Comments on: No. Pedestrians are not like gemsbok

By: Malika

Malika — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:44:13 +0000

i dont usually comment, but after reading through so much info i had to say thanks

By: pete ess

pete ess — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:18:51 +0000

There’s only one solution: You gotta buy a Hummer 1 (not the wimpish Hummer 3 GM sells here, but the freakish thing the Governator of California drives). That way you connect the pedestrians amidships way below your George W Bush command post height. Some you’ll only see stuck in the radiator days later. Gemsbok would collect a bumper in the ear. Mission Accomplished.

Actually:
Down with “SUV’s” and “4X4′s” on tar roads.
Up with keeping a very wary eye on pedestrians. You really don’t want to hit one.

By: japes

japes — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:44:10 +0000

Ndumiso,

At last, someone has picked up on one of my whinges. Sure drivers give pedestrains a hard time but the government gives them a harder time. In rural areas just about every scattered homestead (kraal) has had a gravel road built at enormous cost (per person kilometre) to reach it by car. Near arterial roads and freeways, and in urban areas, pdestrains are ignored. This is despite so-called transformation of the departments of transport (including Mr squeeze every last cent out of the motorist Nazir Ali) and the consultants (the big boys are now suitably named Goba, PD Naidoo etc). Design carries on following US and European standards with bugger all facilities for pedestrians, let alone say bicycles.

The only effort I’ve seen is a wandering pavement alongside the N2 around Matubatuba I think. Once the cat gets fat it couldn’t give a rats about its starving brethren.

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:36:44 +0000

Try riding a motor scooter, not a very high powered form of motorised transport and you’ll really get to be scared of the lunatic drivers that frequent our roads. If you do please don’t dare to ride in front of one of these egotistical, selfish, self centered bullies who believe that because their vehicle is larger than yours they have priority of the use of the road. Try this then you’ll know what living in fear on the roads are really like.

By: Katse

Katse — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:04:54 +0000

Ndumiso, Sarah is expecting you to keep an inventory of the boks in the National Parks, It really does not matter whether the bok is a gem or spring; Ndu is simply using the said bok to convey the message, unless Sarah wants to give us a lecture on some Zoological nomenclature.

By: Dithabana

Dithabana — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:53:56 +0000

You are right! I would have missed the cut-off date anyways

By: Benzol

Benzol — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:50:23 +0000

Interesting take on traffic.

Try the N14 between Pretoria and Krugersdorp: informal settlements on one side, jobs on the other side. No pedestrian bridges. What you do when going to work? Walk a “safe” detour of some 20-40Km or take your life in your own hands and leapfrog 2 lanes of high speed traffic both ways?
If you take the detour, it will take you 2 days to get to and back from work! any options?

A pedestrian bridge over the highway?? Dangerous for traffic unless caged in to prevent stones thrown on cars doing 120-140km/hr. See Cape town’s famous track from the airport.

Pavements for pedestrians in town do not exist. The new rage to put rocks on your front lawn instead grass, makes walking your daily dose of exercise a challenge between hopping onto the grass when a car approaches and onto the road when rocks obstruct your path.

Another species that contributes to reducing CO gasses is the bicyclist. The bicycle is the most dangerous form of transport in SA. If they try to protect themselves by moving to the middle of the road, they get killed or simply abused. If they don’t, the get killed anyway. If they don’t get killed, they get robbed and/or killed. They seem only safe in groups of twenty or more.

The use of lights, seatbelts and indicators is another topic for car owners.

Lights are there to see the road, seatbelts are frustrating your freedom and indicators are there to confirm to yourself where you were going.

Then some cars have these rear mist lights: bright red things that blind any follower in rainy conditions. Drivers often don’t know they switch them on.

Who said SA was a friendly country??

By: Currently Disadvantaged

Currently Disadvantaged — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:43:13 +0000

I quite enjoyed this piece – nice one Ndumiso.
I’d just like to point out that I have witnessed (on several occasions), a dimwit or 2 attempting to perform their own version of “highway olympics” (high jump over the fence, 20m sprint, hurdle, another 20m dash, another high jump over the fence on the opposite side), by attempting to cross the highway only meters away from a bridge?
But I digress – maybe these dimwits are as blind as they are stupid.

By: Mandrake

Mandrake — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:38:25 +0000

Oh, while we’re at it, try driving in the Eastern Cape, anywhere past Grahamstown. You need 2 spare wheels and advanced maintenance training. Pot-holes as big as my beer-belly. Taxi’s driving to the Transkei, carrying 15 passengers, full load, full trailer overtaking 5 cars on 2-single lane roads.

Stray “gemsbok?” to boot. The other dynamic that comes to play in the Eastern Cape is that most towns are 2 or 3 hours apart so people travel alot. guys drive from Mthatha to East London for a party and then drive back at 0300 inebriated. Try negotiating the Kei Cuttings at 0300 sober and you’ll understand what i’m saying. Oh, i forgot to mention the trucks…Moer!!!

By: Mandrake

Mandrake — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:53:47 +0000

Ndu, you bhibiza’d me on the mouth, i’m drafting a post about driving patterns in today’s war-torn roads. Now i have to get another six-pack and rework mine so i show an ounce more of creativity.

Anyway, good topic. it annoys me every single day. but ke will post the link as soon as i’ve finished my angle on this topic