Have the roads hit new levels of chaos?

[Mountain Bru]

Is it just me, or are our roads more chaotic than ever at the moment. Over the last week, I've seen more accidents and incidents than ever before, and that's with me spending much less time on the road with working from home. Makes me wanna stick to the MTB and retire my road bike to the indoor trainer. 
 

In the last few days I've seen:

• A guy pull an illegal u-turn at a red robot and crash almost head on into a guy innocently driving through a green light
• A guy cruise through 2 red lights at super high speed at  5PM on a Sunday, and then rear end a guy waiting at the next red light
• I almost had a head on crash with a guy trying to make an overtake around the wrong side of a circle (Like turning right into a circle to try get around to the other side before the dude that was in front of him)
• Saw some cyclists on Saturday that got hit from behind while innocently waiting a red robot (hope those guys are okay)
• The usual chaos from taxis (this doesn't surprise me anymore though)

 

Have I just been unlucky, or has anyone had a similar experience? Do you feel like you're more unsafe than usual riding on the road?

[Chris_]

It's not just you. It's a circus out there

 

Edit: or, and I think this seriously sometimes; that it's my fault I'm so disappointed with other road users, that it's because I actually expect too much from South Africa. Our roads are just breaking and that's it. Taxis drive how they please, end, it'll never change. Traffic laws are often merely suggestions. Yellow lanes and pavements are driving lanes. It's also ok to stop anywhere. The road is meant for 3 abreast cyclists (hmm) and recycling trolleys. Accidents are part of every day.

 

So really, maybe I need to lower my expectations? We don't live in a first world, Swiss functioning, Japanese mannered society. (reaching on the generalizations)

Edited February 28, 2021 by Chris_

[BaGearA]

It's crazy, drove past a taxi that collided head on with A car, both in the right lane at a robot AND there was a big middle man to split left and right lanes

 

Its a jungle out there

[mecheng89]

I must say out south where we prowl the general public are fine. But mass transport vehicles however I swear get some kind of thrill passing as close as possible.

 

We have however had countless close calls over time. The most common one being motorist being impatient and ripping past just to get to the turn off 0.1 seconds sooner (unfortunately, the majority are males). 

 

But let's be frank, us cyclists are also not on the side of the law a lot of times. We need to hold our own kind to account more, then motorists might respect us more. 

[Mountain Bru]

Do you guys still ride on the roads and just take your chances? Are has zwift become more appealing? I've never been part of cycling club, but I'm considering joining one now just for the safety benefits of a support vehicle and riding in a group. 

[kosmonooit]

its totally nuts, I  am on the road a fair amount around Jhb and has gotten worse. Almost total disregard for traffic lights, stop signs, right of way, road direction let alone courtesy or giving way to other road users, pedestrians and cyclist. Actually most pedestrians are clueless as well.

 

What really peeves me is the well-provisioned and well-fed Metro cops road blocks (sometimes three a day, often on a busy road at busy times) all whilst mayhem ensues up the road. Totally freaking useless.

 

I am fitting a phuck-off air horn on my skora.

Edited March 2, 2021 by kosmonooit

[Showtime]

I permanently parked the road bike a few months back. I can't pretend it's a reasonable risk I'm taking with a wife and daughter at home given the complete disregard for law out there and every second person browsing Facebook while driving.

[Chris_]

Do you guys still ride on the roads and just take your chances? Are has zwift become more appealing? I've never been part of cycling club, but I'm considering joining one now just for the safety benefits of a support vehicle and riding in a group. 

 

The days of me riding out to the Cradle via Hendrik Potgieter et al are long gone. And too often the mission of getting everything packed and driving for an hour make it seem not worth it.

 

So ja, maybe the roads killed my cycling, but probably more shifting to other sports. But the odd occasion I do ride its always loading up the car and driving out somewhere quieter.

[JJDT]

It seems to me that people are getting more impatient while driving takes risks just to gain a few seconds. Driving to Harties this weekend on Sunday afternoon there was about three cars that could not wait for it to be save to overtake. The first a car behind me that can not wait for me to pass the slower car in front of me...decided on a solid white to overtake me and the car in front of me on an incline with some oncomming traffic...the same with a car behind the other car as well...if I didn't slow down in order to make a larger gap in front of me it would've been an accident of note. Little later on the same road some idiot again on the on cooming traffic decided he also needs to overtake two cars with us approaching.

On my way back a guy in his Hilux bakkie decided he owns the road...moving so far right that I needed to drive as far left as possible in order just to miss him...no swerwing back into his lane just casually continues to drive on.

The last issue was when we decided that we want to go through the tunnel...at one stage some person decided to ignore the red light in order to go through...the other side was green and the traffic decided to move just to meet each other half way. The culprit can not reverse and on the other side multiple cars were behind each other. We were stuck for about 20 minutes before getting through and by that time the traffic was a nightmare.

I just want to move to a quiet town where there are hardly traffic. Out of sight...out of mind...

[travisza]

Yeah its bad man. Seems to have gotten worse lately. My wife drives a lot for her job and she has at least one near miss story a day. Sometimes due to stupidity, most often due to impatience or complete disregard for anyone else on the road.

 

I'd be way happier if she was on the road less.

[Eugene]

I don't know about other centres, but there is a lack of traffic police here in PE.

 

We just don't see them on the roads. I cannot remember the last time I saw a speed trap.

 

It's almost as if they have closed down.

 

It's the same with the Metro police. They are know where to be found.

[MudMuppet]

Agreed, a total mess.

Today was a particularly bad day i must say, from the far West Rand to the far East Rand and back, was a nightmare......

And since when are indicators optional on all cars, thought that was just BMW's    

[travisza]

Agreed, a total mess.

 

Today was a particularly bad day i must say, from the far West Rand to the far East Rand and back, was a nightmare......

 

And since when are indicators optional on all cars, thought that was just BMW's    

You must have missed the memo where they said you should either not indicate at all or drive with your hazards on and then just randomly pick a direction to turn in. Either way the key is making sure no one else knows what you're about to do

[MudMuppet]

You must have missed the memo where they said you should either not indicate at all or drive with your hazards on and then just randomly pick a direction to turn in. Either way the key is making sure no one else knows what you're about to do

Darn i obviously did miss the memo....sigh

[Mojoman]

It seems to me that people are getting more impatient while driving takes risks just to gain a few seconds. Driving to Harties this weekend on Sunday afternoon there was about three cars that could not wait for it to be save to overtake. The first a car behind me that can not wait for me to pass the slower car in front of me...decided on a solid white to overtake me and the car in front of me on an incline with some oncomming traffic...the same with a car behind the other car as well...if I didn't slow down in order to make a larger gap in front of me it would've been an accident of note. Little later on the same road some idiot again on the on cooming traffic decided he also needs to overtake two cars with us approaching.

On my way back a guy in his Hilux bakkie decided he owns the road...moving so far right that I needed to drive as far left as possible in order just to miss him...no swerwing back into his lane just casually continues to drive on.

The last issue was when we decided that we want to go through the tunnel...at one stage some person decided to ignore the red light in order to go through...the other side was green and the traffic decided to move just to meet each other half way. The culprit can not reverse and on the other side multiple cars were behind each other. We were stuck for about 20 minutes before getting through and by that time the traffic was a nightmare.

I just want to move to a quiet town where there are hardly traffic. Out of sight...out of mind...

Ja, Avoid Farties on a weekend...great for a visit midweek....almost have the area to yourself!

[Mountain Bru]

Sigh..... I just want to ride my bike without having to dodge the grim reaper at every turn.

Between the clowns on the road and the clowns hiding in the bushes to take your bike for a permanent spin, it's an absolute circus out there.

 

What do you guys think of group rides with a club? Is it any safer? I've done races without full road closure, and it was almost more sketchy to be in the bunch with cars trying to overtake the entire group, so I'm not sure if there really is safety in numbers