Cycle paths / Yield and Stop signs

[Jbr]

Hi everyone.

 

For the second time this morning I got cut off on the cycle path between Big bay and Melkboss by someone coming out of the residentials areas (La Paloma). And for the second time the guy started yelling at me before I could even say something. I suspect this is the same guy as last time (Same big white bakkie and big filthy mouth), and this time I answered him that there is a f****ing stop underneath his f****ing car and it would be nice if he stopped before it...

 

Anyways, his point of view is that there is a "cyclists yield to oncoming traffic" sign on the cycle path that I didn't not obey. The fact that he's coming out of nowhere, flat out through a stop sign + marking on the road (I basically can't see him before he is in front of me because of the vegetation and his speed) doesn't seem to be a problem for him. Also he has a warning sign with a bicycle on it underneath the stop sign, I'm not sure if it's just a warning or if it means give way.

 

My understanding is that I must yield to oncoming traffic from the main road towards the residential area, not from people coming out from the residential area who are supposed to stop at the stop sign?

 

I can see their stop marking, they can't see my yield sign, I don't see a world where I'm in the wrong but I'm still asking, I'm foreign so maybe I have a different understanding of the rules ?

 

https://www.google.fr/maps/@-33.7821171,18.452763,3a,75y,347.45h,91.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBlIL0k7RAg3DypH6ULsOsw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Unfortunately the Streetview isn't updated and you can't see the cycle path or the updated signage

Edited November 11, 2020 by Jbr

[Pure Savage]

Hi everyone.

 

For the second time this morning I got cut off on the cycle path between Big bay and Melkboss by someone coming out of the residentials areas (La Paloma). And for the second time the guy started yelling at me before I could even say something. I suspect this is the same guy as last time (Same big white bakkie and big filthy mouth), and this time I answered him that there is a f****ing stop underneath his f****ing car and it would be nice if he stopped before it...

 

Anyways, his point of view is that there is a "cyclists yield to oncoming traffic" sign on the cycle path that I didn't not obey. The fact that he's going flat out through a stop sign out off nowhere + marking on the road (I basically can't see him before he is in front of me because of the vegetation and his speed) doesn't seem to be a problem for him. Also he has a warning sign with a bicycle on it underneath the stop sign, I'm not sure if it's just a warning or if it means give way.

 

My understanding is that I must yield to oncoming traffic from the main road towards the residential area, not from people coming out from the residential area who are supposed to stop at the stop sign?

 

I can see their stop marking, they can't see my yield sign, I don't see a world where I'm in the wrong but I'm still asking, I'm foreign so maybe I have a different understanding of the rules ?

 

https://www.google.fr/maps/@-33.7821171,18.452763,3a,75y,347.45h,91.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBlIL0k7RAg3DypH6ULsOsw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Unfortunately the Streetview isn't updated and you can't see the cycle path or the updated signage

Like his car choice, he is wrong. Stop gives way to yield. 

 

The Yield is for cars turning into the road.

[TNT1]

 

 

I can see their stop marking, they can't see my yield sign, I don't see a world where I'm in the wrong but I'm still asking, I'm foreign so maybe I have a different understanding of the rules ?

 

The rules are that car drivers can do whatever they please and you are sol on a bicycle. TIA as the saying goes.

[Robbie Stewart]

Ah, La Paloma.

I got knocked off my bike onto the bonnet (luckily) of a f***witt coming out from Big Bay Beach Club next door to La Paloma a week before lockdown in March. Same story. White bakkie, screaming at me about having to yield blah blah blah, but conveniently avoided the bit about him not stopping.

I shouthed back, threatened to hospitalise him and he sped off while I was inspecting my bike.

Sadly I got no details from him, nor his license plate. Rage makes one wild.

Now I brake coming up on those crossings, and yield to all cars. Mostly, I find the driver curteous and they usually wave me across their path, waiting for me to pass. I wave and mouth a thank you normally.

But it's always that one D!CK in a white bakkie...

[Jbr]

Ah, La Paloma.

 

I got knocked off my bike onto the bonnet (luckily) of a f***witt coming out from Big Bay Beach Club next door to La Paloma a week before lockdown in March. Same story. White bakkie, screaming at me about having to yield blah blah blah, but conveniently avoided the bit about him not stopping.

 

I shouthed back, threatened to hospitalise him and he sped off while I was inspecting my bike.

 

Sadly I got no details from him, nor his license plate. Rage makes one wild.

 

Now I brake coming up on those crossings, and yield to all cars. Mostly, I find the driver curteous and they usually wave me across their path, waiting for me to pass. I wave and mouth a thank you normally.

 

But it's always that one D!CK in a white bakkie...

Except for this braindead, it happens sometimes that a car comes a bit far on the stop marking or looking the other way, they all usually wave at me to say sorry, but this guy seems so sure he's right it's actually dangerous...

[Robbie Stewart]

Except for this braindead, it happens sometimes that a car comes a bit far on the stop marking or looking the other way, they all usually wave at me to say sorry, but this guy seems so sure he's right it's actually dangerous...

 

Ja, that particular section is dangerous with the vegetation keeping both sides blind to one another until its too late. Add to the mix a moron hyped up on klippies and bakkie-itis and you have a recipe for disaster.

 

Perhaps a viable option would be to go up one evening and 'treat' the vegetation to some diesel and watch it slowly wither away. Come winter and the dark mornings one would be able to see all the cars approaching the stop.   

[Jbr]

I'm more thinking of waiting one morning till he show up and explain to him how signage work now that I've got confirmation I'm right

 

Maybe PPA can contact La paloma also, and make sure they explain their residents that they are not supposed to race out of there

Edited November 11, 2020 by Jbr

[JohanDiv]

At a yield sign you only yield to those that are in/at an uncontrolled intersection(In this case cars coming from your left if I'm thinking about the correct intersection). Being at a stop sign, he is at a controlled intersection so you don't have to yield for him. In any case he must stop regardless if there is a yield sign for you or not.

 

He is wrong, you are right.

 

Send him to me for a few lessons..

 

 

 

 

Edit: I see you are traveling north, so traffic coming from your left then, not your right as I first posted.

Edited November 11, 2020 by JohanDiv

[Eddy Gordo]

get some footage and post on the city of cape town and road traffic twitter accounts

[Robbie Stewart]

This happened to me again this morning. On my outlap, I had to take evasive action to miss the dumbfu.. exiting Palermo in his white Toyota Pieceofcrap, and then on the return leg, at the same spot, cow in a Polo nearly takes myself and another gent out as we were crossing the road. She came speeding up from some distance away and just started taking the turn, not giving a sh 1 t about any cyclists in her path.

Stupid season is well and truly upon us folks. Take care out there.

[Jbr]

I sent the link to this topic to PPA last week, no answer so far, but hopefully they'll see it and message the body corporates of the different complexes along the cycle path before something bad happens

[Colin Pym]

When "entering" that cycle path, coming from Big Bay side, I do so at the very last intersection the cycle path has with those residential entrances, leaving only the one at Atlantic Beach to navigate.  Upon my return I generally keep on the cycle path, but feel a little less vulnerable/susceptible to those drivers as you have a little more time to see and react.

In general, the the drivers seem to see straight through/past/over/under the cyclist, only looking for other vehicles at those intersections, which is sad, because that path can get very busy on good weather days!

[Robbie Stewart]

When "entering" that cycle path, coming from Big Bay side, I do so at the very last intersection the cycle path has with those residential entrances, leaving only the one at Atlantic Beach to navigate.  Upon my return I generally keep on the cycle path, but feel a little less vulnerable/susceptible to those drivers as you have a little more time to see and react.

In general, the the drivers seem to see straight through/past/over/under the cyclist, only looking for other vehicles at those intersections, which is sad, because that path can get very busy on good weather days!

 

The folks at Atlantic Beach are more civilized and curteous towards cyclists. I slow down at all the intersections, but now its starting to get out of hand out there. But Palermo and Big Bay Beach Club...bunch of knobs living there.

[JacBrand]

I always yield when crossing roads while on cycle paths. In theory one should not have to, but we live in a country where very few road users actually know or adhere to traffic rules (4 way stops, traffic circles etc).

Us cyclists must be the "awake" ones and adopt a defensive riding style.

Unfortunately you will be hard pressed to convince Mr Grootbakkie or Polo Cow that they were in the wrong.

[PlemPlem]

Ah, La Paloma.

 

I got knocked off my bike onto the bonnet (luckily) of a f***witt coming out from Big Bay Beach Club next door to La Paloma a week before lockdown in March. Same story. White bakkie, screaming at me about having to yield blah blah blah, but conveniently avoided the bit about him not stopping.

 

I shouthed back, threatened to hospitalise him and he sped off while I was inspecting my bike.

 

Sadly I got no details from him, nor his license plate. Rage makes one wild.

 

Now I brake coming up on those crossings, and yield to all cars. Mostly, I find the driver curteous and they usually wave me across their path, waiting for me to pass. I wave and mouth a thank you normally.

 

But it's always that one D!CK in a white bakkie...

Cape Town drivers should all be banned permanently!

[flymango]

There are different considerations with the interfaces between the cycle lane and the residential entrances/exits.

 

Exit

A driver is looking to the right for road traffic, with visibility obscured on the stop line (mainly by bushes or estate wall). He/she therefore could edge forwards into the cycle path, before looking left. This is a risk for cyclists coming from the south (often flying with the South Easter at their backs). As a cyclist and resident, in my car I look to the left as well, before edging forwards to view traffic from the right, and on my bicycle heading north I try to anticipate a car exiting on my right and assume they will not see me if there's no cars coming from the north. 

 

Entrance

Here I believe the onus is fully on the driver to slow down for a cyclist, as cyclists cannot see or anticipate what's coming from behind. Problem is that drivers too often underestimate a cyclist's speed and/or their own lack of speed to turn. The situation is especially problematic for cyclists and drivers heading north, as drivers cross the oncoming lane and then expect cyclists heading in the same direction on the opposite side of the oncoming lane to stop. 

 

Some tolerance, caution and common sense are required. Perhaps the PPA could help address tolerance - everything else is in the cyclists' hands.