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'Cycle road-rage' woman held
02/02/2006 22:41 - (SA)
Cobus Claassen , Beeld
Pretoria - A woman was arrested on charges of reckless driving and attempted murder after she had allegedly purposefully hit a professional cyclist on a pavement with her car.
Waylon Woolcock, 23, who has represented South Africa on several occasions, became the latest victim of so-called cycle road-rage on Thursday.
The "accident", in which Woolcock was slightly injured, comes about a week after a similar one in Centurion.
Rupert Rheeder, well-known professional cyclist from Pretoria, said: "This can't go on. How many cyclists have to die?"
He and Woolcock were training together when the woman apparently ran into Woolcock in Nicholson Street with her Mercedes SLK.
Woolcock, who races for Microsoft, said "the woman was intent on seriously injuring me".
The car's tyre marks were clearly visible on the pavement and lawn on Thursday.
Waved a warning finger
Woolcock said: "I cycled on to the pavement to get out of her way. She raced after me and ran into me on the pavement."
The "accident" took place shortly after 09:00 after the motorist had swerved in front of Woolcock, Rheeder and two other cyclists while they were cycling in the emergency lane.
Woolcock said he warningly waved a finger at her.
After the woman allegedly bumped into one of the cyclists with her side mirror, Woolcock tapped on her car's window with a water bottle and confronted her at a set of traffic lights.
Magnus Gouws, a promising junior cyclist, who trained with Woolcock, said he saw the woman make a U-turn at the corner of Sibelius and Queen Wilhelmina streets and chase after Woolcock. "He sailed over the bonnet and roof after she had hit him," said Gouws.
Gouws himself laid hit-and-run and reckless driving charges against the driver of a BMW who had knocked him from his cycle in Jean Lane in Centurion. His right shoulder was injured.
Rheeder, who will represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next month, said he was sick and tired of "arrogant motorists who drive as if they are trying to prove a point to cyclists".
Hannes le Roux, chairperson of Gauteng North Cycling, said the roads were becoming a battlefield for cyclists.
"Where will it end? Motorist are becoming more and more intolerant of cyclists."
Special lanes for cyclists
Le Roux agreed that there were cyclists who cycled in such a way that they angered motorists.
He said it was high time the government intervened.
"In several countries in Europe there are special lanes for cyclists. Over here, the government is not doing anything to protect cyclists.
Inspector Katlego Mogale said the woman was being held at Sunnyside police station and would appear in court soon.
Karen Estelle Bender, 34, died in a hit-and-run accident on New Year's morning while cycling in Hans Strijdom Avenue near the R21 exit in Centurion.
- Beeld
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