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

[Guest Big H]

Currently the laws are been changed to make it legal to ride inside the yellow line.

1. If 1 cyclist is inside the yellow line i.e. not on the road and the other abreast outside the yellow line on the road - I don't see why a motorist should have a problem! The cyclist inside the yellow line is currently illegal.

2. A cyclist has the same right as motorist on the road they both are classified as vehicle. My understanding is a vehicle may not overtake on a solid white line - so why is the motorist trying too? In Europe where we has taken these road rules from motorist would wait believe me!

 

Cyclist specific lanes or shoulders were specially constructed by Gautrans in this area.

 

The motorist was not trying to pass he was held up by the cyclists travelling slowly and obstructing the lane while they had more that enough space to cycle in their dedicated cyling path.

 

 

[Guest Big H]

Currently the laws are been changed to make it legal to ride inside the yellow line.

1. If 1 cyclist is inside the yellow line i.e. not on the road and the other abreast outside the yellow line on the road - I don't see why a motorist should have a problem! The cyclist inside the yellow line is currently illegal.

2. A cyclist has the same right as motorist on the road they both are classified as vehicle. My understanding is a vehicle may not overtake on a solid white line - so why is the motorist trying too? In Europe where we has taken these road rules from motorist would wait believe me!

 

Thanks Icycling - this is how our threads should be - an intelligent debate - and it highlights why I asked the question!

 

As the law stands' date=' all of us that (sensibly) ride to the outside of the yellow line, are actually riding illegally! Therefore in the picture of the first post, all those to the right of the yelolow line are legal, and all those to the left of the yellow line are breaking the law! The problem is that drivers expect us to ride in the yellow lane!

(I'm not defending riding more than one abreast in such a situation - and the sensible thing to do would be for the cyclists to pull into the yellow lane to allow the car past)

 

One other question - how many people drive with a camera at the ready? Was the car driver specifically out looking for something to bitch about?

[/quote']

 

I asked him specifically to take some photographs. He lives in the area and sees cyclists misbehaving daily and is also shouted and sworn at daily by arrogant cyclists.

 

He will take some more photographs and I will post the as well. Maybe, but it is a bit far fetched, someday a cyslist will admit that we are in the wrong.

[SwissVan]

 

One other question - how many people drive with a camera at the ready? Was the car driver specifically out looking for something to bitch about?

 

 

The same way that Big H got hold of the photos....after the last Ken debate I guess some people are in evidence gathering mode.

 

Or like me they always carry a camera just in case they come across aliens from another universe or ufo's.

 

 

[David #7]

levett. I ride with a camera in my glove box all the time.

Big H. The cycle lane in that area is just that a lane that last for about 5 km.

[Icycling]

If the motorist is not trying to pass then he understands the law and that is the roads are for other road users also including cyclist and thus been on a public road he can expect held up! Be it bikes, slow driver, trucks etc - so where lies the problem, unless this motorist is just trying to be difficult and inconsiderate to other road users who has the same right as this motorist. Yes a cyclist may ride in the middle of a lane (even if cycling alone) if the cyclist feels it is safer, possible for argument sake because of bad road condition on the side. The law that applies here is vehicles should stay as far left as "possible". When a cyclist is on the side of a road it is only because the cyclist is been considerate and not because the law says the cyclist has too!

 

 

 

But actually it is motorist who seem to break this law the most and yes manly on road where cyclist should not be i.e. the freeways by driving in the fast lane and not overtaking in the fast lane! This is once again a true sign of how inconsiderate people in RSA get when they get behind the wheel of the motor vehicle! I am sure that due to the inconsiderate behavior by motorist on the freeway, built up road rage which is caused, and when they finally are on the secondary roads and now maybe late they end up taking the frustration out on other road users - as now they trying to make up time! That's just my theory!

[levett]

So - is it a cycle lane or an emergency lane?

 

And, if it is a cycle lane, which are cycle lanes, and which are emergency lanes?

 

The only definitive answer is the Road Traffic Act - anyone know what it actually says?

 

I thought:

 

'you may not drive to the left of the yellow line, on the shoulder of the road or in the emergency lane at any point in time, other than in the case of an emergency.' 

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[MJ the Expat]

As a mountain biker, I fail to see what the problem is?

[levett]

From the AA's web-site:

 

The emergency lane is for use of emergency vehicles (ambulances, fire engines, police and traffic officers) only. They are not there to use as an extra lane for peak hour traffic or to pass slower traffic.

 

[Guest Big H]

If the motorist is not trying to pass then he understands the law and that is the roads are for other road users also including cyclist and thus been on a public road he can expect held up! Be it bikes' date=' slow driver, trucks etc - so where lies the problem, unless this motorist is just trying to be difficult and inconsiderate to other road users who has the same right as this motorist. Yes a cyclist may ride in the middle of a lane (even if cycling alone) if the cyclist feels it is safer, possible for argument sake because of bad road condition on the side. The law that applies here is vehicles should stay as far left as "possible". When a cyclist is on the side of a road it is only because the cyclist is been considerate and not because the law says the cyclist has too!

But actually it is motorist who seem to break this law the most and yes manly on road where cyclist should not be i.e. the freeways by driving in the fast lane and not overtaking in the fast lane! This is once again a true sign of how inconsiderate people in RSA get when they get behind the wheel of the motor vehicle! I am sure that due to the inconsiderate behavior by motorist on the freeway, built up road rage which is caused, and when they finally are on the secondary roads and now maybe late they end up taking the frustration out on other road users - as now they trying to make up time! That's just my theory![/quote']

 

Analysing the symptom and not the cause..... come on..... admit is you know the cause ..... you are NOT SO naive!!!!!!!!

[Thug]

I don't cycle within the yellow lane for the simple reason that pedestrians and errant motorists leave all type of rubbish including glass within the confines of the yellow lane.

 

If that makes me a badly behaved cyclist........so be it !

 

[Icycling]

A slightly different note - it seems their are quite a few inconsiderate people in RSA. I see it while riding my bike, but normally do not have the opportunity to say anything. But a the 10 items or less Q in supermarkets in RSA when people are inconsiderate enough to be Qing in this Q with more than 10 items I have the opportunity to say something and I do! Maybe 1 day these people will realize the world is not only designed for them, but for all the population! The adjective used in both these post on character of persons is inconsiderate - which seems to be a characteristic of many South Africans! I personally find this characteristic undesirable!

[Icycling]

Big H the symptom is the fact that a lot of people are just straight inconsiderate as highlighted in my post just above. Generally speaking nobody says anything and they get away with it and thus become even more inconsiderate!

[Tumbleweed]

You are talking to Big-H here ! Are you really taking it seriously ?

 

 

 

Good point

 

 

 

Off topic' date=' should organise another hub ride and braai again [/quote']

 

 

 

Good idea . Soon as HR can cycle again !!

 

 

 

i'm gonna go to groenies next sunday if you interested

[Guest Agteros]

 

Actually that first picture is on a stretch of the N14 that is not a freeway' date=' I used to stay in Ruimsig and travelled the N14 in both directions on a regular basis.

 

The second photo really isn't a calamity, although I'd hope that those okes had the decency to give way for overtaking traffic.

 

 

[/quote']

 

A few years ago there used to be a sign at the dip (Muldersdrift) indicating that the freeway ends there. That sign is long gone, so surely the freeway goes all the way to the Pinehaven intersection now?

 

Yeah, I used to stay in that area as well...

 

[Danger Dassie]

A few years ago there used to be a sign at the dip (Muldersdrift) indicating that the freeway ends there. That sign is long gone' date=' so surely the freeway goes all the way to the Pinehaven intersection now?Yeah, I used to stay in that area as well...[/quote']

 

 

 

I remember that sign still being there just before the 94.7, wonder if it was vandalised or officially removed?

 

 

 

Moved from there in about April, nice area but the weekday traffic was too much. Even Hendrik Potgieter on a weekend was nuts with drivers driving down the emergency lane etc

[Minion]

Here's what the Act says:

[quote name=Regs : 298A. Prohibition on driving on shoulder of public road' date=' except in certain circumstances]

1)        Subject to subregulation (2) and regulation 298(1)(e), no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the shoulder of a public road.

 

2)        Notwithstanding

subregulation (1), the driver of a motor vehicle may, during the period

between sunrise and sunset, drive such motor vehicle on the shoulder of

a public road which is designated for one lane of traffic in each

direction ?

a)        while such motor vehicle is being overtaken by another vehicle; and

b)        if he or she can do so without endangering himself or herself, other traffic, pedestrians or property on such public road; and

c)        if persons and vehicles upon a public road are clearly discernible at a distance of at least 150 metres.

[quote name='Regs : 298. Passing of vehicle]

1)        Subject to the provisions of subregulation (2) and (4) and regulation 296' date='

the driver of a vehicle intending to pass any other vehicle proceeding

in the same direction on a public road shall pass to the right thereof

at a safe distance and shall not again drive on the left side of the

roadway until safely clear of the vehicle so passed: Provided that, in

the circumstances as aforesaid, passing on the left of such vehicle

shall be permissible if the person driving the passing vehicle can do

so with safety to himself or herself and other traffic or property

which is or may be on such road and ?

e)        he

or she is driving in compliance with the directions of a traffic

officer or is driving in traffic which is under the general direction

of such officer, and in accordance with such direction:

Provided

further that in no event shall any passing referred to in paragraph

(a), (b), © or (d) be done by driving on the shoulders of the roadway

or on the verge of the public road concerned.

 

3)        The

driver of a vehicle on a public road shall, except in the circumstances

referred to in the first proviso to subregulation (1), upon becoming

aware of other traffic proceeding in the same direction and wishing to

pass his or her vehicle, cause his or her vehicle to travel as near to

the left edge of the roadway as is possible, without endangering

himself or herself or other traffic or property on the roadway, and

shall not accelerate the speed of his or her vehicle until the other

vehicle has passed.[/quote']