EDITOR – The rebuilt Inanda Road between Hillcrest and Waterfall is a welcome double carriage road. It has an innovative 1.7 m sidewalk for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Suitable signs have been painted on the surface at regular intervals indicating it is available for cyclists.
But certain disciplines are required to regulate cyclists who are both recreational and workers.
Currently, pedestrians are faced with cyclists suddenly appearing behind them and having to jump out of the way to avoid being injured, or oncoming cyclists who expect pedestrians to “get out of the way”.
Somehow cyclists have the mistaken belief that they have the right of way.
Having run and walked on the dual paths in visits to Australia over 20 years, we can learn from them.
There certain basic rules are observed, which should apply here to make our new provision work amicably.
(1) A white line should be painted down the middle of the path.
(2) The keep left/pass right principle must be observed by both cyclists and pedestrians.
(3) Cyclists have a bell or a hooter to warn pedestrians of their arrival.
(4) The sidewalks/paths be kept clean of weeds and verge growth to avoid the current narrowing of the sidewalk.
(5) In Australia there are no safety barriers narrowing the sidewalk to about 60cms.
(6) Cyclists do not assume they have the right of way.
This innovation has created a new problem where some cyclists believe now all sidewalks are open for their use.
Our traditional sidewalks are too narrow for dual use. If they do become cycle tracks then cyclists should know it is they who must give way. Traditional sidewalks are for pedestrians.
The recommendation of a bell has a history in South Africa.
Many school boys and girls, at least in Cape Town, in days gone by, rode bikes to school. Each bike had a bell. Also, an annual licence fee of 5 shillings was paid and you fitted the metal disc to your bike to signal to traffic officers you had paid.
The Hillcrest to Waterfall pedestrian/cycle sidewalk could provide a model for future developments of safe cycling in the greater Durban area, but only if it is accompanied by the typical Australian discipline of abiding by the rules.
That is a notable feature of their vehicle drivers. In this case, cyclists need to keep to the rules.
With South Africa’s appalling ill-disciplined driving, we have a long way to go.
Ron Legg
Hillcrest
