Motorists vs Cyclists.... again

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Jan D said:

I understand the frustration with people not sticking to traffic rules when you are being patient with them, but I do want to respectfully give a little pushback here and say that if you are unable to overtake cyclists riding two abreast safely, there is no room for you to overtake a single file safely. I've been "punished" for keeping left many times on the Atlantic Seaboard by cars overtaking me way too narrowly. On two occasions I got sideswiped because cars overtook me in a blind bend, not realising there was oncoming traffic, and chose to swerve into me rather than brake. If I'd taken the lane, this would not have happened.

A safe overtake means that you are able to move into the other lane, and overtake as you would a car. Arguably, when applying that logic, it is easier and quicker to overtake cyclists riding two abreast, as the overtaking distance will be shorter. This does mean not overtaking over a solid white line, which motorists do to cyclists.

Of course, I understand this is not you, and you are going the extra mile ensuring you don't endanger anyone so this is in no way directed at you. It's more that the single-file rule imo is outdated and treats cyclists as a nuisance, rather than valid traffic participants.

Best case scenario is real cycling infrastructure, but we're a long ways from that.

 

Sure, some roads are simply too narrow.

 

But often vehicles can pass single file cyclists with no issue.  As soon as two people cycle next to each other this is simply impossible.

 

The "fun" starts when they do this after a blind rise or similar.

 

 

This happened a few weeks back in Stellenbosch, Cloetesville robot then over the rise towards Hellshoogte.  Two cars, next to each other passed me with ample space.  Then the one driver had to break hard not to wipe out the cyclist riding at 15km/h in the middle of the lane, just after a blind rise ....

 

I actually went onto the pavement to pass these two safely.

 

 

PLEASE, be safe out there.

[Mamil]

1 hour ago, Jan D said:

The new local spatial development framework for the CBD is cause for careful optimism, with the city expressing the intention to create a car-free City Center. However, my optimism gets tempered whenever I see new roads being constructed with either no bike lanes, or bike lanes that are unusable because the crossings are horrendously designed, or the lane drops the road level every time there's a sidestreet or driveway, rather than have cars slow down and rise to the level of the lane

Ja. The new roads around the river club development are a case in point. It's the only viable through route from the south to the CBD, used by thousands of riders week in and week out... Not even lip service to bicycles or NMT.

 

[Meezo]

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Edited October 20 by Meezo
Wrong thread

[Meezo]

Quote

 

 

Edited October 20 by Meezo
Wrong thread

[Loose cog]

1 hour ago, Jan D said:

I understand the frustration with people not sticking to traffic rules when you are being patient with them, but I do want to respectfully give a little pushback here and say that if you are unable to overtake cyclists riding two abreast safely, there is no room for you to overtake a single file safely. I've been "punished" for keeping left many times on the Atlantic Seaboard by cars overtaking me way too narrowly. On two occasions I got sideswiped because cars overtook me in a blind bend, not realising there was oncoming traffic, and chose to swerve into me rather than brake. If I'd taken the lane, this would not have happened.

A safe overtake means that you are able to move into the other lane, and overtake as you would a car. Arguably, when applying that logic, it is easier and quicker to overtake cyclists riding two abreast, as the overtaking distance will be shorter. This does mean not overtaking over a solid white line, which motorists do to cyclists.

Of course, I understand this is not you, and you are going the extra mile ensuring you don't endanger anyone so this is in no way directed at you. It's more that the single-file rule imo is outdated and treats cyclists as a nuisance, rather than valid traffic participants.

Best case scenario is real cycling infrastructure, but we're a long ways from that.

I agree totally with you Jan. This requires SA motorists and cyclists use EQ when we know that commodity is unfortunately sadly absent.  

[Andreas_187]

4 hours ago, Zebra said:

An unpopular viewpoint, from a patient driver, and lifelong/avid cyclist…

I just read this in a magazine article, lamenting the death of Jono (cyclist, Stellenbosch) though not directly related to his accident:

A Facebook user, who wished to remain anonymous, shared their thoughts on the platform. The user shared ‘in the light of seeing the recent news of another fatal cycling accident in CT, its been on my mind to make a post about the impatience of CT drivers, especially on the Atlantic Seaboard where so many sports people train, children and families enjoy the area with their pets. The speed on the roads & impatience at traffic lights in particular is getting ridiculous!’

For context, I drive - daily - the Llandudno to Camps Bay to Green Point to Paarden Eiland route, in a largish van…. The reason i mention the van is partly its size makes it wider & longer, but in addition, motorists BEHIND me cannot see whats ‘holding me up..’, and it is NEVER a line of single-file cyclists, but rather 2 riders, side-by-side, in the NARROWEST of roads, basically saying ‘f*ck the traffic’…sad to say…

Last week, after waiting a minute or 2 to pass cyclists i had to ‘toot’ a BRIEF ‘here I am’ toot, to side-by side riders, but they chose to continue - through CLIFTON, as well as big-bunch wheel overlappers, through Camps Bay…, these were not riders overtaking one another, but having a chat, side-by-side, and not acknowledging traffic - patient traffic-, and then blowing through the next 2 sets of traffic lights! 

The arrogance is astounding. Cyclists - SOME cyclists - are their own worst enemies.

(2 years back, I confronted the owner of a well-known bicycle shop, after him giving me the finger, after a POLITE toot to alert him to my presence, since he and his girlfriend were riding -slowly - 2 abreast through Clifton. I had waited a couple of minutes for them to return to single file, but they never did….)

I write this reluctantly, but some cyclists are giving others a bad name, and there are occasionally 2 sides to the motorist versus cyclist story.

Chris.

You're absolutely right. Cyclists are dicks 7 days a week along that route.

On the other hand I often have to drive along Camps Bay/Clifton/Sea Point behind motorists driving less than 40km/h and I don't see any motorists hooting them. A couple of cyclists hammering along there at 45km/h and all hell breaks loose.

[WaynejG]

When cycling with my normal riding buddy and we are out of PE on the quiter rodes, we sometimes ride next to each other and chat.

If a car comes up behind us and briefly hoots to let us know he is there,  we quickly get into single file and I always give a little wave of acknowledgement. 

But yes, there are dicks amongst all road users.

[CapSizer]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

Ja. The new roads around the river club development are a case in point. It's the only viable through route from the south to the CBD, used by thousands of riders week in and week out... Not even lip service to bicycles or NMT.

 

Agreed. I was really expecting it to be done properly, but it's far from good. There's a sidewalk, but it's full of obstacles. 

[OVERDRIVE]

Speechless. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAqcyiLRF31/?igsh=YTdlN2xoeXptejN3

[Mook]

7 hours ago, OVERDRIVE said:

Speechless. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAqcyiLRF31/?igsh=YTdlN2xoeXptejN3

If you take a swing, better make it count. Else just walk away.

Way too many idiots on both sides of the spectrum roaming our roads.

[OVERDRIVE]

19 minutes ago, Mook said:

If you take a swing, better make it count. Else just walk away.

Way too many idiots on both sides of the spectrum roaming our roads.

Wait. Is that a girl he’s hitting? Please take another look? 

[Mook]

2 hours ago, OVERDRIVE said:

Wait. Is that a girl he’s hitting? Please take another look? 

It depends what he/she identify as 🤷‍♂️

If you decide to take a swing, make it count.

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, OVERDRIVE said:

Wait. Is that a girl he’s hitting? Please take another look? 

 

Was about to say it is a lady ... but that would be based on the ponytail hair.  And that certainly is no longer a sure sign ...

[lechatnoir]

2 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

Was about to say it is a lady ... but that would be based on the ponytail hair.  And that certainly is no longer a sure sign ...

It never was a sign.

I see the issue here as a swing that triggered a response/reaction. It's often better to smile and wave. There's little to be gained wearing dancing slippers with a bike between my legs - I'm always losing that one.

Don't be a dwiss, be lekker

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, lechatnoir said:

It never was a sign.

I see the issue here as a swing that triggered a response/reaction. It's often better to smile and wave. There's little to be gained wearing dancing slippers with a bike between my legs - I'm always losing that one.

Don't be a dwiss, be lekker

 

 

Hiehie ... different eras ... different cultures.

 

80's .... Afrikaner boys did not have pony tails.

 

Now imagine my jaw dropping culture shock on my first visit to UCT early 90's  ....

 

Grew up 20km from there .... the boerewors curtain was a very real thing.

 

 

 

As for the incident .... Jerry Jerrryyy ..... JERRRRYYYY .....

 

Sick society ... and not just in SA ....

[The Ouzo]

59 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Hiehie ... different eras ... different cultures.

the worst was driving down the highway, you see the long flowing mane of blond hair and think there is a hotty in the car infront of you, then you get along side and see the stuble and adams apple.