local group NPO organisation where we could invite them to give us a rundown of the plans on the hub and try to organise a fundraiser as a start before seeing if can do longer term funding drives?

 

I too would be prepared to donate some time and money but need a place to start.

 

I will email them to get that info and find out how they usually communicate with cyclists riding in the cradle apart from the clubs.

[geomark]

So Hubbers who use the Cradle, assuming that there is an existing organisation with a working plan for improving overall safety for residents and cyclists, what would the appetite be for individuals to donate some funds towards it in the short term while other longer lasting funding models can be explored?

[GrahamS2]

Not surprised Durban is on that list

Inanda, specifically, is the murder capital of SA. 

[Maaknplan]

yeah I agree that it is a great idea and I also think it will help. What happens though if a car or number plates have been stolen or are fake, does that automatically trigger an alarm?

If the registration is on the system as stolen it will flag security / police.

If it is fake it can still be tracked until the plates are changed

[Eldron]

Okay point taken. I should have said Cape Town is the 15th most violent city in the world. Doesn't reassure me much however at all. 

 

Do have a look at this however-

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/best-and-worst/#most-stressed-out-countries

 

South Africa is the 2nd most STRESSED country in the world (2nd only to Nigeria). This is based on the homicide rate, gdp per capita, income inequality, corruption score, unemployment rate, pollution, and life expetancy. This is a good indicator yeah? 

 

You'll get no argument from me in the STRESSED department - I always thought I was a pretty chilled guy but I reached a whole new level of chill after a few months in Denmark. By stressed I mean in the traditional sense not the Bloomberg sense.

 

That said - you're pivoting quite heavily from "most dangerous country on earth" to "stressed". 

 

Of the 7 indicators on the STRESSED score SA was in the top 3 in GDP per capita, unemployment, air pollution and life expectancy - not homicide rate.

 

That said - if you're in South Africa and have a job, house and car then you're largely exempt from all 7 metrics - air pollution is a tough one to avoid.

[Tristand]

Some time back when I was still with Yamaha we had demo days out at Dewildt where people could take YZ's and WR's on a loop for testing.  We had all the bikes fitted with Tracetec trackers because the MX bikes had no batteries.  They aren't fail safe, because they need to be close to a radio transmitter to register, but we were able to at least advertise that the bikes were all being tracked, and in the time that we did it, we never had an incident.

 

I spoke with Tracetec a few years back about looking at bicycles after a mate of mines bike was stolen, but the problem was you need to hide the tracker away and it's flat like a credit card.  I suggested that if you could manufacture a unit which was cylindrical, and slide it down the seat tube, and then plug the seat tube with either an epoxy or a plastic bung so that the tracker was unable to be removed, you might actually be able to trace where all the frames are ending up.

 

There were quite a few mails exchanged, but they never really seemed interested.

 

Putting an RF transmitter or receiver inside a carbon structure is problem, it absorbs the RF energy. Caused massive problems with early timing chips and they are even on the outside.

[MudLark]

Guys, not to be grumpy but we seem to have slipped into 2 pages of chat about microdots, which is great but really not addressing the core problem.

 

I tend to the view that it's very much about the core problem (bicycle theft/jacking) and that Cradle is a localised symptom - not the core problem. Maar nou ja. We'll leave it there then.

[Fruity]

Inanda, specifically, is the murder capital of SA.

https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/sas-murder-capital-to-get-a-dedicated-tactical-response-team-mbalula-20171026

[geomark]

I tend to the view that it's very much about the core problem (bicycle theft/jacking) and that Cradle is a localised symptom - not the core problem. Maar nou ja. We'll leave it there then.

Perhaps I chose my words poorly, "immediate problem" may be a better choice, of safety in the Cradle

[Pulse]

Putting an RF transmitter or receiver inside a carbon structure is problem, it absorbs the RF energy. Caused massive problems with early timing chips and they are even on the outside.

 

Agree.

RFiD won't be a solution.  It does not work inside metal/carbon, and even when placed against it on the outside it is still a bit of hit and miss.

[Nick]

[CAAD4]

I hope Jim is recovering well. I'm surprised that no one with an EBike has volunteered to patrol and get their hill training in at the same time...

[BigDL]

What a horrific incident. Unfortunately something that is all too common in SA. Stay safe guys. Be alert, be paraat, be aware and never take anything for granted.

[MudLark]

Perhaps I chose my words poorly, "immediate problem" may be a better choice, of safety in the Cradle

 

Fair enough then.