Cyclists will be fined for ignoring road rules warns dept
Following the recent injury of a cyclist, the rules and safety measures required for cyclists have come into the spotlight.
POLOKWANE – Johnny Groenewald was on his way home after visiting friends last Saturday in Dorp Street in Polokwane when a cyclist was weaving through traffic.
Groenewald explained: “The cyclist collided with the side of my vehicle and fell over. I pulled over on the side of the road to see if he might need assistance and saw he suffered an injury to his leg. I took him to the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital so he can be treated for his injury.”
“The cyclists asked me not to open a case pertaining to the accident. I think the cyclist knew he was in the wrong and did not want any issues for not keeping to the rules.
“There are many cyclists who do not adhere to the road safety rules while riding bicycles and it is a big concern for motorists because we do not want to have the injury or even death of these cyclists on our conscience. It is paramount that the road safety rules be adhered to at all times, especially by cyclists, because they do not have any real protection when they are involved in an accident with a vehicle,” added Gronewald.
Limpopo Department of Transport Spokesperson, Kagiso Mootane, said that the department is calling on cyclists to keep to the rules of the road and make sure they are safe.
She said cyclists who do not obey the rules of the road can be fined up to R1 000.
Mootane said that Regulation 311 of the Road Safety Act of South Africa reads:
1. No person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is seated astride on the saddle of such pedal cycle.
2. Persons riding pedal cycles on a public road shall ride in single file except in the course of overtaking another pedal cycle, and two or more persons riding pedal cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time.
3. No person riding or seated on a pedal cycle on a public road shall take hold of any other vehicle in motion.
4. No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall deliberately cause such pedal cycle to swerve from side to side.
5. No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall carry thereon any person, animal or object which obstructs his or her view or which prevents him or her from exercising complete control over the movements of such pedal cycle.
6. A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall do so with at least one hand on the handle bars of such pedal cycle.
7. Whenever a portion of a public road has been set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, no person shall ride a pedal cycle on any other portion of such road.
8. A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road or a portion of a public road set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, shall do so in such manner that all the wheels are situated in the prescribed manner.
