David Helps, Newlands
Would any rational person describe a vehicle devoid of lights at the front, without an audio device to warn of its approach, and wing mirrors as being “safe” ?
Assuming a negative response, then why are these trail bikes treated as being “special cases” and allowed to ruthlessly dominate the pathways in and around Cape Town ?
At practically any time from dawn to dusk, they hurtle around, invariably ridden by husky youths to middle aged men, indifferent to the well-being of other path users, yet fully cognisant of their own safety, judging from the accoutrements of crash helmets, gloves and padding, carried one step further by the occasional one sporting a flashing rear light!
Walkers, joggers, parents with prams are expected to have 360-degree vision or at least possess swivelling heads, 180-degree minimum, if they wish to avoid hospitalisation.
With motorists being encouraged (probably by cyclists) to carry “stay wide of the rider” stickers, then shouldn’t there be a T-shirt campaign bearing the logo “stay wider of the walker”?
