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Cycle portrait: Sabrina Kumschick
Sabrina is a researcher at the University of Stellenbosch, working for the Centre for Invasion Biology and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
1. Why do you commute to work by bike?
Cycling to work gives me an early-morning energy boost and makes me feel good. Cycling (almost) every day keeps me fit and motivated. On top of that, I don’t have to sit in traffic but can often pass long queues of standing cars, and don’t need to worry about parking. It also saves me some cash that I can spend on nice things rather than petrol. Here in Stellenbosch cycling to work is great because it hardly rains and does not get very cold.
2. How has cycling changed your life?
As long as I can remember, I walked and cycled to school and work. It has become sort of a lifestyle to brave the weather and get out on the bike, no matter how cold and miserable it is (and where I’m from, it snows sometimes and rains a lot). Cycling to work shows me that once you’re out there and move, you warm up quickly. And before you know it, you’re at work, nice and ready for the day.
3. How far do you ride every day?
My commute to work is about 4km each way. Sometimes I also cycle before or after work and often on the weekends, in the mountains or on the road.
4. Tell us more about your bike…
I bought my bike from a friend who “upgraded” to a better bike when I first moved to Stellenbosch 4 years ago. It is a blue GT Avalanche 1.0. This bike has been on many adventures with me and has never let me down. Amongst others it joined me on my first race ever, the Karoo to Coast in 2012.
5. Do you have any advice for people who would like to cycle to work?
I would encourage everyone to embrace the great weather in Stellenbosch and to get out there more. Cycling to work provides an optimal opportunity to stay fit and to breathe some fresh air, and it can save a lot of time spent sitting in traffic. I think the more people join me on the roads for their commutes to work, the more accepted cycling will become in Stellenbosch, and the safer it will be. That being said, I also recommend cyclists to always think for more than just themselves. Some drivers are not very savvy when it comes to cyclists, and it helps trying to foresee what their next movements are to prevent conflict.
6. How can Stellenbosch improve cycle infrastructure and how can we make our town more cycle friendly?
Many drivers in Stellenbosch (compared to other places I’ve been) are not very tolerant towards cyclists and they do not like to share the road. I noticed the new traffic signs “Pass wide”, which are great – however these are only effective if people take note of them. That being said, I think educating drivers would help a lot to increase acceptance. Cycle lanes can be useful, but they should be integrated with the flow of traffic rather than being treated as separate entities. I am thinking of the traffic circle on Merriman and Cluver here, where “going with the flow” as a cyclist is difficult due to the separate cycle lanes. Furthermore, it is difficult to find a place to lock my bike in town. People have been very tolerant towards me taking it into restaurants, but that is not always a good option.
Posted on June 24, 2016 Author adminLeave a comment on Cycle portrait: Sabrina Kumschick
Fietsportret: Marelize Barnard
Vandat ek begin werk het , seker nou al 16 jaar. Op dae wat dit reën, verkies ek om eerder met ‘n sambreel te stap.
Ek is dankbaar dat ek die vreeslike verkeer van Stellenbosch vryspring. Ek kan net langs die toue en toue motors wat opgehoop stil staan, verby ry. En ek hoef seker nie te noem dat ek nie ‘n parkeerprobleem het nie, dws om eerstens plek te probeer kry en boonop parkeergeld te betaal nie. Fietsry bring mens ook definitief meer in aanraking met die Stellenbosch-omgewing. Jy sien dinge raak wat jy nie andersins sou as jy in ‘n motor gery het nie: ‘n hawelose wat sy slaaphoekie kouebestand probeer maak of die prag van die natuur op ‘n warm, stil somersdag. Fietsry gee vir my elke dag daardie bietjie oefening wat ek dink ek andersins nie sou gekry het nie!
Nie ver nie, so 3 km.
Dis ‘n tweedehandse Rocky 18-spoed bergfiets. Een van die ou staalraam-soorte. Twee van my vorige fietse is gesteel, toe besluit ek om nie weer baie geld te bestee op ‘n fiets nie totdat ek ‘n slot kry wat langer hou. Die fiets is dus taamlik gehawend met roes en ‘n paar ratte wat nie werk nie, maar ek ry al vyf jaar met hom, en gebruik meestal een rat. Fietse is gemaak om te hou.
Om so veilig as moontlik te ry, hou almal rondom jou dop en voorspel die heeltyd wat die voertuie en voetgangers gaan maak. Moenie aanneem almal sien jou of gaan by die padreëls hou nie! Dui jou aksies ook duidelik aan voordat jy dit uitvoer. Ry stadig genoeg in besige areas om skielik te kan stop as jy moet. Ek het toe wel intussen ‘n fietsslot gekry wat nog nie geknip of oopgebreek is nie: ‘n “U-lock”. Hy is die beste sover. Indien jy nie hou van in die reën ry nie, hou ‘n weer “app” of webtuiste dop wat vir jou sê watter ure van ‘n dag reën behoort te val. Regdeur die winter kry ‘n mens dae in Stellenbosch wat dit nooit reën nie, selfs al lyk die weer ook hóé dreigend. Fietsry hoef glad nie ingewikkeld of duur te wees nie. Ek laat vervang, baie min, net die remblokkies en bande wanneer nodig en smeer self van tyd tot tyd ‘n bietjie olie aan die bewegende dele.
Motoriste en voetgangers moet definitief meer bewus raak van fietsryers. Dit het al ‘n paar keer gebeur dat motoriste reg voor my inry , omdat hulle my nie in hul blinde kol verwag nie, en voetgangers skielik voor my inloop of uit ‘n taxi klim wat in verkeer stilstaan, omdat hulle nie verwag dat ‘n fietsryer langs die stilstaande motors sal verbykom nie. Geparkeerde voertuie se deure swaai ook soms skielik voor jou oop, omdat bestuurders jou nie verwag nie en net die verbygaande motors in aanmerking neem. Meer padtekens versprei deur die dorp wat teen fietsryers waarsku, al word dit net tydelik aangebring, en ‘n duidelike stippellyn aan die kant van veral smal, besige paaie wat dalk nie breër gemaak kan word nie , byvoorbeeld Birdstraat en Dorpstraat, mag dalk bewustheid verhoog. Die feit dat daar al hier en daar ‘n padteken is wat fietsryers toelaat om op die sypaadjie laat te ry, is ‘n goeie idee, maar op ‘n besige sypaadjie soos in Birdstraat waar daar dikwels massas voetgangers loop en ook stilstaan, is dit amper nie moontlik om daarop te ry nie. ‘n Tipe skeidslyn wat die gedeelde sypaadjie verdeel tussen voetgangers en fietsryers, met meegaande padmerke wat ‘n onderskeid maak, sal dalk help. Besighede in die dorp wat oorspoel op sypaadjies, skep ook tans hindernisse vir voetgangers en fietsryers.
Posted on June 10, 2016 Author adminLeave a comment on Fietsportret: Marelize Barnard