Cape Town danger areas

[FootballingCyclist]

25 minutes ago, splat said:

As per other thread - bike jacking near Tokai circle this morning

Cyclist vs car in Hout Bay this morning - serious condition (no details of the incident via Whatsapp groups)

Also a crash in the PS group near Hout Bay circle.

Not a great morning to be out.

Very close friend of mine was right there as it happened.

His description: Taxi went passed a gentleman just before the Caltex Garage on the left hand side as you come down Chappies into Hout Bay, Taxi (Avanza) then proceeded to turn left only seconds after passing cyclist and then the cyclist collided with the taxi. He says the sound of bone hitting the van and the tar and the bike and everything van wwas just awful. Cyclists jaw is badly broken, almost all teeth out his mouth. My buddy called the ambulance service who were swift, during this time the taxi driver wanted to "move his vehicle", my buddy assumed he was going to make a run for it so took his keys away so he couldn't. Pic below was taken at the scene. Will remove the pic if admin thinks best, But perhaps someone knows this gentleman.

Edited November 8, 2022 by FootballingCyclist
Pic added

[Jbr]

5 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Taxi went passed a gentleman just before the Caltex Garage on the left hand side as you come down Chappies into Hout Bay, Taxi (Avanza) then proceeded to turn left only seconds after passing cyclist

Literally what I was moaning about on that other topic about the supersix jacked in tokai this morning. My blood boils everytime someone does it to me, but seing all that blood on the tar breaks my heart. Poor guy just went out to have a good time and is entering a long recovery process because some asshole decided to gain 0.5 secs on his morning drive

[FootballingCyclist]

8 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Literally what I was moaning about on that other topic about the supersix jacked in tokai this morning. My blood boils everytime someone does it to me, but seing all that blood on the tar breaks my heart. Poor guy just went out to have a good time and is entering a long recovery process because some asshole decided to gain 0.5 secs on his morning drive

Same thing happened to me last year, Nogals on my Bday. Coming down Alphen Hill, right outside the entrance to Victoria Hopsital, Car flies past and goes hard left just after the parking which is half way down the hill, I slammed brakes, went into the right rear fender, fell into the road. Luckily the lady in the Mini Cooper behind me wasn't speeding as it was peak hour. Anyway, I shouted as I hit the car, the driver who had already turned left, stops in the street, looks in rear view mirror, starts opening his door, sees me getting up, closes his door and speeds off. All this with his wife I assume sitting next to him in the passenger seat, oh, and he was in Navy Uniform. And then 2 weeks ago just past bootlegger in Kenilworth I had the same thing with an Uber, I hear him speed up past me, pulls a hard left about 10m away in the street.

 

Some motorists just don't care, Others just don't understand the speed cyclists sometimes travel at and they have zero depth perception.

Edited November 8, 2022 by FootballingCyclist

[Jbr]

57 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Some motorists just don't care, Others just don't understand the speed cyclists sometimes travel at and they have zero depth perception.

The biggest problem is that most motorist, when they see a bike they think they have to pass it. it doesn't cross their minds that sometimes just waiting behind is the easiest way. That is why even though 90% of the time I cycle as far left as I can, in some rare occasions (totally un-related to this incident) I just decide I'm going to own that lane just so that passing me too close is just not an option

[mikkelz]

I don't even think it's about cyclists vs motorists, people are just generally stupid/selfish/impatient/inexperienced when driving. The number of times I am overtaken in my car, only for the moron to turn left a few hundred meters ahead, forcing me to brake is countless. And it's not only taxis.

People just generally drive like ****.

As an aside, I've noticed I tend to get a lot more space around me on my bike since I've been riding with lights on (even during the day) – Bontrager Flare R (rear) is really bright and I always run it on the brightest mode. 

[droo]

2 hours ago, CapSizer said:

The bike track through Woodstock runs along the MyCity bus route, next to the railway line,  It is very isolated and nowhere near cars and other people.  The area is really badly neglected (thanks, railways!), which is the main problem.  There are some squatters, although I don't think they are responsible for the muggings.  

Usually the residents and regulars in any area aren't the ones you need to worry about, although you'd have to have been around a while to know who the regulars are.

But I'd rather take my chances with N1 traffic than ride along that sad excuse for a bike lane between Milnerton and Woodstock. Whoever thought that was a good idea should be made to ride it every day.

[Andreas_187]

1 hour ago, mikkelz said:

As an aside, I've noticed I tend to get a lot more space around me on my bike since I've been riding with lights on (even during the day) – Bontrager Flare R (rear) is really bright and I always run it on the brightest mode. 

YES, I definitely feel a difference riding with the Flare R

[dino]

1 hour ago, droo said:

Usually the residents and regulars in any area aren't the ones you need to worry about, although you'd have to have been around a while to know who the regulars are.

But I'd rather take my chances with N1 traffic than ride along that sad excuse for a bike lane between Milnerton and Woodstock. Whoever thought that was a good idea should be made to ride it every day.

I don’t think bicycles allowed on the N1 or any major highway? 

[droo]

5 minutes ago, dino said:

I don’t think bicycles allowed on the N1 or any major highway? 

I don't think mugging is legal either, yet here we are...

[MongooseMan]

31 minutes ago, dino said:

I don’t think bicycles allowed on the N1 or any major highway? 

May I present the Strava cycling heatmap for the N1 in and out of the CBD 😀

Edited November 8, 2022 by MongooseMan

[wolver]

6 hours ago, CapSizer said:

The bike track through Woodstock runs along the MyCity bus route, next to the railway line,  It is very isolated and nowhere near cars and other people.  The area is really badly neglected (thanks, railways!), which is the main problem.  There are some squatters, although I don't think they are responsible for the muggings.  

Ah... by "through" Woodstock I assumed the bike lane on Albert Road, hence my confusion. The bike lane adjacent to the bus lane didn't even cross my mind because it's completely redundant in my mind and assumed everyone else's mind too.

[Supersix CT]

1 hour ago, dino said:

I don’t think bicycles allowed on the N1 or any major highway? 

Correct, at that point its not a motorway, therefore can ride on it. The motorway signs are after Paarden Eiland.

[NeverNotRolling]

5 hours ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Same thing happened to me last year, Nogals on my Bday. Coming down Alphen Hill, right outside the entrance to Victoria Hopsital, Car flies past and goes hard left just after the parking which is half way down the hill, I slammed brakes, went into the right rear fender, fell into the road. Luckily the lady in the Mini Cooper behind me wasn't speeding as it was peak hour. Anyway, I shouted as I hit the car, the driver who had already turned left, stops in the street, looks in rear view mirror, starts opening his door, sees me getting up, closes his door and speeds off. All this with his wife I assume sitting next to him in the passenger seat, oh, and he was in Navy Uniform. And then 2 weeks ago just past bootlegger in Kenilworth I had the same thing with an Uber, I hear him speed up past me, pulls a hard left about 10m away in the street.

 

Some motorists just don't care, Others just don't understand the speed cyclists sometimes travel at and they have zero depth perception.

I think motorists honestly dont think about the fact that they share the road with cyclists. Not sure how it is in other countries but when you do your learners, cyclists and bicycles are not a part of the driving process as far as I can remember (could be wrong, been many years). And if you're not a cyclist, you'll never really think to be alert for cyclists when driving. I will be honest, before I started cycling I never really looked out for them on the road, because I was too busy worrying about taxis and how k@k people drive.

[CapSizer]

18 minutes ago, Supersix CT said:

Correct, at that point its not a motorway, therefore can ride on it. The motorway signs are after Paarden Eiland.

To be honest, I don't think the legality the most important question, but these images show blue signs, which I understand to mean freeway, motorway or highway.  The real question is whether you think sharing a road with high speed (OK, not during peak hours) traffic is an acceptable risk.  Also, if there is an accident, what your position is with regards to liability if you are not supposed to be there.

[MORNE]

8 hours ago, CapSizer said:

To be honest, I don't think the legality the most important question, but these images show blue signs, which I understand to mean freeway, motorway or highway.  The real question is whether you think sharing a road with high speed (OK, not during peak hours) traffic is an acceptable risk.  Also, if there is an accident, what your position is with regards to liability if you are not supposed to be there.

The speed limit is 80kph there so it’s not that bad. Ive also ridden there, it does feel wrong the first few times but to be honest its just because of all the lanes. The traffic is actually usually moving slower than some other roads where it’s supposed to be cycling friendly. You are a lot more exposed on the R27, R304, R44 for instance. And it’s not like one or two cyclist do it, it’s like the only (mugging/bikejack free) way and you see plenty of them during ‘peak’ cycling hours. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by MORNE

[splat]

8 hours ago, NeverNotRolling said:

I think motorists honestly dont think about the fact that they share the road with cyclists. Not sure how it is in other countries but when you do your learners, cyclists and bicycles are not a part of the driving process as far as I can remember (could be wrong, been many years). And if you're not a cyclist, you'll never really think to be alert for cyclists when driving. I will be honest, before I started cycling I never really looked out for them on the road, because I was too busy worrying about taxis and how k@k people drive.

For many motorists, cyclists are obstacles and obstructions. Things that are in the way and must get past and around. Like a bollard or speed bump.
And I don't just mean here in SA, its like that around the world. But here we have African rules with an associated disregard for other people's lives.