27 Sep 2012 PPA looks after commuters’ safety in Retreat
In preparation for October’s “Transport Month”, the Pedal Power Association ‘gave back’ to the community when staff members of the Association, together with local Traffic Officers and friends of the PPA, spent a few hours on Wednesday 26 September to hand bicycle helmets and reflective bicycle strips to commuters from the Retreat, Grassy Park and Lavender Hill areas.
The initiative started just after 06h30, and ended just after 08h00 when 200 helmets and 800 reflective strips had been distributed.
Peninsula Beverages (PenBev) also came to the party by not only sponsoring 20 of the helmets, but also giving each commuter an ice-cold tin of Coke to enjoy during the day.
“This was such a wonderful surprise and I felt so very lucky this morning,” said Samuel Yobanda, who commutes daily between Lavender Hill and Tokai where he works night shifts as a security guard. “Thank you to the Pedal Power Association for helping to keep me safe on the road.”
For Matthew Fortune, who cycles daily between Retreat and Constantia, this was a dream come true. “I am so happy,” he said. “I need my bicycle every day but could not afford to buy a helmet.”
The Pedal Power Association (PPA) conducts these helmet handouts quarterly in an effort to ensure commuters are not only comply with the law, but to add to their safety by becoming more visible to motorists.
“The Helmet Safety Drive is part of the PPA’s annual project funding initiative,” explained PPA’s chairman, Steve Hayward. “We are in the fortunate position that the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont are the beneficiaries of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, who organises, amongst others, the annual Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The PPA uses any profits received in this way to run the Association, and, in 2012-2013, will plough over R1,7 million into cycling projects,” said Steve. These projects include specific commuter and safety drives like the helmet hand-outs and a campaign to make motorists more aware of the best practice 1.5m safe passing distance when motorists pass cyclists on our roads.
“In general commuters will spend money on food and not helmets and lights,” Steve said. “Apart from it being law, it makes good sense to always wear a helmet – you never know when for example a dog will jump out at you, causing you to fall. In addition, many commuters wear dark clothes and are quite difficult to see on the road. We hope the reflective strips will help in this regard.”
