Time to send a strong message!

[Slave]

BTW Captain. I see a few of the signs are "down". Wnet past one on Klipriver the other day. Close to the Panorma SC on the road North (towards Glenvista / Mondeor)

 

Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Your efforts at having those signs put up is commendable. You have made a very positive effort where some of us (myself included) just sit around whinging and you have done far more than many.

 

We still have some very errant attitudes to deal with (as mentioned in my thread on "That hooter thing - again")

 

I am not saying that all of the cyclists are angels and obey all the road rules, but merely that we all have to adjust attitudes and we all have to compromise.

 

Also, with the Argus around the corner, there are a lot more cyclists on the road. Once the Argus is over,many will put their bike back into mothballs and only bring them out to start training for the 94.7. Statistically, this means there will be less incidents, but even one, is one too many.

 

I remember as a kid, we used to all go to the local "traffic park" as part of school / education and get on bikes, ride around a track and we had to stop at the stopstreets, traffic lights, wave our arms to indicate etc. etc.

 

Does this till happen? I don't think so.  Now kids "learn" road saftey from their parents and judging by the way some drive, that is a scary thought. This bodes ill for future road "users" (more like road "abusers".) I know of one such place in Bedfordview, but it is not widely used (in my understanding) and parents take their kids there. Unload the bike and sit and read the paper / book or whatever and the kids run around doing their own thing. (See they learn this k@k houding from a young age.)

 

 

[TNT1]

 

 

I remember as a kid' date=' we used to all go to the local "traffic park" as part of school / education and get on bikes, ride around a track and we had to stop at the stopstreets, traffic lights, wave our arms to indicate etc. etc.

[/quote']

 

I still remember that. I pooped myself. I went past the slow kids and crossed over the white line going over a bridge. Plod pulled me off and had a stern chat. Thought he was gonna lock me up...

 

[Slave]

Yeah TNT, Sounds like you. And if I remember correctly, you just kept doing stuff like that. Always were a slow learner.

[porky]

I think the MAJORITY of weekend cyclists are not really concerned about the road / cycling accident rate - they only train a few weekends before Argus and a few before 94.7 so they hardly spend a lot of time exposed to the road issues.

 

Cyclists who ride daily are far more aware of these issues, simply because they are far more exposed to them, unfortunately, in my opinion the ones who ride daily are far more likely to break the rules of the road as well.

 

Getting even 1000 cyclists to publicly boycott a race will be nigh on impossible, let alone 35000, so..................what to do??

 

My answer is simple - look after yourself, wear bright clothing, switch on your light, even in the day, ride predictably and indicate your intentions, ride as far left as possible, put a foot down at every red light or stop street, give motorists right of way - ALWAYS, dont ride in big groups that take up excessive road space, dont ride with other cyclists who disobey the rules of the road, smile and thank motorists.!!

 

Enjoy the ride.!

 

 

 

porky2009-02-16 04:20:54

[Tumbleweed]

?Plod pulled me off?

knew about noddy and big ears, but not mr plod?

[Farm Gate]

Obeying the rules of the road is the first step in getting more acceptance from cyclists.

I try and make a point of thanking a motorist that has waited behind me on a narrow stretch (esp thru the road-works on Main Rd Muizenberg). My hope is that he will happily continue to be curteous and help reverse the vicious circle of cyclists hating motorists and vice versa. 

[American Flyers]

You can't point fingers to drivers or cyclists:

- Council should provide cycling paths by adding extra lanes.

- Traffic cops should stop cyclists for disobey rules.

- Drivers should give us spaces.

- Cyclists should ride in single lane if the road narrows.

 

 

 

 

[JPW#]

Best is to only ride off road, then your  fate is not in the hands of some drunk guy or crazy taxi driver. Phew I need to ride more off  road!....after all, those yellow stickers should add a few words... Think bike- think: wheelchair or coffin )