Motorist shocked by unsafe riding
“I saw the rider and the child were wearing helmets but neither of them had any sort of protective clothing on. They were only wearing t-shirts and shorts".
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) has yet to comment on another incident of unsafe riding in Edenvale.
Motorist, Ms Melanie van Niekerk, said she was shocked when she realised a biker who overtook her had a child riding pillion and neither of them were wearing protective clothing.
“I was driving along Lunik Drive when I noticed a motorbike overtaking me. At first I did not take too much notice until I saw that the biker had a passenger and it was a child,” said Ms Melanie van Niekerk.
According to her, the rider swerved through traffic until they stopped at the Driefontein intersection with Barbara Road.
“I saw the rider and the child were wearing helmets but neither of them had any sort of protective clothing on. They were only wearing t-shirts and shorts,” said Ms van Niekerk.
“The child was holding onto the man’s t-shirt. I was shocked, especially since there was an incident covered by newspapers about two months ago. There I was witnessing the same thing,” she said.
In the September 4 edition of the NEWS, it was reported that a biker caught speeding through Edenvale with a child wearing only a bicycle helmet would face criminal charges.
The incident came to light after a video clip was uploaded to YouTube and subsequently went viral.
Just a week after it was announced that the biker faced criminal charges, another resident sent the NEWS a photograph, the time of two adults and a baby sharing a motorbike.
She added that when the traffic light changed green the bike took the R21 off-ramp in the direction of the airport.
“They were travelling quickly and eventually reached the freeway to Pretoria,” said Ms van Niekerk.
The NEWS sent an enquiry, along with photographs taken by Ms van Niekerk, to the spokesperson for the EMPD, Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago.
The enquiry was sent on November 19 and comment was requested by November 22.
By November 29, no comment was received.
its not illegal to ride with out protective clothing!!!
they have helmets
Every parent or owner of a motorcycle has at some stage taken his child for a ride. My son has been riding bikes since the age of 4 and he loved to pillion behind his father. A responsible parent will not take chances with their child behind them but people with camera’s which are clearly not “dash mounted” eg CELL PHONES are putting the lives of motor cyclists and other road users lives at risk. “Take the log out your own eye Ms van Niekerk, before taking the twig out of mine.”
I totally agree with the concerns regarding safety equipment on bike and shocked by the child with a bicycle video too.
my concern is not related to these two reports but the person filming or photographing these. What about these drivers trying to operate a vehicle on a freeway while taking picture or video with their cell phones! Last I heard that it an offense. The video with the bicycle helmet, I even heard a young childs voice. Is that not the pot calling the kettle black? Unless they were left hand drive vehicles it was not a passenger filming. I am an x biker who sustained near fatal injuries due to no safety gear although I had my helmet on I was in shorts, I strongly advise against this.