Cyclists take ‘root’ of the problem into their own hands
The problem stems from a section on the uMhlanga road where tree roots have caused the concrete to rise unevenly on the surface causing four serious accidents in the last two months.
CYCLISTS have taken matters into their own hands in the hopes of getting the City to act over four raised humps on Ridge Road by spray painting warnings on the road surface. The problem stems from a section on the uMhlanga road where tree roots have caused the concrete to rise unevenly on the surface causing four serious accidents in the last two months.
Last month, Northglen News featured two of the cyclists seriously injured with one breaking his collar bone and the other dislocating his shoulder, sidelining them from participating in this year’s Tsogo Sun Amashova.
On Monday last week, Eric Waldhausen of the Cycle Specialists Cycling Club hit the hump cutting and badly bruising his elbow in the incident.
What has exacerbated the problem is the poor lighting on that section of road as most of the accidents have occurred in the early morning on training rides.
Aroon Patel, chairperson of the eThekwini Cycle Safe Forum, said while he could not condone the act of spray painting the road, he understood the cyclists’ frustrations.
“I would hope this would get the City to act and fix the problem soon. I can’t say I support spray painting road surfaces but I feel this will capture the City’s attention. I’m aware of four cyclists who were seriously injured but I assume there are more due to this road being used regularly by cycling clubs. I’m also the chairman of the Cycle Specialists club and we don’t come through here anymore on group rides. What happens when a group comes through here, the group leader calls out there is a hazard and swerves to avoid it, there isn’t a lot of space with the uneven surface and the dividing road line, which forces everyone to go into the next lane putting motorists and cyclists at risk.
“The humps are harsh on the bike and this even poses a danger to motorists. This problem needs to be addressed because it seems to be getting worse. I’ve contacted the City to report it on several occasions but I’m pushed from pillar to post between the Roads and Parks departments who blame each other. I’m glad Eric wasn’t too badly injured, he had a lot of soft tissue damage to his elbows. Having said that, this could potentially cause a fatal accident and I have to ask is that when the City will react?” he asked.
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