Are cyclist just too superior to keep their masks/buffs on

[RocknRolla]

and then you went and ruined it!

 

nah, my steel bikes are doing the same as all these fadsy tupperware models, albeit with a whole lot more style.

[PygaSchmyga]

nah, my steel bikes are doing the same as all these fadsy tupperware models, albeit with a whole lot more style.

shots fired, and friday nogal

[RocknRolla]

I thought that's what Fidays are for...I should have started on Wednesday, I know.... It's the bane of being a serial procrastinator...

[Grease_Monkey]

My other half is reading a book by Bruce Whitfield. The upside of down.

 

There are so so so so many things we accept as fact in this country that are simply not true. Particularly around infrastructure and development. Yes we have our challenges but there are a lot of positives. We always seem to tend to the negative. I'm not sure if it's an SA condition or a human one.

 

We also tend to imply that our arguments are nuanced but the person with the opposing view to us is binary. I know I'm guilty of this.

 

IMO. As South Africans (And Africans) the very thing that annoys many of us (the bending of rules) actually points to an entrepreneurial spirit which flows strongly in most of us.

 

Anyway. Wishing all of you an amazing weekend.

 

 

I think it's a human condition, the record of bad X, Y, Z... in SA has just made it commonplace to have that negative outlook - maybe more so than other countries. 

[DieselnDust]

SA is such a screwed up place. It’s almost “ opposite world”.

 

I have a cabinet making trade, qualified in 1999. Realised soon enough that I needed to get out of the factory while I still had all my fingers.

 

Advance a couple of years, and a **** tonne of experience, that just being a cabinetmaker will earn you pennies. 

 

My second point: My missus studied really hard, got a hons degree in exercise science, and can barely get a job at the gym. 

 

The market in these two industries in south africa is non existent, Its a struggle..

I am opening myself up to a barrage of “ you should’ve could’ve from the hub oracle, and trust me, I would’ve if I could’ve. I made some big ass mistakes in my life, that I’m paying for still, daily, so there’s that. Not everyone is in the position to take the big leap and go it alone, which is we are we are at.

 

I guess what I’m saying is don’t post under the influence, because you will be scolded for that as well....

 

 

Yes South Africa is a bit upside down. The issue here is how the market is skewed. I have a pal living in London (UK). He's a cabinet maker and makes a great living. His business is seasonal but he makes more than enough in 6-8 months that he can take 4 months off every year and buy a new bike every year. Comes home every year to ride the ToGH and recently the Cape Epic as well. The reasons are multiple but I attribute it to the strong middle class and the value they attach to having tradesmen. Also the banks require all work on your home to be carried out by qualified people and people adhere.

In SA everyone is an architect/draughtsman/builder/cabinet maker/plumber/, and can get away without papers for the right price. The only way cabinet makers get good regular work is too align with an architectural firm or building contractor who feeds them the work. Since this market isn't very competitive (due to anti competitive behaviour) it's kind of a closed shop. Same happens in other industries where there is a lack of competitiveness in the industry. And it will only get worse as gov wants to nationalise everything. 

I've seen some onnovation in the IDT base plate industry over Lock down. One company produces a base plate rocker for R21K and boooom there's two alternatives at R7500 and R4000. Innovation creates these opportunities. But its a limited market so these guys aren't going to buy property in Bishops Court of this. But....its a step toward innovation and creating demand for a skill....

[stefmeister]

Warning: te textwall of death imminent...

 

...SNIP

 

Isn't that about the same for every other industry out there? You basically spend your 20s doing donkey work and earning peanuts. Sometimes you even do ALL the work, and still only get peanuts and zero credit.

Every occupation has a ceiling for earning potential, and of course there are exceptions where individuals exceed that by a significant margin - but are they the benchmark and is it realistic to measure yourself up to them?

So there's no point complaining about it if you made that choice to do it. Sometimes fulfillment and job satisfaction is more important than chasing $$$.

 

I must add, I do have a problem with some academic institutions that just push students through the system whilst there aren't any/many prospects for them and they just continue to flood the market. They love painting this rosey picture of what your life as a [insert occupation] will be like. But then again, academics are about as in touch with the commercial world as our esteemed commie leaders.

[Grease_Monkey]

Isn't that about the same for every other industry out there? You basically spend your 20s doing donkey work and earning peanuts. Sometimes you even do ALL the work, and still only get peanuts and zero credit.

Every occupation has a ceiling for earning potential, and of course there are exceptions where individuals exceed that by a significant margin - but are they the benchmark and is it realistic to measure yourself up to them?

So there's no point complaining about it if you made that choice to do it. Sometimes fulfillment and job satisfaction is more important than chasing $$$.

 

I must add, I do have a problem with some academic institutions that just push students through the system whilst there aren't any/many prospects for them and they just continue to flood the market. They love painting this rosey picture of what your life as a [insert occupation] will be like. But then again, academics are about as in touch with the commercial world as our esteemed commie leaders.

 

 

Yes and YES 

 

I do think there is too much focus on the importance tertiary education,getting an Honours, Masters, Doctorate, etc. these days and not enough on practical experience. I am working with a bunch of very qualified Masters level graduates that have lots of grand ideas, but no knowledge on how to implement any of those ideas. 

 

My feeling is that there should be a minimum work experience qualifier before being enrolled in a Masters program. Obviously that's a very generalised statement that will have lots of exceptions - but I know in my case I would have gained alot more from my Masters if I had more real life experience before enrolling. 

[Jehosefat]

I'm just going to leave this here:

 

http://files.explosm.net/comics/Rob/masks.png?t=ABDB0D

[MORNE]

 

snip

 

I must add, I do have a problem with some academic institutions that just push students through the system whilst there aren't any/many prospects for them and they just continue to flood the market. They love painting this rosey picture of what your life as a [insert occupation] will be like. 

 

architecture schools TO THE TEE.   

when i meet a young someone and they ask me about it i tell them to RUN AWAY as fast as they can.

it is basically a glorified arts degree. there i said it lol. it can only be enjoyed as a hobby.

We generally know too little about engineering, nothing about business and money and suck at project management on the best days. it doesnt even actually offer any real job satidfaction either...since you are not 'committing' architure 99% of the time. 

The romantic picture most people have about architecture and what architects do is so so so skewed. And the adage "those who cant do, teach" could not be more true for any other profession haha. 

[Chris_]

Yes and YES 

 

I do think there is too much focus on the importance tertiary education,getting an Honours, Masters, Doctorate, etc. these days and not enough on practical experience. I am working with a bunch of very qualified Masters level graduates that have lots of grand ideas, but no knowledge on how to implement any of those ideas. 

 

My feeling is that there should be a minimum work experience qualifier before being enrolled in a Masters program. Obviously that's a very generalised statement that will have lots of exceptions - but I know in my case I would have gained alot more from my Masters if I had more real life experience before enrolling. 

 

I think there should be work experience before undergrad even. 

 

Speaking out of experience..  how many people studied the wrong thing?

 

All you have to show for it is debt possibly, wasted years and the same 'sorry you have no experience' when applying for the more appropriate seeming job.

[MTBeer]

I really reckon the way forward in these first world countries is a trade of some sorts. Bloke I know in the UK had a dry wall shower put in (not exactly sure what that is) and the woodworker was a Marketer from cape town. 

 

If/when I have children, I would never prohibit them from learning to make things with their hands and fixing things. The world has too many 'business men/women', and not nearly enough to get their hands dirty. That is where the money is at.

that applies to SA as well. Far too many people going to university to study BA, BCom etc. Trades people add so much more value to an economy.

[mazambaan]

I know that the thread has gone off to somewhere crossed with Forest Gump's box of chocolates and Monty Python's "We had it tough" but, for the SA white optimist; this from Cyril should sort you out.

 

https://youtu.be/a73EdDYDkt0

 

You will be grateful to have any job or hovel   

[Chris_]

I know that the thread has gone off to somewhere crossed with Forest Gump's box of chocolates and Monty Python's "We had it tough" but, for the SA white optimist; this from Cyril should sort you out.

 

https://youtu.be/a73EdDYDkt0

 

You will be grateful to have any job or hovel   

 

Well its nice that Cyril has found a bit of a backbone and a more assertive voice. 

 

First sh*tting on saffer men for raping our woman, now this video. I like it.

[Eldron]

nah, my steel bikes are doing the same as all these fadsy tupperware models, albeit with a whole lot more style.

 

Why choose?

 

Having one bicycle in every material is something al cyclists should aspire too!

 

The only one missing from my stable is a Magnasium bike and those are tough to come by (does anyone remember the Kirk Precision??).

[Matt]

Thread Locked
From the general sentiment of the last few pages it seems like a good time to push the big PAUSE button on this one.

Get out and have some fun on a bike... after all it's what brought us all here in the first place.