Cape Town danger areas

[wolver]

Another mugging on Signal hill just behind the houses at the Bo-kaap end of Tamboerskloof. Happened at 10:55am Sunday 26/11. Phones and watches taken.🤬

[Robbie Stewart]

Why is this being allowed? Why is the WC government and SAPS and SANParks not doing anything about it? Is the plan to completely muck up the tourism industry in the Cape, which is the top tourist destination in SA? 

[Mtree]

13 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Why is this being allowed? Why is the WC government and SAPS and SANParks not doing anything about it? Is the plan to completely muck up the tourism industry in the Cape, which is the top tourist destination in SA? 

A lot has to do with the recent release of prisoners at the end of October...
(Think someone else mentioned this as well)

Durbanville and the Northern suburbs have seen an increased presence of criminal elements as well, not just a Table Mountain/Southern suburbs issue.

[DJR]

18 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Why is this being allowed? Why is the WC government and SAPS and SANParks not doing anything about it? Is the plan to completely muck up the tourism industry in the Cape, which is the top tourist destination in SA? 

Good question.

I'll tell you a fictional story based on true events (like they say in the movies)..................

A cyclist, obviously shaken, dressed in cycling kit and bleeding from a good few cuts and bruises came into the police station.

He reported getting pushed off his bike on Table Mountain, on the slopes of Devils Peak, assaulted and robbed of his phone and bike. He then ran down the mountain all the time trying to see where the criminals took his bike. At the Rhodes Memorial parking lot he encountered SANPARKS rangers. He told them his story and that they asked him where he last saw the thieves, which was as they exited the park above Groote Schuur Hospital. Oh, then you must report it to the SAPS ...........nothing they could do once the robbers have left Table Mountain National Park..........he managed to get someone pick him up and take him to the Woodstock Police Station........into whose area the robbers fled...........they asked him where the mugging happened.........just above Rhodes Memorial........then you must go the the Mowbray Police station because that is their area.........and that is where I met him! Sadly, they were not much more helpful..............didn't have a vehicle available.........the criminals were by that time many kilometres away anyway. He got his report taken, in an extremely laborious way by a cop who could hardly read or write, got his case cumber and was told to claim from his insurance.

I am 100% sure that was the end of it from SAPS and SANParks side. His bleeding face, his bruised body and the psycholgical scars hopefully healed with the help of his private medical aid and support system of friends and family, no thanks to the non-existent help he got from the powers that be.

OK, I know it won't make for a good enough movie script.........too much truth I suppose.........bit THAT is why thing are the way they are! 

Edited November 27, 2023 by DJR

[NeverNotRolling]

On 11/24/2023 at 1:59 PM, DJR said:

ENTRY fee for Cape Point is now THREE HUNDRED AND SOMETING RAND per day for an adult..........methinks I will demand my own personal ranger in future!

Wait what? You talking about the tourist price right? Says it's R100 for a South African resident adult ticket with proof of drivers/ID

https://capepoint.co.za/visitus/

[nonky]

17 hours ago, wolver said:

Another mugging on Signal hill just behind the houses at the Bo-kaap end of Tamboerskloof. Happened at 10:55am Sunday 26/11. Phones and watches taken.🤬

 

19 hours ago, splat said:

That wasn't the end of it.
3 runners (and even a marshal apparently) were mugged during the event itself

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/three-ultra-trail-runners-mugged-during-100-mile-race-in-cape-town-20231125

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/three-more-muggings-on-table-mountain-a-day-after-ultra-runners-were-robbed-during-race-20231127

[nonky]

CoCT Emergency Room (for Table Mountain emergencies): 021 480 7700

 

WhatsApp group for mountain safety, which I cannot vouch for:

story: https://www.capetownetc.com/news/table-mountain-safety-app-for-hikers/

Sign up here:

https://hikersnetwork.co.za/safetymountain/?fbclid=IwAR2kYsHGosdYEUhNengqTeAdUizTDomMxLx5UreGnQ2p1vu5ZAOwttgxraQ

[wolver]

4 hours ago, nonky said:

 

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/three-more-muggings-on-table-mountain-a-day-after-ultra-runners-were-robbed-during-race-20231127

For some reason they are not reporting the mugging of one of the athletes on Friday on Signal Hill during the race. The stolen Apple watch was tracked to Cash Crusaders and the owner got it back... I guess SAPS will argue that the crime was undone. Not sure how you get the authorities to actually give a f@%k.

Edited November 27, 2023 by wolver

[Shebeen]

On 11/11/2023 at 11:42 AM, Hairy said:

I just want to add, if you guys are out on those back roads, please use a flashing red light .... based on what I have been seeing on the back roads, you can spot a cyclist from far away with a flashing red light in the middle of the day, but they do not stand out as easily with no light at all.

A small thing that makes a huge difference to your safety on the roads.

In my experience a red light that will be properly visible in the african daylight needs to be a monster red light, and you can't use that in a group without blinding the oke on your wheel.

I see tjaainas riding with these, in their all black kit that is the fashion that all the rapha et al insist on selling to you to look cool.

Just wear something bright if you want to be noticed in the day, never need to charge it.

 

[Hairy]

10 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

In my experience a red light that will be properly visible in the african daylight needs to be a monster red light, and you can't use that in a group without blinding the oke on your wheel.

I see tjaainas riding with these, in their all black kit that is the fashion that all the rapha et al insist on selling to you to look cool.

Just wear something bright if you want to be noticed in the day, never need to charge it.

 

Dude, we have commuted for years in a group, with decent LED tail lights without ever blinding each other. Be it in daylight or dark hours.

Personally, after seeing cyclists on the back roads (In their fashionable black and classic bright retro cycling kits) in singles or groups, a flashing red light makes a difference from a distance.

If a single rider or a small group or 2 or 3 riders, then the light is even more vital in order to be seen from a distance.

[Shebeen]

27 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Dude, we have commuted for years in a group, with decent LED tail lights without ever blinding each other. Be it in daylight or dark hours.

Personally, after seeing cyclists on the back roads (In their fashionable black and classic bright retro cycling kits) in singles or groups, a flashing red light makes a difference from a distance.

If a single rider or a small group or 2 or 3 riders, then the light is even more vital in order to be seen from a distance.

i thought you rode a stinkbike these days?!

 

I think we can both be right on this one!

[waveduke]

Something that irritates me time and time again is the hostility and aggressiveness that is brought towards me when I get checked for my TMNP activity card while cycling in Tokai / Silvermine area.

I'm always asking myself why can't they put that energy into making the mountain a safer place or something... 

[Hairy]

17 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

i thought you rode a stinkbike these days?!

 

I think we can both be right on this one!

100%, and everyone on the roads need to make their own decision as to where they are riding, and to what level they would like to dress or mount lights, etc.

 

[ChrisF]

23 minutes ago, Hairy said:

100%, and everyone on the roads need to make their own decision as to where they are riding, and to what level they would like to dress or mount lights, etc.

 

100%

 

We are all adults, and take responsibility for our choices.

 

Rode with a gent along Bottelary yesterday.

 

At intersections he would make eye contact with drivers, even wave his arm.  He was certainly trying to be as safe as possible.  And still no lights on his bike ....

 

 

 

We all have our ways of dealing with the dangers on the road.

 

[ChrisF]

Garmin Varia

 

Followed a gent up Hellshoogte with a Varia on his bike.  Was interesting to see this technology at work.

 

Solid red light.  And not too bright, even when I was right on his back wheel.

 

The Varia started flashing when a vehicle approached, about 5 to 10 seconds before the vehicle actually passed us.  Light would go back to a solid red.

 

Even when I was almost touching his rear wheel did the Varia see oncoming cars.

 

 

Was interesting to SEE the Varia at work 

 

 

Not sure what he saw on his screen, or how the Varia alersts him.

 

 

As nice as it is, I have to wonder about the constant alert, and at what point it becomes too much information.  

[Mamil]

17 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Garmin Varia

 

Followed a gent up Hellshoogte with a Varia on his bike.  Was interesting to see this technology at work.

 

Solid red light.  And not too bright, even when I was right on his back wheel.

 

The Varia started flashing when a vehicle approached, about 5 to 10 seconds before the vehicle actually passed us.  Light would go back to a solid red.

 

Even when I was almost touching his rear wheel did the Varia see oncoming cars.

 

 

Was interesting to SEE the Varia at work 

 

 

Not sure what he saw on his screen, or how the Varia alersts him.

 

 

As nice as it is, I have to wonder about the constant alert, and at what point it becomes too much information.  

As many have said, varia is another layer of safety in the keeping oneself alive game - a glance down at the head unit tells me exactly how many cars are behind me, their relative speed and distance from me - in urban areas it's useful to know, in rural areas the alerts are brilliant.

I feel naked riding without it which I hardly ever do. OF course it doesn't differentiate between cars passing in the lane closest to you or the lane furthest but it is undoubtedly a valuable adjunct to a rider's awareness on the bike. 

I'm not convinced by the new camera version but when they bring one out with a James Bond electrostatic pulse generator that immobilizes cars that are too close to me I'll definitely be ugrading.