Cyclists behaving ...... badly!!!!!!

[Jackes]

But then again, some less recreational cyclists' point of view to create a solution is " f the motorists, it's our right to use one of the two lanes, why not, there is still one left on the N8 for their cars "

[AndreZA]

But then again' date=' some less recreational cyclists' point of view to create a solution is " f the motorists, it's our right to use one of the two lanes, why not, there is still one left on the N8 for their cars "

 

[/quote']

 

 

 

and it's for them that I will not take part in a protest ride or give a donation because he can not pay for his child in private school anymore.

[SwissVan]

 

Seems like the bumper sticker which read ?courtesy is catching? was lying?or more likely got replaced by the seemingly more popular ?FU2? sticker. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

This thread highlights how we as South Africans have devolved into the big city rule bending and if you don?t like it I?m gonna moer you?ek se attitude modern society.... where all we are concerned about is ourselves and stuff everyone else.

 

All it takes is common courtesy and tolerance from ALL road users, shaved cyclists to the gorilla farmer.

 

 

[Captain Slow]

Well said SwissVan! You hit the nail on the head!!

[Gasping]

 

All it takes is common courtesy and tolerance from ALL road users' date=' shaved cyclists to the gorilla farmer.

  

[/quote']

 

Not all of us are depilated Does that make me a gorilla cyclist?

 

Once again, you are right. It does seem that there are a lot of ME!ME! people out there (and some here).

[Guest Big H]

Sanity at last..... even though the messenger was.....

 

...... a few times and...... verbally attacked a few times......

 

SANITY AT LAST!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Gasping]

Sanity at last..... even though the messenger was.....

 

 

Ah Hullo? Was it you? Hmmm, that changes evrything......

[Faikar]

I have to agree whith Swissvan.A little bit of courtesy by all parties can go a long way.

[Eldron]

My random comments:

 

2) Regardless of who is wrong and right and what is legal and not legal a car will always win a fight with a bicycle - ride your bike according to this rule.

 

This is where it all breaks down!  People on this forum perpetuate the belief that a bicycle has less rights on the road than a car because a car can do more damage to a bicycle than the inverse.

 

When you are driving your car do you pull over to the side of the road when a truck is behind you' date=' endangering yourself because the truck is bigger than you?

 

A bicycle has a legal right to be on the road.  Cyclists do not have to have licenses, because they are not a threat to other road users.  We do not have to pay road taxes because we don't use petrol, and we don't do any damage to the road.  This does not give cyclists the right to cause problems for other road users, but it also does not give other road users the right to endanger our lives!

 

Be visible, use signals, and take up your rightful place on the road.  You'll find that other road users respect you more!

[/quote']

 

Agreed Bruce - problem is that there is a fine line between assertive and aggressive...

 

I'm not saying we should be huddling on the verge of the road praying that cars don't hit us - more along the lines of while you are legally and rightfully allowed to ride on a tiny road with a broken verge favoured by speeding trucks those rights aren't going to trump newtons laws of physics!

 

I ride with the idea that every car/truck on the road wants to kill me and act accordingly:

- I ride about 40cm from the verge so I have somewhere to go when cars play "tag the rider with the wingmirror".

- I avoid narrow roads where I would be a target/hinderence

- I avoid busy roads where interaction with traffic is frequent

 

I would rather be labelled a chicken than have "he was dead right" written on my tombstone

 

 

[pastapouch]

In the photo's case, there was more than enough space for the motorist to overtake, even though its a solid white line, why didn't he do just that, and avoid 17 pages of shyte on thehub???

[SeaBee]

I didn't troll through the whole thread - sorry for that. I agree 100% with SwissVan. To confirm it - something that happened yesterday.

 

On the way home on the R44 I was a couple of cars behind an idiot in a bakkie with a trailor. All of us riding there will know the bultjie at Olivello. Going down there (from Stellenbosch) this bloke decides the little truck in front of him has no right not to move over in the yellow lane, so he's going to overtake - regardless of the oncoming truck. Simply pulls out and the oncoming truck simply had to eff-off into his yellow lane to avoid a head-to-head! And yes, he was still just a couple of cars ahead at the Klapmuts 4-way stop.

 

If people on the roads care so little about their own lives, going head-to-head with a truck for the sake of arriving a minute or two earlier - what chance do cyclists have?

 

Everybody's attitude must change. As cyclist, I do what I can to be seen - and to be seen as friendly and law-abiding.

[bruce]

- I ride about 40cm from the verge so I have somewhere to go when cars play "tag the rider with the wingmirror".

 

My point is that riding too close to the side of the road (and I would say that 40cm is too close) encourages more dangerous situations.  Motor cars do not slow, and do not change their line when overtaking you on a bicycle, because they see plenty of space in the same lane, and don't bother to move over.  The same applies for oncoming traffic.  Cars do not see you as part of the traffic, and they pull out to overtake when you are oncoming - an even more dangerous situation because speed differentials are even worse.

 

Some interesting reading: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010494.html

 

 

[Eldron]

- I ride about 40cm from the verge so I have somewhere to go when cars play "tag the rider with the wingmirror".

 

My point is that riding too close to the side of the road (and I would say that 40cm is too close) encourages more dangerous situations.  Motor cars do not slow' date=' and do not change their line when overtaking you on a bicycle, because they see plenty of space in the same lane, and don't bother to move over.  The same applies for oncoming traffic.  Cars do not see you as part of the traffic, and they pull out to overtake when you are oncoming - an even more dangerous situation because speed differentials are even worse.

 

Some interesting reading: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010494.html

 

 

[/quote']

 

Interesting article! I've read similar and my 40cm is based around the "part of the scenery versus part of the road" debate.

 

Too close to the pavement and cars don't give you room - too far and you become a hazard. It's  relative number - how far do you think is safe?

 

[Gasping]

In the photo's case' date=' there was more than enough space for the motorist to overtake, even though its a solid white line, why didn't he do just that, and avoid 17 pages of shyte on thehub???[/quote']

 

That would be illegal making the motorist a criminal and upsetting the sensibilities of some Hubbleys.

 

 

[bruce]

- I ride about 40cm from the verge so I have somewhere to go when cars play "tag the rider with the wingmirror".

 

My point is that riding too close to the side of the road (and I would say that 40cm is too close) encourages more dangerous situations.  Motor cars do not slow' date=' and do not change their line when overtaking you on a bicycle, because they see plenty of space in the same lane, and don't bother to move over.  The same applies for oncoming traffic.  Cars do not see you as part of the traffic, and they pull out to overtake when you are oncoming - an even more dangerous situation because speed differentials are even worse.

 

Some interesting reading: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010494.html

 

 

[/quote']

 

Interesting article! I've read similar and my 40cm is based around the "part of the scenery versus part of the road" debate.

 

Too close to the pavement and cars don't give you room - too far and you become a hazard. It's  relative number - how far do you think is safe?

 

I do most of my riding alone, so I may not be representative of the general cycling population.  I ride closer to a metre into the road when no shoulder.  When there is a shoulder I probably ride 50cm from the yellow line.  I have very few altercations with motorists, and feel more vulnerable when riding in bunches because people are all over the place, than when I ride alone.

[Icycling]

FYI and when the 1.5m law come into RSA I know of one cycling body that is willing to spend money on prosecuting motorists for not giving cyclists enough space when passing, in order to illustrate safe passing distance from cyclists

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News

 

US brings in new cycle safety law

 

Jonathon Harker May 13 2009, 5:48pm

 

 

 

Road cyclists in Colorado receive extra legal measures

 

 

 

 

 

Cyclists in Colorado will be given more protection from car users from August 5th, as reported by DailyCamera.

 

 

 

The Bicycle Safety Bill, signed this week, has been created by the state to safeguard cyclists with a wide range of measures.

 

 

 

Drivers will be required by law to give cyclists three feet of space when passing, or risk being given a $110 fine.

 

 

 

Other measures included in the law will formally give cyclists the right to ride side-by-side ? unless they?re impeding the ?normal and reasonable movement of traffic?. Cyclists will be required to ride as close to the pavement as is safe to do so.

 

 

 

The law goes further in protecting cyclists with an ?anti-harassment? measure.

 

 

 

Throwing an object at a cyclist or driving at cyclists in a threatening manner will also be made offences.

 

 

 

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter said: "One of the great things about Colorado is that so many people love to bike.

 

 

 

"But it also means that cyclists and motorists alike must take extra precautions so that we can share the road safely. This new law will enhance safety for everyone."

 

 

 

Local bike organisation Bicycle Colorado?s executive director Dan Grunig welcomed the law: ?The hope is that is creates safer roads. The law takes into account a lot of common sense, share-the-road practices that people do every day, and legalises them.?