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What do I need to know about solid and broken yellow lines next to the kerb?

Question:

Hi I am trying to find out the law regarding single yellow lines in residential area… Does it mean no parking whatsoever or is their another interpretation? Your help and response would be most appreciated..

Answer:

A solid single yellow line alongside the kerb in a residential area means no parking is permitted there at any time.

A single yellow broken line alongside the kerb means no parking is permitted there during the times shown on an accompanying road sign.

Gavin Hoole
Cape Town
K53 Info Website
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What are the most popular colours for cars in South Africa?

SABC News Online revealed some interesting findings on the most popular colours for cars in South Africa:

“White and silver cars remain the most popular in South Africa with a combined market share of over 60 per cent of all new cars sold in the country last year. Most car buyers opt for white followed by silver and much lower down in the popularity stakes are grey, blue and red. Yellow, maroon, purple and pink are the least popular colours with pink right at the bottom.”

It appears that these colours are perceived to be more “neutral” and it might be easier to sell vehicles with these colours. Others believe that is is easier to repair scratches and damage to these vehicles.

It has also been revealed that the colour black has slipped down the rankings and that the warm climate in South Africa is what is making this a less desirable colour for vehicles in South Africa.

Also view:

Which color car was most popular in 2010?

“Your colour does affect car insurance in South Africa”

3 Attorneys arrested in Pretoria for defrauding the Road Accident Fund

Three attorneys were arrested in Pretoria on Thursday morning in connection with 54 counts of fraud amounting to about R6m, Gauteng police said.

They handed themselves over at the Pretoria Central police station following an investigation by the Gauteng Commercial Crime Unit, said Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale.

Cases of fraud were opened in Brooklyn, Pretoria, last year in July and November by the Road Accident Fund.

Another attorney, a doctor and an agent acting as a middleman, were arrested on Tuesday and had appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.

The attorney and the doctor were granted bail of R10 000 and the agent bail of R1 500, said Mogale.

Two other attorneys were arrested on Wednesday. They appeared in court and were also granted bail of R10 000 each.

It was alleged that the six attorneys, the doctor and the agent were lodging claims on behalf of clients, said Mogale.

Third party claims lodged after an accident were referred to the same doctor, who in some instances provided medical certificates for claimants he had not physically examined.

In some instances, those claimants had not been involved in accidents, he said

All eight would appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on March 6.

- SAPA

Could the size and shape of your buttocks become an anti-theft device?

We have all kinds of unique identifying features! It is however not only fingerprints and eye scanning that can be used to identify a specific person.

Japanese scientists claim their pressure sensor sheet can accurately identify an individual’s backside and when placed on a driver’s seat could be used as a last line of defence to stop someone else driving away your motor.

Your buttocks may have 39 identifying features

“The sheet has 360 sensors, which collect data for 39 features to recognise a person, such as pressure patterns and the dimensions of the buttocks,” said Dr Shigeomi Koshimizu, who led the research.

Koshimizu, an associate professor at Tokyo-based Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, said his device is 98% accurate and far less onerous than conventional biometrics as it requires nothing more than someone to sit naturally.

Clothing may present a challenge

But, he added, there are still a few hurdles to clear before the technology makes it to market.

“The recognition tends to be compromised by different clothes,” he said. “Sensors read different signals from a pair of trousers and a pair of jeans.”

Conclusion:

Few would have thought that the size and shape of your buttocks may one day be an anti-theft device! We believe that not only clothes might present a challenge – but also our ability to change shape with fitness exercises and weight loss programmes.

We look forward to seeing how these studies could impact on fighting vehicle theft and the potential benefits for car insurance!

[Information from a story that appeared via Sapa]

Rules of the Road, Professional Driving Permits and transporting students to events

Question:

Please can you advise on what the regulations are with regards to the transporting of students to an event outside of the school. If a teacher uses their own vehicle to transport students, is there a minimum number of students they can transport, does the teacher need a PDP, what are the legal implications for the school and the teacher should the teacher be involved in a motor vehicle accident while transporting students?

If a teacher is using a school vehicle to transport students to an external event, again, what is the number of students they are allowed to transport, do they require a PDP if it’s more than this number, what are the legal implications if any?

Look forward to hearing your reply.

Answer:

Herewith is a response to the question asked below:

A professional Driving Permit is required for amongst others, the following:

• A minibus which has been designed or adapted for the conveyance of 12 or more persons, including the driver;
• A motor vehicle conveying 12 or more persons, including the driver;
• A motor vehicle used for the conveyance of persons for reward or is operated in terms of an operating licence issued in accordance with the provisions of the NLTTA.

So in answering the question below, if the vehicle used whether owned by the teacher or the school has any of the conditions as set out above applicable, then a PrDP will be required. In case of an accident, the Road Accident Fund Act then applies.

The application form for a PrDP can be accessed on the eNaTIS website at www.enatis.com.

Regards,

Clancinah Baloyi
Manager: Business Analysis
Tasima

What is the Operator card that must be displayed on a vehicle?

Question:

Sir/Madam, can you please clarify the meaning of an offence “Drove motor vehicle on a public road. Operator card not displayed.”

Answer:

Dear Sir or Madam.

For a change, this particular question has an easy and straight-forward answer attached to it.

All motor vehicles which are classified as requiring an operator to be registered must undergo regular roadworthy tests and be issued with a current operator card when this happens. Operator class vehicles are defined under Regulation 265 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000 as follows:

265. Classes of motor vehicles in respect of which operator to be registered
(1) An operator shall be registered in respect of a—
(a) goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms;
(b) breakdown vehicle;
(c) motor vehicle to which regulations 273 to 283 apply as contemplated in regulation 274;
(d) bus;
(e) midibus;
(f) mini-bus—
(i) the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms; or
(ii) which is designed or adapted for the conveyance of 12 or more persons, including the driver; and
(g) motor vehicle used for the conveyance of persons for reward, registered in the Republic.

If your vehicle falls under any of the above classifications, then it requires an operator card (roadworthy disc) to be displayed in its windscreen, along with its license disc.

Best Regards,

Howard Dembovsky
National Chairman – Justice Project South Africa (NPC)

The Ins and Outs of the pothole plague in South Africa

With over 39 000 potholes filled since the launch of The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade in January, it’s fair to say a “dent” has been made to chisel away a problem that plagues Gauteng’s roads – and road users.

But, just as there are always bubbles to squash on a sheet of bubble-wrap, new potholes surface almost as fast as The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade repairs another. So, what makes potholes so prolific?

The answer, says Dial Direct’s Senior Executive, Bradley Du Chenne, lies in the way in which they are formed.

“A pothole is depression or a hollow in a road surface. They form when moisture or water seeps below the surface of the road. The moisture then freezes and expands or heats up and contracts, causing stress to the asphalt.

With asphalt fatigue, and in wet conditions, or even hot, dry conditions, which cause the parched road surface to absorb water more rapidly, potholes are born. As vehicles drive over them, more of the road surface chips away and the holes expand. The bigger and deeper they become, the more dangerous they are, causing damage to vehicles and sometimes accidents.

“South Africa’s busy streets and roads, pummelled by rain and blazing sun, are prime breeding ground for potholes. During the Highveld summer, when it’s hot and rainy, potholes seem to crop up overnight,” notes Du Chenne.

The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade uses the advanced Jetpatcher technology to tend to pothole repairs. The process it uses results in a quality repair that takes very little time and avoids further damage to the road base.

While The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade is committed to repairing as many potholes as it can –typically at an impressive rate of 1000 potholes per week – Du Chenne says the team only has the capacity to repair certain types of potholes and cannot tackle road excavations and deep trenches or cracks.

“These are much bigger, deeper and more severe crevices and holes on the road surface that occur as a result of digging, either manually or with mechanised equipment, during road construction or for creating a passage for the laying of serviced such as pipes and cables. As such, they are not classified as potholes,” says Du Chenne.

The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade fills potholes that are smaller than 1.5m x 1.5m, and no deeper than 150 mm. When potholes are caused by underlying water or when there are deep cracks requiring resurfacing, the team refers them to the relevant road agency for their attention.

At the moment, The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade is working its magic in Ekurhuleni as well as on Gauteng Provincial Department of Roads and Transport (GPDRT) roads. Road users are urged to continue reporting potholes to The Dial Direct Pothole Brigade.

“We rely on the information and reports we get from the public for planning where next to focus our efforts. If you are unsure as to whether or not a pothole falls within our ambit, visit our website. Regardless of the size of the pothole, a pothole inspector will always be sent out to inspect the damage. If it can be repaired by our team, it will be done within a few days. If not, we’ll pass it on to the right people.”

There are three other ways to report potholes to the Dial Direct Pothole Brigade:

1. Online via www.dialdirect.co.za
2. By dialing *120*1551# on a cell phone and following the onscreen instructions (STD USSD rates apply)
3. Via the mobi site – potholebrigade.mobi.

Also view:

Potholes and road damage drive demand for tyre insurance in South Africa

Can I claim for Pothole Damage?

Car Insurer joins the fight against pothole claims with Pothole Brigade

Potholes and Car Insurance

Cyclists need to remain on the left side of the roadway!

http://carinsurance.arrivealive.co.za/cyclists-need-to-remain-on-the-left-side-of-the-roadway.php

Question:

I cycle daily as a means of exercise and sometimes to do my shopping. My daily ride is 20km on a 2.5km circular public road around a bird sanctuary. I have noted that children often cycle on the incorrect side of the road; yesterday, when a man with his two children were doing this, I asked him to cycle on the left-hand side of the road, as I considered it dangerous for the three of them to come head-on at me on each circuit. (The closing speed is much higher in this case, with less margin for error should the children do something unexpected) He was quite irate and said that this was where children should ride!

My question is this – is there some new rule whereby young children should be encouraged to ride on the right-hand side into oncoming traffic? If so, at what age do they then move to the left-hand side, in accordance with the road rules?

Your comments would be much appreciated.

Answer:

There is no such rule.

The first item listed under rules of the road, per regulation 296, states:

296. Vehicle to be driven on left side of roadway(1) Any person driving a vehicle on a public road shall do so by driving on the left side of the roadway and, where such roadway is of sufficient width, in such manner as not to encroach on that half of the roadway to his or her right.

Nowhere does it state that the rule does not apply to pedal cyclists. It therefore applies to all road users moving along the surface of a public road by means of a vehicle of one sort or another.

Regards,

Gavin Hoole

Cape Town
The New K53 Manual
For Learner’s & Driver’s Licence Test Preparation

On the Arrive Alive website there are 2 sections well worth of your attention:

Cycling safely on South African roads and mountain bike trails

Cycling Safety Suggestions for South African Conditions

For insurance and safety alerts to cyclist also view:

Mountain Biking Community Warned To Be Alert Of Counterfeiters Targeting Cyclists

Bicycle and Mountain bike insurance

Mountain Biking Community Warned To Be Alert Of Counterfeiters Targeting Cyclists

Three arrested for hijacking 25 trucks in past 3 years

Three suspected truck-hijacking syndicate members have been arrested in Soweto, Johannesburg metro police said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the three, aged between 35 and 45, were suspected of staging 25 hijackings in the past three years.

They allegedly hijacked trucks transporting cigarettes in the Johannesburg area.

Minnaar said he did not have details about the arrests.

- SAPA

Hijacking and Car Insurance
Where are the hijack hotspots in Johannesburg and Pretoria?

We would like to urge all vehicle owners to also view:

• How to avoid being hijacked
• Hijack Prevention and Road Safety

Car Insurance discussion also to be shared in Afrikaans

On the Car Insurance Blog we have shared hundreds of posts on car and other vehicle insurance and also quite a few posts on related topics such as licensing etc.

We decided to assist another blog with some of our information – and to do so in Afrikaans. This might not only benefit those who are more comfortable in Afrikaans, but also stimulate some additional discussion to be shared on both platforms. To quote from the website in Afrikaans:

Waarom in Afrikaans?

Ten spyte daarvan dat die internet oorheers word deur Engels is daar tekens dat meer individue begin om hul gedagtes in hul moerdertaal op skrif begin stel en op die internet beskikbaar stel. Al is die meeste Afrikaanssprekendes ook Engels magtig, is hul trots Afrikaans en is ons van mening dat hul veral waar dit gaan oor tegniese finansiële begrippe baat sal vind by ‘n bespreking in Afrikaans.

We would like to invite those visitors who are also proud of Afrikaans as a first or second language to view the website at www.geselsversekering.co.za

As an example of a post on Car Insurance also view:

Is Jou Motor verseker teen die korrekte Markwaarde?