Table Mountain Safety

[DJR]

Hi Noshow

 

Pm Kandui, he's the boss when it comes to anyting to do with the area and will have the latest and most reliable info.

[Dogfish]

There hasn't been much comment on here for a while, or any recent reported incidents on Table Mountain? Has the security situation improved? I'm thinking of commuting into town via Rhodes Mem and Table Mountain trails from southern suburbs. In about 7am and back about 6pm, and on my own. Is this wise?

 

Hey Noshow, Im keen to commute back to the burbs some evenings if you would like meet up for the ride? is 6pm the earliest you could do it?

[(Deon)]

Winter 6pm is quite dark, very different from summer 6pm. Alone in both seasons is a big no. Groups of two in summer is better but still not ideal. Agreed that Kandui will know more but I say this based on some reports where even two riders have been victims.

 

Trouble for riders seen out alone could bring back the threat based on opportunity.. I don't believe it will ever be gone, as long as the value of bikes remain we will always need to be on guard. My 2c..

[nishiki]

Winter 6pm is quite dark, very different from summer 6pm. Alone in both seasons is a big no. Groups of two in summer is better but still not ideal. Agreed that Kandui will know more but I say this based on some reports where even two riders have been victims.

 

Trouble for riders seen out alone could bring back the threat based on opportunity.. I don't believe it will ever be gone, as long as the value of bikes remain we will always need to be on guard. My 2c..

agreed. wait till summer and it'll be back to business as usual for the crooks on the hills. right now they're stocking up on tik, smashing car windows in Kenilworth.

Big groups is the key.

[Meezo]

i say, ride you bike anywhere alone in CPT en it can be a problem.

 

the reason i say this I've been riding table mountain for about a year en about 70% of time alone. if a skelem wants my bike he'll take it.

 

I'm not gonna not ride y my bike cz the rest of my group riders are too lazy to wake up, or scared of a bit of wind en rain.

[Devon Melville]

Must say the Mountain is not to bad now, been going there weekly for last 2-3 months, early morning and late afternoons, start from High Cape to Block house then Rhodes and back home, no sign of any troublemakers, only the odd Hiking couple or other cyclists.

 

If there is being work done to keep it safe for us keep up the good work.

[Noshow]

Thanks for tips/help guys. I will give it a go and let you know if i survive.

[kandui]

Hi Noshow

 

For a number of reasons it is better to ride in a group if you can, but on the other hand, it's not always possible to do so. I say this as a general comment. Table Mountain has been incident free for a long time now and that is thanks to a number of reasons: 1.Increased vigilance and patrols by TMNP 2. Weather 3.Cyclical nature of crime 4.Increased usage of the mountain by all user groups 5.Luck.

 

We can debate the points at length, but I think the most important one is that people have not been scared off the mountain. In fact, the opposite has happened. I have not seen as many riders, runners and walkers on the mountain as over the last 6 months or so. The mountain is being well used and is busy and that is the best way to keep the criminal element away. They never know when the next person or group is coming around the corner, so their situation becomes unpredictable. Criminals love predictability, because inherently , they are cowards.

As the days get longer and the weather warms up, the risk of crime will increase. Our scumbag friends are fairweather criminals. I will push for increased visible patrolling from TMNP as we get into Spring and Summer, focussing only on the riding and walking trails . The roads are SAPS's baby, they have 2 vehicles patrolling Tafelberg and Signal Hill Rd all day (till 10pm), 7 days a week.

I am not aware of any crime perpetrated against a cyclist, runner or hiker on the tar roads (I refer to Tafelberg and Signal Hill Rd) ,so we focus on what happens below the Rd.

To get to your original question. Yes, you can ride on your own on Table Mountain. I do so on most days and guys like Meezo do it as well. I can't offer a guarantee that nothing will happen (who can?), but the increased presence of recreational users has populated the mountain to such an extent that criminals are finding it hard to get a gap.

In my experience, and this is borne out by the reported incidents, the main area of concern is the area around the copse of trees where the Plum Rudding Hill trail meets the main trail. Draw a radius of about 400m around that spot and you have the space where most attacks happened.

I approach this area with caution every time I ride through it.

Looking up at the mountain from town, you can draw a line straight down from the very end of Tafelberg Road ( the turning circle) and say that the area to the right is without a doubt safe. There are people walking their small dogs, ladies walking in two's etc at 7pm when I ride home and they are unconcerned and rightly so. It's safe up on that side, just be careful when you get to the area I have pointed out.

There is a secret trail which bypasses this hotspot, but as a good mountain biker, I can't tell you where it is. If the situation were to get out of hand and TMNP do nothing about it, I will spray a Defoliant to make the trail visible for all to use.

i hope this helps. If you need more info, email me at ride@tablemountainbikers.co.za

 

AND COME TO THE "TABLE MOUNTAIN MTB FORUM" MEETING AT CRYSALIS ACADEMY NEXT WEEK TUESDAY, 6PM.

[Noshow]

Thanks a lot Kandui, this is really helpful.