Disappointing lack of response on safety from Audax organisers

[Dogtrousers]

I don't know anything about what happens behind the scenes on audaxes, but if this was only 10 days ago the organiser may be very busy at the moment writing with a quill pen on parchment or whatever technology AUK use for processing finishers and validating results.

 

[nickyboy]

To help clarify, I only emailed the club because I thought the descent was particularly dangerous, cyclists on the audax were going (IMHO) significantly faster than was safe. I suggested to the cub organising it that, had they not done so already, it should be flagged on the audax route as a hazard.

What was actually happening was cars were stopping completely below blind bends as they could realise that cyclists were coming down too fast and if they tried to go up a cyclist was going to ride straight into them. The car drivers were pipping their horns to let cyclists know they were there and to slow down

This is the road

 

[nickyboy]

Whilst not doubting the OPs tale of dangerous riding perhaps he was speaking from his own perception of risk and his abilities and not of those riding.

I'm one of the fastest descenders in the area (I'm built for it) and love to descend fast. But there is no way I would have gone down that road at the speed some audaxers were doing. It's extremely narrow, extremely steep and has loads of blind bends

 

[PMarkey]

I understand that during the event I am on a private excursion on the public highway and that I am responsible for my
own conduct. I agree to abide by Audax UK Regulations for this ride.

the above quote is from the AUK entry form and I have always understood this to mean that if I ride like a tit on my own head be it.
It should be remembered that your average Audax calendar event has a broad spectrum of riders ranging from grumpy old gits (me) and local riders wanting a longer ride with a few mates up to a full blown club run for a couple of the local clubs and whilst in your opinion the descent was hazardous I vaguely remember reading somewhere that routes on organised events usually have to be risk assessed ? theirs also the possibility that the group you witnessed was nothing to do with the Audax event and was just a club run out for a ride , I know I have run into large groups whilst out on perms and calendar events and have been aghast at the standard of riding even once being forced off the road by a large group descending a hill that I was ascending when I was heading towards Kettlewell on the Fleet moss Randonnee .
Hopefully the event organiser will contact you to clarify the situation but they may feel their is no case to answer as they had done everything required of them .

Paul

 

[keithmac]

To help clarify, I only emailed the club because I thought the descent was particularly dangerous, cyclists on the audax were going (IMHO) significantly faster than was safe. I suggested to the cub organising it that, had they not done so already, it should be flagged on the audax route as a hazard.

What was actually happening was cars were stopping completely below blind bends as they could realise that cyclists were coming down too fast and if they tried to go up a cyclist was going to ride straight into them. The car drivers were pipping their horns to let cyclists know they were there and to slow down

View attachment 144960

This is the road

That's a poor show by the cyclists and I'm sure no one will deny that, thing is if a car had come into contact with a cyclist coming the other way they woud be at fault by default..

I

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Which audax was it, and how do you know they were riding it?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I was out for a ride about 10 days ago and was crawling up a steep hill. The road was very narrow and there were multiple blind bends with trees obscuring views.

There were also several cars going up (it's a popular area for walkers) too. About 20-30 cyclists came down the hill while I was going up. They were going way too fast, in the middle of the road around blind bends. More than one had to skid to a stop and edge around a car (there is only just enough room for a car and a bike to pass). The cyclists were going too fast for the conditions.

So I found out which cycling club had organised the Audax and sent them an email suggesting that in the future if they use this descent then they should make sure everyone is aware of its hazardous nature as an accident could very easily happen. Particularly as some cyclists were descending very quickly

No reply. Nothing. It's not as if I was a car driver having a rant. I was a fellow cyclist pointing out that it was a very tricky descent and some participants were going too fast

In other words...

A group of riders positioned themselves on the carriageway appropriately, were descending at a speed within with their competency, avoided any collisions with each other, you, and any oncoming traffic and a good time was had by all?

Your opinion is they were going too fast. That's your opinion. You are entitled to it. You're not entitled to expect other riders, nor those who organise club rides and audaxes, to agree with it. That is the nature of opinions.

it isn't really up to the club to make riders aware of each and every potential hazard; it is up to riders to ride within their competency for the conditions, surely?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

That's a poor show by the cyclists and I'm sure no one will deny that, thing is if a car had come into contact with a cyclist coming the other way they woud be at fault by default..

I

I'd deny it was a poor show by the cyclists. No car was hit, no cyclist was hit, no collisions occurred. Yes, risks were taken. Risks are always taken; that is in the nature of riding on roads with motor traffic on them.

 

[keithmac]

More luck than judgement it sounded like to me..

 

[Pale Rider]

the above quote is from the AUK entry form and I have always understood this to mean that if I ride like a tit on my own head be it.

Nicely put, and in the independent spirit that I understand to be audax.

I suggest AUK employ you to update their entry conditions.

 

[PpPete]

.... you can't expect a volunteer organiser to go over hundreds of km of road ....

In the vast majority of cases the organiser (or a helper) DOES ride the route in the weeks before the event to check for things like missing signposts, imminent road closures, etc. There's also a mandatory risk assessment process before the event is accepted onto the AUK calendar. AUK as an organisation does take safety very seriously... but there are always going to be subjective judgements made by the organiser as to what should go in the RA, just as there will always be subjective judgements on the part of the riders (and any third parties) as to what constitutes safe riding.

 

[nickyboy]

Well whatever the rights and wrongs one thing's for sure....the organiser of the event didn't reply to my email. Disappointing really

 

[PhilDawson8270]

In other words...

A group of riders positioned themselves on the carriageway appropriately, were descending at a speed within with their competency, avoided any collisions with each other, you, and any oncoming traffic and a good time was had by all?

Your opinion is they were going too fast. That's your opinion. You are entitled to it. You're not entitled to expect other riders, nor those who organise club rides and audaxes, to agree with it. That is the nature of opinions.

it isn't really up to the club to make riders aware of each and every potential hazard; it is up to riders to ride within their competency for the conditions, surely?

Cars were speeding around the country roads. In my opinion they were going too fast. But they used both sides of the road appropriately and didn't actually have an accident, and a good time was had.

It really isn't up to people to make drivers aware of potential hazards on narrow roads. Surely it's up to the driver to drive within their own competency?

 

[dim]

To help clarify, I only emailed the club because I thought the descent was particularly dangerous, cyclists on the audax were going (IMHO) significantly faster than was safe. I suggested to the cub organising it that, had they not done so already, it should be flagged on the audax route as a hazard.

What was actually happening was cars were stopping completely below blind bends as they could realise that cyclists were coming down too fast and if they tried to go up a cyclist was going to ride straight into them. The car drivers were pipping their horns to let cyclists know they were there and to slow down

View attachment 144960

This is the road

nice road .... cars should not be allowed on there .... what happens if a car encounters another car going in the opposite direction?

 

[PhilDawson8270]

nice road .... cars should not be allowed on there .... what happens if a car encounters another car going in the opposite direction?

one backs up to a passing point which are usually built into these kinds of road at various points.