Metro cops try to stop cyclists

[GFishy]

Durban - Metro police attempted to stop cyclists who converged at Durban's King's Park pool on Tuesday for a "protest ride" which police said was illegal.

 

 

 

The protest action by Cyclesafe comes after retired dentist Willem van Heerden was killed in a hit and run last week, while another four cyclists were injured in a similar incident days later.

 

 

 

The organisation's Lyndon Kelly said they wanted government to create a safer environment for all in the cycle community.

 

 

 

Kelly said the protest ride would end at city hall where a memorandum detailing their concerns would be handed to the municipality.

 

 

 

The Daily News reported that city authorities had denied cyclists the right to stage the protest ride as cyclists gathered for it on Tuesday morning.

 

 

 

In a letter sent to Cyclesafe KwaZulu-Natal, the municipality's health, safety and social services cluster advised the cyclists that should the protest ride go ahead, it would be deemed illegal because the city had not been given the adequate seven-day notice.

 

 

 

Newly appointed metro police spokesperson Superintendent Joyce Khuzwayo was not available for comment.

 

 

 

A police officer at metro police radio control confirmed that attempts had been made to stop the cyclists from proceeding with their protest ride.

 

 

 

"We barricaded certain parts near Kings Park pool but some of them managed to go through," the police officer said.

 

 

 

 

[GFishy]

Hubbers arrested?

[Iven]

"We barricaded certain parts near Kings Park pool but some of them managed to go through," the police officer said.

 

Bollocks! Nobody stopped the cyclists!!!

[daggavis]

What threat did the cyclists pose?

 

It's all fine - give 7 days notice so that millions can strike 2morrow, loot shops, smash car windows, burn trains and busses, intimidate other commuters, disrupt the traffic and etcc..

 

I hate this f*cking banana republic and mentality

[Iven]

Hubbers arrested?

 

No - not even close.

[GFishy]

Hubbers arrested?

 

?

 

No - not even close.

 

Good

 

I hope a few frozen bottles got to their targets

 

 

[Eldron]

I've never been a big fan of protest rides. All they really do create more tension between motorists and riders. Whenever I've been caught behind toyi toying workers, Harleys doing 20kph etc in my car it has never made me more sympathetic to their cause.

Sure they create awarenes but not the kind of awareness that will make the roads safer for the rest of us - it creates the kind of awareness that makes motorist go "damn cyclists getting in the way of my car AGAIN!".

 

Something has to be done to raise the rights of non motorised road users - I'm just not sure pissing more people off is the right way to go.

[TNT1]

 

I've never been a big fan of protest rides. All they really do create more tension between motorists and riders. Whenever I've been caught behind toyi toying workers' date=' Harleys doing 20kph etc in my car it has never made me more sympathetic to their cause.

[/quote']

 

OMG... That's you:

http://www.thinkbike.co.za/pics/gallery/Humorous/images/when_not_2_hit_a_bike.jpg

 

[Eldron]

*grin*

 

Man I hate Harleys - overweight, loud, poor handling, over priced, inefficient chunks of metal ridden by lawyers and accountants...

 

It's like riding a R700 Hyperama special at the 94.7 then adding R40,000 worth of gold leaf and diamond to try and give it respect.

 

I guess I just never understood the leather and loud culture....

[Derek20]

Agreed. Need to find a win win solution for all.

[DRIVETRAIN]

It takes 4 vehicle lanes to support 40 000 vehicles & takes 1 lane to support the same number of cyclists !!!

Is that too much to ask for?

"DT"

[porky]

What threat did the cyclists pose?

 

It's all fine - give 7 days notice so that millions can strike 2morrow' date=' loot shops, smash car windows, burn trains and busses, intimidate other commuters, disrupt the traffic and etcc..

 

I hate this f*cking banana republic and mentality

[/quote']

 

As I said in the other post on this subject - I am against ALL forms of protest thats disrupts the daily lives of the general public.

 

That said today we have in our company about a 80% stay away, so no construction crews went out this morning and those that did come to work are sitting in the sun outside until 12 pm when they have been told they can go home.

 

How is all this helping the cause - I have to say I dont know.

 

As far as your comment gos, when this kind of unlawfull behaviour happens its usually people who have no interest in the cause, its for them just a way of behaving in a disrupting and unlawfull manner and getting away with it in the name of the "protest". Their aim is NOT TO MAKE A POINT BUT to destroy somebody elses property because they cant have it.

 

In regards to the ride, personally I think the police are just doing their job, if the ride is declared illegal, thats it, go home, or honestly I would have had reservations about been there in the first place.