Cape Town danger areas

[firewolf]

Splat... this at approximately 05h45. Still quite dark. I had front and rear lights. I believe this is what they look for.

[Headshot]

A solo woman rider, friend of ours, was mugged in Hout Bay on the track next to the river in the horse riding area last week. (I wasn't there and have never ridden that track hence the slightly vague description).

Perp appeared from the trail side brandishing a knife and stole her iphone which was mounted on her bars and demanded her bike and that she empty her pockets This resulted in her house keys falling into his possession as well. 

Incident reported to local watch group and bike and some other possessions of the perp were recovered close to the scene. Also reported to local SAPS.

[nonky]

NEWLANDS FOREST UNDERPASS - SAT 14 JAN

"A woman has just reported that two men with a gun tried to take her phone at the tunnel at the forest – parking lot side. It seems to have happened within the last few minutes. No more info available yet but authorities have been called."

As per Hiddingh Community Watch email,  14 January 2023 at 06:20:26 SAST

[tedza]

Hi All

Don't wish to be labelled as stupid for not being aware, so asking the question. Anyone using the route via Paarden Eiland to town on a regular basis? As a commute?

I am looking to do this for a few days a week, as my car was written off by someone in a hurry.

So looking to use wifes car, bicycle & bus on different days, for a while. Not really sure I want another car to spend +/- 2 hours in the daily commute. Will see when winter arrives 🙂

So the question then, my commute is from Milnerton to Woodstock, around 6:30 am and return 5pm ish. I am considering using the route as follows:

- use cycle track from milnerton to paarden island. When the track swings left at Steve Johnson Cars, I would continue straight, towards the incoming traffic, and continue until bridge at lower church bridge. Noticed a few squatters a while ago on the harbour side. A poster also mentioned a near miss with an armed robbery close by. I would cross the bridge and then cycle to upper main to around Searle Street.

Is this still do-able? Or should I rather trust golden arrow (no gap is too narrow) busses?

TIA

[Jbr]

ride opposite traffic after the market is alright, that's my usual route, if you are on a roadbike just cross by the petrol station exit as yes, it gets busy with pedestrians by the petrol station, and with them seeing you coming it can create opportunity and keep riding the shoulder all the way to the n1, then take the ramp off the n1 to woodstock. I think this ramp is also a hotspot, I'm super careful when I take it (which is not often).

If you have a gravel bike or MTB, you can take the petrol station exit road the wrong way, cycle through the petrol station, then keep going opposite trafic in the grass, all the way to the bridge. There are paths (pretty steep) that allow you to get to the top of the bridge and get to the road there. There is a small settlement on the right side, on the left side you can ride a MTB or gravel but it's full of glass and seems pretty dirty, only used it once and didn't like it so much, but I didn't puncture though

[RatX]

@tedza - interested to see your post, exactly what I came here to find out.  I live in Rugby and work in Obs and I'm trying to find different routes.  I currently take the cycle path along the bus route all the way through Paarden Eiland to Woodstock, usually somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30am.  So far I've mostly crossed paths with regular folk walking to and from work, but the long stretch going along the railway line past Woodstock is very quiet and there is definite opportunity for mischief.  I make an effort to greet everybody, and thus far on only one occasion crossed paths with a group of four chaps that I got very hostile vibes from.

Most mornings there is a traffic police vehicle parked at one end, but I think they're more interested in catching people taking shortcuts in their cars.  There are also occasionally armed response vehicles patrolling, but they are rare.  I have considered hopping on the bus through this section, but not sure how feasible this is.  I'm not crazy about cycling along Marine Drive against the flow of traffic, but plan to give it a try as an option.

I've also considered going through Paarden Eiland which seems to be reasonably safe, and rather crossing the N1 over the pedestrian bridge (-33.918094186846936, 18.475994652323056) that comes out at Ysterplaat Station, and then cycling up Voortrekker Road into Woodstock.  This will bypass the badlands along the railway, but I see on the Voortrekker Road side there is some construction going on so not sure how feasible this is either.  I might try it and report back with my findings.  Anybody else tried this route?  I see there's also a pedestrian bridge from the harbour that comes out in Woodstock near Albert Road, but I don't know if cycling through the harbour is permitted.

Edited January 24, 2023 by RatX

[Hamstring]

How about this https://goo.gl/maps/XCHdSypWss8acBTR7 i do this from Edgmead to 10 avenue, haven't read about any problems from Nabeni pineland Obs on these roads.  

[RatX]

3 minutes ago, Hamstring said:

How about this https://goo.gl/maps/XCHdSypWss8acBTR7 i do this from Edgmead to 10 avenue, haven't read about any problems from Nabeni pineland Obs on these roads.  

Nice one @Hamstring, will def give that route a try as well - nice to have a selection of routes to keep things a bit more interesting.  No hassles crossing over the railway at Century City?

[odon]

13 minutes ago, Hamstring said:

How about this https://goo.gl/maps/XCHdSypWss8acBTR7 i do this from Edgmead to 10 avenue, haven't read about any problems from Nabeni pineland Obs on these roads.  

I used to use this route nearly daily a number of years back on my commute between Mowbray and Century City. I used Union avenue through Pinelands (bit quieter) and crossed the railway at the pedestrian bridge at Old Mutual Station. The section through Kensington was fine. The little ramp at the Century City Station sometimes felt slightly dodge, but never had an issue. 

Now commuting from CBD I use the Marine drive N1 against traffic option as described here...

13 hours ago, Jbr said:

ride opposite traffic after the market is alright, that's my usual route, if you are on a roadbike just cross by the petrol station exit as yes, it gets busy with pedestrians by the petrol station, and with them seeing you coming it can create opportunity and keep riding the shoulder all the way to the n1, then take the ramp off the n1 to woodstock. I think this ramp is also a hotspot, I'm super careful when I take it (which is not often).

If you have a gravel bike or MTB, you can take the petrol station exit road the wrong way, cycle through the petrol station, then keep going opposite trafic in the grass, all the way to the bridge. There are paths (pretty steep) that allow you to get to the top of the bridge and get to the road there. There is a small settlement on the right side, on the left side you can ride a MTB or gravel but it's full of glass and seems pretty dirty, only used it once and didn't like it so much, but I didn't puncture though

The section getting past the Woodstock bridge is the tricky bit: up and over the guard rails, through the glass gauntlet under the bridge...there are only bad options for this. The post some time ago regarding a armed situation really made me weary of this route, but other stories of being held up on the bridge at Old Castle Brewery not much better. 

An alternative also as mentioned is along Voortrekker, you can get on from the Kensington side as per the Pinelands-CC route above. That container section before Salt river isnt so lekker, tubeless advised and watch out for trucks. 

TBH. i dont like any of these routes, and its a best of the worst kindof choice

Sorry, this is getting long...this has been touched on before, but what are the rules for going through the harbour? Can one get some other permit to ease the getting through (besides an expensive Yacht Club membership?)

[Hamstring]

23 minutes ago, RatX said:

Nice one @Hamstring, will def give that route a try as well - nice to have a selection of routes to keep things a bit more interesting.  No hassles crossing over the railway at Century City?

Its a pedestrian bridge with stairs and ramp i  pass people on moto bikes using it too. 

[reteid]

just a heads up. past sunday friend got accosted near cloetesville on his way by bike to jonkershoek by a f...r pulling a knife on him.managed to swerve around and get away. about 9 am.

[Jbr]

2 hours ago, odon said:

I used to use this route nearly daily a number of years back on my commute between Mowbray and Century City. I used Union avenue through Pinelands (bit quieter) and crossed the railway at the pedestrian bridge at Old Mutual Station. The section through Kensington was fine. The little ramp at the Century City Station sometimes felt slightly dodge, but never had an issue. 

Now commuting from CBD I use the Marine drive N1 against traffic option as described here...

The section getting past the Woodstock bridge is the tricky bit: up and over the guard rails, through the glass gauntlet under the bridge...there are only bad options for this. The post some time ago regarding a armed situation really made me weary of this route, but other stories of being held up on the bridge at Old Castle Brewery not much better. 

An alternative also as mentioned is along Voortrekker, you can get on from the Kensington side as per the Pinelands-CC route above. That container section before Salt river isnt so lekker, tubeless advised and watch out for trucks. 

TBH. i dont like any of these routes, and its a best of the worst kindof choice

Sorry, this is getting long...this has been touched on before, but what are the rules for going through the harbour? Can one get some other permit to ease the getting through (besides an expensive Yacht Club membership?)

But the harbour takes you to town, the main problem here is the access ramp to woodstock ?

To go to town I just take the n1 no problem, it's a little dodge going under the bridge but never actually had any issue there and I did it a thousand times

[tedza]

Quote

8 hours ago, Hamstring said:

Its a pedestrian bridge with stairs and ramp i  pass people on moto bikes using it too. 

Very interesting route, thanks for sharing. Whats your travel time if I may ask?  Upper main going to be interesting with the taxis.

 

[tedza]

10 hours ago, RatX said:

@tedza - interested to see your post, exactly what I came here to find out.  I live in Rugby and work in Obs and I'm trying to find different routes.  I currently take the cycle path along the bus route all the way through Paarden Eiland to Woodstock, usually somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30am.  So far I've mostly crossed paths with regular folk walking to and from work, but the long stretch going along the railway line past Woodstock is very quiet and there is definite opportunity for mischief.  I make an effort to greet everybody, and thus far on only one occasion crossed paths with a group of four chaps that I got very hostile vibes from.

Most mornings there is a traffic police vehicle parked at one end, but I think they're more interested in catching people taking shortcuts in their cars.  There are also occasionally armed response vehicles patrolling, but they are rare.  I have considered hopping on the bus through this section, but not sure how feasible this is.  I'm not crazy about cycling along Marine Drive against the flow of traffic, but plan to give it a try as an option.

I've also considered going through Paarden Eiland which seems to be reasonably safe, and rather crossing the N1 over the pedestrian bridge (-33.918094186846936, 18.475994652323056) that comes out at Ysterplaat Station, and then cycling up Voortrekker Road into Woodstock.  This will bypass the badlands along the railway, but I see on the Voortrekker Road side there is some construction going on so not sure how feasible this is either.  I might try it and report back with my findings.  Anybody else tried this route?  I see there's also a pedestrian bridge from the harbour that comes out in Woodstock near Albert Road, but I don't know if cycling through the harbour is permitted.

thanks for the input. You are braver than I.. When I last used this route I had been threatened and harassed.  Was somewhat aggressive and manage to avoid trouble. Got to the point where one of the metro vehicles would actually shadow me - good of them :-), but only happened once. Also lots of glass on the path so not good for the bike.

I am on a MTB, so previously eventually ended up on the route as you describe. Have however heard of the prasa squatters having become more brazen of late, and bike jacking on the woodstock bridge itself. Also believe that the MyShiti woodstock bus stop has been boarded up, but cannot confirm this.

[Hamstring]

11 hours ago, tedza said:

 

its 20 min from Edgemead to 10 avenue Kensington easy riding in the am, unfortunately taxis are on Voortrreker road but its about a 1k run down to Prestige Dr.    

[CapSizer]

13 hours ago, tedza said:

Also believe that the MyShiti woodstock bus stop has been boarded up, but cannot confirm this.

Yes, it got damaged when a bus caught fire there last February.  Apparently the refurbishment process is still being tendered.  Getting a clean audit trumps delivering a service.  The bus still stops there, but you have to get on and off through the front door from the kerb, which is a bit tricky with a bike.