Motorists vs Cyclists.... again (still there)

[Dobri]

I was in two minds about adding to this thread but considering what happened to me this morning I think I have to. 

I live in Joburg, ex roadie but I avoid tar roads as much as possible in the last few years, to many close calls, prefer gravel and trails. 

In CT for a week so decided to visit few MTB parks besides the ones I did ride as part of W2W.

On my way to Jonkershoek this morning, around 7, about 1km from the parking lot, road is very narrow, no shoulder, and since I was driving directly into the sun and not sure where is this place my speed was around 20-30kmph. 

Sharp bend to the left and since I just passed two MTB's before the bend I was driving over the right solid middle lane. 

At the same time a bunch of 5 riders (few more behind them) appeared coming down the road at high speed, two of them hugging the right solid middle lane from their side. 

Besides the roadies exceeding the speed limit, there is a 30kmph sign coming down, both of us adhered to the rules of the road.

We missed each other by a foot!! 

Very lucky escape for both of us but what if we hit each other? At least two of them would end up in hospital, I would end up being traumatized for life by the incident to no fault of mine. Everyone of BH would assume I was drunk, watching my cell phone or whatever. 

My heart and fury about the incident was high so I calmed down after tasting the awesome Cortado the coffee shop sells and checked the people around me, majority were hikers, most speaking with an accent so they foreigners. All this mean they would have been much less aware of cyclist then I am.

So to all the CT roadies out there, please, PLEASE, ride defensively for the next few weeks!! 

I still need to visit other MTB parks and I really don't need more "excitement" than what Armageddon has given me this morning. 😊

 

 

 

 

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

39 minutes ago, Dobri said:

I was in two minds about adding to this thread but considering what happened to me this morning I think I have to. 

I live in Joburg, ex roadie but I avoid tar roads as much as possible in the last few years, to many close calls, prefer gravel and trails. 

In CT for a week so decided to visit few MTB parks besides the ones I did ride as part of W2W.

On my way to Jonkershoek this morning, around 7, about 1km from the parking lot, road is very narrow, no shoulder, and since I was driving directly into the sun and not sure where is this place my speed was around 20-30kmph. 

Sharp bend to the left and since I just passed two MTB's before the bend I was driving over the right solid middle lane. 

At the same time a bunch of 5 riders (few more behind them) appeared coming down the road at high speed, two of them hugging the right solid middle lane from their side. 

Besides the roadies exceeding the speed limit, there is a 30kmph sign coming down, both of us adhered to the rules of the road.

We missed each other by a foot!! 

Very lucky escape for both of us but what if we hit each other? At least two of them would end up in hospital, I would end up being traumatized for life by the incident to no fault of mine. Everyone of BH would assume I was drunk, watching my cell phone or whatever. 

My heart and fury about the incident was high so I calmed down after tasting the awesome Cortado the coffee shop sells and checked the people around me, majority were hikers, most speaking with an accent so they foreigners. All this mean they would have been much less aware of cyclist then I am.

So to all the CT roadies out there, please, PLEASE, ride defensively for the next few weeks!! 

I still need to visit other MTB parks and I really don't need more "excitement" than what Armageddon has given me this morning. 😊

 

 

 

 

 

That road is narrow, but well liked by roadies. I do like coming down there at speed, but always carefully as there is not a lot of room for error. If you are here try Banhoek trails as well. Just over the helshoogte. Google it. Paarl Rock at Rhebokskloof also good depending on your fitness. FYI ex JHB now resident down here.

[Mamil]

19 hours ago, Dobri said:

I was in two minds about adding to this thread but considering what happened to me this morning I think I have to. 

I live in Joburg, ex roadie but I avoid tar roads as much as possible in the last few years, to many close calls, prefer gravel and trails. 

In CT for a week so decided to visit few MTB parks besides the ones I did ride as part of W2W.

On my way to Jonkershoek this morning, around 7, about 1km from the parking lot, road is very narrow, no shoulder, and since I was driving directly into the sun and not sure where is this place my speed was around 20-30kmph. 

Sharp bend to the left and since I just passed two MTB's before the bend I was driving over the right solid middle lane. 

At the same time a bunch of 5 riders (few more behind them) appeared coming down the road at high speed, two of them hugging the right solid middle lane from their side. 

Besides the roadies exceeding the speed limit, there is a 30kmph sign coming down, both of us adhered to the rules of the road.

We missed each other by a foot!! 

Very lucky escape for both of us but what if we hit each other? At least two of them would end up in hospital, I would end up being traumatized for life by the incident to no fault of mine. Everyone of BH would assume I was drunk, watching my cell phone or whatever. 

My heart and fury about the incident was high so I calmed down after tasting the awesome Cortado the coffee shop sells and checked the people around me, majority were hikers, most speaking with an accent so they foreigners. All this mean they would have been much less aware of cyclist then I am.

So to all the CT roadies out there, please, PLEASE, ride defensively for the next few weeks!! 

I still need to visit other MTB parks and I really don't need more "excitement" than what Armageddon has given me this morning. 😊

 

 

 

 

 

Great post. Glad nothing beyond the scare happened

[Zebra]

Interesting post…, my contrarian view, esp. in light of some regulars who i respect -deeply- ‘liking’ your post…

If you were over the right SOLID line, no matter who/what you were passing, you were in the wrong IF UNSIGHTED… Solid is solid for a reason…

(them ‘hugging’ the solid white line, despite maybe being ‘inside’ of it, is not responsible riding…)

But, you need to pass riders when it is safe to do so / on a straight, else w-a-i-t for a gap where you can ‘sight’ ahead…

I HEAR you, but feel you were in the wrong, on this one…

I AGREE with your sentiments for cyclists to slow down, in places, but please, no crossing the white line unsighted…

Thanks for reporting this; we all learn…

Chris

[Dobri]

29 minutes ago, Zebra said:

Interesting post…, my contrarian view, esp. in light of some regulars who i respect -deeply- ‘liking’ your post…

If you were over the right SOLID line, no matter who/what you were passing, you were in the wrong IF UNSIGHTED… Solid is solid for a reason…

(them ‘hugging’ the solid white line, despite maybe being ‘inside’ of it, is not responsible riding…)

But, you need to pass riders when it is safe to do so / on a straight, else w-a-i-t for a gap where you can ‘sight’ ahead…

I HEAR you, but feel you were in the wrong, on this one…

I AGREE with your sentiments for cyclists to slow down, in places, but please, no crossing the white line unsighted…

Thanks for reporting this; we all learn…

Chris

Hi Chris, my post was more related to other road user on that section as I am referring to in my 3rd last paragraph. 

That section of road has two solid lines. I was driving on my right line, not theirs so I did not cross the middle of the road. 

I was obeying the speed limit, the roadies did not. 

There is danger sign for sharp curves and hidden entrances from both ways - I obeyed it, the roadies did not. 

I passed the two MTB's on the straight before the sharp bend to the left, up to that point I passed couple other groups of MTB's and roadies cycling to the top, I anticipated there could be more coming up.  

Did I mention that I was driving into the sun.

I was driving defensively (like I would in the Cradle in Joburg) anticipating possible problems yet the roadies where cycling like there was no possibility of any danger in front of them. 

So why am I in the wrong? 

What could I have possibly done more? 

If that section of the road, with all the speed limit and danger signs, does not warrant for the roadies to slow down then this is a silly debate and an accident waiting to happen.

 

 

[Zebra]

I think your recent post clarifies - a lot - of your actions, and now reads ‘different’ - well done on further-explaining your actions, I better understand your point(s).

this; “Sharp bend to the left and since I just passed two MTB's before the bend I was driving over the right solid middle lane” ‘read’ differently before your clarification - all good…

Cheers

Chris

[Mook]

https://novanews.co.za/tragedie-tref-paarl-tienerfietsryer-en-bekende-sakeman-sterf/?fbclid=IwVERDUAO5yGVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5-Y82649R9A6o-RJ9yVKSAft3eXbEJNXVIQddEghYFqpAy3bNRuX7cCJq87w_aem_UDqqvYlffh9dIxd_pV0zHg

16-yr old cyclist killed in Paarl by driver allegedly under the influence.

When will the carnage stop 😭

[Bro Derek]

seriously, all jokes aside, find something else to do besides ride road bikes and drive cars at the moment.

'Everyone' is drunk, nobody knows where they are going and everyone is in a hurry.

It is carnage and it won't get better until the 5th

Nothing anyone says or does will make a difference in the short term. So while it sucks, going out on the road now is a choice to actively put yourself into the warzone 

You will lose if the wrong stuff happens.

Lament all you want, whining about how unfair it is and how it shouldn't be like this etc doesn't take away the fact that right now, the roads are a death trap

[Sandro]

17 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

seriously, all jokes aside, find something else to do besides ride road bikes and drive cars at the moment.

'Everyone' is drunk, nobody knows where they are going and everyone is in a hurry.

It is carnage and it won't get better until the 5th

Nothing anyone says or does will make a difference in the short term. So while it sucks, going out on the road now is a choice to actively put yourself into the warzone 

You will lose if the wrong stuff happens.

Lament all you want, whining about how unfair it is and how it shouldn't be like this etc doesn't take away the fact that right now, the roads are a death trap

Agreed. Two tonnes of steel doesn't care if you're right or wrong. My trainer set up was some of the best money I've ever spent because even though it will always be a very distant second to being on the road, I can ride whenever I want and I'm guaranteed to walk away after every ride. No taxis, drunk idiots, or arrogant clowns anywhere. 

[Mamil]

On 12/25/2025 at 9:58 AM, Bro Derek said:

seriously, all jokes aside, find something else to do besides ride road bikes and drive cars at the moment.

'Everyone' is drunk, nobody knows where they are going and everyone is in a hurry.

It is carnage and it won't get better until the 5th

Nothing anyone says or does will make a difference in the short term. So while it sucks, going out on the road now is a choice to actively put yourself into the warzone 

You will lose if the wrong stuff happens.

Lament all you want, whining about how unfair it is and how it shouldn't be like this etc doesn't take away the fact that right now, the roads are a death trap

I could have ridden back from Betty's to Cape Town today.  ive done it many times. 

Opted to load the bike on the car and zwift at home...

I feel like a worshipper locked out of church or worse,.a Judas who disowns his belief to save his skin.   

[Bro Derek]

6 hours ago, Mamil said:

I could have ridden back from Betty's to Cape Town today.  ive done it many times. 

Opted to load the bike on the car and zwift at home...

I feel like a worshipper locked out of church or worse,.a Judas who disowns his belief to save his skin.   

I'd rather be alive and cowardly than dead, and if that means putting the bike away for a couple of weeks then i am very much at peace with that

Edited December 26, 2025 by Bro Derek

[capediver]

This morning...Chappies....count the number of "transgressions" here....and the number of near- misses...

Edited December 28, 2025 by capediver
Added

[cadenceblur]

This morning while descending from Smitswinkel, we encountered an idiot who having seen us approaching at speed, decided it was appropriate to make U turn right across us our path, forcing us to come to a complete stop to avoid colliding with him. The imbecile thought nothing of his actions and I wonder if he would have done the same thing had it been a car. 

[Wannabe]

20 hours ago, cadenceblur said:

This morning while descending from Smitswinkel, we encountered an idiot who having seen us approaching at speed, decided it was appropriate to make U turn right across us our path, forcing us to come to a complete stop to avoid colliding with him. The imbecile thought nothing of his actions and I wonder if he would have done the same thing had it been a car. 

On our ride this morning, riding in single file, we had an idiot coming up next to us, and proceeded to start turn left in front of us. At least he put his indicator on, which I saw, and I shouted a warning that he was going to turn in front of us. We were able to slow down/come to a stop so that this idiot could go on his merry way, blissfully unaware of the life's he just put in danger.

 

[I FLY]

On 12/26/2025 at 1:03 PM, Mamil said:

I could have ridden back from Betty's to Cape Town today.  ive done it many times. 

Opted to load the bike on the car and zwift at home...

I feel like a worshipper locked out of church or worse,.a Judas who disowns his belief to save his skin.   

I am staying in Gordons Bay this week and have also opted out of riding the R44 out to Rooiels and back due to the same concerns for my safety.

[Mook]

23 hours ago, capediver said:

This morning...Chappies....count the number of "transgressions" here....and the number of near- misses...

The lynch mob must be on vacation .........

Surely the motorist is the only idiot in this pic 🤔