Joburg danger areas

[Doctor]

Time to take out a Helivac membership for you and your loved ones, Helivac has got a police officer from the Brackendowns police station patrolling the steps now on weekends between 7 and 11 as well as a paramedic that drives around on the routes during that time.Helivac will be rolling this out in the north within the next 4 to 6 weeks. Brilliant

[Mark Wildcat]

So we have bike jackings and all sorts of dodgy characters, reported and alerting the community is a great idea.

How other than riding in groups do we handle them though?

I reckon carrying mace or pepper spray is a good idea.

Also, have the "don't mess with me" look on your face.

Also, get self defence trained.

Anyone offering that is a good idea.

Plus, register your bikes on the National Bike Registry website.

 

I say if you want to stop it, nail the buggers.

If you are not willing to take the risk, then ride in bunches and make sure your bike is insured.

Terrible that we have to do this sh*t instead of riding free.....

[Mark Wildcat]

Also, the security on Northern Farm is now excellent by the way!!!

[Fairywings]

 Hi. Got this email today. They asked us to please spread the word.

Dear Members,

 The following is a notification on what is presently happening on the Cradle Route. It is presently not advisable to ride out there. We would like all our members receiving this message to pass it on to all your cycling  acquaintances.

 We would like to take this opportunity to thank Garth, a resident of the area, for the update. We will notify you of further developments, thanks.

 

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Hi

Not sure if you have all heard, but there has been a problem with an illegal land invasion in Kromdraai. Short story is the residents went to court and stopped the invasion (cost a lot of money) and the red ants moved in on Friday morning and then again yesterday and removed shacks.

The squatters did not take this lying down and started stoning cars , burning tires, blocking the road with stones and destroyed the circle and also dug up parts of the road.

Police were called in and there were some serious standoffs.

 I have just been to the kromdraai store and came across two cyclists and stopped to tell them that it was not a good idea to ride through here at the moment. They told me that they had been stopped by some squatters and that the message was that they cannot ride in the cycle lane as this was for them to walk and that the cyclists must pay them to go through the area. The cyclists said they had no money and were allowed to go.

Maybe someone should send the message out on the hub or where ever, that if cyclists are going to ride through here, they must ride with extreme caution.

 Regards Garth

[HammerHed]

The ruins on top of the Koppie near Gerhardsville but to the

south. South of the M26 road from Sandton to I think it is Erasmus?

There is a Cheese Shop about 1km to the east, where the single track

comes onto that main road.

 

The GPS coordinates are as follows:

S25.83548 E28.06367 these coordinates are not for the koppie but  down

the slope on the north side.

 

I know of 2 sets of bike jackings in this area on top  of the  koppie at the ruin in the last 2 months more than 8 bikes taken in these 2 incidents alone.

 

HammerHed2010-05-18 11:33:40

[Twombles]

Hi Guys,

As a fed up cyclist, I have been in contact with some of the tracking companies in South Africa, and the response that I have been getting seems promising. A couple of companies are working on a tracking device, they only need to get the battery pack small enough to be practical enough to use.

 

HOWEVER, apart from the subjective feedback that cyclists are giving, there are no real data available about where and when these crimes are taking place. A response from one of the companies was that they would like to create safe zones for cyclists, but they need input about where the crime is taking place.

I'd like to start an initiative where cyclists that have been targeted can plot the location on a map, including some information about the crime, for example time, nature and description of the bikes that were stolen.

 

If we can generate the data about crime, and provide data to the relevant policing or security authorities, we might be able to have a safer ride.

 

I need some input from you guys to see whether you think the initiative will work. I am bust setting up a website with a mapping tool, will cyclists make the effort to map the location that they were targeted at??

 

How many of the hubbers will make the effort?

[W1Z@RD]

So I ride the cradle weekend mornings at 06:00 leaving from Fourways down Cedar to Rhino and Lion park then to Clearwaters and back along NorthHumberland. Alot of my cycling mates tell me I am crazy and that it is so dangerous. I have been doing this for the last year. I have checked for incidents on the Hub but there doesn't seem to be much.... Am I crazy to ride alone? Have I just been lucky?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Lido Loop is not to safe even in a group, no matter the size, to the truckers cyclist are a target, or to see how close they can get. How about the Waterboard road, is that still safe?

 

<edited><editID>Pink Floyd</editID><editDate>2009-09-03 09:49:00</editDate></edited>

 

I know its an old post, but I think the Lido loop is the most dangerous in the country - I stopped riding there at least 12 months ago. The steps in my opinion are a no go area, the Alwynspoort road is just filled with speeding brick trucks and someone told me even the waterboard road has had some issues of bicycle theft and attacks, especially the further away from the complex you go.

 

I used to drive down to the circus and ride with some friends from there, but they stopped due to the issues, so now I also dont go there anymore - pity cos they had really nice muffins.!

[DomJBo]

Rand water board road I wouldn't suggest as I have heard of people have been Hi jacked there. Think now that winters here the thugs are still sleeping by the time we come past!

[GuyP]

Hi. Got this email today. They asked us to please spread the word.

 

Dear Members,

The following is a notification on what is presently happening on the Cradle Route. It is presently not advisable to ride out there. We would like all our members receiving this message to pass it on to all your cycling acquaintances.

 

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Garth, a resident of the area, for the update. We will notify you of further developments, thanks.

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Hi

 

 

Not sure if you have all heard, but there has been a problem with an illegal land invasion in Kromdraai. Short story is the residents went to court and stopped the invasion (cost a lot of money) and the red ants moved in on Friday morning and then again yesterday and removed shacks.

 

 

The squatters did not take this lying down and started stoning cars , burning tires, blocking the road with stones and destroyed the circle and also dug up parts of the road.

 

 

Police were called in and there were some serious standoffs.

 

 

I have just been to the kromdraai store and came across two cyclists and stopped to tell them that it was not a good idea to ride through here at the moment. They told me that they had been stopped by some squatters and that the message was that they cannot ride in the cycle lane as this was for them to walk and that the cyclists must pay them to go through the area. The cyclists said they had no money and were allowed to go.

 

 

Maybe someone should send the message out on the hub or where ever, that if cyclists are going to ride through here, they must ride with extreme caution.

 

 

Regards Garth

 

 

 

Jeepers, I didn't know this! I cycle there often and have only had one incident involving an agressive stare-down, but nothing else. Has the issue been resolved?

[Minion]

I have not heard any official word on it being resolved but my club (Cresta) has ridden there in the last month or so and I went out there recently and there didn't seem to be any problems.

[MichaelH]

Last update was in August...any updates since then? Any incidents we should know about, anybody?

[Foxie]

Ride the cradle every week and there is no problem at all. Always feel safe there.

[scotty]

On the East Rand, Boksburg Stadium/Sunward/Van Dyk park area 3 hijackings since 1 Aug.

[nikki]

Are there areas thet need to avoided in the pretoria area?

[chris_w_65]

What is Northern Farms like these days? I am new to MTB but have heard a few stories about hijackings at NF. I was there on Sunday for the first time and felt a little uneasy riding the stretch along the perimiter fence on the northern side of the farm.