Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 cancelled

Agreed - we trook a chilled ride back along Sea Point on the Promenade and what a beautiful day, heading down to the beach soon .

LOL. It was not good beach weather though. Maybe if you had a kite. 

 

Does most do the money actually go back into charity? Or is that just a story we tell ourselves to make us feel better while we watch the news of people's shacks burning down, on our 50" flat screens, while sipping our R40 per bottle craft beers.....

its not really about charity we need these type of events to work and so do the less fortunate folk because tourism does contribute in a really big way directly and indirectly to the western cape economy (we don't exactly manufacture or mine down here )

if the tourism and especially these short special events cash injections stopped we would all be in the dwang together in the kaap

#just saying

Not 100% sure if this was today - truck blown over by the gusts.

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Poor people who have lost everything and are angry don't see us as a "cycling community" they see us as a bunch of middle aged dudes who ride bicycles which cost more than what they earn in a year....

 

When you don't have its human nature to hit out at those who do.

 

Yes somebody probably told them to do it, but they wouldn't have if the underlying anger wasn't there.

 

If my and all my friends family's houses had burnt down and it seemed to me that the City cared more about a bunch of "rich" people on bicycles, I would be pissed off too.

You know what Patches, I agree with you in principle; the immedate observation is the unsettling contrast between Pinarellos's and burnt down shacks which should act as a clear reminder to those of us more fortunate to not only be grateful but also to become involved in poverty alleviation. But this also touches on the short-sightedness of such protests - it makes a clear (and often valid) yet momentary point, but the long term results are usually to the detriment of all involved, rich and poor alike. And I'm afraid we are going to see this here in coming years.   

Ps - do we know what the protests were about as details seem to be sketchy? Stories are doing the rounds that the was planned (i.e. before the fires) and, coming from Gauties where there was talk of "third forces" behind xenophobic attacks to destabilise the newly elected Pretoria and Jhb municpal managment, I cannot help but wonder if there is not some political move behind what transpired this morning...I'm probably wrong though   

You know what Patches, I agree with you in principle; the immedate observation is the unsettling contrast between Pinarellos's and burnt down shacks which should act as a clear reminder to those of us more fortunate to not only be grateful but also to become involved in poverty alleviation. But this the touches on the short-sightedness of such protests - it makes a clear (and often valid) yet momentary point, but the long term results are usually to the detriment of all involved, rich and poor alike. And I'm afraid we are going to see this here in coming years.

 

Ps - do we know what the protests were about as details seem to be sketchy? Stories are doing the rounds that the was planned (i.e. before the fires) and, coming from Gauties where there was talk of "third forces" behind xenophobic attacks to destabilise the newly elected Pretoria and Jhb municpal managment, I cannot help but but wonder if there is not some political move behind what transpired this morning...I'm probably wrong though

When you live hand to mouth, you don't think about the day after tomorrow, you only worry about the now.

Not 100% sure if this was today - truck blown over by the gusts.

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That looks like the approach to Du Toit's kloof Tunnel on the N1 after Paarl

That looks like the approach to Du Toit's kloof Tunnel on the N1 after Paarl

"A" batch would have been fine on that road. Not sure about the pro's tho'.

Yes there will always be haves and have nots. It's not just the governments problem, it's ours too. The least we can do is show some compassion to those who have not.

 

"Does this mean we can't have mass events?" No, that's not what I said. No need to make it about extremes.

 

Does most do the money actually go back into charity? Or is that just a story we tell ourselves to make us feel better while we watch the news of people's shacks burning down, on our 50" flat screens, while sipping our R40 per bottle craft beers.....

I still owe you some awesome Cappuccino. 

I think we have collected a fair bit of points for some rigourous debate. Hopefully next time I won't suck up Hels. 

Where on the route was it that bad? I got to end of blue route where they physically stopped us from going further. Yes it was hectic at the start but after that it was ridable. There are going to be a lot of angry people, me included.

 

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The wind on the foreshore is always out of hand. Then I think the next point of strong wind would have been coming to smits and up. After that tail wind - easy pedaling.

Just for the record - I rode 2009 - strongest wind recorded was 60km/hr - this morning the stongest recorded was 100km/hr - good decision to cancel the race - it would have been carnage out there

The wind on the foreshore is always out of hand. Then I think the next point of strong wind would have been coming to smits and up. After that tail wind - easy pedaling.

I rhink that you only need one spot on the route where the wind catches a bunch in a gust at a bad angle and brings down one rider in each group that passes and you have a catastrophe.

I alaways wonder why the race is wedded to a date that is likely to have unpredictable weather.

How come there was no tv coverage this morning like all other years?

Just for the record - I rode 2009 - strongest wind recorded was 60km/hr - this morning the stongest recorded was 100km/hr - good decision to cancel the race - it would have been carnage out there

I rode 2009. Strong gusts 0f 150km/h where measured. No idea where you got the figure of 60 from. But I agree with you. Sorry all but the correct decision was taken.

Ja, Windguru underquoted and Mother Nature over delivered.

Wind bad, but not so bad here in Strand. About 50km/h here. As usuall with the SE it is the gusts that are the problem.

I'm really sorry for all those that trained, then travelled and coughed hard earned cash for the cancelled race. I'm long over mass participation events.  To the protests. In Africa (and maybe elsewhere) such mass participation events can be held hostage against some conflict, inequality, slight; real or imagined. I sympathise with those who had next to nothing and have now lost houses and loved ones.

But I am pretty confident that getting the "Argus" cancelled and wrecking things, maybe burning more stuff isn't going to result in an improvement, well maybe you'll score some free stuff but it will only be temporary. Patches et al may see it differently.

Like it or not this is the way of the future as I cannot see, and have not seen, anything that is going to change it.  But who knows?

I understand that there were a number of issues surrounding this year's cycle tour, but the simple matter is you do not allow 35,000 cyclists the majority of whom would be categorized as inexperienced to cycle in 100 km/h winds...... this would lead to absolute carnage.

Not 100% sure if this was today - truck blown over by the gusts.

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Is of a few weeks back when the winds were terrible in the Boland. I think the same day as the bad fires in Du Toits and Paarl.

Wind today is not as bad in the Boland as it is in the Peninsula.

No matter how valid the other reasons for cancelation are - the initial disruption (shortening) was of political nature. The OMTOM will be next and thereafter the CTCT will be bribing any number of groups for the years to come. Liberal/humanitarian logic is one thing but anarchy and preventing freedom of movement is another. Minimizing the importance of the event in terms of what it means to others is just plain arrogance. Some people have saved hard, trained hard and may not be alive for another ride. Some cannot afford it again. Yes there are poor people out there - can anyone expect a group of cyclists to correct the massive social injustices?

Total BS and weak planning. Need to have more rigorous plans for a big event...too many last minute decisions just points to inexperience.

The world has become a selfish disrespectful place where inconsiderate people live... now I'm generalising, but, you have people complaining about the event not talking place... because of whatever the reason is that canceled it.... but as previously mentioned, people's residences are burning and all we worried about is a damn fun ride? WTF is wrong with you people? It's the selfish uncompassionate opinions of people that causes this world to sink deeper into hate and chaos! For F@ck sakes get over yourselves!

No matter how valid the other reasons for cancelation are - the initial disruption (shortening) was of political nature. The OMTOM will be next and thereafter the CTCT will be bribing any number of groups for the years to come. Liberal/humanitarian logic is one thing but anarchy and preventing freedom of movement is another. Minimizing the importance of the event in terms of what it means to others is just plain arrogance. Some people have saved hard, trained hard and may not be alive for another ride. Some cannot afford it again. Yes there are poor people out there - can anyone expect a group of cyclists to correct the massive social injustices?

Seems the organisers were a bit ambushed on this one. I'm sure next year the city & organisers will put steps in place to avoid this happening going forward

Total BS and weak planning. Need to have more rigorous plans for a big event...too many last minute decisions just points to inexperience.

obviously you have insight in the timing of decisions.

is engaging in discussion with you going to result in something constructive or are you just angry and need to vent ?

total *** that they couldnt plan the wind better; or call in the army to suppress those pesky poor people; or sorting out all those fires smoking up the place...... 

Total BS and weak planning. Need to have more rigorous plans for a big event...too many last minute decisions just points to inexperience.

Just a question: were any of the fires (yesterday's, or today's in Houtbay) deliberately ostarted?

If so, I'll bet that there will be more fires next year, and at Oceans time...