Another Cyclist dies

[Trackz]

I train exlcusively on a MTB offroad and ride only the big races on a road bike or tandem.

 

I am not prepared to place my life in the hands of a non-caring motorist and trust him to miss me by less than a metre whilst driving at 100km/h+ - I do not even trust anyone on this forum enough to drive on a tar road. How often do you see people (yourself?) going out of you lane cause you are talking on the mobile or picking something from your cubby or tuning the radio. I am sorry but I value my life too much to trust fellow motorists - mountain biker forever.

 

PS: We will never achieve a sufficient respect status in this country to make tar roads safe for cycling. I have ridden in Europe and you need to go there to see just how much South Africa needs to change before we'll have safe cycling - not in my lifetime folks.

 

[shammy_rash]

For those who complained I changed the name of the topic. I know it is not Maas' fault but I was just making a point - same as what he was doing. Which for those that will comment - is that we have enough cyclist deaths already and such inaappropriate comments don't help or improve our situation

[Guest Big H]

My friend and colluegue on site was a close freind. They studied together and were a close knit group of friends that includes Gideon of Polar.

 

My condolances to the family and friends. These things should not happen.

 

Windbreaker your assumption of "all N roads can be cycled is wrong" A road that is a highway ie with overbridges, onramps and offramps. It is illegal to ride a bicycle on freeways. Insurance such as life, medical and all risks will most likely not pay out becuase he participated in an illegal activity.

 

Widget, no road authority may place those signs due to the legislation that deems the road a freeway. The will not waive the status quo in fear of claims. Although this is a tolled road the end client is still SANRAL

[steve]

Good point Big H, but now you're going to be the most hated person on this forum.

 

Nobody should be in the emergency lane unless it is because of an emergency.

 

Surely this is where Cycling SA should be making itself heard!!

[Guest Big H]

Steve.... bottom line and NOTHING else.... it is ILLEGAL to cycle on a freeway (see the definition of a freeway above)

 

 

[BaieSukkel]

Sad. Very sad!

 

We often use that part of the N4 because it's never busy trafic wise and there are wide shoulders to use. Been using it for 15 years plus, from before the time of tollgates.

 

We'll have an open place at the Ironman next year, and every year after..........

 

By the way it's also illegal to backwash your swimming pool water into the street and down the stormwater drain - go read your by-laws - but we all do it due to a lack of anything better.

 

With the condition of most of our roads being what they are, and the lack of shoulders on most roads, that stretch of road will be used due to a lack of anything better.

 

I will even contest in court that the N1, N2, N3 or N4 are freeways! A freeway in this country MUST be fenced in order to protect the area inside the fences from animals and pedestrians. If a road is not fenced it is not protected and therefore can not be a freeway. None of our N routes are fenced any more, the state has other things to do..............

 

Baie hartseer saak.

 

 

 

[Guest Big H]

Baie Sukkel ek noem net die feite. Ek het daardie pad al self gery. Die risiko is dat jou familie wat agterbly dalk nie al die versekeringsfondse sal het at jy so sorgvuldig beplan en voor betaal het nie. Dit net omdat jy as 'n fietsryer hardkopping was!!!!!

[steve]

I see a bi can of worms opening

 

Surely Cycling SA should do something on behalf of cyclists, act as a negotiator with its members and the roads dept.............after all it is cycling's national body......!!

[Bateleur1]

Sorry, I might be a bit naive or even ignorant, but when is the last time SA Cycling did something usefull?

[Delgado]

It is clear that SA Cycling should step in to help rectify the problems but this sadly won't happen. As all authorities in this country why should they expend time and MONEY to do something that won't generate their 7 pieces of silver!!! Do you think for a minute that an incompetant body such as the JHB metro goons are interested in improving road safety rather than collecting hard currency from soft targets? I think not. It all goes down to incompetance and apathy in this rainbow paradise...! 

[linnega]

 

There will always be accidents' date=' its not just cyclists either, I see a young boy fell off a moving boat over the weekend, cut his head open on the propellor and drowned, a boat overturned somewhere off east london and they are searching for the occupants, we have to accept this in life.

 

I feel very sorry for the family and we can only wonder at the distress and pain they are going through, but we need to see it for what it is - an accident - and to lay the blame on a newspaper article and author is really inappropriate.

  

[/quote']

I understand your point but I think the comparisons are a bit wrong.  An accident has no one at fault - here fault was clear and the driver should be sent away for a very long time.  A better comparison would be with the other countless murders and violent crimes we see in our country.  This was a tragedy certainly but no accident.  I do agree that there is unlikely any linkage between Maas' article and this tragedy - Maas' article simply confirms the unacceptable attitude motorists have towards cyclists on the road.

 

The previous comment about riding in the yellow was very valid.  No vehicles and hence no cyclists may ride inside the yellow line.  A stupid law in modern times but one that is being used as a defence for motorists that kill cyclists.  Solution is simple - driving inside the yellow line without due cause (ie car has broken down) should be a first warning with R500 admission of guilt fine.  Second offense should be confiscation of vehicle and permanent suspension of the driver's license.  It is a selfish and murderous habit that has caused hundred's of thousands of deaths mostly pedestrians.

 

[Windbreaker]

Sorry' date=' I might be a bit naive or even ignorant, but when is the last time SA Cycling did something usefull?[/quote']

 

To take this a bit further. When was the last time that they received complaints/requests/feedback from cyclists urging them to take action on this isue. Cycling SA ultimately represent you. If you feel that something needs attention then bring it to their attention in a reasonable manner. Send them a polite mail asking for their stance.

 

This isn't directed at you specifically Bateleuer as I know that you do take things further than the rant&rave forum. But maybe they just aren't hearing ENUFF voices yet????

[widget]

Hmmm, I dont think anybody willfully rides down a cyclist, usually its either a plain accident or a misjudgement due to some or other reason.

 

We can all jump on the high horse here and say "why not this or why not that" but the facts are there and speak for themselves - we dont have cycle paths, we have very few safe cycling signs, the roads are congested, we have  irritated motorists who are usually in a hurry, generally the cyclists are not visible etc,etc -  so lets campaign for a better cycling enviroment by all means, but until we get it, its quite pointless lamenting accidents due to conditions which are out of our control.

 

Rather, try and control the situation as best YOU can, wear bright reflective clothing, use a bright light (flashing or otherwise) FRONT and BACK, ride single file, use your natural inborn radar to avoid dangerous situations, try as far as possible to avoid congested roads, etc,etc - you ALL know what to do, its just a case of doing so. 

 

Any premature death is a sad affair be it a cyclist, runner or lawn bowler but until  SA road authorities and road user attitudes change on a national level, I really dont see anything changing - so whats left -

 

WE HAVE TO CHANGE.! 

  

[Windbreaker]

Hmmm' date=' I dont think anybody willfully rides down a cyclist, usually its either a plain accident or a misjudgement due to some or other reason.

 

We can all jump on the high horse here and say "why not this or why not that" but the facts are there and speak for themselves - we dont have cycle paths, we have very few safe cycling signs, the roads are congested, we have  irritated motorists who are usually in a hurry, generally the cyclists are not visible etc,etc -  so lets campaign for a better cycling enviroment by all means, but until we get it, its quite pointless lamenting accidents due to conditions which are out of our control.

 

Rather, try and control the situation as best YOU can, wear bright reflective clothing, use a bright light (flashing or otherwise) FRONT and BACK, ride single file, use your natural inborn radar to avoid dangerous situations, try as far as possible to avoid congested roads, etc,etc - you ALL know what to do, its just a case of doing so. 

 

Any premature death is a sad affair be it a cyclist, runner or lawn bowler but until  SA road authorities and road user attitudes change on a national level, I really dont see anything changing - so whats left -

 

WE HAVE TO CHANGE.! 

  

[/quote']