Big groups

[The Ouzo]

Or the person in the 1.5 ton metal box could have been patient and waited?

sure, in an ideal world, but we as cyclist know the driver very seldom is patient, we also know drivers hate us, so why not be courteous and let them through. Even if its closer than 1.5m, its still safer than the possibility of a head on collision or a car swerving in from the side.

 

Reference was made to an 18 wheeler. Most that I come across know they are slow, when they have the space they try and move over. They dont have to, they are just being courteous.

[Vetplant]

sure, in an ideal world, but we as cyclist know the driver very seldom is patient, we also know drivers hate us, so why not be courteous and let them through. Even if its closer than 1.5m, its still safer than the possibility of a head on collision or a car swerving in from the side.

 

Reference was made to an 18 wheeler. Most that I come across know they are slow, when they have the space they try and move over. They dont have to, they are just being courteous.

No space on this piece of road for a person on a bicycle to move over to, let alone an 18 wheeler.

 

Think we can all agree that neither the person in the car or the people on the bicycles were blameless in this scenario. 

 

BUT, the person in the car overtaking was the only party that turned this nuisance situation into a life threatening situation.

[madmarc]

I heard or read somewhere that groups (runners/cyclists) bigger than a certain amount is considered an event and subject to getting permission & permit granted for the event.

 

We had an issue a few years back with a club ride to Bela Bela where the cops stopped us and wanted to see our permit because the group was so big. After that we had to apply for a permit each year.

 

The video is the reason i very rarely ride in club rides anymore - In the old days the club groups were maybe 20 - 25 strong now they can be up to 60 riders, makes it very dangerous when cars try to pass - they don't realize how long the group is as well as the speed they traveling, so once they commit to passing then they realize oooops i misjudged this one - and thats where the kzk starts. 

[bullet77]

Some PE peeps will recognize this road, it's Kragga Kamma, notorious for accidents involving cyclists, it's narrow with no shoulder and also has broken edges which people swerve around and it's quite bumpy. Please be careful out there.

[Pure Savage]

I heard or read somewhere that groups (runners/cyclists) bigger than a certain amount is considered an event and subject to getting permission & permit granted for the event.

 

We had an issue a few years back with a club ride to Bela Bela where the cops stopped us and wanted to see our permit because the group was so big. After that we had to apply for a permit each year.

 

The video is the reason i very rarely ride in club rides anymore - In the old days the club groups were maybe 20 - 25 strong now they can be up to 60 riders, makes it very dangerous when cars try to pass - they don't realize how long the group is as well as the speed they traveling, so once they commit to passing then they realize oooops i misjudged this one - and thats where the kzk starts. 

True, if more than 100 we were told. 

 

Also on the morning ride when our group catches other groups on the road its around 80-100 big, it takes about 5 min for the groups to pass one another.

[Mamil]

What? It never happens the other way around that someone else catches the Savages and drops them?

 

 

True, if more than 100 we were told. 

 

Also on the morning ride when our group catches other groups on the road its around 80-100 big, it takes about 5 min for the groups to pass one another.

[Pure Savage]

What? It never happens the other way around that someone else catches the Savages and drops them?

Of course it happens, but then we are on the way to coffee and in Z2.

[BigDL]

https://youtu.be/qhOnQ02qguk

This was shared.

Terrifying

[Gav1]

How? If the motorist hooted the cyclists probably would have beaten the driver up. They didn't look like a nice bunch of people to me!!

Ja quite a few glaring stare downs as they passed by....when I give this "vuil kyk" it's usually cause a motorist behaved badly

[andreas17777]

I Blame the organisers of the group ride. The group should have been broken into smaller groups at the start.

[splat]

Love the sub heading: 'Supposedly the Pillars of society, but in reality, no more than a bunch of thugs'
 
Clearly the driver got a fright and is now venting on all channels available channels of social media.
 
Silliness on both sides, but 'thugs' ? Really ?

[Dirkitech]

This was shared.

eeeeeyyy, I recognised that road immediately without seeing any cues! That road was stressful and I was just riding my mtb on the gravel dirt back then.

[Pure Savage]

eeeeeyyy, I recognised that road immediately without seeing any cues! That road was stressful and I was just riding my mtb on the gravel dirt back then.

 

That seems the most dangerous as the lady driving the bakkie used that in her over taking manoever.

[scotty]

Not condoning the motorist's action but discipline in cyclists seems missing, if they cannot hear a car approaching from behind then they either need their hearing checked or they have earphones with music blaring which a simple "car back" should have sorted, even riding with groups in single file we still shout it.  When I first saw the footage i thought it was taken at a race where strange how we condemn but less so on a training ride.  

[Ashchest]

Groups of 3 to 8 is a nice size 

[AdamA]

the problem is, how does the motorist make them aware ?

If he hoots he gets aggression from teh cyclists.

His stopping his car in the road indicated agression from his side, I did not watch till the end so dont know what happened further on.

 

To me what should have happened there , the group should know, even though they are not breaking any laws they are taking up a large amount of road space, they are also vulnerable, as courtesy the guys at the back should have started alerting the guys further forward and everyone should have moved over.

Its not about who is right, its about courtesy.

 

*Flame Suit ON*

 

From the video they are breaking the law

 

Not riding in single file

**311.2 Persons riding pedal cycles on a public road shall ride in single file except in the course of overtaking another pedal cycle, and two or more persons riding pedal cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time.

 

Standing while pedaling  ... Yes its illegal... In the video (1:06 - 1:20) there are couple of people standing while pedaling

**311.1 No person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is seated astride on the saddle of such pedal cycle.

 

Illegal Gathering

Unless they followed the correct procedure of notifying the local authorities, then this would also be an Illegal Gathering as there are more than 15 people in a public place.

https://www.gov.za/documents/regulation-gatherings-act

 

I didn't fully zoom in on the video, but i am sure that some of those bikes did not have the necessary reflectors on them to comply with Section **186 and **187.

 

 

 

My point is... not that they are breaking the law (we all do it) , but more that most people don't know that they are breaking the laws that are there to protect them. 

 

I also break the law.... I stand an pedal, sometimes I don't stop at stop signs or red robots, sometime I ride without a helmet, but each and every time I do, I know that I am breaking the law and I am willing to accept the consequences -  be it a warning form a traffic officer, or being killed while ridding on the road after dark with no lights on.

 

 

Now before you tell me these laws from 1996 are grossly outdated, I would agree with you but, these laws are are designed for bicycles vehicles as a means of commuting from one point to another, not for Sport... 

 

When you are doing Sport on the road you can :

ride in a bunch (**311.2)

stand while pedaling(**311.1)  

not worry about reflectors (or lights) (**186,187)

go through red traffic lights and stop streets

exceed the speed limit

 

 

provided that you have the necessary "prior written consent" along with the mandatory "Traffic officer responsible for the safety of the public in the area where the racing or

sporting event is staged or a traffic officer at the scene of the event"

 

**317.2 No person shall organize or take part in any race or sport on a public road, unless the prior written consent of the MEC of the province concerned has been obtained or, where the race or sport will take place wholly within the area of jurisdiction of a local authority, the prior written consent of such local authority has been obtained.

**317.5 A traffic officer responsible for the safety of the public in the area where the racing or sporting event is staged or a traffic officer at the scene of the event, may immediately withdraw the permission for the event or amend the conditions of the permit to ensure the safety of road users, if the staging or continuation of the event, in the traffic officer‟s opinion, is causing or will cause any danger or undue obstructions for other road users or any of the participants in the event.

 

In the video if did not see a 'Traffic officer responsible for the safety of the public" so would assume that this would NOT be an 'organised sport event' like CTCT, Amashova, 94.7 Comrades Marothon, Ironman etc. and therefore all riders would have to comply with the grossly outdated "National Traffic Act 93 of 1996 and the National Road Traffic Regulations"**

 

*Flame Suit OFF*

 

 

PS... while reading some of the 'National Traffic Act' I found one on Seatbelts for Minibus' (Taxis) that i did not know...

 

**213.3e In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), no person shall operate a minibus or midibus, first registered after 04 September 2006,operating in terms of an operating licence, unless seatbelts are fitted for every seat in the motor vehicle.

 

• Should I know it?... Only if I drive a minibus 
• Does it apply to me?  No. 
• Do I care about it... NO .... Just like car drives don't care about the rules for cycling on the road.

 

 

*Edit Spelling