ROB VOGEL, PEDAL POWER ASSOCIATION CEO, RESPONDS:

SOUTH AFRICA HAS A SERIOUS CRIME PROBLEM, AND CYCLISTS ARE JUST ONE OF MANY GROUPS WHO FALL VICTIM TO CRIME. Cyclists are robbed of their bikes and of their valuables, and are also victims of hit- and- run crashes – another offence.

While criminals might not know the exact value of a carbon road or mountain bike, they do know it has value – and that their chances of getting hold of it are good. We live in a violent society, so if we are faced with an attempted bikejacking, the chances are good a weapon will be used. Who wants to go up against those odds?

Visible policing worked a few years ago near Plum Pudding [on Table Mountain], when SanParks stationed a vehicle at the hotspot. Visible policing works on the road too, provided the resources are available. As cyclists, we get frustrated by the perceived lack of interest shown by the authorities in crime involving cyclists, but the police prioritise their limited resources according to where the greatest need exists.

That said, the authorities could do more: deploy resources to hotspots as a starting point for the day’s patrols, and listen to the volunteer groups that provide information, for example.

But dealing with crime is not only about the police – it’s a societal issue, because at the root of crime are dysfunctional family units, drugs and alcohol, gangsterism, unemployment, etc. We need to instil respect for the rules of society.

But despite the crime, there seem to be more people cycling. That is encouraging. We should not give up our public spaces and recreational activities. The more cyclists on trails and roads, the less space for criminals to operate.