And now also on Twitter!

I love cycling, and I wish that more people would cycle in Cape Town, I have now opened a twitter account to spread the word, so come and follow me, @CyclingInCT 

Bicycle Rental and Tours.

It is no secret that I loooove cycling, and I know that everybody else would also love cycling if they just got a chance to try it out, so to share the love I am now offering everybody that chance.

Rent a Bicycle and get a FREE guided tour along the Atlantic Seaboard!!
The Tour starts in Green Point, goes through Mouille Point, Sea Point and Bantry Bay.

Rental Prices
Day:                    R100
Week (7 Days):   R500
Enquire for longer rental periods.

Contact
Call:                     071 197 4838
Email:                   capecycle@hotmail.com

Why are South African Politicians and Motorists so Arrogant??

There was a general election recently in Denmark, my home country, and the new government was presented on the 3^rd of October, one of the coalition parties arrived on BICYCLES!!! Wow, that is Ministers of the Danish Parliament actually cycling.

Pictures borrowed from copenhagenize.com

(the mother of all bicycle blogs, check it out)

I think that it is very disturbing that not only politicians but normal motorists behave so arrogantly and superiorly on the roads. We are all equal people, politicians, motorists and cyclists, so lets be civil and respect each other.      

That situation is in sharp contrast to the way S.A. politicians see themselves as Very Important Persons, who need to shoot at other motorists to demand the respect they feel they deserve on the roads!!

See the article from iol.co.za below.

KZN motorists disregard blue lights

October 11 2011 at 05:02pm

KwaZulu-Natal motorists have no respect for vehicles with blue flashing lights, the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.

VIP unit instructor Thulani Khanyile was testifying in the trial of a VIP protection unit member accused of firing shots at a car.

He said motorists in other provinces where he had worked gave way to vehicles flashing blue lights and treated them with the same respect as ambulances.

Khanyile is a defence witness for Hlanganani Nxumalo and Caiphus Ndlela.

The two are bodyguards to KwaZulu-Natal social development MEC Meshack Radebe.

Nxumalo is said to have shot at the tyre of a Mazda near Camperdown, resulting in the driver losing control, veering into oncoming traffic, and colliding head-on with a bakkie.

Ndlela was driving when the incident happened.

Khanyile told the court part of the instruction given in training involved using the vehicle as a weapon when facing a dangerous situation on the road.

He said if this failed, bodyguards were expected to use a gun by firing in the air to warn those posing danger to the VIPs.

Asked how the vehicle could be used as a weapon, Khanyile refused to explain, citing safety and security considerations.

He told the court members of the VIP unit were expected to do anything to protect their masters.

Asked whether breaking the law by using excessive speed was allowed to get MECs to their destinations, Khanyile said this did not amount to breaking the law, but was a simple response to an emergency.

On Monday, Nxumalo testified that he fired shots because the driver posed a danger to him.

Khanyile said Ndlela had been very tolerant of the driver of the Mazda and suggested that a tougher stance should have been taken.

The trial continues on Wednesday. – Sapa

    

Cycle vs. Bok

I am not much for scare tactic in regards to cycle helmets, but this is a pretty hard hitting argument.

 

It reminds me a little about this situation from last year, though not cycle related.

Am I a Death Waiting to Happen?? (AKA: Death Girl Cycling)

Yesterday I read the below article on iol.co.za, let me not even start on how ridicules it is that Provincial Premier Zweli Mkhize find himself to important to cycle, no what really disturbed me is that my commenting on the positive aspects of cycling were met with gloom and doom. I cannot help think maybe it is me that is wrong and it is a suicide run to cycle on the South African roads(???? thinking about it for a minute) Naah it is definitely everybody else that refuse to see logic and are going to be proved wrong in their paranoia.  

"Cycle to work: Mkhize

PROVINCIAL Premier Zweli Mkhize says he is all in favour of people riding bicycles to work to reduce the volume of greenhouse gases in KwaZulu-Natal, but he feels that the concept of MECs cycling to the legislature is probably a bit “utopian”.

On the final day of the provincial climate change summit in Durban yesterday, a delegate voiced concern about the volume of climate-warming gases belching from the exhaust pipes of thousands of private vehicles.

“We are being encouraged to use public transport, to cycle or to walk to work, so all those people who are driving big 4x4s should be embarrassed about their contributions to climate change.

“Perhaps our ministers should also be going to work on bicycles,” he suggested amid laughter and applause.

Mkhize did not respond directly, but during a press briefing later, he was asked if he and fellow MECs were willing to set an example by cycling to work.

Mkhize smiled politely and responded: “We will consider it...”

He then noted that there were certain practicalities to be considered such as long distances and the need for public representatives to be punctual.

“For short distances, cycling is to be encouraged, especially from the point of view of fighting obesity and raising fitness levels.”

However, the notion of “ministerial convoys on bicycles” seemed unlikely.

Mike Mabuyakhulu, MEC for Economic Affairs and Tourism, also did not commit himself to the idea of pedalling, but noted that a lot of work was in progress to develop “zero-emission” electric cars.

“As much as we support non-motorised transport, we really must go towards electrical cars. It is an area we are looking at very closely.”

At the end of the summit, Mkhize announced that the provincial cabinet was committed to establishing a provincial climate change council. It would be chaired by the premier and would include a wide range of stakeholders including MECs, heads of departments, mayors, academics, business, non-government groups, traditional and church leaders.

The council would meet at least twice a year and be modelled along the lines of the Provincial Aids Council.

Its main task would be to finalise and implement a new KZN climate action plan and serve as a provincial platform to ensure regular dialogue and consultation on climate change issues, policies, plans and projects. - The Mercury"

September 28 2011 at 10:53am
By Tony Carnie

And then the commentary:

 

Sinies, wrote               05:27pm on 29 September 2011

Please go ahead and set the example!

Meanleader, wrote       04:29pm on 29 September 2011 

@Sarah ...SA is not London ....in London you have traffic police , law and order , and cars that actually stop at red lights . Riding a bicycle in SA is suicide . Until the government hires just ONE HONEST MINISTER , and removes ALL TAXI'S from the road , cycling will remain a daredevils game !!! What a complete jike by the minister ...I think he was having a laugh !!

Anonymous, wrote 11:54am on 29 September 2011

prepare the coffins and the hospitals this is the best way to get killed or maimed but of course you will keep your car???

Cycling Sarah, wrote 02:50pm on 28 September 2011

@Sbu, you just proved my point, the mentioned cities are not like cities in S.A. because there are way to many cars on the roads. The only way to get livable cities are to get more cycles on the road. And I do cycle everyday in Cape Town, on the road with all the taxies and I am still a live to tell the tale. To make S.A. a truly wonderful plase to live we need to put away all these negative thoughts and make it the best plase on earth, and this is in part done by cycling.  

Sbu, wrote                    01:38pm on 28 September 2011

@Cycling Sarah. Taxi's are mowing down people and if you think SA is like London, Copenhagan and New York, you are definitely on another planet. We all know it is cheap and fast, if you are living in Northcliff and work in Cresta... why dont you go and have a cup of coffee to get your mind around this for a sec..

Cycling Sarah, wrote    01:13pm on 28 September 2011

Why is S.A. so behind in the internetional cycling trend, come on people, these days everybody cycles. In Paris, in London, in Copenhagen, in Amsterdam, in New York, in Washington, in Sydney... I could go on. Please S.A. open your eyes and see what a wonderful mode of transportation cycling is. It is cheap and fast, You wil never have to wait in a traffic line, saving lots of time, and if you live fare from your work, combine cycling with trains.

K_za, wrote               11:01am on 28 September 2011

Make the roads safe and maybe more would do so. Your chances of being taken out by a taxi or pothole are just too great!

All very interesting, it really does seem that if you are crazy enough to cycle in South Africa then at least you should have the decency to buy your coffin first!!

The Secret Garden

A couple of weeks ago I was cycling at the CTICC and came across this little secret.

I would never have noticed this if I had been in a car. All these little things around wonderful Cape Town that no one knows are here because everybody are too much in a hurry to get somewhere else too really enjoy the present.

What a beautiful little Secret Garden.

Using bicycles to promote Cape Town, Route 62 and Garden Route.

I wonder if this is actually and add for Holland?? The orange cycle with the Dutch flag on and all... But the CCID definitely know how to make Cape Town look cycle friendly.  

It is just too bad that there is absolutely no information about cycling in the booklet.

Hmmm, False advertisement???

On the other hand “Your Travel Companion” who published these two travel maps for Garden Route and Route 62 managed to capture an actual part of rural life in South Africa.  

City Cycling vs Village Cycling.

Myself and BF has left Cape Town for a little while to get away from the hectic city life. We have made McGregor our home for the next month.

It is the most beautiful little village with cute little cottages and real country friendliness.

On the cycling front I have been most surprised, in the last 2 days I have seen more people cycling in McGregor than I have in the last 2 months in Cape Town, that is quite impressive considering that there is less than 4000 people in McGregor. However I have not managed to see one female cyclist, so I am still special :-D

Me in front of our cottage, with the folding bicycles.

On our first little trip in the area.

Cyclelane with a View.

Yesterday i went on a little leisure trip on my cycle, I started from my home in Green Point, cycled along the Main Road down to the Sea Point Promenade, went along the Promenade to the pools, turned around went back to Mouille Point and home again through Green Point Park.

When cycling as oppose to driving in a car you notice all the little things going on. Here are a few pictures of what I saw on my trip.



Paragliding of Lions Head





The Atlantic Ocean on the last day of winter.





Green Point Lighthouse

 


Landing safely




And then somebody who did not land that safely.




The RMS Athens shipwrecked in 1865




A bit of Namaqualand in the middle of Mouille Point.



The Green Point, (oops Cape Town???) Stadium and the golf course from Green Point Park.




A lunch time game of football.



Green gym, in Green Point Park

  


Where the Madness begins.





I spotted this green arrow for the first time, I am not sure what it is pointing at.

 To really get to know your city, you must get out of the car and get to appreciate those little things.







Get Close to Nature, Cycle.

Around this time last year we, myself and BF, went to Rocherpan Nature Reserve, a small nature reserve up the West Coast, between Velddrift and Elands Bay.



A little map of Rocherpan.



We had our folding bikes with us and quickly found a spot to park the car and unfold the cycles.  



(I will formally introduce the folding bikes at a later stage)
Rocherpan Nature Reserve is quite small and we managed to cycle to the end a back in a couple of hours, in a very leisure pace and with time to enjoy the nature. In the time we were there we only came across other people ones (in a big 4x4 off course) and it was in general a very peaceful place. Maybe on account of it being off season.

Me having a good time.

Cycling as oppose to driving a car really brings you closer to nature, not only do you have time to spot all the little tings and animals, you also meet them on more equal terms.
I never appreciated how big (those legs, uh) an ostrich is before it ran pass me only 10 meters from me.

Also the sounds, not being boxed in a car you can hear the sound of the wind in the trees, the sound of the birds whistling and the sound of the waves braking on the beach.

Me with little Table Mountain in the back ground, to the left of my head.

We had brought fresh fruit and a blancket, and enjoyed parking our bikes and relaxing on the sand.

There is always a handy parking for a cycle.

We did not only encounter the ostrich but also a large colony of flamingoes, pretty little orange birds(?) turtles and lots of flowers.

Small purple flowers.

I do not know what kind of bush this is. But it is intersting looking.

Little orange birds.

Flamingo colony.

One of many turtles.

If you build it, they will use it!!

Then where are the Cyclists???

Yesterday I cycled around on the cycle lanes in the city centre and Green Point between 15.00 and 17.00 (Peak Hours) and I saw no other cyclists on the lanes, there was a few cycling on the roads, but that is it.

So I have to ask myself: Where are the cyclists??? The facilities are there, I am not going to pretend it is world class facilities, in fact there are many things that need to be improved for the cycle lanes to work. But in my opinion the fact that there are so few Capetonians using the lanes says more about the people in Cape Town, than it does about the substandard cycle lanes. 



Adderley Street



Adderley Street. No cyclists but lots of MTN promoters/Air time sellers.

 



Bree Street



Bree Street



Somerset Road



Somerset Road



I cannot help to think that the City of Cape Town are wasting the rate payers money building all these cycle lanes that no one uses. Maybe the money would be better spend on something else.