Do we just accept and carry on?

[Mojoman]

Typical of South Africa, but its OK everyone, just blow your vuvuzela three times and and the problems will go away...

[_Daemon_]

 

Typical of South Africa' date=' but its OK everyone, just blow your vuvuzela three times and and the problems will go away...[/quote']

 

Yup..

 

Right so  you cannot ride alone anymore.

Now a group of 8 is too small? What, no we cannot ride in a group smaller than 10?

 

Yes there is Groenkloof, fountains voortrekker monument, but it get's a bit boring, especially if your looking at doing 80km +

 

We live in burglar bar houses with armed response alarm system, cars with anti-smash and grab windows and tracking systems and now basically you risk your bike...and possibly your life every time you cycle? viva le africa...

 

[covie]

You guys have it all wrong , our govermenet takes crime seriously ..... Just light up a ciggy in a public place and see what happens to you

 

Murder mutalation rape and theft are perfectly acceptable recreational activities.

[scotty]

How is it possible 2 thugs can make off with 5 bikes.

[Joe Low]

at least their police shows up and are visibly trying to do something' date=' not like our "force"[/quote']

 

Cycling past an informal settlement we are kinda 'meals on wheels', home delivery service.

 

But not true to say the police do nothing. I was v surprised going up the steps with Nancy and a smallish group a couple of weeks back.

 

There was a cop with a very large gun stood at the side of the road waving and smiling to us as we went by. It was clear he was just there to look after the cyclists.

 

But otherwise the rest of this depressing thread is true, it's a jungle out there.

 

Joe Low2010-05-10 02:38:02

[covie]

Sorry Joe still going to disagree with you. Police in this country are inept. Granted out of a force of a thousands I am sure there are one or two who do their job properly but my opinion wont change until I see a visible increase in police in these problem area's,  as well as hearing of some arrests made. This has been going on for weeks, its obviously a syndicate, and not a single arrest has been made. As the one victim says, he gets the feeling police feel its a rich man's sport so why should they be bothered. covie2010-05-10 02:41:19

[sias]

As the one victim says' date=' he gets the feeling police feel its a rich white man's sport so why should they be bothered. [/quote']

 

There, fixed it for you.

[covie]

As the one victim says' date=' he gets the feeling police feel its a rich white man's sport so why should they be bothered. [/quote']

 

There, fixed it for you.

Much obliged

[Slave]

Covie, I tend to agree with your statement but want to ask something here.

 

Is it not maybe fear that prevents them from doing their jobs? Maybe they are terrified of being shot for actually doing what they are supposed to be doing, so they just focus on soft crime like sitting behind a camera doing speed checking.

 

One can have the best laws in the world and they mean zip unless they are enforced.

 

And then again, yes, there are way too many that have the uniform and the badge and just don't care a hoot about upholdong the law, or who are looking for an angle to get paid a bribe because their salary is so pisspoor.

 

There is little we can do except try to change the minds of the voting public and maybe get them to vote for a strong enough opposition who can keep the ruling party in line and force them to do the right thing.

 

Utopia I guess.

[Slave]

Oh and Joe. I agree, it is reassuring to see the police out there with the rifles and guns to protect us.

 

High visibility will help to curb crime. But it is only a temp measure. They need to be investigating who is behind all this so they can prevent next week or next months theft of bikes by breaking the crime syndicates.

 

 

[BigGuy]

Can anyone assist with details of the exact location of this most recent bike jacking, the one in Hoekplaats?

[Bike Mob]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Robbers-target-cyclists-bikers-20100509

 

Another instance

 

Maybe us unfit okes in the Cape dont get out enough on our bikes to get mugged.

 

[Dibles]

Can anyone assist with details of the exact location of this most recent bike jacking' date=' the one in Hoekplaats?

[/quote']

 

From http://twitter.com/DownhillDanny (Deon Cilliers)

 

"@apwainwright Look 4 "Hoekplaats 384-Jr" on Google Mps, its that single track climb up hill to old broken house close to M26 & Gerarldsville "

[Trackz]

Sadly there are not many options here.

 

Civilised logic suggests the responsible thing to do is to raise awareness with the police and leave it to the law. Now sadly many of us have very short memories ... in the past year there have been several well published and discussed cases where cyclists have been attacked while out training. In all of those instances significant awareness was raised with the police and media. If anything, all this has achieved was to raise awareness with some syndicate that there was an unexploited opportunity to capitalise on soft targets. So what is different this time that raising awareness with the police and media will have a different result.

 

I can ensure you there are much bigger issues for our government to deal with than a bunch of elitist cyclists who have been hijacked ... and the government are not even able to address those bigger issues, if it doesn't bring them more money in their back pockets, it will not make it past the first desk.

 

So if a civilsed law abiding approach does not work all that remains is to take matters into our own hands. I do not know what form this takes but becoming vigilante is a terribly tempting thought but just so unsophisticated. Surely if we pool the collective brain power of the cycling community we can come up with ways to outsmart the barbaric element.

 

Maybe find out where these bikes are going? Who's buying/selling?

Maybe build tracking devices.

Maybe get guards to accompany groups in the short term.

 

Maybe we need a leader like Generaal De La Rey!

Trackz2010-05-10 04:08:31

[xtacy]

A couple of years back i went riding out in Muldersdrift - Logwood Farm. Bike jackings weren't as prevalent back then, however I met a local bloke on the trail, who'd been riding their for years. His advice - " i never ride without my two best friends - Mr. Smith & Mr. Wesson !"

[BigGuy]

Can anyone assist with details of the exact location of this most recent bike jacking' date=' the one in Hoekplaats?

[/quote']

 

From http://twitter.com/DownhillDanny (Deon Cilliers)

 

"@apwainwright Look 4 "Hoekplaats 384-Jr" on Google Mps, its that single track climb up hill to old broken house close to M26 & Gerarldsville "

Thanks Dibles. That is the area behind the chicken farm, right? Very sad as that is one of only a few half decent hilly spots.