1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Everything you need to start your day. We all have 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: a voice, use yours call OH to one double four 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: six oh five six seven, join the conversation, OK. 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 2: Talk, let me go. Year. First reports yesterday of that 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 2: sixty one year old cyclist landon Lagrange u La Grangi 6 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 2: yesterday airlifted to hospital still in a critical condition off 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: their head on collision with a Minibars taxi on Victoria 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: Road in Camps Bay. Sustained serious injury, including reports of 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 2: having to have a leg amputated. Joining me on the 10 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 2: line now is Neil Robinson, who is a friend of London. 11 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 2: Good morning, Neil, thanks so much for joining us. Firstly 12 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: we start, yeah, just how is landon. 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: Hi Lester and good morning. Yeah. It's a bit of 14 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: a tough one for me because I'm friends of the family, 15 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: i know London very well, and I'm also obviously I 16 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: work for the Pedal Power Association, so it's a bit 17 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: of a very personal one. He's stable overnight. Obviously he 18 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: lost a lot of blood yesterday. He's in good hands. 19 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: He's in a very good hospital. The family of obviously 20 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: praying for him. But he's a strong guy, you know. 21 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: I've known him for a very long time, and this 22 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: is one thing that he has got his hell of 23 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: a strong and stubborn will and I think that'll do 24 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: him well. Yes, he's got very serious injuries and the 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: next while the next twenty four hours will be pretty 26 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: pretty critical. But as I said, he's in good hands 27 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: there where he is. 28 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: It just brings the memory of December last year where 29 00:01:55,160 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: Idri Sheriff died after being hit by an alleged strong driver. 30 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: We know that person is currently facing criminal charges in court. 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: By again it brings up the consideration and the reminder 32 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: in that our roads are designed, our motorists largely act 33 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: as if the road only belongs to them. What do 34 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 2: we know? How do we know what led up to 35 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 2: this moment of Landon's accident. 36 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: Well, there are precise details which I won't talk to 37 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: because I don't have the full information. I don't like 38 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: doing that. So what I do know because I've spoken 39 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: to two or three of the chaps that were with 40 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: him on the ride yesterday, and essentially a taxi around 41 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: a corner overtook. I believe a few cars veered right 42 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: and smashed into the group of cyclists into land and 43 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: particularly it was a miracle more cyclists were not hit 44 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: by the taxi, and obviously he's sustained serious injuries on 45 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: the scene. I believe there was a doctor riding with 46 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: him and that that did count for quite a lot. 47 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: Where his friends sat around him, they tornicated the wound, 48 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: and yes, sadly he did lose his left leg just 49 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: above the knee. But but I think the quick acting 50 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: cyclists around him, you know, might have saved his life. 51 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: We hope and we pray that it has. But yeah, 52 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: he's broken both of his arms. He's got severe liver injuries. 53 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: They haven't scanned them yet, fall from from a brain 54 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: injury point of view, or he's back from a paralysis 55 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: point of view, so you know, he's not out the 56 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: woods yet. But as I said, he's a fighter. And 57 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: I spoke to his wife Amory this morning and he's 58 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: stable overnight, although because the loss of blood there are 59 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: they are struggling with balancing all of those things in 60 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: his body. 61 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 2: As far as I understand that Victoria Road Drive in 62 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 2: Camps Bay, it's it's not licensed for for for for 63 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: for taxes, for for permitted taxes as public transport, So 64 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: it leads me to believe this may have been either 65 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 2: staff transport or a driver taking extrands. What do we 66 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 2: know about a taxi being on that that part of 67 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: our roadway earlier hours of Sunday morning. 68 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, Leicester. I I don't want to single out of 69 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: taxes because everyone does. I think everyone who breaks the 70 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: law needs to be held accountable. And I'm not sure 71 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: of the licensing of taxes on that particular road. I 72 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: certainly know that the the issues around illegal use of 73 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 1: road by taxes in the past has been well well 74 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: documented it and its pervasive across South Africa. Yes, I 75 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: see other cars and other vehicles et cetera driving in 76 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: cyping lanes in the shoulder of the road very often. 77 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: As I said, we often blame taxis and in this 78 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: particular case, and we don't know the full extent of 79 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: what happens. So I'm not going to I'm trying to 80 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: be objective here, so I won't I won't speculate, but 81 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: all people who break the road. For me, it's about policing, 82 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: the three piece policing, prosecution and punishment. And if there's 83 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: no visible competent policing on the road at any given time, 84 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: a prosecution team which is able to prosecute properly with 85 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: the resources that it requires, and then a punishment that 86 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 1: is fitting the crime. We have massive behavior and cultural 87 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: issues around road usage in this country. Around the country 88 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: all the time we pedal power, we get calls every 89 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,799 Speaker 1: single week about issues. And it's not only higher cases 90 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: like this, it's people in poorer areas, poor kids who 91 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: get knocked over, their families that they lose a bread wearer. 92 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: So I think it's vitally important to know that, yes, 93 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: people sometimes don't like cyclists for whatever reason, but they 94 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: have a right to use the road. If they're not 95 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: breaking the law, they're writing responsibility. We have to share 96 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: the road responsibly and respectfully. 97 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: I got sent an email on Saturday from an article 98 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: from the Financial Times at airs of how and someone 99 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: has emailed me to ask me please raise this on 100 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 2: how Japan has introduced strict cycling enforcement rules for cyclists 101 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: and that they could be up to one hundred and 102 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: thirteen different offenses that could be tagged onto cyclists and 103 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: just twenty four my response would have been But then 104 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: twenty four hours later we have this news of this 105 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 2: incident involving land and is that South Africa does not 106 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: have a cyclist culture. We have a motorized vehicle culture 107 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: and where motor vehicle drivers feel that they own the road. 108 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: So while someone wanted to raise the issue about the 109 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: behavior of cyclists, my response was to be who is 110 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 2: the most vulnerable on South African roads? Is it someone 111 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: strapped in behind a wheel most probably wearing a seat belt, 112 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: in cased in a in a steel cage, or is 113 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 2: it someone who is either crossing a road or riding 114 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 2: on a motorcycle. We have to first address who has power, 115 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 2: who believes they have the right, the sole right to 116 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 2: our roads. And at the moment, it's still motorists who 117 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 2: for some reason don't see a pedestrian or don't see 118 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: a motrist. And of course we do say they are 119 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 2: pedestrians who don't obey the rules of the road. They 120 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 2: are of course cyclists who don't obey the rules of 121 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: the road. But for the time being, as of now, 122 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: until we change it, it's still motorists who rule the 123 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: road not seeing other road. 124 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: Ruses no completely lester. Japan Europe are very different issues 125 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: because the culture is different, the law is different. It's 126 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: a high trust society in Japan. You know, they have 127 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: many different cultural differences to South Africans and Africans and 128 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: Europeans for that matter, so one cannot compare it to 129 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: We need we need stronger prosecution and we need crimes 130 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: that are tabled and brought to book in the sense 131 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: of it sends out a message to people that if 132 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:47,719 Speaker 1: they do break the law, they are going to be 133 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: hell of a serious consequences. And I don't think we 134 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: have that. We are too soft on crime in South Africa. 135 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: In a lot of instances, we have great laws, we 136 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: have a great constitution. However, resource issue around SAPs and 137 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: we need. A premier said the other day on an 138 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: article that people using one computer, you know, how can 139 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: you function like that? Unfortunately we're in the Western Cape. 140 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: Well fortunately for us, we live in a we live 141 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: in a great province and and we don't have control 142 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: over SAPs. I know that that's just that's been an 143 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: issue for the for the local governing party in this 144 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: province for many years. And we can have the best 145 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: laws in the country, but if they're not police properly, 146 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: if they're not prosecuted properly, this stuff will go on. 147 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: It'll carry on, you know. I teach my kids actions 148 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: equal consequences simple. If you do this, this is going 149 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: to happen to you. So I don't think South Africans. 150 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: You spoke about South Africa's being you know, the guys 151 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: trapped into the car engage in a metal casing and 152 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: the site has been vulnerable. I think South Africa sadly, 153 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: we are a law breaking society, a lot of us. 154 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: If you do sixty one, I'm the same. I do 155 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: sixty one on a sixty zone. I'm breaking the law. 156 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: It's breaking the law. Stealing is stealing one cent or 157 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: ten million dollars, it's stealing. So unless we start drawing 158 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: that line between right and wrong, black and white, in 159 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: the sense of you know another thing, which I know 160 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: it's not about lessons this morning, but you do the 161 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: right thing where no one's watching. That is a good 162 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: moral and ethical person and a person on early in 163 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: one morning, driving recklessly thinking no one's around. And now 164 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: look what's happened. And it happens across the country, Lester. 165 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: It's not only in high profil areas, it's all over 166 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: the place. We get inundated of these issues happening weekly, 167 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: and it's it's angering. It's sad, but it's it's it's 168 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: kind of a it's a nasty, horrible, recurring theme that 169 00:10:54,480 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: we go into these holidays sadly, hopefully you know that 170 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: it's not going to happen. But yet again, as you 171 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,599 Speaker 1: spoke about it, Sheriiff, just now three months ago, the 172 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: chap lost his life because of alleged drunk driver and yes, 173 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: that's going to the court at the moment, and we 174 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: hope that something comes of that. But the prosecution has 175 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: to prove every single fact, the defense has to prove 176 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: one hole in the case, and then the case gets 177 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: chucked out to whatever reason. So it's a tough ask. 178 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying that these guys, the prosecuting authorities 179 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: and the police don't work hard. I'm not saying that 180 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: source that we know this. So yeah, it's a systemic problem. 181 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: It's not one particular thing which needs to change. It's 182 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: a lot of things. So there's no silver bullets. 183 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, Nil Robinson really appreciate your time to see of 184 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: the Pedal Power Association. But he's also a close family 185 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 2: friend of that cyclist land and Range who sustained what 186 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 2: is a life changing accident on Victoria Road in Camps 187 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 2: Bay yesterday.