Motorists vs Cyclists.... again

[dave303e]

2 minutes ago, Duane_Bosch said:

Runners and pedestrians are not allowed beyond the top lookout going towards Noordhoek and they are not allowed beyond where the shark spotters are from the Noordhoek side.

100% agree.  I also know the signs don't stop them, same goes on a stretch of the N4 to Harties.

Drove chappies on a sat morning Jan last year and decided it is not worth it to be anywhere near that road on a weekend morning in general.

 

But what I do realise is that a lot of cyclists expect runners to be on the left hand side of the road moving with traffic. Which is pretty much against the international standard of running and walking against traffic so you can see the traffic oncoming and get off the road if needed. 

[Newbie321]

27 minutes ago, dave303e said:

Define the 'wrong' side of the road? Left or right side?

 

My2c on the entire thing- much like the cradle, the spruit and other popular riding places- avoid them like the plague on weekends. If the cyclists and runners or dog walkers don't irritate you, someone in a car will. So you may as well go find a quiet spot to enjoy some time on your bike or run...

Joggers and walkers are always encouraged to go against the flow of traffic, it might even be the law. They also have right of way. Yes it creates difficulty for us cyclists but there is no point in picking a fight with them.

[Hairy]

16 hours ago, Duane_Bosch said:

In this pic you can see the the cyclist wears Oakley eyewear 

 

 

Sorry, but why is your bakkie damaged .... I thought they made them "Ford Tough"

[Duane_Bosch]

Just now, Hairy said:

 

 

Sorry, but why is your bakkie damaged .... I thought they made them "Ford Tough"

Campy my bru. Tougher than a Ford.

[Shebeen]

41 minutes ago, Newbie321 said:

Joggers and walkers are always encouraged to go against the flow of traffic, it might even be the law. They also have right of way. Yes it creates difficulty for us cyclists but there is no point in picking a fight with them.

meh, this is swings and roundabouts debatable and is most definitely not the law here (official or bush).

[ChrisF]

moving away from Chappies for a moment ... sorry.

 

 

Few years back taxis were the danger on the road.  Sure, their behaviour has not changed ....  BUT, the number of "normal cars" driving worse than taxis are downright scary !! 

 

Driving along Bottelary earlier this week, the traffic was slow going, between 60 to 70 km/h .... me being at the end of a long string of vehicles, behind a small truck.

 

The driver of a small passenger car decides to move into the oncoming lane .... and slowly starts passing a TRUCK, then a car, then another car .... staying in the oncoming lane .... while no less than four oncoming vehicles have to move onto the shoulder to avoid a head on collision.

 

 

Thank heavens above there were no cyclists along that stretch at that time.

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, Duane_Bosch said:

Leaving Camps just before bootleggers there's a tight lefthander where I do the same. I make sure I occupy the corner so some genius in his chrome pink merc doesn't use me as the apex.

I live in Scott Estate so in future I think the wifey and I will join chappies at Military road to avoid that bit. We also have a route through the burbs of Fishhoek to avoid Kommetjie road. It jumps in at the first church on the jesus belt, runs past the cricket club, past the School, Past the fire brigade, Over main, pops out just after the circle.

We also have a hard rule that we have to clear chappies before 8.30. We've had that rule in place for a long time. primarily to avoid the busses. Coming back the rule is we have to clear Massi before 11. That's to avoid the mayhem that is massi but also to avoid the wannabe boy racers on chappies who use Black Label as a sports drink and smoke bongs to clear the mind.

And we have a route through Milkwood park to avoid those 2 horrible intersections close to Long Beach mall.

its pretty sad that we have to restrict ourselves in this way to stay safe. It really is the wild west out there

[dave303e]

11 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

moving away from Chappies for a moment ... sorry.

 

 

Few years back taxis were the danger on the road.  Sure, their behaviour has not changed ....  BUT, the number of "normal cars" driving worse than taxis are downright scary !! 

 

Driving along Bottelary earlier this week, the traffic was slow going, between 60 to 70 km/h .... me being at the end of a long string of vehicles, behind a small truck.

 

The driver of a small passenger car decides to move into the oncoming lane .... and slowly starts passing a TRUCK, then a car, then another car .... staying in the oncoming lane .... while no less than four oncoming vehicles have to move onto the shoulder to avoid a head on collision.

 

 

Thank heavens above there were no cyclists along that stretch at that time.

You need to remember, we have a whole generation of 1st time drivers who never saw their parents drive. So the only driving behavior they know is what they saw growing up catching rides in taxis. Now they are making money and owning cars( which is awesome to see that upliftment) but it is 100% a case of they know nothing else. While their actions may be wrong a lot of the time. It is because their perceptions are just skewed by experience. Now the next issue is that if you see how parents drive in school carparks and at drop off zones- you will know the next generation of drivers will be even worse...

[Shebeen]

24 minutes ago, dave303e said:

You need to remember, we have a whole generation of 1st time drivers who never saw their parents drive. So the only driving behavior they know is what they saw growing up catching rides in taxis. Now they are making money and owning cars( which is awesome to see that upliftment) but it is 100% a case of they know nothing else. While their actions may be wrong a lot of the time. It is because their perceptions are just skewed by experience. Now the next issue is that if you see how parents drive in school carparks and at drop off zones- you will know the next generation of drivers will be even worse...

exactly and K53 doesn't include common sense.

 

[Hairy]

43 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

moving away from Chappies for a moment ... sorry.

 

 

Few years back taxis were the danger on the road.  Sure, their behaviour has not changed ....  BUT, the number of "normal cars" driving worse than taxis are downright scary !! 

 

Driving along Bottelary earlier this week, the traffic was slow going, between 60 to 70 km/h .... me being at the end of a long string of vehicles, behind a small truck.

 

The driver of a small passenger car decides to move into the oncoming lane .... and slowly starts passing a TRUCK, then a car, then another car .... staying in the oncoming lane .... while no less than four oncoming vehicles have to move onto the shoulder to avoid a head on collision.

 

 

Thank heavens above there were no cyclists along that stretch at that time.

or pedestrians

[Johan A Marais]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

moving away from Chappies for a moment ... sorry.

 

 

Few years back taxis were the danger on the road.  Sure, their behaviour has not changed ....  BUT, the number of "normal cars" driving worse than taxis are downright scary !! 

 

Driving along Bottelary earlier this week, the traffic was slow going, between 60 to 70 km/h .... me being at the end of a long string of vehicles, behind a small truck.

 

The driver of a small passenger car decides to move into the oncoming lane .... and slowly starts passing a TRUCK, then a car, then another car .... staying in the oncoming lane .... while no less than four oncoming vehicles have to move onto the shoulder to avoid a head on collision.

 

 

Thank heavens above there were no cyclists along that stretch at that time.

My experience with Taxi's are for 90% of them better than with the general motorist.  I find most Taxi Drivers giving me right of way and even stopping allowing me to do what I need to do to stay safe.  As long as you make eye contact and gesture they assist, give way, and I have plenty examples where they pro-actively gave way. 

Motorists (and there are indeed certain brands that excel here) on the other hand in most cases ignore you, even if you make eye contact (which is difficult as they are seemingly on their cell phones) do what they want without consideration and are way more aggressive to me as a cyclist. 

Busses - eish - no comment.

Edited August 31, 2022 by The Commuter

[Ispeed_V]

On 8/29/2022 at 1:46 PM, ChrisF said:

 

It IS so easy to safely pass cyclists in SINGLE FILE ....

 

THIS group was that final culmination of facts that led to the accident.

 

But guess it is not allowed to point out this uncomfortable truth ....

Glad somebody made mention of the actual cause. 

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, FondTF2 said:

Glad somebody made mention of the actual cause. 

Yes that a passing vehicle did not do so safely and caused an accident

[Supersix CT]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

Yes that a passing vehicle did not do so safely and caused an accident

How? Getz's dont come with brakes, had no other option that to overtake on a blind corner, heaven forbid they would not be allowed to break the speed limit. 

Is there a support group or go fund me page for all the wronged motorists that have arrived 12 seconds later than they would of because of cyclists? Or are they still stuck in bumper to bumper traffic somewhere?

[capediver]

On 8/31/2022 at 9:22 AM, dave303e said:

Define the 'wrong' side of the road? Left or right side?

 

My2c on the entire thing- much like the cradle, the spruit and other popular riding places- avoid them like the plague on weekends. If the cyclists and runners or dog walkers don't irritate you, someone in a car will. So you may as well go find a quiet spot to enjoy some time on your bike or run...

Easy...going down from the view point toward Noordhoek...road users have to use the left hand side of the road...that's the law...said runners are running up from Noordhoek to the view point and they run on the RIGHT hand side, up against the cliff....so there I am going down with the cliff on my left trying to stay as left as possible to avoid getting squeezed by cars behind me....only to encounter a runner directly in my path when coming round one of the numerous blind corners long that stretch....

 

Before I get it in the neck..I'm not including pedestrians/runners as a "road user"...I'm sure everyone knows what I mean...

Edited September 1, 2022 by capediver

[capediver]

On 8/31/2022 at 9:37 AM, dave303e said:

100% agree.  I also know the signs don't stop them, same goes on a stretch of the N4 to Harties.

Drove chappies on a sat morning Jan last year and decided it is not worth it to be anywhere near that road on a weekend morning in general.

 

But what I do realise is that a lot of cyclists expect runners to be on the left hand side of the road moving with traffic. Which is pretty much against the international standard of running and walking against traffic so you can see the traffic oncoming and get off the road if needed. 

I understand the concept of walking and running against the traffic....and it holds for most situations...this stretch is not one of them.