Not blameless

The flyers for last night’s Cape Argus newspaper were still clinging to the streetlight poles in an act of abject defiance against the gusty south-easter as I crawled my way in to work this morning, decrying (amongst other stuff) another accident involving a city cyclist and a motor vehicle.
Once again, in this rather unfair duel between 1500 kilograms of car and 150 kilograms of bloke on bike, the latter seems to have come off rather badly. No surprises there.
The Argus has had a bit of a bee in its bonnet (as newspapers are wont to do) regarding these sort of incidents, which – once again – is no surprise since it is the co-sponsor of South Africa’s largest cycling event each year. This also explains their hugely one-sided approach to the whole issue. Because, let’s face it – cyclists are a menace anywhere in the world, but they have taken it to a whole new dimension on the streets of the Mother City – and most especially on the roads of the Cape Peninsular. I hesitate to use the word “tossers”, but only because it would upset my mum. (Be warned, Goblin’s mum doesn’t read her blog.)

Don’t get me wrong: I recognise that the deaths or injuries of these people is terrible. But simply blaming the car drivers completely misses the point. Cyclists are anything but blameless. No licences, no registration, no lights, no insurance and – in the vast majority of cases – absolutely no regard for the rules of the road or other road users. 
I almost killed one in Kalk Bay the other day when he decided to go straight on from the left hand turn lane (I was using said lane for the evidently unprecedented purpose of turning left).
Whose fault was that? But who would have got the blame? Ooh – I wonder.

But the Argus is completely blinkered, even giving us some unconnected background information on injured cyclist, Steve Ryan and his wife, Lara:

The couple are from Johannesburg, and moved to Cape Town in April. Ryan has participated in several cycle tours in Johannesburg and completed five Comrades Marathons.

So what? In fact, I have found that those individuals who have attained such dizzying heights of athletic achievement are often the worst offenders. Perhaps they think of themselves as superhuman or invincible. Or just too “special” to bother with that red traffic light. 
Not, of course, that I am suggesting Mr Ryan was in any way to blame for the accident he was involved in. I’m sure he was riding safely, respecting other road users, obeying traffic signals etc etc like all good cyclists do.

I’m not advocating the widespread slaughter of anyone on a bike, tempting as that may be. All I’m asking is for due consideration to be given to the possibility that in the event of an accident, the individual previously on two wheels may actually be at fault once (or twice) in a while. Given the standard of many of the cyclists on the road, it’s not that hard to imagine.

21 thoughts on “Not blameless

  1. I possibly should not comment on this one….. However, having seen it from both sides and having sworn at more than a few cyclists (sometimes the ones I am riding with)I am going to have my say anyway!

    Consideration is what is required! From both sides. The fact is that I DO obey the rules of the road when on a bicycle, I use hand signals when turning, have more lights on my bike than a christmas tree and don’t ride two abreast yet I still get abuse and even (more than) the odd person who purposefuly tries to push me off the road. I believe that if you try and push someone off the road, or are not following the rules of the road (ie driving over the speed limit, under the influence, or on your cell phone etc) and knock a cyclist off you should be charged with attempted murder! As you said it is an unfair dual.

    However I also agree that cyclists need to show consideration and realise they are not the only ones on the road. Riding 2, 3 or in a WIDE group annoys the hell out of people. The rules are there for everyone. But then I am a stickler for rules!

    Ordinarylife´s last blog post was: Was I snoring? (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  2. Ordinarylife » It’s unfair both ways though. Yes, the car is bigger, but the cyclist who causes an accident is virtually untracable.

  3. You see, that’s why the bad ones annoy me so much – if I hit them because they’re being bad little monkeys, then I get in big big twouble.

    Nice post bunny, and welcome back from that coma you were apparently in.

    Goblin´s last blog post was: Aggravation #6 (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  4. The problem does not arise in these parts.

    Cyclists just ride illegally on the footway and run down irresponsible pedestrians who are impossible to trace.

    Motorists are unaffected!

  5. 150kg!! He shouldn’t even have been on a bicycle!!

    It comes back to good riders / bad riders and good drivers / bad drivers. Unfortunately, the car will always win.

    When I was a kid growing up in SA, we had to do a licence (as mentioned by OrdinaryLife) including traffic skills tests and a written test and your bike had to be registered (in George anyway). Although having a licence doesn’t seem to make much difference to motorists, so why should it make a difference to cyclists.

    DelBoy´s last blog post was: More internet fame (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  6. When I was learning to drive, my father taught me a very important lesson that I wish to share with you:

    A car is a far more dangerous weapon than a gun. If you carry a gun, someone may steal it and use it against you. Therefore, you have to make damn sure that if you’re going to carry one in public, it can’t be taken from you. Likewise, if you drive a car, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that no-one else on the road may be harmed by it, which means that YOU are responsible for making sure you don’t cause a collision. (And by the by, there is no such thing as an ‘accident’. There are only collisions cause by people not obeying the rules or paying proper attention to what they are doing.)

    EVEN IF a cyclist is not obeying the rules of the road, because as a driver you are operating a lethal weapon, it is YOUR responsibility to look out for the cyclist and avoid him/ her, not the other way round.

    I happen to be a cyclist as well as a driver. When I cycle, I obey the traffic rules, as long as doing so doesn’t put me in danger of motorists who either don’t give a damn about other road users, or are so wrapped up in their own little driving world they simply fail to observe my presence. When I drive, I make sure to keep my eyes peeled for both cyclists and motor cyclists, and give them they space they need to feel secure on the road.

    I think it’s very unfair of you to tar all cyclists with the same brush, in the same way that it would be unfair of me to say that Cape Town drivers are the worst. There are good drivers and there are good cyclists. There are bad drivers and there are bad cyclists. Your complaint is more about bad road users than it is about bad cyclists.

  7. Nixgrim » Good drivers/bad drivers? Good cyclists/bad cyclists? Oh absolutely. But you’re missing the point. Whenever there is an accident – no matter whether it was caused by a bad cyclist in collision with a good driver – the driver always gets the blame. And that’s not fair.

    “EVEN IF a cyclist is not obeying the rules of the road, because as a driver you are operating a lethal weapon, it is YOUR responsibility to look out for the cyclist and avoid him/ her, not the other way round.”
    Oh – and that bit is pure nonsense. That sort of arrogant remark is where the “tosser” label comes in.

  8. I am going to stick up for Nixgrim’s dad. I get what he was trying to say.
    When I was learning to drive every time I would get into the car my mom would say “Just remember that EVERYBODY else on the road is an idiot and expect them to act like that!” Boy was she right. What she was trying to say is that it was my responsibility to do my best to avoid a situation even if it was the other person’s (cyclist, pedestrian or other motor vehicle driver) fault. That advice has stood me in good stead.

    Ordinarylife´s last blog post was: I love Boney M……..Not!!!!!! (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  9. Yes – my husband also says the same thing: drive as if everyone else on the road are complete idiots! Both drivers and cyclist can do the silliest and most unexpected things!

    Here in Stockholm, Sweden, we have lots of cycle lanes so that cycling is safer, BUT… cyclists do have a tendency to ignore traffic rules. Pedestrians are supposed to have the right of way, but as yet I have to meet a cyclist who doesn’t try to mow me down every time I try to cross a cycle path…

    Lady Fi´s last blog post was: The tale of little burnt cabbage (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  10. Strange I was in a car the other day at Kalk Bay when a cyclist tried to kill himself. He went straight on in from the left lane against a red light when the car driver turned left, also from the left lane, with a green filter. I’d say a good for a future Darwin award.
    But I am confused because don’t I recall that, someone when 6000 miles from the mother city, used to cycle when on call at all hours of the day and night. If (cyclists have) “No licences, no registration, no lights, no insurance and – in the vast majority of cases – absolutely no regard for the rules of the road or other road users” in which camp are you?

  11. Confused » I’m in the minority that has regard for the rules of the road and other road users. Obviously.
    I was knocked off my bike 4 times in 7 years in Oxford. None of them my fault and fortunately none of them very serious.

  12. I live in the Southern Suburbs, work round about Newlands, use Campground road 4 times every day (maybe less on weekends) & if you ever visit this side of the world you will notice that there are well-appointed bicycle tracks everywhere. They are SEPERATE from the road, have clear markings, do not cross the roads, but rather go under them through a series of subways & they are pretty safe…With all this then, I ask you, with tears in my eyes, WHY THE [golly gosh] DO SOME IDIOT CYCLISTS INSIST ON RIDING IN THE ROAD?!
    The cycle lane is 2 meters away, but NO, Mr Biker-mice-from-Mars needs to pedal in the road, during rush hour friggen’ traffic, taking up almost half a lane, swaying erratically from side to side with every push on his bikes pedals, so that you cannot pass him for fear of knocking him straight into kingdom come…or the bicycle track at least…IT FRIGGEN DRIVES ME NUTS!

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