Safety on the roads ... and cyclists behaviour...

[gadi-perl]

Im amazed everytime I drive thru CBD Cape Town or if im cycling along Clifton to Lladudno..

Cyclists without helmets, wearing earphones and even riding against the traffic. People with zero sense of common, and self preservation. Boggles the mind...

['Dale]

Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but with the carnage on our roads about to pass 800 fatalities this December, a quick breakdown of the stats:

 

(article from the 20th of December) Road fatalities for December 2018 – the ugly truth:

• A total of 767 people have been killed on SA roads over the festive period, 16% more than the previous year.
• KwaZulu-Natal is the most dangerous province to drive in, with 162 fatalities recorded.
• There have been 125 deaths in Gauteng, 89 in both Eastern Cape and Limpopo, 82 in Mpumalanga, 81 in Western Cape, 78 in Free State, and 57 in North West.
• The Northern Cape has seen the least amount of fatalities (24), but is responsible for the highest increase in crashes causing death (71%).
• Free State (+53%) and KZN (+46%) have also seen some of the sharpest increases in road deaths.
• Human error is blamed for 86% of all incidents, with road and vehicle faults accounting for less than one-in-seven traffic collisions.
• In total, 34 minibus taxis have been involved in fatal accidents.
• Meanwhile, trucks are even more dangerous, accounting for 44 separate collisions.
• There were 10 666 fines handed out to drivers who did not have a license, whereas 9 620 were for drivers who didn’t fasten their seat belts.
• Incidents of hit-and-run (+17%), speeding (+14%), and reckless overtaking (+10%) also increased.

Tell me again how cyclists are at fault?

Enough said

It’s carnage out there ????????????????????????????????????

[Patchelicious]

Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but with the carnage on our roads about to pass 800 fatalities this December, a quick breakdown of the stats:

 

(article from the 20th of December) Road fatalities for December 2018 – the ugly truth:

• A total of 767 people have been killed on SA roads over the festive period, 16% more than the previous year.
• KwaZulu-Natal is the most dangerous province to drive in, with 162 fatalities recorded.
• There have been 125 deaths in Gauteng, 89 in both Eastern Cape and Limpopo, 82 in Mpumalanga, 81 in Western Cape, 78 in Free State, and 57 in North West.
• The Northern Cape has seen the least amount of fatalities (24), but is responsible for the highest increase in crashes causing death (71%).
• Free State (+53%) and KZN (+46%) have also seen some of the sharpest increases in road deaths.
• Human error is blamed for 86% of all incidents, with road and vehicle faults accounting for less than one-in-seven traffic collisions.
• In total, 34 minibus taxis have been involved in fatal accidents.
• Meanwhile, trucks are even more dangerous, accounting for 44 separate collisions.
• There were 10 666 fines handed out to drivers who did not have a license, whereas 9 620 were for drivers who didn’t fasten their seat belts.
• Incidents of hit-and-run (+17%), speeding (+14%), and reckless overtaking (+10%) also increased.

Tell me again how cyclists are at fault?

At fault for what?

[ChrisF]

Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but with the carnage on our roads about to pass 800 fatalities this December, a quick breakdown of the stats:

 

......

Tell me again how cyclists are at fault?

 

The roadworks over the N1 at Bellville has been ongoing for more than 2 years.  The bridge hardly has space for two cars next to each other ....

 

A barricade was set up and a pedestrian and cycling lane (of sorts) was made to allow safe passage over the N1.

 

 

NOPE .... 23 December three cyclists sees fit to cycle over the bridge, North bound - UP and over the bridge at about 10km/h ....  YES, they were single file.  But, there simply is no space !!

 

 

Seeing the situation for what it was, I switched on my hazards, and stayed behind them.  Should have seen the kamakazi moves of other drivers to get past me !!

 

 

These three cyclists were blissfully unaware of the near accidents they caused ... 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to burst your bubble ... but there still is that small percentage of cyclists that makes life difficult for the rest of us.

[Patchelicious]

I think people are trying to be obtuse, that or they are trying to defend/deflect from their own riding.

 

The point about being a considerate human being while on your bicycle is simple.

 

We are all in agreement that too many cyclists are being killed by reckless drivers at the moment.

 

Lots of hit and runs as there are no consequences for those who do it.

 

That needs to change.

 

For it to change more people need to actually care.

 

Currently the perception of cyclists is not a good one. Go read comments on non-cycling forums when a cyclist gets hit. Lots of people hate us.

 

To change that hate, we need to ride more considerately and not piss people off blatantly like some of us do. It’s not a big ask.

 

This is not THE solution, it contributes to the solution.

 

So while cyclists are not to blame 767 deaths on the road so far or the 10666 fines handed out, cyclists can not do much to change THAT. What we can do, right now, for free, is to be nice to other motorists. It might not change much in the short term, but it’s also not a big ask.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Patchelicious

[Patchelicious]

Look if your twatish behaviour while on a bicycle only affected you, I wouldn’t care less. But unfortunately it affects us all as we are seen as one group.

[Kom]

Two choices 1 - ride on the mountain and deal with more frequent falls and related injuries 2 - ride crack of dawn to still enjoy road riding or ride events only where there is protection in numbers.

 

Cars that drive in bike lanes, in the emergency lane, cut me off on corners taking the a-line, Bakkies and fortuners that behave like formula 1 cars, Uber drivers that are paid to look at their phones and not the road etc etc are not going to change anytime soon, and I’m not going to be fodder for the cause.

[Pure Savage]

Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but with the carnage on our roads about to pass 800 fatalities this December, a quick breakdown of the stats:

 

(article from the 20th of December) Road fatalities for December 2018 – the ugly truth:

• A total of 767 people have been killed on SA roads over the festive period, 16% more than the previous year.
• KwaZulu-Natal is the most dangerous province to drive in, with 162 fatalities recorded.
• There have been 125 deaths in Gauteng, 89 in both Eastern Cape and Limpopo, 82 in Mpumalanga, 81 in Western Cape, 78 in Free State, and 57 in North West.
• The Northern Cape has seen the least amount of fatalities (24), but is responsible for the highest increase in crashes causing death (71%).
• Free State (+53%) and KZN (+46%) have also seen some of the sharpest increases in road deaths.
• Human error is blamed for 86% of all incidents, with road and vehicle faults accounting for less than one-in-seven traffic collisions.
• In total, 34 minibus taxis have been involved in fatal accidents.
• Meanwhile, trucks are even more dangerous, accounting for 44 separate collisions.
• There were 10 666 fines handed out to drivers who did not have a license, whereas 9 620 were for drivers who didn’t fasten their seat belts.
• Incidents of hit-and-run (+17%), speeding (+14%), and reckless overtaking (+10%) also increased.

Tell me again how cyclists are at fault?

Wait!!!! So cyclists jumping red lights aren’t number 1?

[Kenty]

Until you get stabbed in the bushes.

Hehe...oh not to worry been there done that ...4th March 2018 ...stabbed multipile times and once in the chest...and believe it or not whilst running on a nice suburbia TAR road ..on my way to the trails ....I was not even IN the bush as yet ...Im much safer in the bush ...I did manage to break the asswipes arm BUT he still managed to get away with my beloved trail pack...

[Velouria]

Wait!!!! So cyclists jumping red lights aren’t number 1?

Amazingly, nope. Not even number 2. Or 3. Or 50...

 

Cyclists aren't guilt free though:

 

In 2015, two pedestrians were killed and 96 seriously injured after being hit by a bicycle. But every year more than 100 cyclists are killed and more than 3,000 seriously injured on British roads – the majority by motorists

From The Independant

 

I couldn't find anything about the number of motorists killed by cyclists ;P

 

I imagine the SA stats are much worse (in terms of cyclists killed and injured).

[SuperDooperSnooper]

Wait!!!! So cyclists jumping red lights aren’t number 1?

 

 

Sorry for flogging a dead horse, but with the carnage on our roads about to pass 800 fatalities this December, a quick breakdown of the stats:

 

(article from the 20th of December)

Road fatalities for December 2018 – the ugly truth:

• A total of 767 people have been killed on SA roads over the festive period, 16% more than the previous year.
• KwaZulu-Natal is the most dangerous province to drive in, with 162 fatalities recorded.
• There have been 125 deaths in Gauteng, 89 in both Eastern Cape and Limpopo, 82 in Mpumalanga, 81 in Western Cape, 78 in Free State, and 57 in North West.
• The Northern Cape has seen the least amount of fatalities (24), but is responsible for the highest increase in crashes causing death (71%).
• Free State (+53%) and KZN (+46%) have also seen some of the sharpest increases in road deaths.
• Human error is blamed for 86% of all incidents, with road and vehicle faults accounting for less than one-in-seven traffic collisions.
• In total, 34 minibus taxis have been involved in fatal accidents.
• Meanwhile, trucks are even more dangerous, accounting for 44 separate collisions.
• There were 10 666 fines handed out to drivers who did not have a license, whereas 9 620 were for drivers who didn’t fasten their seat belts.
• Incidents of hit-and-run (+17%), speeding (+14%), and reckless overtaking (+10%) also increased.

Tell me again how cyclists are at fault?

 

With reference to your quote, 767 people killed - it doesn't stipulate whether driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist or whatever vehicle was involved. 767 lives lost because of human error in 86% of incidents - again it doesn't stipulate whether it was a truck speeding or cyclist running a red light.

 

It all comes down to the rotten attitude in SA at the moment of "I'll do whatever I want, even if it is dangerous or against the law, and f*&^ you if you feel differently". This, together with the fashionable "I won't change my behaviour unless you change yours first" is cooking up a deadly recipe of carnage as it deepens the general disrespect everybody has towards each other at the moment. It is so easy to pass the blame to somebody else, but unless EVERYBODY starts to think how their actions may badly affect or end another's life, nothing is going to change for the better.

 

Whether in your car or on your bike, maybe start by once a day putting yourself in another road user's shoes and think how you could adjust your actions to make it better and safer for both of you.

 

Just a though... 

[m-squared]

At risk of being flamed by everyone here, shouldn't cyclists be issued fines as well?  We are all road users so cyclists should't be exempt.  This could help curb the egiot cyclists out there.

[Starvin' Marvin]

At risk of being flamed by everyone here, shouldn't cyclists be issued fines as well?  We are all road users so cyclists should't be exempt.  This could help curb the egiot cyclists out there.

If the cops see you jump a red you should be fined as you've broken the law. However I cannot remember when last I have seen cops enforcing the laws.

 

We should do what New York did in the 80s. Enforce the laws, no matter how trivial. Don't use an indicator, get a fine, hoot when not needed(I'm looking at you taxis), issue a fine, tail light out of commision, issue a fine, headlight not working, issue a fine etc.

[Starvin' Marvin]

Sobering fact. Africa  has 2% of the worlds cars, yet it contributes to 20% of the total road fatalities,

[Kranswurm]

Hehe...oh not to worry been there done that ...4th March 2018 ...stabbed multipile times and once in the chest...and believe it or not whilst running on a nice suburbia TAR road ..on my way to the trails ....I was not even IN the bush as yet ...Im much safer in the bush ...I did manage to break the asswipes arm BUT he still managed to get away with my beloved trail pack...

ha ha.Sounds a bit hairy....I agree ,I'd rather be in the bush

[Velouria]

We should do what New York did in the 80s. Enforce the laws, no matter how trivial. Don't use an indicator, get a fine, hoot when not needed(I'm looking at you taxis), issue a fine, tail light out of commision, issue a fine, headlight not working, issue a fine etc.

Yeah. That didn't really work. There was no causal link between the "broken windows" policing and the reduction of felony crimes. The end result was that more people hated (and distrusted) the cops, and more people were brought into the criminal justice system, often with negative effects.

 

"...report — by DOI Commissioner Mark Peters and NYPD Inspector General Philip Eure — takes direct aim at the “broken windows” policy that Bratton famously began pushing in the 1990s. Their report notes the cost of that policy “in police time, in an increase of the number of people brought into the criminal justice system and, at times, in a fraying of the relationship between the police and the communities they serve.”

 

"For instance, the report found that such crack-downs on small crimes disproportionately happened in precincts with large numbers of black and Hispanic residents, while precincts with large percentages of white residents were much less affected.

 

And yet, the report notes, when the NYPD decreased its quality-of-life policing from 2010 to 2015, the number of felony crimes kept dropping, suggesting that there wasn’t a causal relationship between the two.

 

The data showed that felony crime didn’t increase between 2010 and 2015 and in many cases decreased — at the same time that the number of quality-of-life summonses issued declined significantly.

 

“Broad generalizations about quality-of-life summonses as a panacea are not supported by empirical evidence,” the inspector general’s review said.

 

From an easy to read summary by the Washington Post

 

For a more hardcore read, check out this

 

"There is also no consensus on the existence of a link between disorder and crime, and how to properly measure such a link if it does indeed exist"