Letter Against Cycling in Car Magazine

[Tumbleweed]

mallo' date=' as a cyclist I have a HATE of that club.  They are the worst group you can dream of!!  Same happens on the East Rand.  They skip red lights, and then flip the bird if the drivers get cross or taunt them.  It's probably the only guys where I won't feel sorry for them if they're hit by a car! [/quote']

 

are you perhaps talking about the tdf group? they're a bunch of morons

[steve]

Gentlemen! This all boils down to respect.

 

If cyclists respected traffic laws, like stopping at stop streets, traffic lights etc then other road users would not adopt a 'if they can do it, then so can I' attitude.

 

When a cyclist goes through an intersection when the light is red then why can't Tim the taxi driver or Hariette the housewife.

 

Little Timmy then sees all these drivers ignoring yeild signs etc and grows up to do the same. Michael Metro Cop sees Bob the Banker do it and instead of issueing a fine, accepts a R100 bribe and slowly the laws become ineffective because no-one has respect for them or authority.

 

Life becomes cheap or worthless and somebody sits quietly in the corner and says 'George Orwell was right'.

 

It's high time we set an example by obeying the rules ........ then, and only then will we have a voice!

[Guest Big H]

I agree totally with you Steve. Lagos is a town where Law and Order has totally degenarated to a bunch of pitifull cops (various types and organisations) who all live on the dash they can exort from the citizens. This means that if they see a Oyibo driving they stop his car and fine him for an imaginary fault on the vehicle and then "fine" you and insist that you dash them.

[Barend de Arend]

You earn respect.  You demand fear.  Don't ****around in traffic.

 

That counts for cars too: cars currently demand fear, because they don't know how to deal with anything that's not a car.  They don't deal with cyclists, pedestrians, horses, etc.

 

Cyclists can demand that they shouldn't be afraid.

 

[Barend de Arend]

Education is part of the problem.  A few year ago I got asked why I was cycling in the middle of the road (I wasn't, but I wasn't completely left either.)

 

The car driver simply hadn't seen the glass on the left, because it doesn't matter to car tyres.  They just drive over it.

 

Now I try to point out to cars why I move right (when possible) same as I would for cyclists.

 

[jeremyd]

Slight hijack along these lines though. They are busy upgrading the road between fourways and kyalami. Anybody got any idea who we contact now to try and get them to put at best a smooth cycle lane and at least a wide curb so that this becomes a cycle friendly road?

 

Anybody?

jeremyd2007-11-01 10:11:11

[ewep]

 

mallo' date=' as a cyclist I have a HATE of that club.  They are the worst group you can dream of!!  Same happens on the East Rand.  They skip red lights, and then flip the bird if the drivers get cross or taunt them.  It's probably the only guys where I won't feel sorry for them if they're hit by a car! [/quote']

 

are you perhaps talking about the tdf group? they're a bunch of morons

 

Nope, Capri Wheelers.  Just get the feeling that as soon as the club gets big they turn into ASSHOLES!

 

[hot stuff]

Unfortunately it will never become cycling friendly here. In France cyclists command an enormous amount of respect, and some of those villages have very narrow roads and the cyclist has right of way. Car is only alowed to pass when safe to do so.

 

My big fear is on main rd Muizenberg when those huge trucks come past you to make a point. Don't they realise if we fall under their wheels they would not even feel a cyclist. And we would be mush

Or they take the corner wide but their extra long trailer almost hits you.

I must admit there are some really nice truckers around who are patient and wait till we have finished negotiating pot holes.

The argus shoud be fun next year for those who will be riding in the fast lane.

But you are right its all a matter of education, but i think its too late and yes you are going to get those assholes who cause sh*t on the road.

 

I spoke to some club 100 guys and asked why do they always ride 2 abreast? their answer was visibility, which also makes sense to us but not the motorist. enough must go make supper

[Guest Big H]

Slight hijack along these lines though. They are busy upgrading the road between fourways and kyalami. Anybody got any idea who we contact now to try and get them to put at best a smooth cycle lane and at least a wide curb so that this becomes a cycle friendly road?

 

Anybody?

 

If they are already busy upgrading the road it is too late. Planning is complete and the tender has been awarded for specific work to be done. To change anything now would mean a change of design, GVariation Orders and extra money..... all of which are an extremely difficult thing to do at this late stage of the game.

[steve]

Sorry to dash all your hopes. Forget about a cycling lane.

 

I was at a press conference a few weeks ago with Dept of Transport and National Roads Agency. Cycling is on the agenda, but to get the masses to to Gautrain stations etc and it will not be aimed at recreational cycling.

 

I think it will make taxi drivers hate cyclists even more than they already do as they'll see them as a threat to their income ............

[jeremyd]

bugger

[niterider]

These car vs bike threads always make me shake my head.

 

This is NOT a car vs bike issue. Its a mentality issue - most drivers of cars AND bikes do not respect other drivers. The guys who ride their bikes like idiots are the same people that drive their cars like idiots.

 

NONE of this agressive road behaviour will change until the authorities have the resources and the will-power to force some respect back into the road-going public. South Africa is very different from Europe - not just on the roads. In the first world people don't even consider operating outside of the law. In South Africa the mentality is to do whatever you like, and then complain when you get caught.

 

Its the Wild West out here. And I'm afraid in the Wild West the guy with the biggest gun (car drivers) always wins.

 

[IanJ]

I actually don't even think it is an enforcement issue, it is a culture thing.

 

In Europe people are brought up to be courteous and to respect each other, they don't give cyclists right of way because they think they might get caught if they don't. They just think it is the correct thing to do.

 

Unfortunately I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel here, every day you see more and more motorists adopting the attitude of "if you can't beat them join them" and driving in the emergency lanes etc.

 

We need more tolerance and respect in this country and that doesn't just apply to driving on the roads either.

 

 

 

[Sean]

Problem with cyclists such as Capri Cycling (about 20 persons)on Sunday sends out bad vibes for all cyclists. They would not move off of the Randfontein road on Sunday so that other cyclists could continue in the yellow lane (while waiting for a puncture to be repaired)then they rode four to five abreast in the left lane all the way through Florida on Ondekkers road with no care for the motorists or other cyclists on the road.

 

20 Mallo? Try 30-40. Maybe there was 20 on the way back to town... that was a BIG bunch of guys. Blew past me and a mate without a word taking up half the road... saw them again on Ontdekkers into town but they had split into a few smaller groups.

[Sean]

not really mbaymike. cause we have a few w@#$%rs that think the yellow lane is for there car. because they are too special to sit in the queue

 

If anyone wants to see what no.one.knows is referring to first hand, take a ride out on Hendrik Potgieter at pretty much any time, Monday - Sunday

[shaunh]

IanJ, you hit the nail on the head.

 

We were all brought-up with respect to others as the main priority and things have been pretty good before we started acting differently.

 

My question is this, why have we allowed ourselves to become the way we are? we don't need Police to baby sit us we are adults and need to start acting like adults.

 

 

The other day I stopped next to a lady who's child who was maybe 3 or 4 was sitting in the front seat with no safety belt. I caught her attention and asked if she loves her child? She responded by asking why I wanted to know. I mentioned that if she did love her child he would be sitting in the back seat with his safety belt fastened. we'll... let me tell you that I have never heard such french in a very long time.

 

We must stop blaiming our attitudes on the lack of policing (which is a problem) but start my looking at our conscience and by simply doing the right thing!!!