VeloNos Mega Ride 2018: A tale of perseverence, human endurance and sheer will-power

It’s gonna be a long post; grab a cup of something...

“Human will is elastic; the only way to find out its limit is by stretching it”

Most of those so called inspirational quotes you read out there were formulated by ordinary human beings who probably went through extraordinary circumstances which consequently had an impact on their perception of life. That little quote up there; it has been inspired by my experiences during the VeloNos Mega Ride.

On Saturday 22^nd of December 2018 11 of us set out to attempt something that had yet to be achieved in Kenyan cycling history: cycle 500Km in under 24 hours, not in a controlled environment but out on a continuous stretch of open road with all the elements to contend with. It is worth noting that in those 24 hours, stoppage time was factored in.

Zooming down the Southern Bypass

(From Team VeloNos) Brian 'Flame', Gabriel Ambuko, Charles Mbugua, David Ndatha, Allan Gogo, Jackson Ng’ang’a, Antony Kuria and Alex Chege. (From Extramilers)Ted Mwatha. Independent riders: David Ngigi and Calvin Kariuki.

Our chosen route for the day is what’s known in Kenyan cycling as ‘Hippo paradise’ i.e. Nairobi –Namanga.  It’s flat and the road is decent enough for most part. An important piece of information: Namanga sits at 1300M above sea level and Thogoto is up there at 2000M plus. Thogoto is where we would start and end our ride: as the old saying goes - what goes down must come up. But we weren’t going to turn at Namanga, because that would only give us 360KM round trip. Our plan was to dip into Tanzania for 70KM and then turn back; this would cover the 140KM gap needed to make 5 centuries.

The week leading up to this ride was an extremely busy one for me as I was working 12-13 hour shifts (0800-2100hrs) at the gym. There’s however an important lesson I have come to learn: if you have a goal in mind and are totally committed to it, everything else becomes a minor distraction that can be waved away. On Friday 21^st December I was lucky enough to get off work with the sun still up and this enabled me to go help with the final preparations for the big day.

At around 1800Hrs we checked into Ndatha’s homestead, known to many as Camp VeloNos, with 84 litres of water courtesy of the wonderful people at SAMA ICE. They have been such committed supporters of Kenyan cycling for the longest time. 

Sama Ice having a conversation with PB&J sandwiches-to-be

Next order of business was to pick up the support car which was going to be a mobile home for our support crew for almost 24 hours. This crew consisted of: the driver (Francis Kenani aka Blue Thunder); the photographer/videographer (Kiragu Mwangi AKA Rash); and two very able mechanics/first aiders/refueling specialists (Kinuthia and Muthami).

I chose not to stay at the camp for too long because anyone who has been there knows how quickly time can pass. It’s always a great place to hang out simply put.

2210Hrs: I finally managed to slip into my bed to get whatever amount of sleep I could manage to gather. The plan was to wake up at 0200, prep for 45-55 minutes and be ready to ‘take off’ by 0300. If you are good with numbers you will have realized that that is less than 4 hours of sleep. Definitely not something I would recommend the day before a 500KM bike ride attempt!

0157Hrs: I get a wake up call from a friend. I jumped out of bed and started getting ready for a very long day ahead. I am one of those people who have a very romantic relationship with food, which simply means I take time to enjoy my meals. There was however nothing romantic about this breakfast. It was all about fueling and getting out of the house as fast as possible. 

0310Hrs: I check into camp, it was a full house! If there were any doubts about this ride happening, they were quickly dispelled. We were already 10 minutes late and so Ndatha in his usual disciplinarian nature told people to start moving. 0324Hrs, Strava on and we head out. It’s a very clear morning with a full moon smiling down on us. At that very moment I knew the big guy upstairs had our backs on this one.

Equipment check pre-launch

Once we hit the tarmac it was full steam ahead. From Thogoto to Ole Sereni (23KM) the average speed was 42-45KPH. Just after Lang’ata we passed Sandy, Elvis and Marie on the side of the road as they cheered us on.

David Ngigi had indicated that he would meet us at Ole Sereni but he wasn’t there so we proceededwith our journey. He did eventually manage to catch up a few kilometres down Mombasa road. We were still doing 40KPH easily at this point until a slight lack of communication almost caused disaster, courtesy of a pothole. We recovered quickly and carried on.

David Ngigi on the chase

Anyone who has ever ridden their bike from Nairobi, Kikuyu etc. to Namanga will tell you that the ride only really starts after Kitengela town because of how hectic Mombasa Road can be. For the 11 of us however, the ride started the very moment we clipped into our pedals at Ndatha’s.

Aerodynamic tuck Credit: Kiragu Mwangi

Our support car was right behind us, lighting up the road seeing as there are no street lights after Kitengela town. 63KM into the ride someone made a joke about Gabriel  aka ‘Gabu’ wearing tinted cycling shades at around 5AM, in a peloton averaging 37KPH equating him to the famous eye witness who made headlines earlier on in the year. At 65KM; crash! Gabu went down after wheel-tapping Brian’s rear wheel. We all stopped; helped him up, assessed the injury, performed first aid and 5-7 minutes later we were all back on our saddles.

First aid for Gabu after the crash

Enroute to Isinya: Credit - Kiragu Mwangi

Once daylight broke, a few individuals decided to show their intention of turning the VeloNos Mega ride into a mega race. From 100KM to 180KM things really heated up. The first bunch broke away after Bissil town. I decided to hold back having had prior experience on how super long rides tend to turn out as the day progresses. 

First bunch breaking away Credit - Kiragu Mwangi

Thogoto to Namanga was done in 5 hours and 11-14 minutes for most of us. That’s 180KM at 34-35KPH, in a 500KM ride. Tea was ordered at the border, and consumed quickly accompanied by peanut butter and jam sandwiches.  Having not sufficiently trained for endurance; Ng’ang’a decided to wrap things up at this point – 180KM done. Chege who was on a mountain bike turned back after refueling and by the time he got back home had managed to clock a very respectable 332KM.

Refueling at the border

The rest of us crossed the border into Tanzania. From this point, until we got back to the border, there would be no support car. "Kuingia jangwani", I called it.

We had had concerns about this particular point of the journey wondering whether we would be required to produce travel documents but nothing of the sort happened, we simply sailed through. After the border we remained as one bunch for quite a while. 

For the next 30-40KM there was really nothing to see in terms of scenery. It’s all wild savannah filled with acacia. Good thing it had rained so the green did our eyes some therapy.

Tanzania: Long, straight and mentally torturous

Then the horrors began. At approximately 240KM into the ride; the composition of our bikes changed from carbon/aluminum to pure lead. Ol Donyo Sambu was upon us: A 15KM stretch of an ‘invisible’ climb that plays tricks on your mind. Calvin and David broke away; I was left with Brian Flame and Gabu. The geniuses in these two guys had informed them that they needed sugar more than water heading into Tanzania and had thus filled BOTH their bottles with sweetened electrolytes. Dehydration was swift.

Up n up: Ol Donyo Sambu

I had my camelback and water bottle both filled with good old H2O. When their throats became too severely perched, Brian and Gabu started to insist that I give them water but I would hear none of it. It got so serious they tried to take off my camelback forcefully. I laugh now as I write this but it wasn’t funny then. 

Eventually I went ahead and asked some Maasai boys, coming out of a homestead to bring water for the two throat-perched cyclists-cum-water-jerkers. Ndatha and Ted eventually caught up and also stopped to wait for the water (250KM). After 10 minutes, the water was still not forthcoming and so I told the guys that we should continue on to the town center just a few KMs ahead and buy water for ourselves for the sake of time. Ndatha, Brian and Ted would hear none of it. Gabu said he would follow me only if I gave him water, I agreed. Talk about exporting corruption!

The Camelbak that almost got me jerked

Once we got to the town center we bought water and some Maandazi. We were quite relieved that they accepted Kenyan money; otherwise we would have had to rob someone. The two of us pushed further ahead to the very top of the climb at which point Gabu stopped but I decided to push just a bit further down. Mileage baby! That’s what this day was all about.

Eventually I turned and rejoined Gabu at the top of the climb. It is when we started descending Ol Donyo Sambu that we realized it was going to be a very tough day. For the next 78KM back to the border we were battered by headwinds, false flats and dehydrating heat. We found GA at some point and when he saw us, he decided to turn back with us. However, since he had stopped, he could not catch up.

At a little past 1600Hrs we finally got to the border. My Strava read 337KM at 30.3KPH. My legs felt like jelly and when I assessed everyone else, I came to the conclusion that they too were really beginning to feel the effects of a hard day on the saddle. Ndatha, Ted and Brian were sleeping in the car; Calvin and David were pouring water on each other’s heads. Tanzania had done damage. The final 180KM stretch home was going to be a mental battle like no other. Sadat who was also supposed to join us earlier was here. Apparently he had tried to chase us down after a late start but couldn’t catch up.

Melons, bananas, oranges, ugali and rice were consumed in copious amounts. This was the longest stop during the ride. At a very respectable 295KM, Allan decided to wrap it up at this point and gave his bike to Brian Flame.

At 1700hrs we all left Namanga including Sadat. Everyone else went ahead. I struggled for the first 20KM but eventually my good old diesel engine picked. I managed to catch up with Ted and Gabu who at this point were just surviving. A few silly attacks later and I decided it was time to regroup and feed off each other in order to finish.

When we got to Bissil; it was dark; Davy and Calvin had stopped to eat again. I kept going but eventually stopped at the top of the climb, I still can’t remember why. Once again everyone passed. I got back on the bike and a few minutes later, adrenalin kicking, I managed to reel back in Ted, Gabu and Ndatha. It is at this point that I knew bodies were beginning to fail. Ted’s knee ligament had swollen same with Ndatha’s tendon. Gabu was really beginning to feel the effects of his earlier crash.

All this time, Allan, Sandy, Marie and Jodee were behind us, lighting up the road. A sacrifice we shall never forget.

It was now time to bring synergy into play and get home. From here onwards, things went downhill fast. A few Kilometres to Kajiado, at 400KM, Ted’s knee completely gave in and he had to call it a day, a very solid effort!

It was now just the three of us bunched together, on a bright, cold night surrounded by the plains of Kajiado. Everyone else was up ahead fighting their own demons.  After Kajiado town things got really hazy for me. All three of us started to fall asleep on our bikes. Every few minutes we would shake our heads in an attempt to stay awake but still on several occasions we found ourselves veering off the road. It took the honking from our support crew to get us back on track. Several times I hallucinated. Our shadows ahead of us appeared like bike tubes coiling in and out.

The more you exert a failing body, the more it wants to shut down so that the recovery process can commence. This is a natural in-wired, self-protection mechanism. There is a limit beyond which the body simply cannot allow you to surpass. Certain drugs can raise this limit, which is dangerous because it means you are taking the body beyond a point where it can self-heal. On that day, every person who eventually finished the VeloNos Mega ride surpassed this natural limit but not through the use of drugs but by sheer will-power.

At 440KM Ndatha waved for us to stop so that he could apply Deep Heat to his knee. I got off the road and collapsed on the side. Sandy came and elevated my head on her lap while Jodee and Marie kept asking me where we were and I remember saying 34KM to Arthi River and then the second time 33.5KM. For the next few minutes I drifted in and out of consciousness.

10 Minutes later we were back on the road, I felt slightly fresher and this time we managed to push all the way to Kitengela and eventually Arthi River. I remember looking to my left and seeing Mombasa road and boy was it a sight for sore everything!

We stopped when we reached Mombasa road. Bananas, biscuits, water were consumed just to keep going. At this point everything tasted horrible. Every system in the body was fatigued and needed to shut down. 40KM to Thogoto.

Mlolongo climb was manageable but once again sleep was setting in. The good thing is that Mombasa road is quite busy at whatever time hence we were more alert. GA informed us that the other group had just passed Kabanas; this kept us going knowing that we were all still united in suffering.

We could now smell the southern Bypass and with that came an increase of speed. We finally got to Ole Sereni at a little past 1AM. At this point we knew that there was only 23KM to the end. Our support crew went straight ahead to refuel and drop Jodee home.

We kept going but stopped just under the Langa’ata overpass; 17KM to go. A few seconds later we were rejoined by Sandy and crew. Deep Heat for Ndatha’s knee once again. At this point I was feeling nauseous and cold.

Five minutes later we were back on the saddle. From this point on we did not stop and once I saw Thogoto climb I knew our troubles were almost over. From the bottom of that hill to the top, I fixed my eyes on the tarmac below me. Six minutes later, it was over, we had hit the flat section; 1.1KM to go.

I have never, in my life felt such great joy as I did when I was riding that last flattish section towards Thogoto. As we were exiting the bypass, Gabu decided to attack at 100RPM, this after more than 500Km on the saddle. Ndatha and I chased him down. Once we rounded up at the top, I lifted my fist up like I had just won the Tour de France. It was the most amazing sensation I had ever felt. 

516.5KM, 4419M elevation gained, 19hours and 5 minutes of actual moving time. This was one special day on the saddle!

3AM, 516KM done. I was out for the count

Brian got 512KM, Kuria 490KM, Gabu 516KM, Ndatha 501KM, Calvin 528KM, Sadat 357KM, Davy 501KM

Perfect weather; great support; just a single manageable incident. We were truly favoured on that day.

Why on earth would anyone engage in such madness you ask?

5 of us qualified for the 2019 World Multisport Championships scheduled for Pontevedra Spain. This being a self-sponsored event, and our team being a self-sponsored entity, we had to come up with a way of raising money. This mega ride was our first drive. But it is not just for our competitive ambitions. As a team, we have a passion for greening our environment and therefore 20% of all funds we shall raise from this drive will go towards a tree-planting project in Kibiku forest and our locality Thogoto whereas 80% will go towards funding our quest for Spain.

PAYBILL NUMBER: 185259

ACCOUNT NAME: YOUR NAME

Rider security: Staying safe on the road

Warning: No photos; long read (they always are anyway)….but totally worth it!

“Cycling is freedom, it should be…… “

The ability to get on  your bike, and head out to wherever the roads or trails might lead you in this age of limited living and playing spaces is to say the least, one of the most liberating things one can do. And this is why I have always loved the bike since I was a kid and one of the main reasons I decided to buy a bike as an adult. The memories and moments you can create from this simple act – no one can take that away from you. And that’s what life is all about: Memories and moments.

Sadly, the world we live in is full of people with sinister intentions. These are individuals who lay in wait for others who have worked hard for what they own in life so that they too can get to enjoy these things, without the hard work part: Low-lifes who prey on the seemingly vulnerable.

As cyclists we are not spared from the reality of having to deal with such individuals albeit on a rarer frequency than say, drivers. So let me get into my subject matter for today: Personal security while on the road

The reason I am writing this is because I recently found myself in a bit of a situation with a couple of Neanderthals who wanted to reap where they had not sown. 

Here’s a brief: My team mate and I had just come from a 110km ride on the Southern Bypass. When we got to the finish point (The top of Thogoto climb) I told him that I wanted to round back down and climb the hill just one more time, to make it 117km, just for the sake of it. He wasn’t too keen on joining and so I proceeded solo.

I went down, circled the intersection at the bottom and started climbing. About 1.2km into the hill, I saw two guys on foot. When I passed them, one of them started sprinting towards me saying ‘haya twende! Twende!’ (Alright let’s go!) Now I am used to dealing with all manner of people while riding, including these tour de France fan types that feel the need to chase down someone on a bike and so I didn’t pay too much attention. When he upped his speed that’s when I got little concerned and sure enough, a few seconds later I felt a bony hand dig into my back jersey pocket probably in an attempt to grab my phone. Needless to say I was not impressed.

I reacted quickly and swerved, consequently crashing on the side of the road. On seeing this, the low-life douche tried to take advantage but I made certain murderous threats that made him think twice about his intentions. These two to three seconds of self-doubt is all I needed to get on my feet and when I did; boy was I baying for blood! 

One of them picked up a stone, something that I had considered doing myself but chose not to reasoning that such an action might cause this grey-matter deprived individual to cast his first. I however informed him that if he dared hit me with the stone, that would be his last action on earth. Both of them panicked and started retreating into a blue-gum tree line just a few metres from the road. A truck driver who had apparently seen the entire drama from his side mirror stopped his trucked, backed up and came to check on me! (Side-note: Truck drivers are awesome!)

The crash didn’t do much damage. All I got was a bruised elbow and a slightly sprained hip; all valuables intact and for that I am very grateful. As we always say #VeloNos #SponsoredbyGod. The big guy came through.

Here are several pointers I would like to give you all my brothers and sisters on two wheels in order to significantly reduce the chances of such a thing happening to you:

1.       Get a riding partner

I fully understand that this is not always possible especially if you are one of those people who are privileged enough to be able to ride while most other people are working. That said, whenever possible, try and get someone you can ride with especially if you are charting new territories.

2.       Situational awareness

Being a cyclist I understand how one can get so caught up in a moment of riding bliss that they forget what’s going on around them. Steep and long hills also tend to have this effect as all effort is directed towards getting to the top – think tongue and teeth out, eyes almost rolling behind the eyelids. Be that as it may, it is very important to always be aware of what’s happening around you, at all times. This will significantly improve your reaction time in case something out of the blue happens.

3.       Always trust your gut

Each one of us is wired with the so called gut feeling. The more you live, the more experiences you go through, the sharper this instinct gets. Wherever you are at in life, always trust your gut instinct and act accordingly. If for some reason during your ride you begin to feel uneasy – maybe because you have noticed someone tailing you or you have spotted some suspicious fellas up the road; ride as far away and as fast as possible in the opposite direction. In my case, trusting my gut accorded me a few precious seconds that made a world of difference.

4.       Avoidance over confrontation

If you can avoid getting into an unfavorable situation during your ride, please do so, it does not make you a coward; it makes you smart. 

5.       Go into the light

“Don’t go into the light”. That’s the advice they give in movies when faced with a near-death experience. In cycling, I advise you to do the exact opposite. In other words, try to ride in daylight as often as possible. Darkness comes with a great deal of risks.

6.       Stay ‘strapped’

Some might refer to this point as controversial. I however believe that it is necessary to carry with you some form of protection especially if you fall in one or both of these categories:

·         Cyclists who ride late into the night, like really late, not sundowner type of riders

·         Cyclists who ride in well-known unsafe areas

I am fully aware that a few paragraphs up I have talked about avoiding confrontations but we live in an unpredictable world. You might do everything right and still find yourself, well, confronted with a situation. My opinion is that everyone deserves to feel safe.

Random example: say someone stops you in the middle of the road and demands you give them your full-carbon Pinarello/S-Works/Giant/Trek roadie or MTB that set you back a few pay-cheques. He is not armed, he just thought he should try his luck because, well, you sort of appeared weak and vulnerable, riding all alone in the middle of nowhere. I will hand you a lifeline, you have a can of pepper-spray in your back jersey pocket.  I will let your imagination do the rest.

I am not just talking about weapons of mass destruction. Something as simple as a whistle can significantly get you out of tight situations. Hint: Noise gets attention and that unsettles most people with sinister motives.

Anyway, this last piece of advice is my personal opinion; apply it with absolute discretion. 

At the end of the day, all I want is to see more people on bikes; being accorded the respect they deserve by drivers, pedestrians and people from all walks of life. We should all be able to ride our bikes without fear for safety of both self and machine.

I have a dream…….

Call me an optimist.

8 Things that piss off cyclists on Kenyan roads

Riding your bike on Kenyan roads does come with its fair share of annoyances. This is not meant to discourage anyone from cycling but rather enlighten them on the inherent challenges and how to deal with them as and when they arise.

From crazy/inconsiderate drivers to zombie-like pedestrians to animals with a ‘dark sense of humour’. The things that can piss off cyclists on a Kenyan road, on any given day during any given ride are numerous. The following are some of the most notable ones.

1. Hooting

Why the hell do so many motorists like to hoot at cyclists like they have just seen a demon from Hades? I totally understand a driver honking at a cyclist whose movements on the road seem unsure, unpredictable and reckless but hooting at a person simply because they are riding a bike and using the same road you are is disrespectful and annoying. Cyclists have a right to use public roads the same way motorists do as long as they adhere to the rules. This is very clearly stated in our laws. Most roads in Kenya don’t have cycling lanes so hooting and/or yelling at a cyclist to get off the road is undoubtedly selfish and uncouth. In the words of people who use ‘alternative’ means of transport; ‘you own the car, not the road’. So share the road.

Stop hooting!
Source: http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Auto/Unnecessary-hooting-irks/688614-4541144-acp9m/index.html

2. Abrupt stops

This is how it usually happens: there you are enjoying your ride when a vehicle overtakes you and for whatever reason the driver decides to stop it only a few meters in front of you. No prizes for guessing what the outcome might be for the slow-to-react bike rider. On Kenyan roads, it is PSV drivers who are known to have this behavior plus the occasional private car owner. It all stems from an culture of general recklessness and impunity that has taken root in the country. 

Here is a question I would like to pose upon culprits of the aforementioned asinine crime: how much time does one really save by pulling this stunt? Wouldn’t it be more human for a driver to wait for the cyclist to pass the point where they want to stop and then come to a stop without endangering anyone’s well-being? But you know what they say about common sense right?  It’s getting extremely rare with every generation of human beings. I have to say this though; there are some drivers who after committing this sin are very apologetic; so I guess that somewhat gives me a little hope in humanity – just a little. Different people will deal with this situation differently. My advice: make it known to the driver that what they have done is absolutely unacceptable otherwise they will do the same to another cyclist – maybe with a worse outcome. Curse words are acceptable for the unapologetic driver.

3. Cat-walking pedestrians

Have you ever come across a pedestrian who isn’t sure whether they want to cross a road or not? And when they do decide to cross it, they do so as if they are showcasing some high-end fashion on a catwalk in Milan. It’s a crazy world I tell you! I am not exaggerating, this stuff happens to the average cyclist quite often.

Even more annoying are pedestrians who cross the road while texting or browsing or whatever else it is that people do while staring on their phone screens. You know what I think; human beings are slowly losing their innate sense of self-preservation i.e. that in-born instinct that enables us to stay alive. How else would you explain such behavior? Is replying to a WhatsApp message more important than getting to the other side of a busy road safely? Seems the answer is not so obvious in this day and age. My way of dealing with such individuals is probably not legal so I will refrain from recommending it. So on this particular issue I have to say; “suum cuique” (to each their own).

A dog-walker crosses the street during a UCI-sanctioned ITT
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/15/sport/peter-sagan-cycling-champion-dodges-dog-walker/index.html

4. Motorbikes

I know I have talked about the infamous ‘nduthi’ riders and their lunacy on Kenyan roads but I am going to touch on them again. As I said, I have nothing against this group of fellows who are just out there trying to make a living but at the end of the day, you’ve got to call a spade a spade.

Ever seen a motorbike come at you on the wrong side of the road at full speed? Or hooting at pedestrians to get off a PEDESTRIAN walk? Happens every day my friend and those guys feel entitled to do so. The most annoying thing is that if you don’t comply they just might push you off the road or worse still inside the road. Here’s another scenario that I am sure many cyclists have faced: there you are coming down a descent at full speed then out of nowhere this Nduthi dude decides to cross the road only a few meters in front of you. Needless to say, it can turn really nasty really fast. Here is my rule on how to deal with a suicidal/homicidal nduthi guy: you see one, you create as much distance as possible.

Kenyan 'nduthi' riders are a special breed
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQZMGXZXLMM

5. Groping bystanders

I used to hear about this but never thought it was that serious until I went out on a ride with a lady. There are actually members of the male species out there who will literally run after a female cyclist in an attempt to touch certain parts of their anatomy. Here I was thinking that apes only dwell in the wild. Actually wait, that’s a major insult to these intelligent creatures. Once again my recommendation on how to deal with such characters is probably illegal but it starts with ‘pepper’ and ends with ‘spray’.

6. Open doors and broken teeth

Why would someone stop their car on the side of a road and then proceed to open the door on the driver’s side without bothering to check what’s coming from behind?! I know a few cyclists who have suffered some considerable bodily harm and machine damage as a result of riding straight into an open car door. It’s not pretty - All this because someone was too absent-minded and inconsiderate, while using a PUBLIC road. Whenever I see a driver pull up their car on the side of the road, right in front of me, I will either slow down or move a few feet inside the road, if all is clear. Anticipate, react, survive. It has worked for me so far.

Boom!
Source: https://www.bikeaccidentattorneys.com/doored-bicycle-accident/

7. Unattended livestock

Ask any cyclist and they will probably tell you that they have been involved in not one, but several incidents with some type of animal, be it on the road or on a trail somewhere. Dogs and goats are the worst. A dog will see you coming; ‘pretend’ to be minding its own business and then boom! It will leap in front of your bike at the very last minute. I swear I am not making this stuff up.

Don’t even get me started on goats and sheep. Their herd mentality is what makes them such dangerous adversaries on the road. If you ever see a flock of these guys on the side of the road and one decides to cross, slow down or stop because the rest will follow the leader and you my friend might end up being the laughing stock of that livestock.

8. Hit and run

Of all the things that piss off cyclists, this definitely takes top spot. It is the hope of every cyclist that they never have to deal with such a situation. It might not always be possible but whenever you can, try and ride with a group or one other person. Doing so not only accords you more respect on the road but also, in the event that something happens you can always be sure that you will be well taken care off. A wristband that contains your personal details and an emergency contact can also come in very handy. Contact the writer if you are interested in the same.

When car meets bike, it's never pretty
Source: https://southafricatoday.net/south-africa-news/western-cape/cyclist-killed-in-an-apparent-hit-and-run-on-sir-lowrys-pass/