Cape Town danger areas

[Old school]

11 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

I take issue with this headline, it was not a "freak" accident, you are supposed to look at what traffic is coming your way BEFORE opening your car door. The way the headline is worded absolves the motorist of all responsibility. 

 

RIP to the cyclist and strength to the family.

Horrible way to go! The news24 headline is also similar saying cyclist crashed into stationary vehicle. 

I had a crash a year ago while riding in cycle lane slowly as it was near a school Im always cautious something like that would happen. Next moment a stationary bakkie in the road passenger door swings open.. head against pavement is your destiny. Slowing down is not enough there is absolutely nothing you can do even to a slow rolling speed.

A door edge and 20km/h momentum puts quite a bit of pressure on a finger as the sole contact point. Few surgeries later and my finger was saved from being almost severed. 

The bike slid under the bakkie and driver just casually drove over bike destroying it completely after being the cause of the accident.

All I can say is be extra cautious. Our roads are super dangerous in so many ways.

[RossTopher]

truly tragic. many of us have had close shaves like this, and it's a sickening experience.

i was thinking about the headline and words in the article last night. While we likely wont all agree, spare a thought for the person on the other end here (i can't begin to imagine their mental state right now). while we can plug the cyclist and motorist narrative, and people on bikes are regularly dehumanized, a bunch of peoples lives have been immeasurably altered by this.

lets be considered in how we voice our thoughts, keep our pitchforks in the shed, and focus on the fact that a family lost their kid.

Absolutely gutwrenching!

[Mamil]

23 minutes ago, RossTopher said:

truly tragic. many of us have had close shaves like this, and it's a sickening experience.

i was thinking about the headline and words in the article last night. While we likely wont all agree, spare a thought for the person on the other end here (i can't begin to imagine their mental state right now). while we can plug the cyclist and motorist narrative, and people on bikes are regularly dehumanized, a bunch of peoples lives have been immeasurably altered by this.

lets be considered in how we voice our thoughts, keep our pitchforks in the shed, and focus on the fact that a family lost their kid.

Absolutely gutwrenching!

Yes horrific for all involved 

However it is not a freak accident at all. It is commonplace and one of the hazards we know we face as riders. What is unusual about it is that this poor young man was killed. There are countless others lucky enough to walk away with the standard collarbone and shoulder injuries.

Totally avoidable by simply opening the car door with the hand furthest away from the door as per "Dutch door".

 

[The Ouzo]

1 minute ago, Mamil said:

Yes horrific for all involved 

However it is not a freak accident at all. It is commonplace and one of the hazards we know we face as riders. What is unusual about it is that this poor young man was killed. There are countless others lucky enough to walk away with the standard collarbone and shoulder injuries.

Totally avoidable by simply opening the car door with the hand furthest away from the door as per "Dutch door".

 

I cant recall which manufacturer it is (possibly Volvo), but there is a vehicle maker that has added a safety measure that wont let you open the door if it detects oncoming vehicle approaching from behind.

[openmind]

Carte Blanche (the news documentary show on MNet at 7pm on Sundays) has a doccie this coming Sunday on cycling safety. 

 

Edited June 14, 2024 by openmind
Spelling

[Robbie Stewart]

didn't know carte blance was still a thing.

[V18]

Ugh. Getting doored is one of my worst fears. So much so that when going past roadside parking spots I often stay in the middle of the left lane.

I sometimes wonder what the best thing would be if I am forced to accept the cold embrace of a door. Get nicked on the outer edge and maybe get flung into passing traffic or turn into the nook of the door angle/car and take the full sudden decel?

[Robbie Stewart]

I got doored circa 92 - 93 riding to school one morning. I was between the pavement and the cars to my right approaching the traffic light when suddenly the front passenger door flung open right ahead of me, and before the girl could exit I T-boned that door into oblivion. Apart from some grazes and road rash I was okay. My front wheel was bent, and so was the car door. I picked myself and my bike up, scolded the school girl for not looking and left, pushing my bike through the gates just on the other side of the traffic light. Don't know what happened to the car though. I was lucky.

[Thomo]

8 hours ago, V18 said:

I sometimes wonder what the best thing would be if I am forced to accept the cold embrace of a door. Get nicked on the outer edge and maybe get flung into passing traffic or turn into the nook of the door angle/car and take the full sudden decel?

Doors are flung open.!

It happens so quickly, most times you won't have any time to react never mind consider what your best option is.

Having experienced the consequences of being sideswiped I almost want to say turn in toward the car/door but staying as wide from those parked cars as you currently do is probably the best you can do.

[Cappi]

MY biggest fear because its so hard to spot it... I take special note of cars stopping and especially once the brake lights go off as they just about to embark. The whole stretch from Camps bay until Waterfront you have to keep your wits.
Closest encounter was with a fellow cyclist, who kicked his door wide open of his SUV on Camps Bay strip, before off loading his bike.... And u think to yourself... "gees u a cyclist and u just did that" 

[betaboy]

47 minutes ago, Cappi said:

MY biggest fear because its so hard to spot it... I take special note of cars stopping and especially once the brake lights go off as they just about to embark. The whole stretch from Camps bay until Waterfront you have to keep your wits.
Closest encounter was with a fellow cyclist, who kicked his door wide open of his SUV on Camps Bay strip, before off loading his bike.... And u think to yourself... "gees u a cyclist and u just did that" 

I’d do a U -turn…🤭 and exchange pleasantries, on how we both love bikes and almost only one us gets to take it home without damage. 😂😂😂

[Andreas_187]

It's not just parked cars you need to worry about. Going through Camps Bay people are always jumping out of an Uber while the car is in the road with cyclists flying between the Uber and parked cars

[DJR]

18 minutes ago, Andreas_187 said:

It's not just parked cars you need to worry about. Going through Camps Bay people are always jumping out of an Uber while the car is in the road with cyclists flying between the Uber and parked cars

It sounds like you are talking about the Salt River death trap around the Old Biscuit Mill?

[cadenceblur]

Not just car doors, today we encountered a runner going in same direction who stepped into the road into our path going through Kalk Bay. Without a care in the world, no glance back, and with headphones - so completely cut off, did not even hear us shout!

[splat]

A mugging in Tokai on the way up to the mast this morning @ about 10:00.
3 x knife wielding youths. Phone and Garmin taken, but not the bike.

These are the bits of info that I have gathered so far...

[Thomo]

4 minutes ago, splat said:

A mugging in Tokai on the way up to the mast this morning @ about 10:00.
3 x knife wielding youths. Phone and Garmin taken, but not the bike.

These are the bits of info that I have gathered so far...

On the back of this which I saw on a whatsapp group ... 😡