FullSussa
full sus
EE
@FullSussa
FR
www.issuu.com /FullSussa
November 2014, Vol 19
HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKING W IN
GEAR: Energy Gel Review pg 29
Mountain Bike Orienteering pg 8
Win an Axis A40 MTB pg28
Ride the Rhino
pg 24
Safety First
Staying Safe on the Roads and Trails
FS
Exercise caution It’s always good to assume that everyone else using the road are complete idiots and anticipate accordingly. Just like how you drive more cautiously around taxis, because you never know when they’re likely to stop in the middle of the road or make an abrupt, unsignalled U-turn, you should be acutely aware of the vehicles, pedestrians and other cyclists around you when you’re on your bike. Remember you’re exceptionally vulnerable on your bike and while it’d be great if other road users would look after you, you have to look after yourself first and the first step in doing so is exercising caution.
With the recent spate of cyclists being hit by cars or robbed of their bikes we thought we’d take a sensible approach and rather than play the blame game look at how you can take precautions to keep yourself safe on the roads and trails around Mzansi.
Think Bike – Think Car
F
irst and foremost it’s essential that as cyclists, road and mountain, we take responsibility for ourselves whenever we get on the bike. Yes, the roads of South Africa are dangerous and bike-jacking seems to be on the rise too, and we have to put pressure on government, locally and nationally, to make it safer to spend time on our bikes but ultimately it’s your life and you should be responsible for it, not some politician.
So how do you keep yourself safe? Well, the first thing you can do is give it some thought. Don’t be a nit-wit, don’t follow blindly the advice you read on Twitter or in your favourite publication – you need to start critically examining
the information you take in. Take cycling abreast for example… it’s just not safe on South African roads. It might work in bicycle friendly European countries, but in SA where the roads are filled with notoriously impatient drivers do you really think it’s sensible to protrude into traffic that generally flows at, or over, 60km/h when you’re moving at less than 40km/h? It doesn’t matter how visible you are, it’s a recipe for disaster and will remain so until our driving culture changes. So possibly never.
GENERAL RULES OF THE ROAD AND TRAIL No helmet no ride – ever!
Also don’t be afraid to tell off a fellow cyclist who’s riding without a helmet. Even hipsters need to protect their
heads – how else are they going to follow the next trend? Seriously though, don’t get on a bike without a helmet on, even if you’re just nipping around the corner to the shops. Industry folks should be setting an example and bike shops should be asking if you own a helmet when you buy a bike.
Most of us (unless you’re very young or the most hard-core cyclist) are drivers as well as cyclists. But we think exclusively like cyclists when we’re on the bike. Try to keep in mind what the drivers of cars are likely to be thinking when you’re cycling and don’t act like you own the road – cars, trucks, busses and taxis are the primary road users and you need to adjust your behaviour accordingly.
Light up.
Rules for the Roadies
If you’re going to be including any roads in your ride, day or night get yourself lights. A flashing red tail light and a flashing white front light will dramatically increase your visibility to other road users. If you spend a significant amount of time on the road especially at dusk, dawn or at night invest in lights with external rechargeable battery packs.
Whether you’re a full-on roadie or a mountain biker who just rides on the road to get to the mountain, here are a few guidelines to help keep you out of harm’s way. ◆ Always use cycle lights and riding kit with high-visibility tabs and trim. ◆ Plan your ride to use roads with
turn to page 4