Cyclists are a law unto themselves?

Motorists are complaining about cyclists in town, saying that they ride recklessly and pay no attention to traffic around them in the CBD, pulling out of nowhere and expecting motorists to give them right of way all the time.

Mr Pillay was driving in town on Thursday afternoon, taking his wife to the doctor, when he noticed a cyclist on his right hand side. According to him, the cyclist had earphones in his ears and was singing away, paying no attention to what was going on around him.

Then, out of the blue, the cyclist tried to change lanes. Luckily, Mr Pillay had his wits about him and was able to stop in time before colliding with the man on the bicycle.

He now wants to know if only motorists have to obey the rules of the road, and if cyclists are above the law in this respect. “This guy was riding like he owned the road. Are cyclists allowed to do whatever they want? Is there a fine for drunk cyclists?” asks a bewildered Mr Pillay. “When an accident happens, they blame the motorist,” he adds.

He claims that many accidents in town involve cyclists because they nip in and out of traffic, and somehow believe they are a law unto themselves.

This begs questions such as: In the interests of safety, should cyclists wear a reflector, especially at night? Also, what laws are applicable during peak-hour traffic, when cyclists are “flying along” at high speed amid heavy traffic, essentially causing more chaos in an already chaotic situation?

“We all know it’s terribly hot these days and everyone wants to get to their destination as quickly as possible, but the reality is that there are rules in place for everyone’s safety. These rules apply not only to motorists, but also to pedestrians and cyclists – they are also road-users and must realise that their actions can lead to an accident if they’re reckless and or negligent,” said another concerned motorist.

Public Safety commented that Regulation 311 of the National Road Traffic Act 93/96 relates to pedal cycles. According to the Regulation, no person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is seated astride on the saddle. Persons riding pedal cycles on a public road must ride in single file, except in the course of overtaking another bicycle.

Two or more persons riding bicycles are not allowed to overtake another vehicle at the same time. No person riding or seated on a bicycle on a public road is allowed to take hold of any other vehicle in motion. A cyclist is forbidden from deliberately causing the bicycle to swerve from side to side.

A cyclist must always have at least one hand on the handlebars at all times. Also, a person riding a pedal cycle on a public road must do so in such a manner that both wheels are in contact with the road surface at all times.