F*!KEN TAXIS

[shaunh]

Amateur, that is exactly what is needed. Education on both sides. IanJ excellent idea.

 

I will be happy to start these 'road shows'. Maybe we can discuss further on Saturday.

[IanJ]

Amateur' date=' that is exactly what is needed. Education on both sides. IanJ excellent idea.

 

I will be happy to start these 'road shows'. Maybe we can discuss further on Saturday.

[/quote']

 

Um if I make it Shaun, might have domestic obligations .

 

But we can certainly get together sometime if not. Let's face it take a taxi driver out of his taxi and he is just a normal human being. I think we could just organise to visit some ranks and chat with the guys, maybe buy some cokes or something and just explain the problems we face etc.

 

I find generally that if you ride assertively but defensively they will give you space (with a few exceptions).

 

I have seen a few taxis with Think Bike stickers, what is the story behind that (slowpoke)?

 

[shaunh]

Maybe we should design a sticker that says 'This Taxi supports Safe Cycling' or something to that effect.

 

Need a sponsor for these. Anybody print stickers out there?!!!

[Sean Badenhorst]

 

Maybe we should design a sticker that says 'This Taxi supports Safe Cycling' or something to that effect.

 

Need a sponsor for these. Anybody print stickers out there?!!!

 

 

I tried to get something like this going when I was editor of Ride Mag circa 2001. I figured the fuel companies were best as taxi drivers visit the fuel stations regularly. Plan was to have a pamphlet/card with six different basic images of cyclists and a brief description how they should be respected in each situation. Each time the taxi driver filled up at one of the sponsoring fuel company's stations, he would get some sort of stamp on each of the six images on his pamphlet. Once he had all six stamped he could qualify for a R100 discount on his next tank of fuel.

 

Needless to say, the none of the fuel companies I approached found it attractive. Maybe things have changed...

 

[shaunh]

Sean, what about the pharmaceutical companies. Brands such as Eno's Grandpa & Disprin are popular products advertised on Taxi's?

[mbaymike]

well first of all the taxis think they own the road and are above the law as mentioned earlier.....second...90% of our traffic officers don't have the backbone to arrest a flea...never mind a taxi driver.  We see it here in Mosselbay as well....the pull over the Merc or anything that looks new....and when the taxis come by.....hey my bru....gat ons vanand so bietchie braai...so lekka vleisie op die coals gooi....useless bunch I say

[1hill@aTime]

you guys are right i have seen a few taxi's(could be the same one) in the edenvale area with bike racks on...

 

Don't get me wrong they not all bad, i try and be courteous to all cars, but hey there's just some that just don't give a dam, so while you out there, be careful, Ameteur i like your idea, also if you think about it, besides us cyclist which other bike riders are on the roads mostly,(do they treat their own the same way?)

[DRIVETRAIN]

How does one go to the Fuz s & lay a charge of reckless driving when the same Bastards drive offensively ??? Like this morning when a cop van pulls in front of me dropping off a fellow fuz literally bringing me & traffic to a standstill ---

 

Gave him crap & banged with my fist hard on the van !!

 

"DT"

DRIVETRAIN2008-09-02 04:12:02

[Tromps]

[quote name='1hill@aTime]good luck Azonic with that' date=' i'm guessing you going to get laughed at, they just don't care, that's why so many people take the law into there on hands, because the people who are supposed to protect and serve, don't give jack S...[/quote']<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

People like you, need to spend more time on the ground. Have you ever been to a police station to see and hear the k%k that have to deal with day in and day out? Have you any idea how nice it is to see your best efforst send to hell because the complainant does not want to spend time in court and do the right thing.

 

Grow up. The police care. They might just not be able to do anything about it.

 

Go to the cops and lay a charge or reckless driving. Is there such a charge? Or hows about assault with a deadly weapon (taxi) with the intention of doing grievous bodily harm? 

 

Funny man!!! You arer entitled to lay a charge against him for hit and run' date=' as he refused to disclose his details to you. You are also entitled to open a criminal case of reckless driving and neckligient driving against the driver, but consider this. All Taxi?s on the roads are driven by some schmuck to whom it does not belong. When they trace the number plate, the owner will simply shrugg his shoulders and say ?I was not the driver.? The driver will suddenly be dead.

 

Turn you anger into positive energy. Leave 15 minutes early on your commute tomorrow and stop all the other cyclists you see on the route and ask them if they are willing to contribute funds towards Cycle Safe signs on this road. Approach your company and others on this route and ask them for financial assistance and make a difference.

 

If you need help just shout.

 

If I may the ever pessimist here, we have these ?BEWARE CYCLIST? signs near schools. Do they help? Have you ever seen any one pay attention to those or any other signs for that matter? The fact of this matter is, people do not observe around them. They look but they don?t see. I know for a fact, when I am in my car, the music is pumping, I use to drive with out indicating. I didn?t care about safety of others.

 

That has changed. I now drive with my head lights on 24/7. I indicate and CHECK that it is safe to turn or change lanes. I pay special attention to cyclist on the road, and will at times even switch my hazards on when on a difficult road and sit behind them until it is safe.

 

The signs are a good idea, but I feel inaffective.

 

sheesh' date=' what I am reading here is such a defeatist attitude, granted realistic but nevertheless, defeatist. I don't know the law but common sense says go and report it. You have his number plate, go into the police station and lay a hit and run charge. My general understanding is that if he refused to give his details, it's the same as not stopping. If they refuse to take a statement, take down their names and ask for the station commander. Then write to Helen Ziller and contact the complaints department of the police force.

If we all simply accept this as the norm, it stays the norm. Everything here though s an inconvenience and takes time but that's how a flea eats an elephant, one bite at a time.

Should this taxi go on to kill someone, at least there will be a prior charge laid against him. Sometimes we don't see what goes on behind the scenes and occasionally the cops do come through.
But we need to start somewhere like ShaunH's signs. It s start, a small one but a start. [/quote']

 

I applaud you sir. If we don?t change anything our selves, it will never change. We will simply vent our anger on a computer screen at people we don?t know (Most) saying things into the air abour how bad things are. We, the citizens are accepting these bad things as the normal.

 

I just think for the roads to be safer, it starts at home. We have to educate our friends, families and colleagues about Road rules and safety. Rules are meant to be broken. These rules are there simply to SAVE YOUR LIFE.

 

http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70930

[slowpoke]

ok, i don't have time to read this all in detail - just taking a break from a workshop.

 

this suck big time and i hope the taxi driver gets caught by karma. as to those who are calling this an "accident" - get real, this is an "intentional don't give a shyte" but certainly not an accident. no, there was not intent but ther was BLATANT and DELIBERATE negligence.

 

Think Bike is actively involved in trying to address these situations witht he road traffic authorities, as well as actively involved in raising awareness of 2-wheeled transport (ie trying to reduce the negligence aspect of these incidences.

 

go to www.thinkbike.co.za or www.tbforum.co.za and join up. they are really trying but there is minimal cyclist involvement at this stage - let's change that,