Letter Against Cycling in Car Magazine

[Sean]

Shaunh I admire your commitment to the cause, but boy isn't it depressing when people react with a string of expletives to a well meant and friendly gesture...

 

BTW. Congrats on the 20 years. Mine was last month.... I know what it takes!

[shaunh]

Thanks Sean and congrats!!!

 

Yup, it is really sad the way society is degrading so rapidly. We have to start with having a good look at ourselves and as mentioned previously let's start by doing the right thing.

 

As Winston Churchill said, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference!"

[Sean]

From your lips to God's ears...... lets keep the faith.

[The Guy in Pink]

I actually don't even think it is an enforcement issue' date=' 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.
[/quote']

 

IanJ you have hit the nail on the head here. I have the privilege  of riding my bike in a country where all road users are respected. 

 

This morning I watched as a primary school kid waited patiently to cross a road (not at a crossing). Traffic in both directions just stopped and he was waved across - The kid knew it would happen so he just stood and waited,  and the drivers just accept that if a predestrian wants to cross a road they stop and ensure that he can cross safely.

  

I have never seen any traffic enforcement here.  

[steve]

What nobody has thought about........ On the M1 between JHB & PTA the emergency lane is now a traffic lane so a motorist assumes that all emergency lanes are now traffic lanes.

 

I wrote to (MMT) Metro Money Takers when this silly idea was implemented, got no feedback, reply nor acknowledgement from them.

[porky]

Yes, SA road users have little tolerance, and thats cars, taxis, trucks and cyclists.

Will we change - I doubt it, SA has a "look after yourself at all costs" attitude and "stuff the rest Jack", and thats from the top to the bottom.  

[lightingseed]

forgive me if i'm mistaken but arent cyclist classified as small bikes on the road ie we cant climb on the freeway or motorway but we are allowed to take up a lane of traffic. we just stick to the side of the road becuase its safer and more curtouse to faster moving traffic.

i've been cycling in jhb on a daily bases for 7 years now as a form of cummiting, through some of the more unsavoury areas. and i find thats its not just german car drivers that tend to have it out for cyclist but also taxis.
before i came to jhb i was in a more rural comuntie where the more respectful and tolarant drivers where the blacks where they on adverage would cross the road to give us room to ride ( trucks taxis busses and cars) the white communty however seemed to want to take us out. flying down the road a hundred km/h over the speed limit, on narrow whindy roads.
its all about respect and tolarance for each other the road and oneself. because if you dont respect your self to take it calm how are you ever going to respect each other??????????????????????????