It is with sadness that I received an email revealing that Brian Cannoo, the chairman of Think Bike has passed away earlier today!
I was informed with the following message:
“ It is with a sad heart that I must share the news of the passing of Brian Cannoo, head of the Think Bike organization. At 12h33 today he succumbed to injuries received during a motorcycle accident over the weekend in Welkom. Apparently a bus turned in front of him without indicating, while he was attending a track day to train bike riders.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Godspeed”
I went back to my emails on road safety and found the following email I received in 2005 from Brian:
From: Brian Cannoo [mailto:brian@buccaneer.za.net]
Sent: 16 September 2005 23:13
To: jonckie
Subject: Re:Think Bike
Hi Johan
> [ Let me know when you wish to have the link added..]
We’re now live and fully operational - so if you’d place the link, I’d be grateful.
Cheers,
Brian
> Contact Page Information for Arrive Alive
>
> ====================================================
>
> Name: Brian Cannoo
> E-Mail: buccaneer@thinkbike.co.za
>
> Cell: 082 8537503
> Tell: 012 6568070
>
> Address: Box 89938
> Suburb: Heuweloord
> City/Town: Centurion
> Region: Gauteng
> Postal Code:0173
>
> Question :
> Hi
> We are starting a campaign to help educate road users about the
> mistakes that kill motorcyclists. The campaign is called “Think Bike”
> and is run by concerned bikers. Naturally non-profit, this is a
> sincere effort to reduce the carnage on our roads.
>
> As such we would be delighted to receive the endorsement of Arrive
> Alive, and perhaps a link from your website. Our website is not yet
> fully live, but you can see a placeholder at www.thinkbike.co.za and a
> test site at www.thinkbike.co.za/test.
> Thanks for your attention.
Since 2005 Think Bike, under the leadership of Brian has done amazing work in training motorcyclists and in creating awareness of motorcycle safety! The bright reflective clothing of the Think Bike Organization has become a welcome sight on roads across South Africa.
The Arrive Alive Website would like to express our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Brian. May we continue with the road safety efforts of which he was so passionate!!
It is indeed a very sad day for South Africa. Brian will be sorely missed by us all at Think Bike but I am sure Brian’s memory will keep Think Bike alive.
We think of his wife and two children at this time and pray for their peace.
R.I.P. Brian - I know you are riding the highways of heaven!
I met my 2nd cousin Brian only briefly at a wedding i attended in Knysner, South Africa. And from what i saw he was a great man, loved the simple things in life!
He will be sorely missed by all that love him!
R.I.P
Morgan..
Brian’s legacy will live on in Think Bike…
A true evangelist for road safety.
We’ll miss you Brian.
It is fitting for an organisation like Arrive Alive to acknowledge the life of Brian, known to all as Bucc!
It is only with the collaborative effort of everyone concerned that we can really make a difference.
What Brian stood for and promoted must serve as a catalyst to every motorist and motorcyclist. We share the road and as such need to be more aware of each other!
Our condolences to Brian’s wife and children - may his life not be in vain!!
Bucc was a man who touched people’s lives without them even knowing it. His passing is a great loss to his family, Think Bike and the biking community.
Man, this is sad news. I remember seeing the Think Bike posters for the first time in London mid last year when I was there and thinking, this is such an innovative idea.
I’m sure Brian’s life will continue to shine in his work.
Camels, coffee, kindness and a phenomenal IQ. That’s how I remember Brian, my husband’s childhood friend whom I met only a few times - and liked immensely. We know he’s riding the highways of heaven. Godspeed, Brian.
What an honourable & inspirational man. A real loss to South Africa.
You are already missed my friend, but your legacy will live on in our hearts & minds, and more importantly in the Think Bike campaign you initiated.