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Why do people continue to ride in dangerous areas?


mark ellis

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Maybe I am missing something here or maybe I am a sissy, but it blows my mind that even after ALL the warnings and all the incidents people continue to ride in areas known to be hot spots?

 

I still see people riding on the outskirts of Northern farms on the the Diepsleight (What ever) dirt road? Sure they in a small group but that does not seem to help much anymore.

 

The Spruit??WHY?? just about every person I know who used to ride the Spuit stays well away from it because of all the problems that have been going on there for months and months.  We ride certain sections on sat morning with our club, but then we have over 25 riders and many more sometimes and still then keep away from certain areas.

 

I understand that we need to stand up for a rights and all that and cant let these guys keep getting away with it, but a small group of riders with a little can of pepperspray aint going to to do anything but get people into more trouble than they know. 

 

Guys if these people have the balls to grab you off a bicycle when there are a few of you, beleive me they have the balls to stab or shoot you, pepperspray or no pepperspray. 

 

You are simply an object in the way between them making some money or not making any money.  Human lives stopped meening anything to these people a long time ago, especially yours!

 

Thats my Rant of the month!

 

And a little bit of advice from Honda:

STUPID HURTS!
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Its Jozi dude there is no such thing as a "safe" area up there :) come to CPT if you bike doesnt have spinners on the wheels nobody is interested in it.

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I ride 99% of the time alone on the road and MTB and NEVER have I had any bad experience. I ride the spruit from Greymont all the way to the bottom of the powerstation hill regular and never felt anything but safe. I've ridden inside NF for hours alone (you try and do 80km in that place) and never seen or experienced any incidents. I ride the Cradle every 2nd weekend and never anything. Maybe it's just a case of "it will not happen to me". But if something happens, I will proberbly still ride the same places. You're not gonna drive to work because you got hi-jacked at a certain spot do you? You're not going to move because they broke into your house are you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My most dangerous ride is the Friday commute to work in Wadeville, anyone can see its dangerous but its what I want to do.

 

I reckon I'm going to get knocked off my bike and/or robbed 2 or 3 times in my life max (i'd prolly stop after that).

 

I've been riding in Jo'Burg 6yrs now and had neither - that's 2,200 days where nothing happened.

 

Why should I live my life everyday worrying about these things?

 

Surely i'd be a bit of a loser to be penned in by these fears & it gives the scum a victory each time I change my lifestyle because of them.

 

 

 
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I ride the Spruit 2-3 times a week (Alberts Farm to Republic Road) and have never seen an incident. Frankly - I don't have an option - its the only place I can get on my bike during the week...

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Yip that it is, but i still beleive you have bigger chance of getting taken out by a car than getting robbed while cycling, so if we had to worry about it in that context nobody would cycle anymore.
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hear hear Jow Low.  i to have been riding in and around jhb for the last 10 years.. never had a trouble. and if i do have, suppose soething did, i'd just carry on, it doesnt help been afraid, to live your life in fear is to surrender your hopes and dreams.

 

p.s i agree that commute o wadeville, not the greatest

 

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IMHO

 

 

 

Try be as cautious as you can. Personally I think riding alone outside NF is reckless given the incidents of late. I think the spruit during busy hours like sat and sun mornings is fine, although I would'nt do it alone (you should never ride alone anyways).

 

 

 

Else, join a club and ride with the larger groups

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Unfortunattley **** will happen, but if we live in fear and hide away from danger, we will end up bitter and frustarted, take all reasonable precautions and do what makes you happy, screw these mofo's that want to make life unbearable.

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I've ridden my bike for more than 20 years, most of the time I train alone on my MTB around Beaulieu. Northern farms area Midrand etc.  Often on quiet dirt roads, and I've never had a moments trouble..  I can't live my life worrying about what if...??  I don't  take a cell phone with me or cash..  

 

I refuse to live in fear and have my life controlled by a few criminals .. 

 

 
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I have been riding the spruit for years now, quite often alone. THe only incident I have ever had was when going up Republic, back towards Emmarentia I decided that the side walk was busy and went up on the road only to be knocked off my bike by a car. So yes I think your chances are much greater being hit by a car than being attacked.

 

The only really dodgy place is the area behind the new Pick 'n Pay and you can cut that piece out by going down past Ital Tile

 

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Unfortunattley **** will happen' date=' but if we live in fear and hide away from danger, we will end up bitter and frustarted, take all reasonable precautions and do what makes you happy, screw these mofo's that want to make life unbearable.

[/quote']

Well said Mackie!
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I insure my bikes, I try my best not to ride alone (not always possible),  rather do races when available, I keep pepperspray for what its worth (IF i do get my spray in, the robber will be sorry, he will at least have to learn to live without teeth)

Save for that, if I do get hit I will have to live with it, I cant let criminals rule my life.

 

 
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I say to myself:

 

 

 

Control the things you can.

 

So, I stay alert.

 

Stay reasonable with my route choices.

 

Do group rides whenever possible.

 

 

 

The rest is up to ...

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