Cape Town danger areas

[Meezo]

back on topic, received this last night on an incident on Table Mountain. i still need to confirm the exact time and place

 

Quote

Just letting you know, 2 mother ******* got me this evening. Took my phone and pepper sprayed me. I managed to get away and they couldnt catch me on the down hill. 2 Black guys - foreign. Just between the Quarry and the split to tafel berg road. Let others that ride alone know

 

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, FootballingCyclist said:

And coming from Town side toward the circle after 9am on weekends is literally a game of survival, Like The Guantlet on MTN Gladiators. If you can get past The Old Biscuit Mill between 9 and 11am without almost becoming road kill, getting side swiped or having people going for breakfast and drinks run into you as they run between the cars, You're truly blessed.

 

Was at Old Biscuit Mill this morning, just after 9:00.

 

It was interesting to see the cycle lane in action.  Actually open, no cars blocking it, etc ....

 

Trying to get out of Old Biscuit ... your bonnet is blocking that lane long before you have any chance of seeing any cyclists ....  (sure that goes for most of this entrances)

 

Drivers opening doors ... knowing they are save from other cars .... not bothering to check for oncoming cyclists ....

 

The cycling lane is such a nice idea .... but one needs to be super alert cycling there ....

[FootballingCyclist]

7 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Was at Old Biscuit Mill this morning, just after 9:00.

 

It was interesting to see the cycle lane in action.  Actually open, no cars blocking it, etc ....

 

Trying to get out of Old Biscuit ... your bonnet is blocking that lane long before you have any chance of seeing any cyclists ....  (sure that goes for most of this entrances)

 

Drivers opening doors ... knowing they are save from other cars .... not bothering to check for oncoming cyclists ....

 

The cycling lane is such a nice idea .... but one needs to be super alert cycling there ....

When heading from Town toward the circle, Let's not forget you're almost forced into the middle of the road because as you said, parked cars, drivers bonnets sticking into the bike lane, People opening doors and then also missing drain covers in the bike lane which forces you into the road itself as there is no space at all on the left.

[splat]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

Was at Old Biscuit Mill this morning, just after 9:00.

 

It was interesting to see the cycle lane in action.  Actually open, no cars blocking it, etc ....

 

Trying to get out of Old Biscuit ... your bonnet is blocking that lane long before you have any chance of seeing any cyclists ....  (sure that goes for most of this entrances)

 

Drivers opening doors ... knowing they are save from other cars .... not bothering to check for oncoming cyclists ....

 

The cycling lane is such a nice idea .... but one needs to be super alert cycling there ....

That cycle lane heading towards Observatory is virtually non-existent. Big sections have been painted over and turned back to parking or bus stops for long sections.
The one on the other side heading towards Town is actually pretty good.

[DJR]

3 hours ago, splat said:

That cycle lane heading towards Observatory is virtually non-existent. Big sections have been painted over and turned back to parking or bus stops for long sections.
The one on the other side heading towards Town is actually pretty good.

Yup. Total fail that. Probably thought up by a city transport guy who went on a nice paid for holiday to the Netherlands, then thought he could make a cycling lane with a lick of green paint in a lawless place and people would suddenly behave like the Duch........was never gonna work, not with Capies!. Not with Saffas. Here moats, ramparts, walls, barbed wire, electric fences and angry dogs don't even keep peeps in line. Green line? Ha Ha!

Edited November 10, 2022 by DJR

[justinafrika]

54 minutes ago, DJR said:

was never gonna work, not with Capies!. Not with Saffas.

…and then there’s this Saffa known as Safa Brian (aka Brian Wagner) who creates his own peri-urban risks (edit: and for others).

 

Insanity imo.

https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a36320897/safa-brian-cheats-death/

Edited November 10, 2022 by justinafrika

[Jbr]

couldn't watch. always blows my mind when I have to ride next to someone with such a loud freehub, how can you live with it for 3, 4, + hours, is it just an incentive to keep pedaling because freewheeling gets so annoying ?

[DJR]

The brake squeal was a bit ott.😜

[MORNE]

17 minutes ago, DJR said:

The brake squeal was a bit ott.😜

Why does it always sound like roadies ride sintered or semi metallic pads? Are they? Do they? Is it because of the small disks that they need metallic pads for more power?

organic pads don't do that unless they are glazed. 

i always find it amusing how one of the biggest gripes with rim/disk brakes for road bikes is the noise. What noise?? Learn to work on your bike and set up your stuff properly you tool! 😅 The brakes across all my bikes are dead silent.

Edited November 11, 2022 by MORNE

[Jbr]

5 hours ago, MORNE said:

Why does it always sound like roadies ride sintered or semi metallic pads? Are they? Do they? Is it because of the small disks that they need metallic pads for more power?

organic pads don't do that unless they are glazed. 

i always find it amusing how one of the biggest gripes with rim/disk brakes for road bikes is the noise. What noise?? Learn to work on your bike and set up your stuff properly you tool! 😅 The brakes across all my bikes are dead silent.

I just use whatever is available and compatible, at this point we're not really spoilt for choice

[bespokes]

On 10/20/2022 at 2:28 PM, DJR said:

Do NOT go through the part between Parden Eiland, Church Street (Woodstock) and the Civic Centre when on your own. Ride that strictly with a large enough group to deter attacks. Even small groups of 3 or so are targeted and it has become increasingly violent. And NO, it has not improved over the past few years. If there are fewer attacks, then it is because cyclists have learnt to avoid it, NOT because there are fewer criminals in that area. My guess would be that there are now (post Covid) more lawless opportunistic predators than ever before and the fences are much more broken down than ever in the past. As for police or security presence? I don't know because you won't catch me dead on a bicycle on that stretch unless in a big and mean group (and I don't have that).

So where does that leave us? Which would be considered the "safest route" from Woodstock to Town? 

[peepeekaitjie]

1 hour ago, bespokes said:

So where does that leave us? Which would be considered the "safest route" from Woodstock to Town? 

Main road express

[FootballingCyclist]

As received.

"Very close to the range 5am this morning taxi stopped guys with knives jumped out and high jacked 4 guys. Sounds like 2 bikes stolen. Passed them 10mins after 😢"

Edited November 16, 2022 by FootballingCyclist

[FootballingCyclist]

To me, this Must 100% be the same group of guys. Same road, this time just the other direction close to the bike park on the bend, Same MO. Taxi drives past, guys jump out with knives . Seems to me this taxi drives up and down Spaans waiting for cyclists and no passing cars, then they pounce.

[The Ouzo]

14 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

To me, this Must 100% be the same group of guys. Same road, this time just the other direction close to the bike park on the bend, Same MO. Taxi drives past, guys jump out with knives . Seems to me this taxi drives up and down Spaans waiting for cyclists and no passing cars, then they pounce.

from the reports I've read here it certainly seems to be the same guys.

Its time for someone with some motivation to setup a sting operation.

 

Incidentally, earlier this year the bike jacking syndicate that was operating in and around gauteng were bust by a private security company.

[FootballingCyclist]

3 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

from the reports I've read here it certainly seems to be the same guys.

Its time for someone with some motivation to setup a sting operation.

 

Incidentally, earlier this year the bike jacking syndicate that was operating in and around gauteng were bust by a private security company.

100%...

Everything is the same. Same road, albeit like 300m apart if that, Taxi passes cyclist, 2 guys jump out with knives, Taxi drives away. 

 

My assumption would be it's the same group who used to hijack cyclists just further up the road past the Prison, just last year. A security van was then stationed directly where the incidents occurred and nothing has happened since. They also tracked one ladies bike to the Westlake informal settlement. I'm guessing they've now just changed their M.O. They drive up and down Spaanschemat early morning waiting to see cyclists, They then wait for there to be no other oncoming vehicles and then they pounce. 

I personally cycle that road like 3 to 4 times a week, our group used to ride at 4:30am, this morning they were out riding but were along the main road(which seems safer now as there's alot higher possibility of cars passing, But Spaans is free flowing for cyclists with a "bike lane" which is why it's preferred), a sting operation would be a lovely thing, And then that should make the need and papers so that these thugs catch a wake up. Because at the moment there's zero coverage on bike jackings so they thugs continue on their merry way.