Monte Classico - Route Safety Concerns

[rorydewet]

My family and I have entered the above event. The date is Sunday the 13th February 2022.

The route is interesting. Start and finish at Monte.

But the rest of the route puzzles me.

Head out from Monte via Witkoppen, right at Beyers and down towards cradle via Beyers.

Through the cradle, caves etc.

Then near Val Verde down towards Lanseria. Right up Malibongwe and back to Monte via Witkoppen.

These are some major roads with high traffic volumes, Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe. Added to that its through cradle where the race will mix it up with the normal cradle Sunday riders.

How will the organizer's guarantee riders safety on roads like Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe with Sunday drivers and the ever present taxis?

surely these roads will not be closed off.

How will other cradle riders take to racing groups through Cradle?

How will cyclists be protected going through the Zandspruit informal settlement on Beyers?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

 

Anyone have comments I would welcome input.

 

 

[WR 1.0]

That part from Zandspruit to the highway on Beyers is a nightmare. No yellow lane, broken shoulder, dodgy taxis, ect.

[jcza]

15 minutes ago, rorydewet said:

My family and I have entered the above event. The date is Sunday the 13th February 2022.

The route is interesting. Start and finish at Monte.

But the rest of the route puzzles me.

Head out from Monte via Witkoppen, right at Beyers and down towards cradle via Beyers.

Through the cradle, caves etc.

Then near Val Verde down towards Lanseria. Right up Malibongwe and back to Monte via Witkoppen.

These are some major roads with high traffic volumes, Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe. Added to that its through cradle where the race will mix it up with the normal cradle Sunday riders.

How will the organizer's guarantee riders safety on roads like Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe with Sunday drivers and the ever present taxis?

surely these roads will not be closed off.

How will other cradle riders take to racing groups through Cradle?

How will cyclists be protected going through the Zandspruit informal settlement on Beyers?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

 

Anyone have comments I would welcome input.

 

 

Short route will be Witkoppen - Beyers - Valverde - Malibongwe - Witkoppen

Long route Witkoppen - Beyers - Muldersdrift - Avianto - Bidon - Caves loop - Lion Park - Valverde - Malibongwe - Witkoppen

It will be chaos, on the roads and in the cradle. 

 

[Underachiever]

12 minutes ago, jcza said:

Short route will be Witkoppen - Beyers - Valverde - Malibongwe - Witkoppen

Long route Witkoppen - Beyers - Muldersdrift - Avianto - Bidon - Caves loop - Lion Park - Valverde - Malibongwe - Witkoppen

It will be chaos, on the roads and in the cradle. 

 

Thanks JZ, you just made up my mind for me!!!

[Ispeed_V]

Have also entered the 90KM.

Considering giving it a skip as it could become an absolute **** show.

There is no mention of partial road closures only (quote)"significant buy-in from the Joburg Metro as well as Mogale City which will enable a safe cycling environment on race day".

As mentioned above, Witkoppen, Malibongwe and Beyers will be each man to themselves with the Taxis/Cars etc.

Cradle will be a nightmare with all the other users (cyclists and runners).

Interested to hear other opinions.

[rorydewet]

2 minutes ago, FondTF2 said:

Have also entered the 90KM.

Considering giving it a skip as it could become an absolute **** show.

There is no mention of partial road closures only (quote)"significant buy-in from the Joburg Metro as well as Mogale City which will enable a safe cycling environment on race day".

As mentioned above, Witkoppen, Malibongwe and Beyers will be each man to themselves with the Taxis/Cars etc.

Cradle will be a nightmare with all the other users (cyclists and runners).

Interested to hear other opinions.

Even with police buy in.

How do they control taxis on the roads, other drivers and other cyclists over a 90 km distance, the number of police required is impossible.

[jcza]

7 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Thanks JZ, you just made up my mind for me!!!

The caves loop would be better if you go out to caves then left onto Hekpoort, left again at N14 and left again back into the cradle. I'm not even thinking about Witkoppen, Beyers and returning via Malibongwe and Cosmo City. 

Not for me thanks. 

[JA-Q001]

TBH, Zandspruit and Cosmo city is really not dangerous (apart from normal traffic). I have cycled past there a lot , on my own and have never felt threatened.

Regarding their planned route, its going to be interesting if they can keep cyclists and vehicles separated. 

I think it was in 2012 that the Mzanzi Tour (a UCI level tour) wanted to start a race at Monte, it did not happen, Taxis and other traffic was not able to be controlled.

Edited January 25, 2022 by JA-Q001

[rorydewet]

I agree about Zandspruit, no danger from locals. But the traffic lights at Beyers and Peter road in the middle of Zandspruit never work.

How will cycling groups navigate this intersection, and then as pointed out from this intersection to the N14 is narrow with no shoulder at all.

[jcza]

12 minutes ago, JA-Q001 said:

TBH, Zandspruit and Cosmo city is really not dangerous (apart from normal traffic). I have cycled past there a lot , on my own and have never felt threatened.

Regarding their planned route, its going to be interesting if they can keep cyclists and vehicles separated. 

I think it was in 2012 that the Mzanzi Tour (a UCI level tour) wanted to start a race at Monte, it did not happen, Taxis and other traffic was not able to be controlled.

"Normal" traffic on those roads with bunches at 45km/h....I'm getting too old for this. 

Be safe! 

[PregoRoll]

18 minutes ago, JA-Q001 said:

TBH, Zandspruit and Cosmo city is really not dangerous (apart from normal traffic). I have cycled past there a lot , on my own and have never felt threatened.

Regarding their planned route, its going to be interesting if they can keep cyclists and vehicles separated. 

I think it was in 2012 that the Mzanzi Tour (a UCI level tour) wanted to start a race at Monte, it did not happen, Taxis and other traffic was not able to be controlled.

Would be more concerned about the attention its going to attract. very different when a small group zips past Zandspruit, but when bunch after bunch and straggler after straggler starts going through well into the mid morning, thats where the problems may start.

Bayers is by far one of the most dangerous roads out that side, Peter Road/HP/N14 would have made much more sense

[JJDT]

Peter Road is one of the main routes towards Beyers Naude from the Suburbs to the West of Roodepoort as well as the East of Krugersdorp and beyond . As mentioned that traffic light at Peter/Beyers is more out of order than working. Keeping that road closed will ensure chaos. They will need to close the entire Beyers Naude road from the N14 to Witkoppen/Christiaan de Wet roads in order to keep the cyclists safe.

[Frosty]

 

1 hour ago, rorydewet said:

My family and I have entered the above event. The date is Sunday the 13th February 2022.

The route is interesting. Start and finish at Monte.

But the rest of the route puzzles me.

Head out from Monte via Witkoppen, right at Beyers and down towards cradle via Beyers.

Through the cradle, caves etc.

Then near Val Verde down towards Lanseria. Right up Malibongwe and back to Monte via Witkoppen.

These are some major roads with high traffic volumes, Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe. Added to that its through cradle where the race will mix it up with the normal cradle Sunday riders.

How will the organizer's guarantee riders safety on roads like Witkoppen, Beyers and Malibongwe with Sunday drivers and the ever present taxis?

surely these roads will not be closed off.

How will other cradle riders take to racing groups through Cradle?

How will cyclists be protected going through the Zandspruit informal settlement on Beyers?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

Anyone have comments I would welcome input.

Contact the CGC Road Commissioner and ask him if he’s happy with the race route and your concerns, re safety. They have to issue a sanctioning certificate based on the organiser providing answers to certain criteria. Rider’s safety should be a non-negotiable.

If you want his number, send me a PM.

[JJDT]

The more logical and somewhat safer option would be Monte into Cedar road, Cradle Loop(short distance turn right into cradle heading towards Bidon. The longer option continues towards Muldersdrift turning right into the Cradle past Avianto heading to Bidon. They can then return from the Cradle back to Monte via Cedar again.

The only problem is the road works at the end of Ceder at the T-junction.

[117]

Watch out for potholes midway between the N14 and the turn off into the cradle loop. There's no shoulder there either on that stretch

[rorydewet]

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

 

Contact the CGC Road Commissioner and ask him if he’s happy with the race route and your concerns, re safety. They have to issue a sanctioning certificate based on the organiser providing answers to certain criteria. Rider’s safety should be a non-negotiable.

If you want his number, send me a PM.

thanks but i think not as it now stands ill forfeit entry fee and not ride