Suikerbos

[Slave]

For my 5 cents worth, I agree with Mux.

 

SBR is a nature reserve and it should be treated with respect (BY EVERYONE).

 

So maybe there are only a few who abuse the privelledge that has been extended to us, but it only takes one rotten apple to spoil the barrel.

 

This is just my friendly request to the guys who do cycle there, please to obey the rulesand keep the goddwill going so that we can all enjoy even infrequent rides in the reserve.

 

This is not about you, this is about conservation and combining two passions, (one of conservation and one of cycling) is truly something of great value.

 

If we do get chucked out of the park, then we will have to go back to riding the Lido routes and fighting with loons for a bit of space on the roads so that we can exercise one of our passions. (Cycling). It is not sool to be a moron.

 

And just for the record, "Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

 

Mux, might I suggest that when you chat to the guys who manage the park, that they get the gate attendants to hand a copy of the rules to the cyclists, that they get the cyclists to sign acknowledgement of the rules having been read and understood.

 

That way, we educate thosein the wrong 'cause clearly, they have a problem of understanding. Then when they trangress the rules, it is not because of a lack of knowledge.

 

Penalise and ban the arrogant @ssholes so that those who are willing to abide by the rules can continue to enjoy cycling in a safe and pritine environment. That is such a bonus.

 

[SteelPonyMan]

I was at Suikerbosrand on Sunday and I signed the petition.

I like the idea of wearing Bib's - it should bring an element of accountability to cyclists as well as contribute to buy-in to any set of rules/regulations that are agreed with Park officials.

In my opinion however, a large proportion of the ranting and raving on this forum is missing the point - which is "Is it reasonable for birders to insist on cyclists getting banned from the park?". My family consists of avid birders (or twitchers as we are sometimes called) so I sit on both sides of the fence on this one. Why should birders insist on the park being theirs exclusively? If anything, vehicles are more likely to frighten off the birds than cyclists.

This wish to have everything for oneself to the exlcusion of everyone else is a very South African phenomenon - large parks around the world have well structured facilities to cater for birders, walkers, cyclists etc - you only have to look at Hyde Park and Richmond Park in London, or Central park in New York for good examples of how we can all share and enjoy the same beautiful locations alongside each other!

And yet, here we are in city that has infinitely more open unspoilt land and in almost all instances, there are groups lobbying for the removal of cyclists or dog walkers (the Spruit, the Linden Botanical Gardens and Suikerbosrand being cases in point). When are we all going to start trying to find ways of co-existing with each other?

[Tumbleweed]

nice post. welcome to the hub. northern farm has roads in the best birding areas where bikes are banned.

[scotty]

I also signed the petition at the gate on Saturday morning.  I met scotty (hi ) but didn't get a chance to introduce myself to any of the other hubbers (clearly' date=' you were all pedalling a lot faster than me )

 

[/quote']

 

Pop along tomorow and i'll introduce you.

[Mamba]

Couldn't agree with you more Steelponyman. I ride around Suikerbos with a pair of binoculars on me. I watch the game and birds as well as cycle. It's wonderful.

 

Who the hell are the birdwatchers to demand exclusivity!! They are the ones driving the noisy cars.

 

However, I've nearly been ridden over by park vehicles travelling in the wrong direction.

 

We have to act very quickly to make our stand.

 

I also do windsurfing and we had much the same scenario with the fishermen at Bronkhortspruit. They had us kicked out even when we only used up about 10 meters of a shoreline that was many kilometers long. I see the same thing happening here.

 

We should have gone in boots and all instead we were defensive and landed up with loosing the entire facility.  

 

Of course whenever I'm at Bronkhorstspruit now start on the other side of the dam then I go over to where the fishermen are with one of my boards that has a very long skeg and make sure that I snag every f*&^% fishing line that I can. Unfortunately that is not often enough. But the damage has been done.

 

 

There are many more cyclist using the facility than bird watchers. We should draw up a plan to get them booted off if they continue.

[Slowbee]

 

Couldn't agree with you more Steelponyman. I ride around Suikerbos with a pair of binoculars on me. I watch the game and birds as well as cycle. It's wonderful.

 

Who the hell are the birdwatchers to demand exclusivity!! They are the ones driving the noisy cars.

 

However' date=' I've nearly been ridden over by park vehicles travelling in the wrong direction.

 

We have to act very quickly to make our stand.

 

I also do windsurfing and we had much the same scenario with the fishermen at Bronkhortspruit. They had us kicked out even when we only used up about 10 meters of a shoreline that was many kilometers long. I see the same thing happening here.

 

We should have gone in boots and all instead we were defensive and landed up with loosing the entire facility.  

 

Of course whenever I'm at Bronkhorstspruit now start on the other side of the dam then I go over to where the fishermen are with one of my boards that has a very long skeg and make sure that I snag every f*&^% fishing line that I can. Unfortunately that is not often enough. But the damage has been done.

 

 

There are many more cyclist using the facility than bird watchers. We should draw up a plan to get them booted off if they continue.

[/quote']

 

and why cant you work together ?

 

 

 

[Mamba]

Slowbee I absolutely agree with you.  We should work together. However unless I'm mistaken it is not the cyclists that are trying to get the birders off, it's the other way round.

 

I think some of the anger from the windsurfing thing is peeking through. It's just that is angers me that some people feel that it is their right to hog everything to themselves and do their level best to exclude others. Even though it is them making the noise and in addition to that they are just a handful relative to the cyclists.

 

Don't be surprised that we are all excluded from Suikerbosrand by a handful of birders because they are the ones that are being proactive.

 

Don't forget that I said  IF they continue.

 

I am also a birdwatcher just in case you thought I was totally against them.

[SwissVan]

 

Hi Mamba - Good post!

I thought i saw a mamba once at Suikerbos back in 2002, waz that you?

 

Nah kidding I know it was a rinkhals pretending to be a mamba

 

 

[Mamba]

Hi SwissVan,

If it was a mamba wearing a pair of binoculars it wuz me.

[Delgado]

Couldn't agree with you more Steelponyman. I ride around Suikerbos with a pair of binoculars on me. I watch the game and birds as well as cycle. It's wonderful.

 

Who the hell are the birdwatchers to demand exclusivity!! They are the ones driving the noisy cars.

 

However' date=' I've nearly been ridden over by park vehicles travelling in the wrong direction.

 

We have to act very quickly to make our stand.

 

I also do windsurfing and we had much the same scenario with the fishermen at Bronkhortspruit. They had us kicked out even when we only used up about 10 meters of a shoreline that was many kilometers long. I see the same thing happening here.

 

We should have gone in boots and all instead we were defensive and landed up with loosing the entire facility.  

 

Of course whenever I'm at Bronkhorstspruit now start on the other side of the dam then I go over to where the fishermen are with one of my boards that has a very long skeg and make sure that I snag every f*&^% fishing line that I can. Unfortunately that is not often enough. But the damage has been done.

 

 

There are many more cyclist using the facility than bird watchers. We should draw up a plan to get them booted off if they continue.

[/quote']

 

Mamba with respect this is a game reserve first and foremost and not a bike park! We need not draw up any plans other than to behave ourselfs and keep our noses clean and stop behaving like entitled South Africans!!

 

As it is a "game park" we have no divine right to be there where bird watchers by association do! All we have is the precious privilege to ride there and we need to exhibit the character and behaviour to remain welcomed there!!

[The Saint]

Could not have said it better myself Delgado.

 

Mamba the point is that if you are breaking the rules you have no leg to stand on end of story. Should the cyclists be obeying all the rules and regulations then I would say you have a point.

 

In this case unfortunately you don't. Going all balls to the wall will only put us in more of a bad light than we already are and I can guarantee you there will be no compromise from park officials.

 

It's plain and simple really - obey the rules and there will not be a problem!!

[Mamba]

Guys you are right and you are wrong.

 

Theoretically right but practically wrong.

 

Lets go back to my example of the windsurfing nature reserve at Bronkhorstbaai.

The windsurfers would pitch up, rig up and be on the water within say half and hour to an hour.  They would then land at lunchtime quickly gulp down a pre-made lunch and back onto the water. We all bahaved ourselves when on land. At the end of the day we just packed up and went home.

 

However, the fishermen made illegal braais (this is a nature reserve that I'm talking about). Drank themselves vrot in the sun then drove home staggering drunk leaving behind a trail of destruction. Fishing lines, rusty hooks broken bottles and the carnage it that caused to the local wildlife: Dead birds with line wrapped around their legs, rusty hooks, plastic bits and pieces that killed or maimed the wildlife. They also left fires burning and just went off. I've seen young children burn their feet on the hot coals as well as the veld that has been set alight.

 

Guess who got kicked out. The windsurfers - who were model citizens. Hell we weren't even on the land most of the time. You go figure. When it come to Nature Conservation it is might = right. There were a lot of fishermen that made a lot of noise. Period.

 

So if you think that by being the good boys you are going to fly under the radar. Think again. Been there got the T-shirt and the scars.

 

Incidentally I've most probably put in a hundred hours of riding at the reserve and to this day I've yet to see a birdwatcher. That is, unless they are cunningly disguised as bobbejaans. Which could be the case.

 

When I ride there I don't do it just for the exercise I do it with the prime objective of watching the game. Both birds as well as animals. Now I'm told that people ride around in cars burning petrol and making more noise than I do are going to have me booted out!!!!

[porky]

Mamba, most cyclists who ride there, have NO INTEREST in the game and birds, they do it for one reason - hill training.

 

Because they have no interest they disobey the rules, and as Del said, its a NATURE PARK - its not a cycle track or a training zone.

 

As for your generalisation on fisherman - its ridiculous and warrents no further discussion except that your comment about riding over their lines shows you have little leg to stand on when it comes to behaving oneself.!

 

[scotty]

Rode Suikerbos yesterday, mostly MTB'ers which could explain why i saw no cyclists misbehaving. Not cool again was the amount of glass and i picked up an empty glass bottle on the road which some twit had discarded. I also see that one of the picnic spots was closed as it had been vandilised.

[Delgado]

Well done guys!! Heard that we are officially not welcome at Suikerbos come December 2009!!! The only reason its until December is to honour the season ticket holders!! xcellent job to all those w@nkers who got us banned!!!

[Wazza]

Well done guys!! Heard that we are officially not welcome at Suikerbos come December 2009!!! The only reason its until December is to honour the season ticket holders!! xcellent job to all those w@nkers who got us banned!!!

 

Are you serious?