William Nicol eeek

[kosmonooit]

I cycled from Bryanston to Rosebank this morning, along William Nicol. What a horrendous experience.  No back roads because of road closures, and no verge onthe main road, no pavement.

 

Is there any organisation in Jhb that is active in and lobbying for cyclist rights here in terms of public roads?

 

When I was in London we had the London Cycling Campaign, they were doing good work: thats what we need here.  Action.

[scotty]

CSA (scratch) CGC (scratch)... Nope nobody

[Cyclewizz]

It's only you and your prayers.

Hope you get home safely.

 

[shaunh]

CSA (scratch) CGC (scratch)... Nope nobody

 

 

 

Gail from Mobility Magazine is lobbying!

[BigGuy]

You are crazy. I'd rather cycle from Olievenhoutbos to Diepkloof, pausing at Northern Farm's gate.

[kosmonooit]

Do you know about the womens march against Pass Laws in Pta in the 60's? the banners said something like "Strydom, when you oppress women, you have struck a rock" 

Thats the way I feel - in this age of a crisis / dearth of puclic transport, NO provision is being made for cyclists. And so much could.

 

 

btw my mother was on that march, as was Sheena Duncan I think (RIP)

kosmonooit2010-05-05 03:47:42

[scotty]

Nice to hear Shaun i applaud her effort but IMO planning for designated cycle paths is small to zero as far as traffic planning goes, its seen as spending capital for very little return. When the SWC was lobbied I recall reading one of the selling points was upgrading Gauteng roads to include such paths but zero has been done. We are way behind Cape Town, Durban etc and while Pta has some paths these are not maintained.

[AndreZA]

If you have enough money to live in that area, you have enough money for car.

[Harry Potter]

Whatt!!!Jeeeezzz. Councels cant even fix potholes, how will they welcome a campaign.

[kosmonooit]

As I see it a lot can be done for cycle paths on existing pavements which are unsued and unkept.

If  safe cycling passages are provided, more people will commute by bike. Built it and they will come.

 

And its the right thing to do now.

kosmonooit2010-05-05 03:59:57

[covie]

Excuse my "optimism" but the gov doesnt even provision for current infrastructure let alone expansions and improvements. That goes for anything including for normal vehicles.

I hate being this pessimistic, but if we got a million people to march to gov offices for this, I think they will just decide to tax cyclists according to the expense of their bikes, and take that money straight into their personal bank accounts to squander without a single thing being done.

 

Its the same with trying to convince motorist to use public transport, thats ineffeciant, unsafe, unmanaged, and in a complete state of disrepair.

 

And the worst is I think these guys in goverment actually think they are doing a brilliant job.

 

I long for the day I can safley cycle to work.

[Slave]

I cycled from Bryanston to Rosebank this morning' date=' along William Nicol. What a horrendous experience.  No back roads because of road closures, and no verge onthe main road, no pavement.

 

Is there any organisation in Jhb that is active in and lobbying for cyclist rights here in terms of public roads?

 

When I was in London we had the London Cycling Campaign, they were doing good work: thats what we need here.  Action.

[/quote']

 

Good one, I can relate, cycled from Alberton to Melrose two days in a row now.

 

I figure we need to band together and formalise a rates boycot. The roads are so bad that it's worse trying to doge potholes than doging the traffic.

 

This guv-munt of ours is about as useful as an ashtray on Harley.

[Guest Big H]

I do not believe bike paths to work in South Africa they will have to be away form the major routes as they will be seen as an extra lane. If they are away form the major routes they will be seen as routes for strollers, joggers, horse riders and stoutgat kinners on skateboards roller blades or whatever the fad is. It will not be feasable to maintain an un-interrupted steady training speed. Niether will the lanes be wide enough to accommodate a group or trianing peleton with all the above clutter around. Crossing other roads will be a problem.

 

And the major problem would be to get funding for roads specially for lycra clad cyclists who has a bad name becuase they do not behave on the public roads.

[kosmonooit]

Big H I am talking about commuters mainly.  And not just umlunghus on fancy bikes who prefer to pedal in peletons.

 

There's a lots of space on pavements here that are unused. In the UK and elsewhere, cycle lanes often are not on the main roads and are on lanes on the  pavements or verge. Here I think they really shouldnt be on the roads, given the standard of driving here, its just too dangerous.

kosmonooit2010-05-05 05:47:56

[covie]

Cant disagree with your major route statement, However if these lanes are ever built of course we will have to share it with Joggers, horse riders, skadeboarders and the like, and yes you would not be able to maintain training speeds.

 

But the point of these cycle lanes are not for training purposes as you would like to train, they would simply be to safley communte in urban area's while maintaining at least some level of fitness. Besides very seldom i think an entire peleton would cycle to work and back

 

In any event even if these structures are build, how the hell do we manage to keep cars from entering them everytime someone is a bit late or in a hurry.

[Slave]

Good point Covie.

 

The other thing is the roads are so badly potholed as t make most traffic and travel unsafe. Riding along the roads this AM, I was appalled at a) all the dirt and litter in the streets. b) the number of missing manhole covers, c) the number of potholes d) the state of disrepair of virtually every single road, e) the number of sewers that are blocked up to overflowing and that stinking sh!t going into the storm water drainage.

 

It is terrifying to think that this useless bunch of thieves and renegades believe they are governing the country. What is even more incredible, is that the masses think that guv-munt are actually managing and governing. If not WTF do they continue to vote for this cunch of bunts?

 

Are the masses that stoopid that they cannot see they are being ripped off and that our leaders are only interested in making themselves rich.

 

They are obviouly all related to Bob.