A different perspective - cyclists vs dri

[running man]

<>

Dear Cyclists

 

I wish to bring an incident to your

attention that I believe you should be aware of, and how it impacts on what is already a fragile line drawn in the sand.

 

At the outset, let me state that I am

not a cyclist, but I am a user of the road. I am a keen runner and I understand

the necessity to carry out a sport where others drive.

 

But in the context of this letter I

am a driver. A responsible one that was unnecessarily abused a few weekends back by a

cyclist and I believe that cyclists should be aware of the fact that a) not all

drivers are out to get you b) not all drivers are reckless c) we must

all (runners, cyclists, drivers, pedestrains etc) take responsibility

for our actions out there and behave accordingly.

 

The incident happened on Ou Kaapse

Weg, between the Glencairn express / Kommetjie rd intersection and Sun Valley

mall, 9a.m. Sunday morning. We were travelling in the direction of Noordhoek.

Two cyclists ahead of us. The back one obviously going faster than the other and

needing to overtake. A quick glance over his shoulder and he swung out into the

road and passed the other cyclist. Despite no indication of his intentions to

swing out into the lane, there was enough space in front of us so it didnt

bother me. A few hundred metres down the road and same thing - stuck behind

another slower cyclist. Same action. He swings out into the road. This time

though we are almost alongside. When he swung out into the lane in front of me

he is so close I cant see his wheels for the bonnet. I have to quickly swing out

into the yellow island in the center to avoid hitting him.  And hoot (note: not

sat on my hooter - just a hoot. There is a difference), as I would do with any

other road user who cuts in front.

 

That was it - this guy exploded as if

he was a time-bomb just waiting (looking?) for an incident, a reason, and I can

only assume he a) either left home that morning deliberately looking for trouble

with a motorist b) had dozens of other cars hooting at him (deservedly so if

this is his standard behaviour on the roads?) and we were the proverbial 'last

straw'. c) assumed all motorists are reckless and despite the

circumstances its always the motorist who is at fault. Never him.

 

He was screaming and yelling "****

off" - repeatedly, hissing and spitting, over and over and over at the top of

his voice. His face reddened with every debicel it went up and I began wondering

if he wasnt going to have a heart attack first before being killed by a driver

one day. The finger came out instantly (while still shouting - a well-practised

routine by the looks of it) and he had it at full arms length, inches from my

wife's nose. She was in the passenger seat and bore the brunt of this

foul-mouthed outbreak. He then cycled in front of the vehicle and came to a halt

at the robots, and started clapping at us (?). (still shouting **** off at the

top of his voice)

 

One wonders about his logic and

understanding of the situation - he pulled in front of me, and deserved to be hooted at for

putting us all immediately in a very potential accident situation. Being a

recreational user of the road I always give cyclists a wide-berth where

possible, but its also up to them to obey the rules. If he had fallen as

he swerved in front of me, and I had driven over him, I'd be in jail right now

for killing a cyclist?

 

I'm not taking sides but its no

wonder, with the likes of this guy around, that there is a growing perception

amongst drivers that cyclists are arrogant, rude, obnoxious and dont deserve to

be sharing the road. With behaviour like this I cant help but agree. I have many

close friends who cycle and their decent and well mannered approach to a

sport that they enjoy is whats preventing me from lumping all cyclists in

that category.

 

So, to the guy who tried so hard but

failed to ruin our peaceful Sunday morning, (assuming you maybe, by chance, got

home alive and somehow managed to read this letter before having a heart attack)

I suggest you learn some manners, learn to control your mouth - especially when

you're practically spitting in my wife's face from your anger and swearing, and

learn to accept responsibility for your actions - as much as I dont own

the road out there, neither do you.

 

Above all, I now wonder how many of

the accidents out there are not the fault of the motorist but rather

irresponsible cyclists?

 

Regards

 

Just-Another-Abused-Driver

[Sammajoor]

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. 

 

Two thumbs up for just continuing to drive on 

[splat]

A guy like that deserves a face full of pepper spray for that sort of abuse.

[Edge_Design]

 Very true... We've all seen it and the description sounds just about spot on... If only you had taken a photo of the guy to include in your letter. Maybe a description of bike and cycling kit would be a start if you know it? Name and shame the ppl who ride like &%^&$s (they will obviously have to point out how you were speeding and driving too close to them on principle, but we can ignore that as just being the std rubbish defense).

 

That's when you call the cops and lay a charge of assault (or whatever the legal description of it is). Those are also the ppl who then hit Ou Kaaps after racing down the hill and have to get off and push their bike up the other side.

[The_Break]

Do him a favour next time and show him your pistol. Don't worry, he will meet is match one day. He doesn't know that he will be the one coming off second best.

 

It is the people like this we "wish" were the ones who get hit by the other idiots who do the hitting. Then all the innocent guys can just stay safe.

[Headshot]

Ten to one the biker in question is also a motorist and a road rager behind the wheel too...

 

When I drive I give cyclists a wide berth and always expect the kind of thing you saw this guy do.

[parabola]

Wow, what an arse. It is very irresponsible to put others in an a possible accident situation. Not only will he come off second best should something go wrong, but you as the driver will have to live with the guilt, which in this case you clearly would not deserve.

 

 

 

I have a similar issue with cyclists riding Rhodes drive, as there is not even a hint of a shoulder for them to ride, and the road is hardly wide enough for two cars. Passing a cyclist becomes impossible in the morning as the road is a triple line for most of the way, and is often busy. The road is often used by large trucks which are too slow to drive on the freeway. MTB'ers are mostly harmless, as they usually can ride on the gravel well out of the way. Its just not a safe road to ride on a bike - period.

 

 

 

As more of an MTBer I avoid tar like the plague, I would much prefer to be out in the bush with nothing but rocks to negotiate! But after seeing the careless way some cyclists ride, I really do sympathise with motorists.

[The_Break]

 Very true... We've all seen it and the description sounds just about spot on... If only you had taken a photo of the guy to include in your letter. Maybe a description of bike and cycling kit would be a start if you know it? Name and shame the ppl who ride like &%^&$s (they will obviously have to point out how you were speeding and driving too close to them on principle' date=' but we can ignore that as just being the std rubbish defense).

 

That's when you call the cops and lay a charge of assault (or whatever the legal description of it is). Those are also the ppl who then hit Ou Kaaps after racing down the hill and have to get off and push their bike up the other side.

[/quote']

 

I agree. Name and shame, especially if he is weary club kit. Write a letter to the sponsors and the clubs and let them try and deal with this. If you get photos and bikes it makes things easier to deal with. Wearing a club kit part paid for by sponsors is something people take for granted till the day they get kicked out of the club for abusing the sponsors rights and bringing them into disrepute.

[Eldron]

A guy like that deserves a face full of pepper spray for that sort of abuse.

 

Its been said a dozen times before - a pratt is a pratt is a pratt regardless of what he is riding/driving.

 

I've seen dozens of similar incidents where another driver swings into your lane without looking first the abuses you when you hoot at him/her.

 

It's life - people seem to be 0.0000001% from throwing their toys right out of their cot all the time.... Chill out people - life is here to be enjoyed....

 

[AndreZA]

Write a letter to the sponsors and the clubs and let them try and deal with this.

 

 

 

Sorry, but clubs don't do anything about this. I've received a few letters from clubs stating that they can not be held responsible for what their members do. Believe it, or not.

[The_Break]

 

cut cut

I have a similar issue with cyclists riding Rhodes drive' date=' as there is not even a hint of a shoulder for them to ride, and the road is hardly wide enough for two cars. cut cut 

cut cut

 

QUOTE']

 

To be honest, sometimes on roads like these some of us purposely ride more in the road than we should as it then illiminates the chances of cars trying to pass when there is clearly no space for 2 cars and a bike with no where to go when they do. In riding slightly morein the road than we need to, it forces the cars to wait until the appropriate time to do so when there are no cars coming from the front.

 

Overall this is the safest way to ride and it is certainly a defensive manner we are forced into. So no, it is not always just to irritate, it is self preservation.

[The_Break]

Write a letter to the sponsors and the clubs and let them try and deal with this.

Sorry' date=' but clubs don't do anything about this. I've received a few letters from clubs stating that they can not be held responsible for what their members do. Believe it, or not.[/quote']

 

Maybe they cannot be held responsible. agreed. But they can take steps against members bringing their sponsor and club into disrepute when in club kit.

 

It is like a school saying they cannot do anything about school children causing trouble in school kit.

 

If this is what the clubs tell you then they have weak management.

[parabola]

To be honest' date=' sometimes on roads like these some of us purposely ride more in the road than we should as it then illiminates the chances of cars trying to pass when there is clearly no space for 2 cars and a bike with no where to go when they do. In riding slightly morein the road than we need to, it forces the cars to wait until the appropriate time to do so when there are no cars coming from the front.

 

?

 

Overall this is the safest way to ride and it is certainly a defensive manner we are forced into. So no, it is not always just to irritate, it is self preservation.

[/quote']

 

 

 

Quite true, when there is more space people will be more likely to take a chance. Its really this road in particular as it is a triple line for several km in one area, so passing can take forever sometimes!

 

 

 

It doesn't really bother me unless I am in a rush to be somewhere, I understand how hectic it can be riding on our roads. I was bringing it up more from a safety point of view, say I was driving along the road, came around a blind corner (of which there are many on this road) cyclist riding in the road, and a car approaching on the opposite side, its not going to end well for the cyclist.

[scotty]

Write a letter to the sponsors and the clubs and let them try and deal with this.

Sorry' date=' but clubs don't do anything about this. I've received a few letters from clubs stating that they can not be held responsible for what their members do. Believe it, or not.[/quote']

They can if they wanted to, our club takes us to task if we misbehave.

[zoonie]

take picture's of them and paste them all over the hub hopefully they will think twice before throwing tantrums again!!!

[Capricorn]

interesting that, but just let a group soccer fans go ape at the stadium or outside, the club gets fined.

 

You belong to a club, u speak for the club. U speak bad, u need to get tapped.