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


ChrisF

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There was more than a plausible causal link between the advent of crack cocaine and a massive increase in mortality rates amongst the drug addicted and their supply chain for the drop in crime rates in New York. Freakonomics et al went in to this. Basically it quite quickly killed all the criminals as it was so addictive.

It is common belief that the broken window thing that Guliani implimented in New York worked to reduce crime, the Freakanomics book largely dispels this saying that the reduction in crime was likely related to Roe vs Wade court case that made abortion legal in the US, this in time reduced single parent households and unwanted kids that may be more inclined to join gangs or turn to crime.

Reduction in crime as a result of this happened across the US at the same time as the reduction in crime in NYC. (Rest of US never had the broken window policy at the time)

Interesting stuff.

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Ok, this time it was definitely him, furiously waved at these mysterious white socks and shoes, couldn't see the rest, and nothing. 

 

Maybe he needs to start wearing white gloves.

Must have been some out of town impostor. I wave at EVERYONE. Except when I am kakking off.

 

I do draw the line at waving at joggers that run in the bike lane though!

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:offtopic:

 

This thread is (supposed to be) about CYCLISTS BEHAVIOUR 

 

 

This post however relates to another kind of two wheel rider.

 

 

We took a day drive in the car, over Du Toits kloof, breakfast in Worcester, nurceries, King Cycles .... (man with a plan :whistling: )

 

 

It is clear how many are returning from their holidays, towing all kinds of caravans and trailers.  And it is clear people are well rested and relaxed.  What a nice vibe on the road, people actually behaving well on the roads ....

 

 

 

Past Du Toits Kloof as we got to the weighbridge there was one near incident though ..  :eek:

 

 

The dual lane narrows to a single lane going straight ahead, and a right turning only lane.  And so we are all idling along in single file at some 60km/h, following two massive trucks.  As we pass the turning point the road becomes dual lane and the cars start moving right to pass the trucks .... Oooopppppssss !!  AT the turning point a 1200GS comes flying by on the white line, and nearly hits 2 or 3 of the cars that have started moving over.  :eek:   :eek:   He then ducks left to pass a car that is already past the truck and already moving left to get out of the fast lane ....

 

 

 

IN Worcester we had an interesting experience with car-driver impatience.  A lady in a motorized wheel chair is driving on the side of the road (one of the back roads), but she needs to pass some parked cars, forcing her into the lane used by cars.  I slow down, give her right of way, and even switch on my hazards to warn two cars behind me.  Hey, maybe I lost 20 seconds ....  Next moment the car behind me darts to the LEFT to pass me !!   :eek:  :eek:   I had to move over to protect the lady in the wheel chair !!  Three blocks later we stop at the SPAR centre next to the church square - YES, this darting car also stops at the centre ,,,, WHY risk life and limb when you are three blocks from shopping .... SURELY nobody is THAT "thirsty" for the TOPS products at 9:30 on a Saturday morning .....

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Must have been some out of town impostor. I wave at EVERYONE. Except when I am kakking off.

 

I do draw the line at waving at joggers that run in the bike lane though!

It was you (Black Canyon, Black top, white socks, white shoes, backpack at around 5pm by the Strawberry farm) I was however on my RS250. I waved so furiously I almost caused an accident!
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It was you (Black Canyon, Black top, white socks, white shoes, backpack at around 5pm by the Strawberry farm) I was however on my RS250. I waved so furiously I almost caused an accident!

Ok - that was me. I'm sorry. Although I don't feel that bad now. I'm quite k@k at noticing people in cars and on motor bikes when riding!

 

I get the same thing from colleagues all the time:

 

"I waved at you - why didn't you wave back?" And then I have to explain that when I'm cycling, I just see vehicles as objects. A continuous stream of never-ending glass and metal blobs flowing past me. As long as they aren't trying to run me over, I don't pay them any attention (that's not an invitation to try to run me over just to get me to wave back!)

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The department says drunk driving has been a leading cause of road fatalities over the holiday season.

More than 1,000 motorists were arrested during this period in Gauteng alone for driving under the influence of alcohol.

https://ewn.co.za/2019/01/07/transport-dept-drunk-driving-leading-cause-of-road-fatalities-over-holidays

 

 

With the festive season road death toll already standing at least 750, the Transport Department has listed the causes of fatal accidents in a bid to raise awareness around illegal driver behaviour.

It’s identified excessive speeding, drunken driving, reckless and negligent driving, along with unroadworthy vehicles, as the key reasons for the many crashes on South African roads over the past few weeks.

 

This is why road users die, not because 3 guys were riding abreast.

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This is why road users die, not because 3 guys were riding abreast.

 

3 abreast provides a far larger target/opportunity for disaster for said drunk driver. 

 

Mitigate your risks. You cannot stop person x drinking. You can help yourself become less chance of being a stat. 

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This is why road users die, not because 3 guys were riding abreast.

You keep conflating the issues. 

 

That is why people die. But why the hell does that mean its ok to ride like chops?

 

We have already clarified that getting public support and sympathy is important.

 

Riding in the bike lane instead off the middle of the road does not engager you as a cyclist in anyway, but it does piss other road users off and adds to our already not great image.

 

Why cant we not acknowledge that?

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You keep conflating the issues. 

 

That is why people die. But why the hell does that mean its ok to ride like chops?

 

We have already clarified that getting public support and sympathy is important.

 

Riding in the bike lane instead off the middle of the road does not engager you as a cyclist in anyway, but it does piss other road users off and adds to our already not great image.

 

Why cant we not acknowledge that?

Patch - I'm quite sure that no amount of riding like a responsible cyclist is going to change my odds of whether I get hit by a car or not. Off the top of my head, I can think of 6 bicycle deaths where the cyclist wasn't riding in the middle of the road. Where he wasn't left turning on a red robot. Where he was riding along and minding his own business, enjoying the thing that unites all of us on The Hub.

 

I choose to be courteous to other road users, because I believe that people should be civil towards each other (even the joggers!) regardless. I stop at all traffic lights. I use hand signals (except to wave at RS250s). I thank drivers when they ride behind me because it's unsafe (mostly for me) for them to pass. And where I do have incidents with dodgy driving, I try to defuse the situation even when I have every right to be totally p!ssed off!

 

But each and every time I hop on my bike, I know that this could be the last time, as none of the above will count for anything when some w@nker runs me over. Because THE DRIVER was drunk. Because THE DRIVER was negligent. Because THE DRIVER was speeding.

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Patch - I'm quite sure that no amount of riding like a responsible cyclist is going to change my odds of whether I get hit by a car or not. Off the top of my head, I can think of 6 bicycle deaths where the cyclist wasn't riding in the middle of the road. Where he wasn't left turning on a red robot. Where he was riding along and minding his own business, enjoying the thing that unites all of us on The Hub.

 

I choose to be courteous to other road users, because I believe that people should be civil towards each other (even the joggers!) regardless. I stop at all traffic lights. I use hand signals (except to wave at RS250s). I thank drivers when they ride behind me because it's unsafe (mostly for me) for them to pass. And where I do have incidents with dodgy driving, I try to defuse the situation even when I have every right to be totally p!ssed off!

 

But each and every time I hop on my bike, I know that this could be the last time, as none of the above will count for anything when some w@nker runs me over. Because THE DRIVER was drunk. Because THE DRIVER was negligent. Because THE DRIVER was speeding.

I can think of more than six road cycling deaths, I have lost friends and put up several ghost bikes, so I am at no illusion of that aspect and the dangers.

 

All I ask is that WE can be better road users too, it doesn't do any harm to anybody to be courteous, but it makes our case better. 

 

These things can be done in parallel. 

 

Just a few days ago I was driving down Gordon and saw something that made me think of this thread, so I asked my wife to take pic from the passenger side.

 

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss153/Patch-elicious/Bike%20Middle_zpso225ofmz.png

 

Now, this is the tiniest of things, it didn't annoy me the slightest I could pass safely as I did, but I can see why it could irritate some roided up guy in a Wildtrack bakkie our some narrow minded motorist. But thats who we are dealing with, they can rightfully ask; why couldn't this rider just ride in the cycle lane?

 

If we all just made small adjustments, not to our own detriment, surely it can only be a good thing?

 

Who knows, maybe I'm just wrong..... 

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I can think of more than six road cycling deaths, I have lost friends and put up several ghost bikes, so I am at no illusion of that aspect and the dangers.

 

All I ask is that WE can be better road users too, it doesn't do any harm to anybody to be courteous, but it makes our case better. 

 

These things can be done in parallel. 

 

Just a few days ago I was driving down Gordon and saw something that made me think of this thread, so I asked my wife to take pic from the passenger side.

 

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss153/Patch-elicious/Bike%20Middle_zpso225ofmz.png

 

Now, this is the tiniest of things, it didn't annoy me the slightest I could pass safely as I did, but I can see why it could irritate some roided up guy in a Wildtrack bakkie our some narrow minded motorist. But thats who we are dealing with, they can rightfully ask; why couldn't this rider just ride in the cycle lane?

 

If we all just made small adjustments, not to our own detriment, surely it can only be a good thing?

 

Who knows, maybe I'm just wrong..... 

Maybe cycle lane full of glass??... there could be many reasons as to why and not that he is just being a chop?

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I can think of more than six road cycling deaths, I have lost friends and put up several ghost bikes, so I am at no illusion of that aspect and the dangers.

 

All I ask is that WE can be better road users too, it doesn't do any harm to anybody to be courteous, but it makes our case better. 

 

These things can be done in parallel. 

 

Just a few days ago I was driving down Gordon and saw something that made me think of this thread, so I asked my wife to take pic from the passenger side.

 

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss153/Patch-elicious/Bike%20Middle_zpso225ofmz.png

 

Now, this is the tiniest of things, it didn't annoy me the slightest I could pass safely as I did, but I can see why it could irritate some roided up guy in a Wildtrack bakkie our some narrow minded motorist. But thats who we are dealing with, they can rightfully ask; why couldn't this rider just ride in the cycle lane?

 

If we all just made small adjustments, not to our own detriment, surely it can only be a good thing?

 

Who knows, maybe I'm just wrong..... 

 

Oooh - that's low!

 

But it serves as a very good example of how things should work.

 

This cyclist is not riding in the bike lane because in about 50m time, there is a conglomeration of manholes and potholes right in the bike lane, at the entrance to the complex on the left. He has decided that it is more predictable of him to ride just outside the bike line in a straight line until he has passed the offending road obstructions. 

 

post-275-0-50341600-1546955966_thumb.png

(Clearly Google need to send their cars around again - the bike lines didn't exist when Google last visited).

 

The reason why this is such a good example of how as road users should interact is because the cyclist pictured here made it home to his wife and kid, and wasn't run over because he was in the way. He wasn't riding in the lane to be a d!ck - there is an obstruction up ahead, and he has chosen a route to avoid it.

 

What the camera doesn't capture, is the wave the cyclist gave the car as it passed him - an acknowledgement that he (the cyclist) was being an inconvenience, but also that the motorist behaved in a kind and considerate manner, and that he was thanking him for his patience.

 

If all road users interacted like these this, threads like this one wouldn't be needed.

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Maybe cycle lane full of glass??... there could be many reasons as to why and not that he is just being a chop?

Absolutely there could be, and I am not saying this person was being a chop, I was explicit that I didnt mind it.

 

I am saying that one can see why the less informed motorist might see it negatively. Thats all.

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Oooh - that's low!

 

But it serves as a very good example of how things should work.

 

This cyclist is not riding in the bike lane because in about 50m time, there is a conglomeration of manholes and potholes right in the bike lane, at the entrance to the complex on the left. He has decided that it is more predictable of him to ride just outside the bike line in a straight line until he has passed the offending road obstructions. 

 

attachicon.gifScreenshot 2019-01-08.png

(Clearly Google need to send their cars around again - the bike lines didn't exist when Google last visited).

 

The reason why this is such a good example of how as road users should interact is because the cyclist pictured here made it home to his wife and kid, and wasn't run over because he was in the way. He wasn't riding in the lane to be a d!ck - there is an obstruction up ahead, and he has chosen a route to avoid it.

 

What the camera doesn't capture, is the wave the cyclist gave the car as it passed him - an acknowledgement that he (the cyclist) was being an inconvenience, but also that the motorist behaved in a kind and considerate manner, and that he was thanking him for his patience.

 

If all road users interacted like these this, threads like this one wouldn't be needed.

Granted and agreed.

 

Edit: This highlighted part is the cause I am for, and it was something I conceded to the Savages too about a self preservation riding style on the Bakoven roads. 

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