Protest Ride Declared Illegal

[AfreekduSoet]

Personally I am against ALL forms of protest action which disrupts the populations daily lives and access to business etc.

 

It generally serves no point except to disrupt everybodies day.

 

I cant remember how many "protest rides" we have had in Jhb' date=' has it served any valid long term point, not that I can see, has it made any differance to the accident rate - not that I can see, so what point has it had??

 

What are the long term effect of a protest ride?? - I would guess none, three weeks time its forgotton.

 

Cosatu is having a massive strike action day tomorrow about electricity tariffs - we have already been told we will have to close our doors at midday as the march gos past us, we have been told we will have at least 60% staff shortages tomorrow, it will probably take everbody double the time to drive anywhere due to general congestion - how is this helping??

 

Will electricity tariffs come down - No!

 

I personally am sick to death of the word "protest" here in SA we take it too extremes, if you feel so strongly about it how about trying a new way to make yourself heard, put up banners, send out flyers,write to newspapers, contact automobile magazines and ask them to write about it in their magazine, - I say it again, PROTESTS SERVE NO PURPOSE IN THE LONG TERM, EXCEPT TO ANGER THE GENERAL POPULATION MORE THAN EVER.

 

 

[/quote']

hear hear!

 

Fully agree.  And we wonder why other road users hate the sight of us.  Now people want to go and tick them off and cause major disruptions?

 

Also, if you want the law's respect, start acting within it first and stop the rubbish talk of knocking over bins.  It surely is below you.

 

Rather invest energy in discussions with authorities (such as Metro Police) in creating a safer environment.. has any one tried this?

[idrive]

What about organising a series of 'cycling awareness' rides in all major centres during December. Cape Town one weekend, Durban the next and so on or all on the same weekend.

 

It gives plenty of time to organise without emotion and it could get a huge amount of publicity.

[straatvark]

Don't call it a protest ride' date=' call it an awareness ride. So much more positive. [/quote']

 

I agree, it musnt be agressive. The Stellenbosch ride went by without a single hooter from motorists and friendly banter and coffee offers with the local authority representatives.

 

http://www.criticalmass.org.za/ 

Dont think the url was targeted at Stellenbosch only.(There was some good graphics for pamplets etc that one could download, but can't fine it now. Email the info@crit...org.za - friendly people)

 

It would be good if one can have national cyclist week (Argus/94.7) where commuters can hand out something "positive" to motorists etc. ("ThinkBike" wrapped/labelled energy bars sponsored by one of the energy companies. I would not mind buying 10 or 20 and hand them out during a certain week for example.)

[Weekend_Warrior]

"Newly appointed metro police spokesperson Superintendent Joyce Khuzwayo was not available for comment" typical lazy bastard she probably only works thursday and friday half day.

 

I agree tho that protests may just make the public more anti cycling and due to the fact that it will have made them late for work will increase driving speeds after leaving the area and possibly putting more innocent peoples lives at risk.

[chucky]

take note what happens today on our streets ,thats the way to do things,big strick today ,my staff have phoned to say they cant get to work

[Tumbleweed]

What about organising a series of 'cycling awareness' rides in all major centres during December. Cape Town one weekend' date=' Durban the next and so on or all on the same weekend.

 

It gives plenty of time to organise without emotion and it could get a huge amount of publicity.

[/quote']

 

december might not be such a good idea. everyone's on holiday?

[Delgado]

Don't call it a protest ride' date=' call it an awareness ride. So much more positive. [/quote'] Exactly Sean!! How some vocabulary can change a perception!! Call it an awreness ride and don't behave like a Cosatu member and perhaps one will receive respect!!

[idrive]

....... but that's the whole point. It won't be such a disruption, it could attract more participants as people are on leave. In major centres like CT, DBN, PE, Nelspruit, Sabie etc it could work very well and generate a lot of awareness.

 

I think it should be done so as not to antagonise other road users, but create awareness so anyone seeing it stops dead in their tracks and says, "My goodness, look at those thousands of cyclist!"

 

Imagine 1000 cyclist in Ballito, Camps Bay, Tableview ...... or 5000 cyclist with the roads to themselves in Sandton.

[Sean Badenhorst]

idrive, there won't be 5000 in Sandton that time of year, they'll mostly be in Ballito and Camps Bay and Knysna and Plett and Mozambique on holiday... 

[ukethi]

I have often thought of how to do an awareness ride to make non cyclists aware of bicycles. And I keep getting back to the same thing, anything that obstructs the road, slows drivers down or any way impedes their mad dash to to whatever critically important event they are attending, will only hamper our cause.

 

 

 

Non cyclists need to be made aware of the consequences of an accident with a cyclist. An accident with another car is a broken tail light some bent metal and an annoying time with insurance. An accident with a cyclist results in blood and possible death, for the cyclist. I doubt if motorists will ever have warm fuzzy feelings towards cyclists but a non cyclist needs to be made aware of the permanence of an accident with a cyclist.

 

 

 

My thought was to stage regular awareness tableau, not on the road but at a shopping centre on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Take a few parking bays near the entrance early in the morning (before everyone gets there) and park your cars in them. Then as the centre starts to get busy set up the scene.

 

 

 

Move some of the cars so there is an open space, set up so it does not bock any traffic but is easily visible.

 

 

 

You will need the following

 

A car with a slightly dented bonnet

 

A bent and broken bike

 

An actor or cyclist willing to get messy

 

A lot of tomato sauce

 

Pamphlets to hand out

 

 

 

The public love to look at accidents, they are compelled to. This will draw people in and make a graphic representation of a confrontation between car and cyclist. People are walking so are easier to approach and hand out pamphlets. However we must remember that we cannot be confrontational.

 

 

 

If this is done simultaneously across the city and country on a regular basis it can only raise awareness.