outlawing road racing would have saved many lives this year
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Clive George on 8 Aug 2010 14:40 On 08/08/2010 18:03, Mortimer wrote: > I admire those cyclists' fitness. I can keep up about 20 mph on the level That's actually pretty swift for a non-racer. How long can you keep that up for with no tailwind?
From: thirty-six on 8 Aug 2010 14:55 On 8 Aug, 15:57, Nick Finnigan <n...(a)genie.co.uk> wrote: > Derek C wrote: > > information about alternative routes, etc. If it was not a closed road > > event, then that was even worse, as competitors are expected to keep > > to the laws and rules of the road, and to comply with the highway > > code. > > It probably was a (rolling) closed road event: It would then have been accompanied by police outriders and all would be clear. http://www.richmondgp.co.uk/downloads/RaceManual10.pdf'Road Use'
From: thirty-six on 8 Aug 2010 15:09 On 8 Aug, 18:03, "Mortimer" <m...(a)privacy.net> wrote: > "JNugent" <jennings...(a)fastmail.fm> wrote in message > > news:8c7evbF5n4U1(a)mid.individual.net... > > > > > Mortimer wrote: > > >> If they are going to run races on public roads, they need to abide by the > >> highway code, and keep the bikes on their own side of the road, not > >> blocking oncoming traffic, and preferably where there are only a few > >> bikes, keep the bikes no more than two abreast as the Highway Code > >> requires to allow other traffic to overtake. > > > I'm astounded. > > > That is (or was) absolutely outrageous. > > > Who on Earth do they think they are? > > > That driver (who seemed to have thought he was a marshall) was clearly > > guilty of dangerous driving. Tell me you complained to the police, > > please... > > If I had had the foresight to take his car number, I probably would have > done. I imagine he was driving aggressively because he wanted to get to the > road junction before the cyclists got there, so he could block off the side > road that he and I approached from. But that doesn't excuse "out of my f-ing > way" gestures, headlamp flashing and aggressive driving. > > Once he'd blocked the traffic, he nipped smartly ahead of the cyclists so I > didn't get a good view of him: my attention was taken by the cyclists who > were being preceded by a second marshall car on the wrong side of the road > and followed by a third one bringing up the rear. Behind that was a long > stream of cars, some with signs on which suggested that they were support > vehicles, others were private cars who were stuck behind the "procession". > It probably took about two minutes before there was a large enough gap for > me to pull out into the main road. > > Once I was on the road, we went at about 30 mph apart from on the approach > to a couple of slight hills - on a road where the bends prevent you going > much faster than 40, so it was no great hardship. > > I didn't see any police cars anywhere performing traffic control duties such > as stopping oncoming cars: everything was being done by the marshalls' black > cars with "Caution: Cyclists" roof signs and amber flashing lights. > > If you were faced with an oncoming car on your side of the road, would you > swerve onto the verge or would you flash+hoot him and hold your position in > anticipation that he would belatedly move back over onto the correct side of > the road. Assuming there was space to the right, I would hold my position and reduce speed. I would also be ready on the brake probably in 2nd. In such circumstances were loss of control or a collision is likely you dont want to be messing with the gearstick and clutch. > > I admire those cyclists' fitness. I can keep up about 20 mph on the level > and I chicken out at about 35 mph going downhill because of the thought of > what would happen if I hit a patch of gravel or a pothole. These guys were > doing at least 30 and made it look dead easy.
From: Ret. on 8 Aug 2010 15:28 Nick Finnigan wrote: > Ret. wrote: >> Nick Finnigan wrote: >>> Ret. wrote: >>>> >>>> Cheshire police banned such events on Cheshire's roads many years >>>> ago - because of this type of behaviour. No matter what the >>>> cyclists were told prior to the race starting - they just ignored >>>> it once they got going. >>> >>> Under what law ? >> >> The organisers of such on-road events must obtain permission from the >> police - who can refuse permission in the interests of road safety. > > They can impose conditions. > > The Cheshire Classic Road Race is presumably an imaginary event? It's down to individual Chief Constables to make the decision. Maybe the current CC has different views to the one who stopped cycle races when I was serving. -- Kev
From: Nick Finnigan on 8 Aug 2010 15:59
thirty-six wrote: > On 8 Aug, 15:57, Nick Finnigan <n...(a)genie.co.uk> wrote: >> Derek C wrote: >>> information about alternative routes, etc. If it was not a closed road >>> event, then that was even worse, as competitors are expected to keep >>> to the laws and rules of the road, and to comply with the highway >>> code. >> It probably was a (rolling) closed road event: > > It would then have been accompanied by police outriders and all would > be clear. 4 of them from NY, allegedly. > http://www.richmondgp.co.uk/downloads/RaceManual10.pdf 'Road Use' > |