Cyclists still at it

As yet another cyclist was knocked off his bike in Fish Hoek this weekend:

David Swingler was injured while cycling along Kommetjie Road in Fish Hoek late on Saturday morning.
Police spokesperson Bernadine Steyn said Swingler and a white Toyota Quantum minibus taxi had been travelling in the same direction on the dual-lane road. They tried to change lanes at the same time and Swingler was hit from behind by the taxi.
“The cyclist allegedly wanted to go into the right lane and the taxi into the left lane at the same time,” Steyn said.

Pedal Power Association vice-chair Elton Davids said although the recent spate of accidents involving cyclists had made many others reluctant to venture out, some were “not obeying the rules of the road”.
“They are not making it any easier for themselves,” he said.

And even the dangerously subjective Cape Argus finally admitted that not every cyclist is as pure as the driven snow:

Out on Ou Kaapse Weg, tempers frayed as motorists battled with cyclists for right of way on Saturday.
Motorists told Weekend Argus there had been scores of cyclists on Ou Kaapse Weg, and while most were cycling within the yellow lane, others either tailgated motorists or rode in front of cars.

Dave Bellairs, director of the cycle tour, said they did not condone cyclists disobeying the rules of the road, as they was for their own safety. But he pointed out that the majority of cyclists obeyed the rules of the road.

“Obeying the rules of the road is for the safety of the cyclist and the motorist and it shows mutual respect.”

A motorist said cyclists on Ou Kaapse Weg were riding three abreast. Another said a cyclist tailgated him on the scenic mountain drive.
Photographer Chad Chapman said even though most of the cyclists obeyed the rules, he saw some at the summit picking up speed and sweeping into the traffic lane, cycling in front of cars.

Meanwhile, in Milnerton:

Oh Lordie…
This morning, at half past dark, coming down the R27 to work, the fog/mist was so thick that in places visibility was down to 50m.
Bad.
At Woodbridge Island, scene of Saturday’s unfortunate death, it was especially heavy, and just past that, what do i see…?
Some **** on a bicycle, black shorts on, dark top, dark helmet, dark backpack, a rear light consisting of about 2 LEDs, and NO front light.
Now, one would have assumed that given the blanket coverage in all the Cape papers and other media, this two-wheeled tit would have ‘caught a wake up’.

Obviously not.

Live by the sword… die by the sword. But is this message finally beginning to get through their thick helmets?

EDIT: Please see Ordinary Life’s comment below with links to (allegedly – I haven’t read them yet) sensible posts about cyclists taking responsibility for their safety on the roads.

6 thoughts on “Cyclists still at it

  1. I read that article yesterday. Was very surprised to see that someone admitted that the cyclists have their flaws.

    Goblin´s last blog post was: Here be Oscar spoilers. (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  2. I know you won’t go look but if you dared to venture on to a local cyclist’s forum there is an entire thread about “cyclists being their own worst enemy”, written entirely by cyclists beratting fellow cyclists and their desire to die.

    Not all cyclists are idiots, most of us are also motorists and most of us quite like our lives. As I said in a previous comment “if EVERYBODY observed the rules of the road….”

    Ordinarylife´s last blog post was: I am chicken! And not afraid to admit it. (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  3. OL > Happy to publicise that forum as well – please give me the address!
    Whoever’s to blame, it’s in everyone’s interests that it stops now.

  4. Cycling through London each morning I never cease to be amazed the suicidal behaviour of many fellow cyclists. There is however at least one vigilante woman on a Brompton who has no hesitation in berating other cyclists who break the rules (jumping lights, cycling on the pavement etc) with cries of “it’s because of b*stards like you that people think [cyclists] are all w*nkers”. I see her quite often. She’s great.

    Fleet of Worlds´s last blog post was: David Byrne – I wanna dance with somebody (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

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