Attitudes and safety

[Slave]

Yes, I know! This one has beenhashed to death so I thought I'd give it another go round.

 

So I spent the long weekend up on a private game farm in Mica with some friends. Let's just say that my friend is fairly "volatile" and exitable. He also happens to live along the Allewynspoort road which many of my closer cycling buddies cycle daily.

 

So my friend is a SAA pilot and he has a collegue who also cycles. On a recent flight together they were discussing why it is that cyclist cannot ride in single file. The cyclist has the attitude that this behaviour is done deliberately to slow traffic down since most motorosts speed and this affects our safety.

 

My only comment to this obvious dumbass is this:

 

Dude, your attitude is wrong. It increases your risk of being mown down by an irate motorist when he goes hurtling around a blind bend and cannot see you. But, that's ok. You will get what you deserve.

 

The part of this behaviour and attitude that annoys me is that while putting yourself at risk, you are also increasing the levels of aggro that motorists feel towards us. That makes them an even bigger danger to us all. If you are so hell bent on being a moron, please get a Mountain bike and leave the roads to people who know how to use them.

 

Idjist like you give idjits like me a bad name and I'm perfectly capable of doing that all by myself. I do not need or want your help to make SA a road rage paradise.

[Taps]

I'm afraid I hoot behind cyclists (roadies or MTBers) who don't ride single file on the road. They pi$$ me off.

[Eldron]

If both motorists and cyclists had common sense then issues like this wouldn't exist.

 

Alas common sense aint that common....

[AndreZA]

They think because there are two or more lanes on a road they can ride two or more abreast. You had to see the cradle this weekend. The Cycle Lab bunch with 1 rider in the cycle lane and 2-4 others next to that one. And don't tell me the cycle lane is bad condition. The next day I road the reverse loop on purpose to see what condition it was and it was perfect.

[Slave]

And the amazing thing about this is that "we never ride more than one abreast" and it's ok because "bugger the motorists anyway".

 

All this narcisim is working on my shifters. The attitudes on both sides are often wrong and that also creates a loto of aggro.

 

Fact is that regardless of whether we are right or wrong, in a collision with a motorised vehicle, we come a very distant second in a two horse race.

 

It's bad enough I gotta have eyes in the back of my head and my own safety, I can look after, but when other dimwits make matters worse by having a *** houding, then I tend to lose my sense of humour. And all this because now I have to be extra vigilant because the motorised peeps are getting very pissed off with our behaviour.

 

One gripe from my bud was that often on weekends, when we are out training and having fun, he is on his way to work. By the time he gets past the cyclists, he is often late and irate.

 

I would not want to be flying in a plane with a pissed off pilot. Not that he will crash the thing, but his frame of mind may be impacted by some dumbass on a bike and then if an emergency happens, he is not calmly in control and may be open to making a mistake.

 

But that's all just supposition and conjecture. I mean how could a mere cyclist have such a far reaching effect on the lives of so many, so far awy?

 

The possibilities are endless.

 

Fact is, it's long past time to clean up our act. We whinge and whine about all the motorists who do not follow the rules of the road. What gives us the right to do the same when we so clearly are unable to do the same thing?

 

Is this just a case of hypocritical "do as I say and not as I do?"

 

And who died and made us the guardians of the road anyway?

 

If we want others to respect the road rules, then we should be the first to be making sure we do it. It is after all, our own safety at stake here.

 

Besides the fact that it's just plain rude to be a moron whether motorised or pedal powered. To reduce the number of morons on the roads, we can only change our own behaviour.

 

Let's try to be more considerate and maybe make a difference. And maybe we should be trying to make sure that we keep our buds in line as well.

 

Anyone know this chop? Have a quiet word with hime will ya? That attitude sucks and has potentially disaterous consequences for us. (If Ken from the Cradle is anything to go by.)

[covie]

This debate has been beaten to death as you say I only have one thing to say, if your one of those cyclists that insist on riding on roads without deep shoulders, and like riding side by side.

 

Then please dont hop on the forum and cry winge and complain if you or your mates get knocked over by an irate motorist. Its inevitable with SA driver mentalitly that you will get hit.

 

The beauty about my MTB, i make my own shoulder where there is none