Article in Die Burger

After the interview on Cape Talk, I was interviewed by Die Burger for an article.

http://www.dieburger.com/Stories/News/19.0.1411553496.aspx

Fietsryer van Bellville hou voetgangers van N1

NIKKY OOSTHUIZEN

Kaapstad

26/03/2009 07:38:55 AM - (SA)

Ná sy rits noue ontkomings met voetgangers het ’n motorfiets­ryer van Bellville besluit om ongelukke met voetgangers te probeer verhinder.

Mnr. Nicki de Wet het sowat ’n maand gelede besluit genoeg is genoeg en staan nou daagliks soggens van 08:00 tot 08:30 en smiddae van 16:30 tot 17:30 op die N1 naby die Sableweg-afrit by die Canal Walk-winkelsentrum om voetgangers te ontmoedig om oor die pad te hardloop.

Hy het ’n span van sowat ses motorfietsryers wat hom dikwels help om die N1 vir padgebruikers te beveilig.

“Ingevolge die wet is wat hulle (die voetgangers) doen verkeerd, en daarbenewens hoort mense nie te voet op ’n deurpad nie,” het hy gesê.

De Wet het ’n ruk gelede begin stop en vir wetsongehoorsames die gevare van hul optrede verduidelik.

Hy het gesê dit blyk dat die voetgangers dan sleg voel, want die meeste van hulle vra om verskoning en gebruik dan die voetbrug.

Maar ten spyte van De Wet se pogings om lewens te red, meen hy mense besef nie hulle moet self verantwoordelikheid vir hul lewe aanvaar nie.

Sr.insp. Merle Lourens, verkeerswoordvoerder van die stad Kaapstad, het gesê hul hoofwegpatrolliespan patrolleer wel die pad en is op die uitkyk vir wetsoortreders.

Voetgangers loop veral onwettig oor die N2.

“So af en toe sal ’n verkeers­beampte by ons kom staan waar ons die voetgangers inwag,” het De Wet gesê. “Maar dit is nie my werk om voetgangers van die pad af te hou nie.”

Interviewed on Cape Talk

I was interviewed on Cape Talk 567 at 6:25 this morning about the pedestrian issue, let's hope it raises awareness about the problem.

Some more progress

The hole in the fence on the inbound side of the N1 just after the first railway bridge has been fixed sometime over the weekend, thanks to those involved.

What can be done?

Apparently there is a plan to build a pedestrian bridge across the N1. This seems to have been on the cards for 3 years, but nothing has happened. Construction projects of this nature will typically take anything from 6-9 months or longer to complete, and it has not started yet! I really hope this campaign will cause this construction to start sooner rather than later, as it is an important part of the solution.

Another important part to the solution in my view is for companies employing these pedestrians to provide them with transport between the Acasia park station and their place of work. They have to walk far, and inevitably try to take shortcuts, exposing themselves and others to danger.

Another important issue is the fixing and strengthening of the fences next to the highway. Until these are fixed pedestrians will inevitably find a way onto the freeway. Together with this visible policing is needed to prevent fences from being broken down again, and to educate and, if necessary, arrest offenders.

Some progress

I noticed this morning that the fence on the outbound side next to the railway line just after Sable Road is being replaced. This is great news. I hope this is also going to be done on the inbound side, as that fence is rusted and trampled to the ground in a few places.

It had to start somewhere

The number of pedestrians on the N1 has increased steadily over the past year or so, causing close-shaves, accidents and deaths, all avoidable. Since pedestrians are not allowed to be on a freeway, I decided to take some action to do something about the problem.

I contacted the Century City Property Owners Association to see if they could not repair the hole in the fence on their side of the railway, next to Mercedes Benz. Apparently they have repaired the fence in the past, just for it to be broken down in a day or two, so they stopped repairing the fence.

Next was the TRANSPORT, ROADS & STORMWATER department of the City of Cape Town, who referred me to the Acting Executive Director: Safety and Security. From here I was referred to the traffic department. The response has been mixed, but I'm grateful for those officers who also realised that the problem is real.

The Arrive Alive campaign was also contacted, as well as the RMI Road Safety foundation.

I also continued to stop whenever I encountered pedestrians and trying to educate them about the dangers of running across the road. Realising that this is not a solution, I decided to raise the visibility and involved a number of motoryclists from various online communities, namely Wilddog Adventure Riding, ThinkBike and the Cape BMW Motorcycle Club. A number of motorcyclists joined and we hold regular gatherings to educate pedestrians and raise awareness. The media was also involved, and an article on the issue was published in the Table Talk of 18 March 2009.