Cyclist Down Heidelberg road Yesterday

[Evan Andreou]

RIP fellow cyclist

[Martin7499]

You know some vehicle drivers are so spitefull as the road is open and then they drive so close past the cyclist, I want to have a fit when that happens to me.

 

Please guys not just obey the rules of the road, watch out for the silly drivers on the road.

 

 

[porky]

I used to be a traffic officer and in my books if the driver is so good he should have known that there would just not be enough space to overtake. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

The lawful thing to do is to then slow down and give right of way until it is safe to overtake. I believe that a court of law will look at this case in all its circumstances and then make a ruling based on all the evidence.

 

In my humble opinion I believe that we should not only enforce the law but also report on the outcome of the actual cases that makes it to court.

 

I say CSA should reserve page 5 of the Sunday papers and report hotspots as well as accidents like these and then also the court dates and outcomes.

 

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I say enforce the law and report the consequences of the act.

 

[/quote']

 

Hmm, I hear you, but in my neck of the woods people make mistakes, and errors of judgement, this results in accidents, sometimes fatal ones!.

 

On point number 2, it has merits, but that will mean that CSA has to be pro-active and do some work, from my experience thats asking a bit much.   

 

Reporting the consequence is fine, but you will need a seperate newspaper devoted to road incidents / accidents daily, just in my company I have had three bakkie's stolen in the last two years, I forget how many bumper bashings and break ins we have had,......... not one case has yet been resolved or a culprit brought before a court, this is unfortunately not Canada where the police make an effort to find the culprits of these types of crimes,........ too many other more important things for police to do here.

 

[Slave]

Porky! How dare you suggest that the SAPS should actually work?

 

H3ll thye get minimum wage (a wage / salary they agreed to on acceptance of the job and usually go out on the ramapage when they strike for higher wages.)

 

Surely turning up for work with a pulse and occupying space in the station is sufficient for the likes of Joe Public.

 

(OK, so there are some that work but really, how can you expect that they all work? Isn't that a bot unreasonable?)

 

You are only a tax payer.

 

I won't even discuss CSA. They get paid from the licence fees if I am not mistaken. And being a licenced ride, many expect them to work.

 

Eish, what is the world coming to with all these people who expect work from employees and guvment oofficials.

 

 

[porky]

Porky! How dare you suggest that the SAPS should actually work?

 

 

 

Yah, I know, unreasonable isnt it.!

 

But this extends to all levels of SA society Slave, especially when its Government or muncipal related. Totally unrelated but it irritated me so much I just have to repeat it here, about 3 weeks ago I called the SPCA to inform them of a number of cats which had set up home in the property opposite us, they were sick, diseased and often we found dead baby cats sometimes half eaten on our property in the morning. I asked the SPCA to please remove them, if they needed a donation to do so I was willing to give them one.

 

The very unprofessional girl who answered the phone told me in no uncertain terms that they dont catch stray cats, and that I could come in and HIRE cat traps, bait them myself, and catch the animals myself, (unfortunately this could only be done one at a time as they only had one trap) then drive 20 kms back to the SPCA with the cat and they would put the cat down - FOR A DONATION.!!

 

I mean, its just pathetic, nobody gives a d**n anymore, its just "show me the money" and you never hear from them again.

 

Okay, gonna have a coffee now - I just get so d**n worked up......!!

 

 

porky2009-09-18 06:35:47

[Bat-ass]

i heard on the news yesterday that a taxi driver was given 12 years behind bars for running over a 16 year old girl on a scooter.. obviously he was found to be wreckless... i agree, if the media do publish this kind of road accident info, then people will have more respect for pedestrians / cyclist / other road users...

[predictor]

Porky,

 

I agree with you and that is why they end up in a court of law where all aspects are investigated.

 

Hence the fact that I am suggesting CSA takes page 5 and start reporting on cycling hot spots like bike jacking and accidents.

 

I only ride where I will let my child ride

 

I spend 6+ hours in SBR on weekends and some running on safe roads in the week.

 

I have not been on the road for over 6 months now accept when racing in an event. 

 

Until we have safer roads with accountability I am on the home trainer and SBR

 

Just my thoughts

[porky]

Porky' date='

 

I agree with you and that is why they end up in a court of law where all aspects are investigated.

 

Hence the fact that I am suggesting CSA takes page 5 and start reporting on cycling hot spots like bike jacking and accidents.

 

I only ride where I will let my child ride

 

I spend 6+ hours in SBR on weekends and some running on safe roads in the week.

 

I have not been on the road for over 6 months now accept when racing in an event. 

 

Until we have safer roads with accountability I am on the home trainer and SBR

 

Just my thoughts

[/quote']

 

Yah, look, I run every day, I dont cycle every day, in fact since the Argus I have probably done only 500kms on the road, for me cycling is something I do in summer when its warm and comfortable,....... like now.!

 

That said, obviously runners are a bit slower but just as vulnerable, hense I run against the traffic flow and step onto the curb if a car is a bit close, however, the risk of getting run down is still there, so, I limit it by never running on duel roads unless there is a wide yellow line (I particularly like Klipriver in Alberton), highways and regional roads, where there is a lot of heavy duty trucking etc, ignoring the risk or thinking "the other person will react in my favour" is just asking to be knocked over.

 

Now riding a fast cycle which limits your reaction time, in these areas, is in my opinion just stupid, there is no way anyone can account for another persons frame of mind at the time and it only takes one mistake (on either side) to kill you.

 

 

 

 

porky2009-09-21 09:14:46

[Rinda Klopper]

To all of you that have wished us well - we do appreciate it.

 

Len leaves his Two sons Dean (18) and Ryan (8) and ex wife behind with great sadness. He had 3 siblings and a wonderful mother.<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Len was a great cyclist and loved to ride to work and back every day. His tragic accident was just that a freak accident. The guy of the truck is still traumatized and even the two drivers that went over Len.

 

Len was cremated and his ashes scattered over his Father?s grave in the Cape.

 

We as a family will miss him. Sister in law

 

 

[Rinda Klopper]

Thank you we appreciated your wishes. Len leave 2 sons (Dean 18) and (Ryan 8) behind and ex wife. 3 siblings and mother. Len will be sadly missed. Len?s  ashes was scattered over his father?s grave on the 25 Sept 2009. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The accident was a freak accident and we do not wish this for anybody! This was a very horrific sight and accident. 

 

To the entire cyclist community please be VERY careful out there.

 

[Rinda Klopper]

Thank you we appreciated your wishes. Len leave 2 sons (Dean 18) and (Ryan 8) behind and ex wife. 3 siblings and mother. Len will be sadly missed. Len?s  ashes was scattered over his father?s grave on the 25 Sept 2009. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The accident was a freak accident and we do not wish this for anybody! This was a very horrific sight and accident. 

 

To the entire cyclist community please be VERY careful out there.

[Rinda Klopper]

Thank you we appreciated your wishes. Len leave 2 sons (Dean 18) and (Ryan 8) behind and ex wife. 3 siblings and mother. Len will be sadly missed. Len?s  ashes was scattered over his father?s grave on the 25 Sept 2009. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The accident was a freak accident and we do not wish this for anybody! This was a very horrific sight and accident. 

 

To the entire cyclist community please be VERY careful out there.

[Rinda Klopper]

Thank you we appreciated your wishes. Len leave 2 sons (Dean 18) and (Ryan 8) behind and ex wife. 3 siblings and mother. Len will be sadly missed. Len?s  ashes was scattered over his father?s grave on the 25 Sept 2009. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The accident was a freak accident and we do not wish this for anybody! This was a very horrific sight and accident. 

 

To the entire cyclist community please be VERY careful out there.

[Slowbee]

Porky, with regards to the SPCA. Please get the name of the person you spoke to.

 

There is a council - South African Vet Assocation (SAVA). Please report this to them.