Bottelary road traffic claims another victim

[Baanfietsryer]

 

I've heard of the following of Bottelary road (Stellenbosch - Kuils River):

1) Marlo Carstens killed by hit & run

2) 1 x jogger (friend of my sister) run over by car whilst jogging on gravel part on the inside of the road shoulder. Legs crushed - fortunate to retain them.

3) 1 x cyclist hit by hit and run (My sponsors employee witnessed it and tried to chase him on scooter.

 

I've witnessed this today (11 Jan):

1 x dead commuter & 1 x mountain bike with twisted back wheel.

Lots of police at scene.

No cars or trucks at scene.

 

I'd much rather risk riding on the Eersterivier road that is guarded by speed cameras and ride through the so-called "hood" than cringe evertime a truck comes speeding past me.

 

What can cyclists and joggers do to reclaim our right of safe usage of the Bottelary road.

 

[Willehond]

This is really sad news, but Bottelary seems to be a special case.  In the beginning of December the PPA warned of the pending roadworks and warned cyclists not to ride there during the first half of 2007.  Better to find alternative routes.  Here is the notice from their website:

 

Main Road 187, better known to the public as Bottelary road (Cape Town area) is in the process of being upgraded.

The upgrading of the road will entail the following:

Work will be done on the shoulders for the duration starting on 27 November to 15 December 2006 ? This means that the shoulder, yellow lane area will be closed along sections on the road.

Rehabilitation works will commence on early January 2007 up to the end of July 2007. When this works start the a third of the road will be closed at all times and the traffic (two way traffic) will occupy the remainder of the road surface; allowing no additional space for cycling.

?It is of the utmost importance to us that cyclists making use of the route be informed and that they are kindly requested to refrain from making use of the route during this time; as it will be extremely unsafe for cycling,? said Road Engineer Riaan Brits.

[smallrebel]

At the moment you cannot see any upgrading happening. Must be the same old story of getting the job and then going bankrupt after getting started doing the job.

They should make a plan to take the un roadworthy cars from the road. If you see the number of cars on that road that's not roadworthy you'll understand where the problem comes from. And there's a lot of people using Bottelary as a HIGHWAY.

 

What is our other option getting to Helshoogte/Franshoek on the bicycles? Go thru Kuilsriver? Also not a lekker road to ride on. Other option is go around Durbanville and the cross the N1 at Klein Joostenberg. That adds what to your total ride?

[Dicky DQ]

You can always use old paarl road. it gets a bit bumpy at times and goes past an informal settlment, but it is quite safe and there is very little trafic on this road. It also ony adds about 3km to the ride, not so bad at all.

[smallrebel]

"informal settlment" already puts me off.

[Le Tour]

Hi All Rounder,

 

The accident on Bottelary was certainly horrific.  I also drove past the scene.  You said that there was no car, did you miss the horribly mangled yellow golf lying about 5 m off the road??  Can't imagine what happened.

 

There were also fire engines on site putting out quite a big fire, don't know if it was started by the car in the accident??

 

As much as I hate speed cameras, Bottelary definitely needs one, as there are often people travelling at 140kph plus with other drivers barely driving 60.  A recipe for disaster.

[Buff]

Received this from a mate of mine this morning regarding that accident: Really sad as I ride that road daily.

PPA still has not had the common sense to put up "Beware cyclist training route" all along Bottelary !!!

 

"Gister-middag op die Bottelary pad het ek nog gesien hoe ?n geel Citi Golf by my verbyry en die volgende oomblik was daar net *** en drama voor in die pad. Die Golf het op sy neus gestaan in die veld, ?n lyk het in die pad gele en was dit nie vir MTB tyres nie, sou ek nie gese het dis ?n fiets nie. ?n Swartman is doodgery toe die 4 colourds in die Golf in die sksouer gaan ry het. Hulle het die ou geskep tot voor aankomende verkeer. Ek kon sien hy was dood. Die ongeluk was so erg dat die kar aan die brand geslaan het. Op die toneel ?n paar minute na die tyd was ?n ambulans, brandweer, Polisie , spietkops en 5 paramedics van verskillende plekke ( Kuilsrivier, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein , Stellenbosch , Bellville en Durbanville) . In elk geval, die ou is toegegooi met ?n laken , maar ja, ek kon sien toe ek verbyry hy is reeds dood. Dit kon net sowel ek gewees het of ander fietsryers wat toe ook op die pad was. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Ek het maar net weer besef hoe weerloos enige fietsryer op ons land se paaie is. Voor die ongeluk het ek self ?n noue ontkoming gehad met iemand wat net eenvoudig ?n stopteken ignoreer het. Jou kanse op oorlewing as ?n motor jou tref is feitlik nul. Wees asb versigtig , veral julle manne wat so baie ry."

[The Kid]

Dit is snaaks hoe dinge partykeer uitdraai. Gister wou ek gaan ry het maar het taamlik rond gedraai om klaar te maak. Toe ek eintlik op die fiets is , so 500 m kom ek agter my agter wiel is te pap en sien toe dit het 'n glas in die buite band wat n slow puncture veroorsaak. Pomp die wiel ry af met botelary pad en by Brackenfell se verkeerslig besluit ek ek om die oefensessie te stop want ek is taamlik uitgeput en dit is baie warm. Daar en dan besluit ek om Donderdag my af dag te maak en ruil dit met Vrydag.

 

Het ek dit nie gedoen nie was ek dalk self in die ongeluk betrokke of ek sou dit gesien het. (het vroeg af gegaan van werk)

Botelary sien my nie weer met middag verkeer nie.Ek het al te veel gesien....

[smallrebel]

Hoelaat het dit gebeur. Ons het gister so teen 18H05 daar verby en toe was daar al polisie. Oppad Stellenbosch toe met die kar.

[The Kid]

Ek dink dit was tussen 4 en 4.30 erens.... nie 100% seker

[Velouria]

 

 

 

 

PPA still has not had the common sense to put up "Beware cyclist training route" all along Bottelary !!!

 

Surely it is not PPA's responsibility to put up these signs.

 

In the Helderberg region, for the signs along the R44 from Stellenbosch to Rooi Els, we formed a committee, got other interested parties involved, and campaigned the council to put those signs up.

 

All very well to say someone else should do something - why not get out there and do it yourself. It might just work.

[smallrebel]

Wat gaan die borde help?

 

Het die volgende storie gehoor: Vragmotor word besteel by 'n verkeerslig. Lyk soos gevriesde bokse met vleis daarin. Hulle gooi die goed sommer oor die muur daar naby en 'n paar bokse val toe bo op van die plakkers huise. Na 'n paar dae kla die mense van die stank en die polisie ontdek toe die bokse. Is toe al die tyd lyke/arms/bene wat UCT nie kon gebruik nie, wat oppad is om veras te word. Die ouens tel toe op dat die mense wat die goed steel nie kan lees nie. Op die bokse staan duidelik dat dit toxic/afval is.

 

My punt is dat as die mense nie kan lees nie en hulle ry sonder lisensie, hoe gaan nog 'n bord die pad veiliger maak?

[Velouria]

"

Wat gaan die borde help?"

 

Ever tried to go fast on a road where everyone else is going slowly?

 

Making the general public aware of cyclists is a start.

 

[pbp2007]

Dick wrote:<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

>You can always use old paarl road. it gets a bit bumpy at times and goes past an informal settlment, but it is quite safe and there is very little trafic on this road. It also ony adds about 3km to the ride, not so bad at all.

 

Smallrebel commented:

>"informal settlment" already puts me off.

 

In our December Audax ride we travelled Old Paarl Rd to the end about 3 in the morning. The informal settlement didn't bother me nearly as much as

1. the oppressively dark last bit that made me wonder if I was still on the right planet, never mind the right road;

2. the three idiots from the formal township immediately before the informal settlement who decided that they should have a bit of fun with a lone cyclist;

3. the glass in Voortrekker Rd.

 

We were hoping to re-route via Bottelary for this month's 600 (weekend of January 20) but it looks like we may have to find an alternative.