Lessons from Braam Smit's accident

From elsewhere in the forum:
"Basically we always race from traffic light to the next one and cruise at a leisure speed to, well the next red light.
When stopping at the red light (Rod street) to cross Church street (It becomes Strachan Street as you cross), we flew out of the blocks on the green light.
Braam was a slight bit quicker of the mark than me and collided with a taxi that skipped his red light from our right hand side.
Braam hit the taxi more or less 4 meters into the crossing on or just behind the taxi left front wheel."

From a posting of mine in ThinkBike forum:
"I have been taking note, every time that I stop at a red traffic light, of the number of drivers that run the red light.
It happens EVERY time.
e.g. Monday 7th. Corner Prinsloo + Pretorius St, near State Theatre.
I am stopped at a red traffic light in the second lane.
The light goes GREEN.
I look to the left (a one-way street) and note that three cars have stopped at the line. I pull off gently and enter the intersection.
Half-way across, a car comes hurtling down the furthest lane, ignoring a 'left turn only' lane sign and crosses the intersection, forcing me to brake to avoid a collision.
Now, that intersection has a 5-second double red. Allowing 1/2 second to recognise that the light has changed, 1/2 second to check the lanes to the left, 1/2 second to initiate movement and 1/2 second to cross into the intersection, that driver had entered the intersection 7 SECONDS AFTER the light turned red for him...!"

People, it has got to the stage that we should consider a green traffic light the same as a yield sign...!
Especially when pulling off, EXPECT a taxi to break the law by running the red.
When you get a yellow light, EXPECT a taxi to try jumping the green in front of you.
If you brake for a yellow, EXPECT the car behind you to NOT stop and get out of its way between lanes.

I do not mean to judge anyone.
I just think we should...BE CAREFUL OUT THERE...!

Without sounding flippant - hindsight is an exact science. I commute daily with the LT - in peak traffic in the CBD and all over. Before pulling off i always check to see if there is no robot jumpers. Daily sitting back has saved me as i see this at least 5 x per day. Tend to agree on the point made, to consider any traffic light as a yield sign. Lastly distrust anybody in a cage and think for hom/her as well. Regards and safe riding. LeRoy

I agree! We do not always realize that our bikes are faster out of the blocks than a Ferrari or a Lambourgini. People who run the red light has decided to run it when it turned yellow and if we accellerate at that type of speed, they have no idea that this rocket will block the way that they thought was open.

I am not saying what they are doing is right, but some bikes are so fast that they overtake me on my bike in the traffic and I did not even see them coming!

You know the saying that when in Rome do what the Romans do? Well I think the same can be said for traffic. With all the learners , drinkers and kamikazi pilots out there we should not make any moves that they cannot foresee coming in advance.

Accelerating at a robot or weaving through the traffic at a speed out of proportion to the general expectations of the other road users places us at risk.

This is especially true at night. Having all those lights shining in the traffic makes a motorcycle nearly invisible. In the day it is fine because we are the only people with headlights burning.

From my experience, I have decided that every motorist on the road cannot/did not see me and they will turn in front of me. When I expect it to happen, I am prepared for it and I know where my escape route is. I still consider myself a learner rider, even after three years of riding my bike everyday. Never ever take it for granted that because you have right of way, that it's owed to you. Like the afrikaans saying say's "Liewer bang Jan as dooie Jan" A few seconds can save your life and alot of heartache to your family.