Motorists vs Cyclists.... again

[SwissVan]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

Plus the unconscious perception that goes something like "I'll be ok - I'm in a suit of armout, this crash won't hurt me"

I don’t know the area at all

Is there no safer alternate road for cyclists to use other than this one, my first impression from your pictures is that it’s not an ideal location for cycling. 

Im not condoning the motorists BA but sometimes for your own safety you should avoid some roads when they are busy. 

 

[ChrisF]

13 minutes ago, SwissVan said:

I don’t know the area at all

Is there no safer alternate road for cyclists to use other than this one, my first impression from your pictures is that it’s not an ideal location for cycling. 

Im not condoning the motorists BA but sometimes for your own safety you should avoid some roads when they are busy. 

 

 

There is a short section that is NOT nice on a bike.  In fact it is not even a pleasure in a car ....  and the worst part has no practical bypass (not that I am aware of)

 

Also not too far from where the youngster passed away a few weeks ago when a door was opened in front of him.

 

No perfect answer for this section ....

Edited August 5 by ChrisF

[DieselnDust]

16 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

There is a short section that is NOT nice on a bike.  In fact it is not even a pleasure in a car ....  and the worst part has no practical bypass (not that I am aware of)

 

Also not too far from where the youngster passed away a few weeks ago when a door was opened in front of him.

 

No perfect answer for this section ....

No perfect answer anywhere other than following through on prosecutions and adding in liability resting with the drivers of cars , vans and other vehicles. The only option is to adopt European style legislation since our population seems to not care about the safety of other road users

[Bike Dewing]

3 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

No perfect answer anywhere other than following through on prosecutions and adding in liability resting with the drivers of cars , vans and other vehicles. The only option is to adopt European style legislation since our population seems to not care about the safety of other road users

This is where the UK are awesome I guess.. have a new varia with a camera and you can send any close passers to an email address and as long as they can make out a registration plate they look up the details and issue a fine, 50 pounds I think for each offence.. 👍🏻

[Mamil]

2 hours ago, Bike Dewing said:

This is where the UK are awesome I guess.. have a new varia with a camera and you can send any close passers to an email address and as long as they can make out a registration plate they look up the details and issue a fine, 50 pounds I think for each offence.. 👍🏻

I would buy the varia camera tomorrow and generate a tidy income for the city of CT

[Bike Dewing]

2 minutes ago, Mamil said:

I would buy the varia camera tomorrow and generate a tidy income for the city of CT

The city should supply them.. 🤣

[ChrisF]

What a morning ....

 

Dropped off the car at the dealers for a service.  Nice detour back home on the bike to soak in the perfect morning.

 

150m from the dealer is a traffic circle .... jip, I have to do a stoppie due to a driver looking me in the eyes while just driving into the circle .... his eyes almost opened when he barely noticed the stoppie at his driver side window.

 

Hey, not to worry .... 20m later I passed him as he was stuck in morning traffic.

 

Nice interaction with a commuter along the next section.

 

Those who know will know .... coming down Jip de Jager from Tygervalley road towards Protea hotel ... jip I was enjoying that little mine shaft ... nice safe and wide cycling lane for cyclists.   Uhmmm .... not so safe when the individual holding onto the steering wheel puts the left wheels over the yellow line .... car did auto-steer to the correct side of the yellow line when I passed him ....

 

Almost home, waiting to turn right at a redtraffic light at Meerlust and Suikerbossie (yes, there is a miniature Suikerbossie on this side of the boerewors curtain).  Yes, bicycles can sometimes stop at a traffic light ....  light changes, but this can be a tricky and busy intersection .... I look back, wave the BMW driver in the silver Toyota past ... rather hang back and cross when safe.  Knowing this stretch I keep my speed in check and maintain a gap to the Toyota.  30m later the driver does the BMW thing ... turn left into the Engen, without using the optional signal indicators.

 

The real surprise of the morning ... no driver interactions at either of the entrances to the SPAR.

 

 

So why Italics ?  I choose to concentrate on the nice ride, and not to let these individuals get under my skin.

 

NONE of these vehicle operators where "out to get a cyclist".  This is the same percentage of "bad driving" I see on any given trip in my car.  Sadly way too many vehicle operators in SA has no business being behind a steering wheel !!  You can make peace with this reality, or not .... 

 

Sure .... in my car it will most probably just be an insurance issue if I fail to drive defensively.

 

On my bike the stakes are higher, much higher !!!  

 

I drive defensively .... I might as well cycle with a similar mindset.

 

 

Stay safe out there Hubbers.  Endure the traffic, ENJOY the rest of the ride 👍

 

 

 

NOTE - It sucks that this is the reality we face !!!!  By all means, support PPA and any other initiative to TRY address and improve the situation.  But until we get world peace and attentive competent drivers please do what you can to remain safe out there 🙏

[Jewbacca]

I don't think it sucks though... As a cyclist one should ride like everyone is trying to kill you. To be fair, most are without even realising.

I drove with a friend of mine the other day. I honestly thought I was going to die sitting in the passenger seat from town to Muizenberg. This is a rational person with no bias towards anyone. He just drives like an absolute maniac. I am still shook.

On my bike I am less inclined to go fast and hope others don't open doors/turn in front of me etc... I'm out for enjoyment and trust no one.

Those stretches of road with parked cars I occupy the entire lane and at intersections trust that no one cares. 

I drive like that too. Mostly because no one cares

It also isn't better in most other places. I've lived in a LOT of big cities all over the world and the inattentiveness is everywhere where cars, trucks, busses and bikes are forced to mix.

New Zealand was hands down the safest I ever felt commuting or riding on the road. The drivers there don't speed and don't close pass. Unless you venture to Hamilton, Mangere or South Auckland on the weekend..... Then the Drunk V8 racer boys are out in force avoiding home and the beating they are about to get from their wives

 

[The Ouzo]

yep, we're more vulnerable on the bike, therefore we're more aware of the crazy's, but the fact is the crazy's dont care if you're on foot, on a bike, in a car or even if its a multilink truck coming towards them.

A long long long time ago someone said, "always expect the other person to do something stupid", and I've stuck to that mantra. I've never been disappointed.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

The current discussion started by ChrisF reminded me of the time when I bought my first motorbike a few decades ago. An elderly colleague at work looked at it and said “ my boy if you want to stay alive on that you have to accept that every driver is a bloody fool until he proves the opposite “

And I have been riding cycling driving with that attitude ever since .

[Mamil]

"What can we know? What are we all? Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite, with the aspirations of angels and the instinct of beasts." Arthur Conan Doyle

[robbybzgo]

Another major problem (to cyclists) is that motorists are not on the lookout for cyclists.

As motorist interact 99% of the time, on the road, with other vehicles they've lost the mental reminder that there are bicycles on the road.

Because bicycles are generally slower, definitely smaller, less visible (black helmet, black bike & black kit), without flashing lights (front and back) then are not seen on an otherwise busy road, especially when motorists are not looking out for them.

As a "good" and "respectful" cyclist we generally hug the left side of the road/pavement so to not disturb the flow of faster moving traffic and so motorists have become used to us as just being another annoying obstacle that doesn't appear to have a right to interact with motorised transport.

Many roads that we use haven't been designed to accommodate bicycle transport and so we are again seen as an interference in the flow of traffic.

Unless there is some kind of campaign to put cyclists back into the minds of motorists then we'll always be seen (not seen) as an annoyance and not as a valid road user that has the same rights as any other vehicle on the road.

[Mamil]

 

Future archaelogists are going to shake their head and think "What the f was wrong with these people"? It's going to be the same as lead coating plumbing in Rome.

[dave303e]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

 

Future archaelogists are going to shake their head and think "What the f was wrong with these people"? It's going to be the same as lead coating plumbing in Rome.

What is scary is that having ridden in Scotland I found it so pleasant, felt so safe and it was like a dream to cycle around Inverness and the highlands. So I would hate to know how they would find it here.

[Mamil]

I've pretty much decided I'm pulling the trigger on a varia camera on double miles day - I wish I had footage of my most recent experience with being deliberately swerved at with the car because I was riding away from the curb and "shouldn't be on the road" because I would lay a charge at the cop shop. I know it's futile and nothing will come of it but I'd rather do that than just fume and rant about it here. 

[Meezo]

there's some pictures and a video going around of a cyclist vs taxi on cape street... phuck! the cyclist looks very lucky to sort of smiling in the photo