I'M sick of these thugs

[GoLefty!!]

I have been an advocate of roadies rights on the road for a long long

time. I truthfully believe that the road is there for everyone. We all

pay taxes, rates, and use a motor vehicle. Whether we're on a bicycle,

or a 18wheeler articulated horse and trailer, we have a responsibility

to others when we put wheel to tar.

 

 

 

Very recently, it was the one year anniversary of Chris Attwood's

death at the hands of a drunk driver. We all called for blood. Hang

him, hang him the cycling community cried out. And we were justified in

our anger. Many people attended his funeral, some standing before all

present and calling his death senseless, meaningless. Cyclists present

left the church with a renewed sense of vulnerability and passion for

the law; the cops had apprehended the peep and he had appeared in court

soon after.

 

 

 

Over the last summer and into spring I watched how cyclists seemed

to be trying very hard to obey the law; stopping at stop streets and

red traffic lights, using hand signals etc etc... But over the winter,

it seems the reset button has hit and we are back to our thuggery of

the roads.

 

 

 

Over the last months I have observed cyclists on the M3 and M5

during rush hour traffic. Use of these roads is illegal for cyclists,

we are NOT allowed on freeways.

 

I have observed how clubs rides

turns into a race around the peninsula with bunches over 30 riders

occupying the entire left hand lane and spilling over into the oncoming

traffic lane, forcing motorists to stop. Yes these are club rides.... I

won't mention the clubs names..

 

 

 

I have observed a fast growing disregard for the red traffic

lights, for stop signs, for use of a roundabout and the blocking of

pedestrian crossings at traffic light controlled intersections. On

Saturday morning a group of over 30 cyclists rode straight through the

Main Road/ Uxbridge Road intersection without stopping for the red

light. This act forced motorists to stop and created a dangerous

situation at the level crossing at Uxbridge Road.

 

 

 

As a motorist I have done my due diligence by recently having my

Advanced and defensive Driving certificate renewed. I passed with

flying colours, thanks for asking. I observe the rules of the road,

even at the risk of being called "Miss Daisy". There's a place for speed

and its not on Main road.

 

I would like the opportunity to be smug about being a responsible

cyclist but alas, I am neither required to have a license to ride a

bicycle on public roads nor is there even a consideration for anything

resembling an advanced cycling certificate.

 

 

 

So I ask the question; are we cyclist competent to use public

roads? Based on the displays I have observed over the last months and

on Saturday morning I would answer that question with a general "NO".

If you say you are competent, then please explain why you think so. Fact: none of

us are competent since none has passed a cycling proficiency exam.

Nuff said.

 

 

 

Its unfair to paint any respectful road users within our community

with the same brush but the arrogance displayed by cyclist on our roads

illustrates that perhaps the blanket of incompetence should be draped

over our entire community until we can demonstrate that we deserve to

be users of the road. Many motorists and even one of two motoring

journo's seem to think we should be taken off the road completely:

Banned!!

 

 

 

The powers that be smooth talk about respect and unity on the roads

but those powers are a farce since they are not even representative

(in term of socio economic /political demographics) of the cycling community as a whole.

 

As

a motorist I am scratching my chin over a piece of paper I would like

to mail to the mayor of Cape Town requesting the banning of cycling in groups of

people greater than 4 on South Africa's roads. Organised events

excluded of course. Why 4? Well 4 riders do not represent an

inconvenience to themselves nor to other road users. Naturally they

will be outside my door with rakes and pitchforks shortly but I am one

step ahead.....I have a hose pipe and we all know roadies dissolve in

water...

 

 

 

As a cyclist I am afraid to be associated with a group of

limp-wristed arseholes in tight lycra who believe that MIchael

Rasmussen is the alpha male and that the R50,000 they spent on a set of

plastic wheels will actually make them look more appealing to the

fairer sex. Here I don't mean woman, the fairer sex to a roadie is the

guy behind him staring fixatedly on his hind quarters, starting

intently at the ripped and over olive oiled calves of the rider in

front. Someone needs to save these closet queens and pull them off the

road. The Bible according to King Lance, "its not about the bike" is a

good starting point. In there the gospel of tenacity, respect, sharing

and winning all come together in one riveting read. If they listened to the gospel of

King Lance they will see that in training, even he obeys the rules of

the road.

 

 

 

So what are we to do about those thugs who ride bikes and hold

other road users to ransom? Folks these are common criminals; how much

tolerance should be afforded them?

I for one simply do not ride with

people who skip red lights or do not obey the rules of the road. Yes

this means I am Billy few Mates to a cyclist but my tjommies are bigger

than yours and they drive cars, 4x4's (i'm working on these too...),

trucks and buses.

 

 

 

It would be a crying shame for these thugs to find their way onto

our precious mtb trails. This is an event we must avoid at all costs.

Perhaps it is time to take up arms, pumps, slingshot 700c tubes and old

ball bearings and get old testament on these miscreants..

 

What choice do they leave us? Our Mbekism stance of quiet diplomacy is

getting us nowhere. Our current tactics are like watching the Hells

Angels ride into town and we fart in unison for defense.

 

No folks, drastic action needs to be taken,

 

 

 

1. cyclists need to be licensed
2. cyclists (cyclers for the not so educated)  need to pass a written and practical exam to obtain said license.
3. Traffic

   police need to take action against the thugs. Confiscate their bikes.

   They can get it back after they pay a fine to the value of 20% of the

   bicycles new value. Cycles not collected are sold at auction, the

   proceeds go to building more roads.

    

    

4. cyclists who accumulate sufficient points against their

   license loose their license and are not eligible to participate in any

   CSA, PPA or Club sanctioned event. Their CSA license is linked to their

   Road Traffic Department issued license.

5. This license needs to be renewed annually.
6. MTBer need to pass a proficiency test in order to be allowed to ride singletrack.
7. no proficiency test certificate, no fun ride. no trail ride, no ride at all.

    

    

Think of the jobs that can be created. In fact, our LBS will

probably sell even more bikes since initially confiscations will be

high. A 20% fine is certainly higher than the second hand value of a

bike on TheHubSA.co.za.

 

 

Now this proposal will be frowned upon, I'll be called a mad man but sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind.

 

in the case of our close cousins, the common roadie, that time has come.

[The expat cyclist]

Jy het te veel tyd pel.

[milky4130]

 

:-P lol! Te veel tyd.

[Willehond]

Licensing is such a South African solution.  Too much red tape, too much chance for corruption.  So last century...

 

Just educate the people; mail, internet, tv, radio campaigns, freaking posters, flyers and pidgeons if needed!!!  Educate the kids at school so they know from day one.

 

THEN:  Police it properly.  Police have to stop groups who transgress and fine them and temporarily confiscate their bikes.  They will soon listen.  Works in the rest of the world (not that SA problems can EVER be solved by something invented somewhere else of course!  SA is SOOOO unique....not)

[flex]

So nice to hear something original and unspoken about - thanks very much for your enlightening ramblings, GoLefty.

 

 

 

I'm proud to be both a lycra clad "arsehole" (as you put it) as well as an avid MTBer. And I can tell you I'd much rather spend my time riding than constructing the verbose rubbish shown above. Licencing to ride singletrack?? Do me a favour.

 

 

 

Turn off your PC, go have a beer and get on your bike mate.

[GoLefty!!]

 

Licensing is such a South African solution.  Too much red tape' date=' too much chance for corruption.  So last century...

 

Just educate the people; mail, internet, tv, radio campaigns, freaking posters, flyers and pidgeons if needed!!!  Educate the kids at school so they know from day one.

 

THEN:  Police it properly.  Police have to stop groups who transgress and fine them and temporarily confiscate their bikes.  They will soon listen.  Works in the rest of the world (not that SA problems can EVER be solved by something invented somewhere else of course!  SA is SOOOO unique....not)

[/quote']

 

 

been there done that, does not work. Heck you can educate by riding next to someone and they will look at you and run a red light. Thats the saffa attitude;the "f*ck you" approach. How do you educate that?

 

 

 

 

 

[Ha Ha Kieran]

Dude... Seriously you need to turn the PC of and stop writing this utter sh*t! I'm a roadie and I do obey the rules of the road! Do not just group all of us together!

 

Yes there are morons who do skip red lights and stop streets but NOT everyone! Did a 100km ride yesterday and stopped at a stop street in the middle of nowhere! If the last car that went through there was 1940, it was recent!

 

And so what if a guy spends 50K on a bike? I've seen plenty mountain bikes for that price too! And some even closing in on 100K...

 

As a cyclist I am afraid to be associated with a group of limp-wristed arseholes in tight lycra who believe that MIchael Rasmussen is the alpha male and that the R50,000 they spent on a set of plastic wheels will actually make them look more appealing to the fairer sex. Here I don't mean woman, the fairer sex to a roadie is the guy behind him staring fixatedly on his hind quarters, starting intently at the ripped and over olive oiled calves of the rider in front. Someone needs to save these closet queens and pull them off the road."

 

Dude... WTF kind of comment is that anyway...

 

[Willehond]

Licensing is such a South African solution.  Too much red tape' date=' too much chance for corruption.  So last century...

 

Just educate the people; mail, internet, tv, radio campaigns, freaking posters, flyers and pidgeons if needed!!!  Educate the kids at school so they know from day one.

 

THEN:  Police it properly.  Police have to stop groups who transgress and fine them and temporarily confiscate their bikes.  They will soon listen.  Works in the rest of the world (not that SA problems can EVER be solved by something invented somewhere else of course!  SA is SOOOO unique....not)

[/quote']


been there done that, does not work. Heck you can educate by riding next to someone and they will look at you and run a red light. Thats the saffa attitude;the "f*ck you" approach. How do you educate that?

You can't, so then police it with hefty fines.  Banning is not going to work

[Tumbleweed]

Educate the kids at school so they know from day one.

 

yeah, what happened to those traffic training centres we had as kids? those were useful and instilled good practice from an early age. 

holy roller2009-12-06 23:16:36

[GreyOwl3.0]

Get dumped by a roadie by any chance GoLefty?

[Delgado]

Jawohl.....!!!

[capeofstorms]

hi

 

I agree with GoLefty. There are way to much cyclists disobeying the rules of the road

[Mish100]

Name and shame bro and then they will obey.

[Delgado]

hi

 

I agree with GoLefty. There are way to much cyclists disobeying the rules of the road

As do I except that I believe (as Willehond alluded to) that this is not a cycling thing but a South Effrican thing to believe that we can behave as we please. It happens on bicycles and with shopping trolleys in the PnP mate! We generally think we are special!!

[HappyMartin]

Yes there are way too many cyclists riding like idiots in dumb places. Motorists on the other hand are a law abiding bunch. All mountain bikers are also law abiding and never break any rules, not even when they get off their bikes and into their cars.

 

I am so glad we have all finally figured out what is wrong with South Africa. I am so pleased to know that all our problems are caused by a bunch of softy, faggoty scared of water roadies. As these lycra clad moffies are so stupid, weak and incompetant it should be easy to catch them all and remove them from society. I suggest we use the mountain bikers for this as they are superior with bigger friends and should be able to sort this problem out

 

[RobG]

Agreed, these guys give all of us cyclists a bad name and put us at risk by p1ss1ng off motorists.

 

These same non law abiding citizens are most probably the first ones to complain when others (e.g. taxi drivers) do not obey the rules of the road.

 

In the same vein, when we get caught for not obeying the rules (e.g. speed)  we try all sorts of tricks (some legal, some not) to try and avoid the consequences.  (See Carteblanche 6 Dec 2009.)