Nic Dlamini's arm broken by Table Mountain rangers

[DJR]

Riding on a public road in a park a criminal action?  ... get real. A minute misdemeanor at the most.

 

 

 

I once ended up on the back of a Parks Board bakkie with my bike - Karoo National Park just outside Beaufort Wes. I went for a bike ride after arriving, not knowing it was not allowed, They chased me down, ticked me off, and insisted I get in the back with my bike, which I did and there was no violence or agro, even though I did challenge them as to why it was not allowed.

  They re-introduced lion the the Karoo National Park, so you were better off on the back of the bakkie  

[dev null]

I hope that Norton Rose Fulbright joining the fray, together with CSA (after their meeting with the different ministries of government and SANParks) will result in increased cycling safety in general in SA. Perhaps this unfortunate incident will become the catalyst for change which is so desperately needed.

 

I am thinking of Ian McPherson who was murdered while cycling on a SANParks trail, all the muggings, stabbings, bike-jackings etc. on Table Mountain over recent times. It is time something is done to increase awareness, and may this incident be fruitful in that regard. Change begins at the top.

 

[edit - spelling]

 

Very much doubt that. I fear all this did was to polarise the community even more between the cyclists and the cyclist haters. Just check the comments (where allowed) on all of the stories about Nic.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Moridin

[Robbie Stewart]

Very much doubt that. I fear all this did was to polarise the community even more between the cyclists and the cyclist haters. Just check the comments (where allowed) on all of the stories about Nic.

 

I get your sentiment, but I was referring more to the governing side of things, and that this will hopefully trickle down to Joe Public. The love lost between cyclists and non-cyclists is a symptom of the hostility in general in society. People have very low levels of tolerance these days, and hating on cyclists is just one part of it. But change still needs to occur, and I am hoping that this will play some pivotal part in the needed change.

 

Pipe dream? Perhaps, but one can still dream, at least.

[King_Crispy]

I get your sentiment, but I was referring more to the governing side of things, and that this will hopefully trickle down to Joe Public. The love lost between cyclists and non-cyclists is a symptom of the hostility in general in society. People have very low levels of tolerance these days, and hating on cyclists is just one part of it. But change still needs to occur, and I am hoping that this will play some pivotal part in the needed change.

 

Pipe dream? Perhaps, but one can still dream, at least.

The rift has deepened very quickly. This hatred and two-way aggression between motorists and cyclists has accelerated over the past 2 years.

Methinks it'll take a very long time for any healing/improvement to be visibly noticed. If ever

[DJR]

I get your sentiment, but I was referring more to the governing side of things, and that this will hopefully trickle down to Joe Public. The love lost between cyclists and non-cyclists is a symptom of the hostility in general in society. People have very low levels of tolerance these days, and hating on cyclists is just one part of it. But change still needs to occur, and I am hoping that this will play some pivotal part in the needed change.

 

Pipe dream? Perhaps, but one can still dream, at least.

Yesterday around my diverse dinner table, there were a few, non cyclists, who were critical of him riding without a permit. They did not know who he was, just that he was a cyclist and got what he deserved.

 

When I said how sad it is that a talented youngster who was likely on his way to the Olympics and hopefully the Tour de France, will now miss it altogether, their sympathy changed immediately and they could see that his loss was out of proportion to his indiscretion. Before that they just thought, "so what, arm a few weeks in a cast, sit behind desk, get paid at end of month, carry on with life". But as soon as they understood how profound an effect this will have on Nicks' life, put themselves in his shoes, so to speak, they came around.

 

Perhaps that is what is needed? For people to start seeing cyclists as people, real people, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends!

Edited December 30, 2019 by DJR

[Gen]

I get your sentiment, but I was referring more to the governing side of things, and that this will hopefully trickle down to Joe Public. The love lost between cyclists and non-cyclists is a symptom of the hostility in general in society. People have very low levels of tolerance these days, and hating on cyclists is just one part of it. But change still needs to occur, and I am hoping that this will play some pivotal part in the needed change.

 

Pipe dream? Perhaps, but one can still dream, at least.

From what I gathered perhaps this will also lead to some clarity regarding permits as well.. I saw some tweets where it was mentioned that cyclists needed a permit for a particular stretch of tar road (can't remember which road) whereas a vehicle did not and the replies in general were that people didn't even know that.

[King_Crispy]

Riding on a public road in a park a criminal action? ... get real. A minute misdemeanor at the most.

 

 

 

I once ended up on the back of a Parks Board bakkie with my bike.

Albeit a minor misdemeanor, you complied and got into the bakkie and the situation was diffused. It went no further.

No-one mentioned criminal action. Dlamini must have chirped because he's obviously done it before and got away with it. Maybe he thought he'd just ride away? We'll never know the real truth, as we have seen the "victim" is probably a repeat offender

[lechatnoir]

<snipped>

Perhaps that is what is needed? For people to start seeing cyclists as people, real people, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends!

 

I see this as the value we place on life - others' as well as our own... it's pitiful. and depressing when I see this in myself.

 

It's lack of compassion, empathy and poor judgement a lot of the time.

[Gen]

Albeit a minor misdemeanor, you complied and got into the bakkie and the situation was diffused. It went no further.

No-one mentioned criminal action. Dlamini must have chirped because he's obviously done it before and got away with it. Maybe he thought he'd just ride away? We'll never know the real truth, as we have seen the "victim" is probably a repeat offender

What part of excessive force don't you seem to understand.

 

Do you go about running people off the road and breaking their arms when they chirp you?

 

These ranger ARE NOT SAP and DO NOT have the authority to do any of that.

 

This particular ranger has a history of similar actions...so sounds to me as if he is a repeat aggressor.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Gen

[Mamil]

There is this personal aspect to it for sure - I'm also staggered by how easily so many people in my circle respond with "Ah well, he didn't have the permit" and the tacit assumption is that if you just follow the law then you will be safe from such violence as Nic was subjected to.

 

I'm very disturbed by the incident and this reaction of so many people, cyclists and non cyclists. The most generous line of thinking I have is that we really want to believe that if we follow the rules that we will be safe. Maybe it's an aspect of human nature that we have an implicit contract with the world "If I am good I will be safe". I often see how difficult is for people to make sense of situations where this contract is broken and so when we see someone coming to such grief perhaps we need to believe that he did something to deserve it so that we can maintain our view of a fair and just universe.

 

However I'm not convinced by this - I think the violence that Dlamini experienced is deeply embedded in our national psyche. It was tacit in apartheid and it's still woven into and around our lives. I found myself thinking about the Marikana massacre and drawing parallels with this situation.Is it too big a leap I wonder?

 

I found myself thinking about the physical violence that broke out in parliament in recent years, about the youngster who was arrested and roughed up a little for flipping the bird at Zuma's convoy, about an altercation I had with a policeman when I was taking photographs in town and on and on.

 

A few weeks ago I sat at the waterfront and watched a young beggar working the crowd and watched the silent interplay between him and the security officials (dressed to look like ship stewards) and pondered how easily I have access to the public space and how different that space was for this panhandler. Eventually he left, watched and followed by the security who were clearly co-ordinating their observation and shepherding of him away from this space for which he clearly had no permit.

 

What happens next in the Dlamini case is important, not just for cycling or for SANParks or the permit system on the mountain - it's about the rule of law and how we enforce it.

 

Something else I've noticed in myself and I wonder if I'm the only one - I got stopped in a road block the other day. I have a valid driver's license, my car is fully roadworthy with new tyres the week before, I hadn't had a drop to drink. My response while waiting my turn to be inspected and question is fear. Nothing to fear and yet I was anxious.

 

Interestingly, the only context in which smacking a child is in any way psychologically effective is as an immediate response to a behaviour that places the child in direct danger. For example, about to run headlong across a busy road. (Even then a very loud "NO!!!" will have the same effect). So to those whose impulse is to hit their child who cycles without a permit, I suspect that your unconscious motivation for this is that you have grown up in an authoritarian culture where law is violently enforced. 

 

You know how dangerous con-compliance is and so like any good parent you want to show your child how dangerous his behaviour is by giving him a taste of what he can expect. Not good.

 

 

 

 

Yesterday around my diverse dinner table, there were a few, non cyclists, who were critical of him riding without a permit. They did not know who he was, just that he was a cyclist and got what he deserved.

 

When I said how sad it is that a talented youngster who was likely on his way to the Olympics and hopefully the Tour de France, will now miss it altogether, their sympathy changed immediately and they could see that his loss was out of proportion to his indiscretion. Before that they just thought, "so what, arm a few weeks in a cast, sit behind desk, get paid at end of month, carry on with life". But as soon as they understood how profound an effect this will have on Nicks' life, put themselves in his shoes, so to speak, they came around.

 

Perhaps that is what is needed? For people to start seeing cyclists as people, real people, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends!

[DJR]

Mamil, I pledge to buy you a beer at Eroica 

[Grogs]

Excellent post Mamil. There aren’t that many knuckle draggers on this forum after all.

[Mamil]

Oooo - yes please!

 

Mamil, I pledge to buy you a beer at Eroica 

[Stretch]

Albeit a minor misdemeanor, you complied and got into the bakkie and the situation was diffused. It went no further.

No-one mentioned criminal action. Dlamini must have chirped because he's obviously done it before and got away with it. Maybe he thought he'd just ride away? We'll never know the real truth, as we have seen the "victim" is probably a repeat offender

You know this how? Were you there?

 

Every single one of your posts you have made wild assumptions. Unless you know exactly what happened your comments have no base. And even then....it's still no reason for the aggressive assault that occurred.

[Mongoose!]

Excellent post Mamil. 

 

summary in three lines please 

[IceCreamMan]

 

However I'm not convinced by this - I think the violence that Dlamini experienced is deeply embedded in our national psyche. It was tacit in apartheid and it's still woven into and around our lives. I found myself thinking about the Marikana massacre and drawing parallels with this situation.Is it too big a leap I wonder?

 

 

Yes, way too big.

 

The differences are numerous. I am sure young Nic was not armed nor had consulted with witch doctors to ensure he was safe from SANparks finest prior to cycling in their domain and certainly did not go looking for a fight.

 

Nic was passive, was minding he own business when accosted by these thugs.

 

No parallels.

Edited December 30, 2019 by IceCreamMan