Another cyclist killed...

[Edereese]

I think he had a rough night and was probably on his way still drunk from the previous night. All people living in Atlantis knows that intersection well and if I read correctly, there was no attempt to brake. He most likely fell asleep behind the wheel. Condolences to the family and I feel sorry for the chap who just threw his life away. I had an incident with an Uber driver who made a U turn in front of me and I went into the passenger door, luckily the damage to myself was not that bad. I made peace with the fact that it was an accident and had he saw me, he would most probably not have made the turn. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Edereese

[DieselnDust]

This right here...

 

Reading through comments, a lot of the suggestions rely on 'The System' to fix things.  Tougher laws, more cops, reduced speeds etc etc.  All valid points.  But in my opinion the change starts with us (not just cyclists - all of us).

If you are going to drive, just don't drink.  If you can't do this, arrange for someone else to drive or rely on commercial services.  

If we go out, have a few drinks and then drive, we are setting precedents for ourselves and everyone around us - especially the youth.  They see everyone having 'a few drinks' and then get in a car - subconsciously this makes it normal and acceptable.

 

There is not much else we can do.  But this one step is within our remit.  Try it.  Get someone else to try it.  Its a start...  Make it the norm.  Society has to change as I doubt laws will have any meaningful impact.

 

 

AMEN Brother you have a witness!!

We must be the change we want to see. It kinda starts with no being so alcohol viskrik.

Back in High school if you didn't take a dop you were regarded as a "Nerd". Never mind that you might have had a sip with your uncle or pals over the weekend in a supervised environment. My old man would have tanned my hide if I came home with alcohol on my breath.

My pals dad drove rally cars and taught us to drive is a privilege and a responsibility not a right. Yeah car keys were confiscated for seemed like misdemeanors.

But coming home drunk was not an option. So we either slept it off outside the nightclub, 4 blokes sprawled up and comatose in a Tazz or we called for a lift (needed a prepaid telkom card and a phone booth in those days). We realised it was easier to have a beer at home around a fire and invite the girls over (also got the mother son she's not good enough for you conversation out of the way quickly). I've digressed...

we sort of create the idea that unless you're willing to be stone drunk every weekend you're not in the coolkids club and we start young, like the Brits. Its become a cultural problem that can't be legislated out of people. Its needs to be taught. Even as an adult if I opt for the 0.0% beer you faced with mocking and derision. Its tough to do the right thing and require a thick hide. Sadly many prefer to be part of the cool kids club. So I had to start my own club, the I-wanna-be-alive-and-free-@40 club. Its a smallish club but growing. Only problem is people only join after 40.....

[Andreas_187]

Everyone is crying about drunk drivers but how many people have friends over for a braai, watch them down plenty of beers and wave them goodbye as they drive home?

[Vetplant]

Everyone is crying about drunk drivers but how many people have friends over for a braai, watch them down plenty of beers and wave them goodbye as they drive home?

Very valid point. We need to be the change, keep our friends accountable too. Call them an Uber.

[ChrisF]

Everyone is crying about drunk drivers but how many people have friends over for a braai, watch them down plenty of beers and wave them goodbye as they drive home?

 

Probably one of the biggest fights I had with my dad .... A friend visited him, they polished a Klippies and then some ..... and then he patted him on the back as the guy rode away on a super-bike .... The guy could not walk in a straight line, still not sure how he made it home safely ...

 

 

Few years later friends came over for a braai at our house ... by then it was the norm that the wife was the driver .... but this wife did not have a drivers license.  My buddy took out his bottle of wine as we lit the braai fire.  Split between two people this was probably okay for the alcohol limit at the time.  BUT, half a bottle of wine does NOT last nearly as long as a decent braai fire, nevermind the actual braai ......  I looked at him, and asked that he give me his keys, and showed him to my little cellar ..... he had a GOOD night, and was delivered safely home.  

 

It IS possible to "kuier lekker", be a good host, AND to keep the roads safe !!  And now with UBER and various ride options it is just SO easy.  Absolutely no reason to drive under the influence.

[Vetplant]

 And now with UBER and various ride options it is just SO easy.  Absolutely no reason to drive under the influence.

The only thing we still need in this country is a driver service like the have in places around Europe.

 

For when a Family goes to a braai, with kids in Car seats, and both parents had a drink. Or any other scenario where someone drove to the party and don't want to leave the car there.

 

You phone up the service that delivers a driver to the venue and the driver takes you home in your own car. They typically pitch with a collapsible mini-motorbike that they stash in your boot for the drive to your home. Afterwards, he gets on his motorbike and drives to the next pickup or Home.

[Puncture Kid]

Everyone is crying about drunk drivers but how many people have friends over for a braai, watch them down plenty of beers and wave them goodbye as they drive home?

Absolutely agree. To the point where I don't let my daughter catch a lift with one of our friends because he always drinks and refuses to let his non-drinking wife drive.

[Chris_]

The only thing we still need in this country is a driver service like the have in places around Europe.

 

For when a Family goes to a braai, with kids in Car seats, and both parents had a drink. Or any other scenario where someone drove to the party and don't want to leave the car there.

 

You phone up the service that delivers a driver to the venue and the driver takes you home in your own car. They typically pitch with a collapsible mini-motorbike that they stash in your boot for the drive to your home. Afterwards, he gets on his motorbike and drives to the next pickup or Home.

Good fellas has been around a hundred years. There's a couple more too but I can't recall any names. These were here even pre-uber

[The Ouzo]

The only thing we still need in this country is a driver service like the have in places around Europe.

 

For when a Family goes to a braai, with kids in Car seats, and both parents had a drink. Or any other scenario where someone drove to the party and don't want to leave the car there.

 

You phone up the service that delivers a driver to the venue and the driver takes you home in your own car. They typically pitch with a collapsible mini-motorbike that they stash in your boot for the drive to your home. Afterwards, he gets on his motorbike and drives to the next pickup or Home.

As a non drinker I dont see the point of drinking until you get wasted and cant drive.

By all means have a dop or 2, but drinking to the point where you wake up with hair on your teeth and a head that feels twice its size and possibly not even remembering where you threw your name away the night before just never made sense to me.

[Puncture Kid]

The only thing we still need in this country is a driver service like the have in places around Europe.

 

For when a Family goes to a braai, with kids in Car seats, and both parents had a drink. Or any other scenario where someone drove to the party and don't want to leave the car there.

 

You phone up the service that delivers a driver to the venue and the driver takes you home in your own car. They typically pitch with a collapsible mini-motorbike that they stash in your boot for the drive to your home. Afterwards, he gets on his motorbike and drives to the next pickup or Home.

We have this....

[Vetplant]

Good fellas has been around a hundred years. There's a couple more too but I can't recall any names. These were here even pre-uber

 

 

We have this....

We then need to promote this waay more, allot of people need to see this as normal instead of an embarrassment.

 

At least in my circles I have not seen one instance of this happening.

[MTBeer]

We then need to promote this waay more, allot of people need to see this as normal instead of an embarrassment.

 

At least in my circles I have not seen one instance of this happening.

My Old Mutual life insurance used to have it as a free service. 6 trips a year. Then they changed the rules and made it complicated. Not sure how it works now.

[Puncture Kid]

My Old Mutual life insurance used to have it as a free service. 6 trips a year. Then they changed the rules and made it complicated. Not sure how it works now.

Yes it is usually provided by your bank / insurance. They are usually fully booked. Can't believe why there are not more of these services around. I guess it is a cost thing. Your bank/insurance provides X times the service for free. Whereas a private company that does this will have to charge. I think that when ppl has to pay for such a service the sad reality is that they will rather drive drunk.

[Chris_]

We then need to promote this waay more, allot of people need to see this as normal instead of an embarrassment.

 

At least in my circles I have not seen one instance of this happening.

 

Agreed, although I would have expected Uber to have put them all out of business. As far as I'm concerned uber was a game-changer for drunk driving 'excuses'. its 24/7, its instant, its cheap(ish), whereas the drive-you-homes were none of those.

 

One of the few times I used them (because I was usually said hero back in the day) I swear the driver was more wasted than me and almost binned my car on the highway. 

[DieselnDust]

Everyone is crying about drunk drivers but how many people have friends over for a braai, watch them down plenty of beers and wave them goodbye as they drive home?

 

 

 

easy you either leave in an Uber or you don't leave till morning and that entails crashing on a matress where the 5month old Pitt bull will likely relieve himself (he's got this thing about people occupying his space) all over you.

When you arrive the car keys go in a basket that's in his bed. or in the safe. I was very unpopular a few years back when I unveiled a box of breathalyser tests before anyone got their keys back. One oke threatened to call the cops to lay a charge of car key theft.   I gave him the phone.

 

the easiest solution is don't serve alcohol

[Vetplant]

 

 

the easiest solution is don't serve alcohol

The mind boggles when you arrive at a Kids-party, staring at 10AM, and the beers are ready, on-ice, as you arrive.

 

Drinking is so normalised, it is frightening.