Spinnekop Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 In short..... When someone gets hit on a bike......Don't jump to the FIRST conclusion that the motorist have been abused and that the cyclist was "rude, indifferant, arrogant, offensive, macho or plain dumb".........Start standing together and start jumping to the FIRST conclusion that the MOTORIST have been the dick!! Not the other way around......
landie Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 careful, spidy is still breathing - that means attacking talking off, with argus around the corner, will he walk away with the trofee again (North vs South)
Spinnekop Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Ai Landie. It just boils my blood that when someone gets hurt it is ALWAYS HIS fault. I am just gatvol of it. But it is an old trade of the white folk in SA. They will NEVER stand together for anything. There will always be someone with his own RIGHT.....Just not this......his RIGHTS being violated....he can KILL but as long as his RIGHTS are intact, all is OK...!!!! Shame. Go tell that to the family that lost a father because he was minding his own business on a Sunday morning........And he was not RUDE or AROGANT or nothing.....riding along.....single file....left of the yellow......chatting away to his friend.....
Windbreaker Posted January 2, 2007 Author Posted January 2, 2007 I definitely don't advocate riding 3 or 4 abreast on busy roads BUT think about this ...Over the past few days there were a number of foreigners cycling along the Fish Hoek, Simonstown, Cape Point route in groups of 3 & 4. And won't you believe it they were riding 2&3 abreast!!! My wifes first instinct was to become annoyed as they were giving "us cyclists a bad name". But think about it. They were doing what they naturally do in their part of the world and the only difference is that in their part of the world cyclists are ACCEPTED road users who aren't abused at every turn. And it wasn't only the tourists - Team Rabobank had groups of 3&4 riding abreast on the same stretch of road. Same thing - it's not as if they think now that they are in lawless Africa they can get away with breaking rules that they are forced to adhere to at home. Cycling is a social pastime too. Why should we not be able to cycle 2 or 3 abreast on quiet back roads without having to worry about some idiot scaring the crap out of you with his hooter when he could just as easilly pass you as if you were a slow moving vehicle (and only when it is safe to do so)? I am sure widget is going to quote the traffic regs. But they also say that you must adhere to the speed limits and they also say that no vehicle may travel in the yellow line. None of which are adhered to by the vast majority of motorists (including the members of this forum).
landie Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 i can think of no other place to cycle as left of the yellow lane (if it exists). Right of the yellow lane is looking for trouble. I believe in traffic flow. Go over and drive in the yellow line (if you can see ahead), and allow other vehicles to pass. Nothing is more irritable than somebody going at a snail pace in the middle of the road
widget Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 I am not gonna quote the traffic regulations windbreaker................but....................!! I am not in the mood to argue today, we need to live together, thats all I am going to say.
steve Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 I think we should write to Lawrence Whittaker,President of Cycling SA, asking where CSA stands on this and what they are doing about it. However, I think it is important that any letters are well thought and carefully written otherwise we will just create a lot of confusion which will upset CSA. Whittaker's email is listed on the CSA website: www.cyclingsa.com then look under CSA Board Members in a box on the left of the screen. I think an organisation like Arrive Alive
widget Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 I hear what you are saying steve, and maybe I am just cynical and jaded but I am not sure where that will get you.!! The CSA has no legal representation or standing to influence the authorities, they can possibly make an unofficial plea or representation to the local authorities but we all know where that will be filed. ...............remember the big hoo haa Dave made some years back about the great "cycle safe campaign" - this was going to be the great cyclist hope and saviour, they all toasted this wonderfull step forward on the SC show, mumbled on about the plans and steps they would be taking to improve our safety and security on the road, and apart from a few stickers, that my friend, was the last we heard of it..................!!
steve Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 I found this on the www.arrivealive.co.za http://www.arrivealive.co.za/images/cyclistfatalities1.jpg
widget Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 I see its actually decreasing now??I would imagine few of those deaths are "carbon junkies" like us, but mostly folk just going about their day to day life on their "dik wiels."??
TitusTi Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 Even more reason to campaign to make the roads safe.
Bateleur1 Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 Wonder why there are no stats for 2005 & 2006?
Sir Fed Posted January 3, 2007 Posted January 3, 2007 There is a moratorium on any stats that might cast the authorities in a bad light, thus we all sit in the dark and tell ourselves that the light at the end of the tunnel is not a freight train travelling in the opposite direction!
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