Main Road, Diep River cycling accident

[Pure Savage]

Hate to play devils advocate, but ... was the deceased riding in a peloton?

Yes? Why does that make any difference?

 

It’s legal. Unlike driving a car when not fit to do so.

 

You are not being a devils advocate, you are being a ****.

 

Edit: bikehub posting did not let me put all the letters together.

[Pure Savage]

R.i.p fellow cyclist.

 

It may well be that the driver could have had a medical issue that caused him to pass out.

Or a genuine case of a driver just falling asleep due to many hours of driving.

 

But can see why people jump to conclusions re alcohol being involved, when people have prangs at 5.a.m (ish) often booze and all night party is part of the reason.

 

Safer to start Sat morning rides at 7:30?

Pick your poison, church goer late for church speeding past, a late person to park run, someone late for a rugby game, taxi’s...

[DieselnDust]

Riding through hout bay yesterday afternoon. **** in BMW advertising pure something or other. Drives me into the pavement from behind. Didn't stop. I got going and it seemed he was late for a coffee date. So I thought I'd drop by and join him and his stukkie.

Fact is there an idiot behind many steering wheels in Cape town.

 

Riding in a group is not illegal so don't be a p... Tinmug.

 

What's more concerning is that driving standards are visibly declining daily. Not a day goes by where I'm surprised by just how stupid drivers in Cape town are willing to behave.

 

This driver may be traumatised but it's culpable homicide. I hope he gets time

[Coolspin]

Pick your poison, church goer late for church speeding past, a late person to park run, someone late for a rugby game, taxi’s...

Yip, true this, we cant trust a green light at any time of the day in S.A. too.

 

This poor bunch of riders were just at wrong place at wrong time, little bit quicker or slower and the car may not have hit them, very sad incident.

[porqui]

Hate to play devils advocate, but ... was the deceased riding in a peloton?

 

Would have made no difference.

[tinmug]

Dear @Pure Savage and @DieselInDust,

 

I am neither seeking exoneration nor trying to blame anyone. Instead, like we all tend to do when something terrible strikes close to hime, I am trying to establish a basis of facts in order to try and understand the tragedy. 

 

In addition I not stating the legality of 'group' riding or 'peloton' riding, and being neither a lawyer nor a traffic policeman by profession I cannot tell you whether or not it is permissible. 

 

However, my understanding – and I stand to correction – is that riding abreast is not legal (yes, yes, I know a peloton can evolve into many shapes, single file included). If the were riding in a 2+ deep formation – and again, I stress if: trying to establish this – then it may be a mitigating factor.

 

I sincerely welcome information that proves me wrong. 

 

I wish the only the very best to the deceased family and friends. It remains an unnecessary way to die. 

[Tim Brink]

Dear @Pure Savage and @DieselInDust,

 

I am neither seeking exoneration nor trying to blame anyone. Instead, like we all tend to do when something terrible strikes close to hime, I am trying to establish a basis of facts in order to try and understand the tragedy. 

 

In addition I not stating the legality of 'group' riding or 'peloton' riding, and being neither a lawyer nor a traffic policeman by profession I cannot tell you whether or not it is permissible. 

 

However, my understanding – and I stand to correction – is that riding abreast is not legal (yes, yes, I know a peloton can evolve into many shapes, single file included). If the were riding in a 2+ deep formation – and again, I stress if: trying to establish this – then it may be a mitigating factor.

 

I sincerely welcome information that proves me wrong. 

 

I wish the only the very best to the deceased family and friends. It remains an unnecessary way to die. 

You are, of course, correct with the above. But this is not feel like the time or place to be correct with the above, surely? There are plenty of less tragic threads in Hubland to be a smart arse.

 

FYI the group was not riding two-abreast. Hopefully that is the end of this tangent.

[Shebeen]

Dear @Pure Savage and @DieselInDust,

 

I am neither seeking exoneration nor trying to blame anyone. Instead, like we all tend to do when something terrible strikes close to hime, I am trying to establish a basis of facts in order to try and understand the tragedy.

 

In addition I not stating the legality of 'group' riding or 'peloton' riding, and being neither a lawyer nor a traffic policeman by profession I cannot tell you whether or not it is permissible.

 

However, my understanding – and I stand to correction – is that riding abreast is not legal (yes, yes, I know a peloton can evolve into many shapes, single file included). If the were riding in a 2+ deep formation – and again, I stress if: trying to establish this – then it may be a mitigating factor.

 

I sincerely welcome information that proves me wrong.

 

I wish the only the very best to the deceased family and friends. It remains an unnecessary way to die.

Not sure what your game is?

 

But the info we have is:

Group of 5 riders

Driver on opposite side of the road

Car injured 2, killed 1

 

 

I don't know how the configuration of cyclists has anything to do with it,

[FootballingCyclist]

The msg below is from 1 of the guys who was involved.. I have removed the names of the riders as I am not sure if people want to be contacted as yet and they might be known to other hubbers.

 

"Just so that everybody has some perspective on this morning's tragedy. ***, *** and myself left from FH at 4.30am to go and rendezvous with **, ***, ***, and **** in Bergvliet along the main road at the Shell garage 5am. We then were headed towards Rondebosch on the main road. We were all riding single file and right next to the 3 Arts in Plumstead a polo heading towards Muizenberg way veered across the road and was accelerating. He narrowly missed the first 4 in the peleton and hit **** and **** on their right side of their legs knocking them off their bikes. **** had no choice but to try and avoid the car by steering right and the car hit him on the left side of the car. The driver admitted to falling asleep both on the steering and we believe the pedal. He was quite traumatised as well ..we all are giving the detective our statements tomorrow. Please cycle carefully on the roads tomorrow 5fs."

[Wet Ears]

How do you expect someone who has worked the 12 hour night shift to get home after a hectic shift?

Really?

[FootballingCyclist]

Not sure what your game is?

But the info we have is:

Group of 5 riders

Driver on opposite side of the road

Car injured 2, killed 1

I don't know how the configuration of cyclists has anything to do with it,

Regardless if they were 8 abreast, a car from the OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD veered across the road and hit them!

 

Mitigating factor, I think not!!

[Pure Savage]

Dear @Pure Savage and @DieselInDust,

 

I am neither seeking exoneration nor trying to blame anyone. Instead, like we all tend to do when something terrible strikes close to hime, I am trying to establish a basis of facts in order to try and understand the tragedy.

 

In addition I not stating the legality of 'group' riding or 'peloton' riding, and being neither a lawyer nor a traffic policeman by profession I cannot tell you whether or not it is permissible.

 

However, my understanding – and I stand to correction – is that riding abreast is not legal (yes, yes, I know a peloton can evolve into many shapes, single file included). If the were riding in a 2+ deep formation – and again, I stress if: trying to establish this – then it may be a mitigating factor.

 

I sincerely welcome information that proves me wrong.

 

I wish the only the very best to the deceased family and friends. It remains an unnecessary way to die.

If they were riding 4 abreast no one would have died...

 

Don’t be a ****.

 

When a driver kills a cyclist there are no mitigating factors. You operate a bloody 1,5 ton machine take some responsibility ffs.

 

If the driver had taken the operation of a killing machine seriously when he was so tired he fell asleep this would not have happened.

 

Do you think the driver would have shaved his ball hairs with a razor blade in the state he drove that morning? Probably not, so why go drive?

 

Zero sympathy for the driver make a lesson out of him for other people driving.

[MDJ]

Condolences to the family and friends - RIP to another cyclist killed on the roads this year . Its a sad day to read of such a tragic event on a route that I used to ride so often, hits close to home.

 

How do we make our sport safer - support vehicles, dedicated riding routes ... something? I see PPA is arranging a weekly Cape Town vehicle supported ride for new riders, step in the right direction?

 

I've got 4 guys who I work with planning to do their first CTCT this year, I worry about their safety, between vehicles and muggings - hasn't been a good year.

[Sven137]

How do you expect someone who has worked the 12 hour night shift to get home after a hectic shift?

 

Sorry ?!? But are you saying that you support unfit to drive, drivers....  driving on the roads ?

[marko35s]

Not sure what your game is?

 

But the info we have is:

Group of 5 riders

Driver on opposite side of the road

Car injured 2, killed 1

 

 

I don't know how the configuration of cyclists has anything to do with it,

Yep, given that the peleton was on the correct side of the road then the riders had sod all to do with the accident no matter how wide or long it was. 

I can't for the life of me see any logic in questioning how they were riding given that the car was driving on the wrong side of the road, the logic beggars belief.

[marko35s]

How do you expect someone who has worked the 12 hour night shift to get home after a hectic shift?

To take adequate precautions that ensure they don't kill someone on the way home?

Too tired to drive? Make another plan.