I’m in a bind. I’m facing a quandary. It’s all something of a pickle.

You see… as a cyclist, runner, dog-walker and parent, I can’t decide which I hate more – people on paths and trails wearing earphones, or motorists. 

It’s a close-run thing, I tell you.

Yesterday morning, when I was very politely trying to pass a walker on a narrow stretch of road, she couldn’t hear my faint calls or ringing bell – because she had earphones in, no doubt listening to the audiobook version of You Have Permission to Exist at max volume. Exasperated, I eventually went around her, and – surprise, surprise – she had a near-heart attack and sent multiple self-help-induced dirty stares in my direction. 

So last night, I hated Earphone Walkers the most. 

But then, this morning, I was reminded that in South Africa, motorists truly are the worst. First, my dog and I were almost run over at a pedestrian crossing – on a green man – when not one but two cars decided they couldn’t wait behind a bus and sped through, unsighted by me, of course.

“It tapped into what everyone was feeling at the time – that very few road users are without blame.” 

On the same stroll, I watched as a cyclist raised the ire of a muppet in a Mini, by simply… riding his bike. The Mini passed the cyclist, the driver hooting and shaking his fist. The cyclist and I looked at each other and shared bewildered shrugs. 

A few weeks ago, I was the one cycling on a road that passes a busy school entrance. Unable to wait the mere microseconds it takes for parents to turn into the school, a motorist pulled out from the queue and roared down the road – into the oncoming traffic. Can you believe it? Moments later, I was waiting at a red traffic light, and the instant it turned green, the driver behind was leaning on his hooter. 

I’m not telling you anything you don’t know already, I suppose. But it’s staggering to me just how little patience or mutual respect is shown on our roads. I get that sometimes cyclists can be their own worst enemies, but whenever there’s an accident involving a bicycle, you only have to spend three seconds on social media to see how deranged people can be. My attitude to shared road space is simple: if you’re in a massive car and I’m cycling, you must please calm the hell down. 

But I’m starting to think it’s pointless writing about this kind of thing. Because nothing will change, and all you get is a lot of cyclists agreeing and everyone else saying, “But, but, but.” 

In 2013, when Burry Stander was killed on a training ride, I wrote a column for News24 titled We All Killed Burry Stander. The gist of it was that every road user was to blame, because we all flout the rules, albeit some more frequently and seriously than others.

I submitted the piece, then flew to Italy for my honeymoon. One overnight flight later and friends were messaging me, warning that the article had created a frenzy on forums and chat groups. Local and international cycling stars had shared the article; I think because it tapped into what everyone was feeling at the time – that very few road users are without blame. 

It’s been 13 years since we lost Burry. And in the time since, I would argue, things have only become worse on our roads. Cyclists still get knocked over. School kids die. 

And as always, apathy reigns.

David Moseley is Bicycling’s roving correspondent. He mostly likes to ride his mountain bike on the mountain. Read David’s other columns here. 

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