Racing cyclist killed - A63

[Arch]

The bit that doesn't sit right with me is people's attitude to cycling / TT's on dual carriageways.

A dual carriageway by the very virtue of it's name tells me there's NO oncoming traffic AND a WHOLE LANE to move over into to overtake.

Couple that with the legally-required signage to run such an event, and there's ZERO reason IMO for a vehicle driver to not be aware of the presence of cyclists, and ABSOLUTELY ZERO reason to hit and kill one.

Just where the F**K are these people looking when they're driving!!!!!!!

Yeah, but there's no reason for drivers to run into the back of each other tailgating on motorways, or to hit anyone or anything clearly visible beyond their stopping distance, but it happens. I think many drivers assume that on a dual carriageway, they should be able to make their way at the speed they choose, unhindered by technicalities like the Highway Code*. Sad but true. And at those speeds, a collision is going to be fatal.

*Of course, some think this no matter what the road...

 

[Rob3rt]

Me, i ride all over the East Riding of Yorkshire on single carriage A roads, B roads and country lanes.
That particular piece of road is the major route in and out of Hull, its a narrow dual carriageway with lots of slip roads and garages and a VERY large amount of HGV traffic...ie plenty of hazards....as well as plenty of potholes.....and having very detailed knowledge and experience of it......i have to drive it daily...i would never ride it.

Having said that, with the recent upsurge in the popularity of our sport, maybe it's time for the organisers to start lobbying the local councils and police for better safety procedures during the larger events, (according to the local press this was a national/elite event, at least 1 Team GB rider was scheduled to compete), also someone on here said it's a very fast course because of the drafting, so i guess the riders must weigh up the risk factors versus the time gains before entering.

The event was not a national/elite event as such to my knowledge, it was an open event under the CTT. Open TT's accept only the fastest riders, once they fill all the spots, slowest riders are rejected (this is the case for all open events unless otherwise stated), being that this event was on a fast course, it of course attracts a lot of fast riders, so the field will naturally be made up of strong competitors. I think one of my club mates may have been racing the event in question, I have not looked at the start sheet though so can not be certain.

As for Joanna Rowsell riding the event means nothing for its status really, she is racing an event I will be racing next weekend, the current Paralympic World Champion was racing the same event I raced today, they are just people wanting to race and they sign up like everyone else! I am middle of the road at best, so certainly not riding in elite events.

It is a fast course, but not because of drafting, you don't draft in a TT. In fact when you are riding fast in an aero tuck, close passing vehicles is quite unerving and pushes you sideways, so you would be more likely to lose time due to being cautious/nervous/tense than you would gain from a bit of a momentary draft.

 

[craigwend]

That route (form memory) has been a long established TT route 30 years+ ?

saying that I woud not ride it by choice, like riding on a motorway ...

no details as such, but condolences......

 

[Night Train]

My issue with this, and I am sorry a person has been killed, is competing on an open public road. Any competitive race, time trial, or other speed/time event by cars, motorbikes, cyclists, or pedestrians held on the public road should be on a closed road.
That way competitors can concentrate on the event and non competitors can be kept apart from them for everyone's safety.

A cyclist, or any other road user, out on a ride can choose whether or not they ride a particular stretch of road when they get to it, and how they ride it, or avoid it. The rider may decide to take the adjoining cycle path, or a longer and quieter route, or to sit out heavy traffic in a cafe. In a competitive event that choice is partly removed.

I have come across a number of competitive cycling events where the riders emerge from minor roads, join roundabouts and cross junctions without stopping, looking, or following any of the highway code, expecting other road users to 'mind read' their intentions.
There may be signs saying that an event is taking place, but I have rarely seen a marshal warning other traffic to stop to let the competitors though.

 

[fossyant]

Urban commuting is a damn sight more dangerous than TTs on dual carriageways.

 

[Rob3rt]

Quick question, why do people with no idea about, nor indeed any interest in racing insist on commenting about racing and racing related matters?

Furthermore, why on earth is this thread in the cafe?

 

[Arch]

Quick question, why do people with no idea about, nor indeed any interest in racing insist on commenting about racing and racing related matters?

Furthermore, why on earth is this thread in the cafe?

The thread is about someone who happened to be racing, on a public road. If you'd rather keep your little racing clique in another section, ask for it to be moved.

 

[Mr Bunbury]

The Good Friday 10 on the V718 is an ordinary open event, but has built up a big reputation over the past few years as the early season 10 to do. Jo Rowsell was riding, plus at least four national champions that I can remember in the men's event (Michael Hutchinson, Matt Bottrill, Jeff Jones, Nik Bowdler). As has been said, you qualify for an open TT by riding a fast enough qualifying time. This year's event closed on a 22.40, which is slower than the past few years, probably because Easter is early and the weather has been rubbish. Last year it closed on 21.30 or something like that - it's a prestigious event.

I have come across a number of competitive cycling events where the riders emerge from minor roads, join roundabouts and cross junctions without stopping, looking, or following any of the highway code, expecting other road users to 'mind read' their intentions.
There may be signs saying that an event is taking place, but I have rarely seen a marshal warning other traffic to stop to let the competitors though.

This is precisely the reason why TTing on DCs isn't as bad as it sounds: you don't have the possibility for people to take wide corners out of T junctions, cut across the white line at a turn at the bottom of a hill etc. Someone recently died in a road race in that sort of situation (note that I don't know the precise details).

The word is that the caravan had a blowout while passing the rider.

 

[Brandane]

Quick question, why do people with no idea about, nor indeed any interest in racing insist on commenting about racing and racing related matters?

Furthermore, why on earth is this thread in the cafe?

I have absolutely no interest in racing or racing related matters; but I do see this matter as being extremely relevant to cycling in general. This was, first and foremost, a guy out on his bike on the public highway who was involved in a collision with a caravan and tragically died as a result. It should be of interest to ALL cyclists who share road space with other vehicles; as lessons should be learnt from it. This can only be done however, once the full circumstances of the collision are known.

 

[Night Train]

This is precisely the reason why TTing on DCs isn't as bad as it sounds: you don't have the possibility for people to take wide corners out of T junctions, cut across the white line at a turn at the bottom of a hill etc. Someone recently died in a road race in that sort of situation (note that I don't know the precise details).

The word is that the caravan had a blowout while passing the rider.

This is why I think the road should be closed to other traffic, if not for the whole duration of the event then at least while the event is on a section of road.
The things I saw are the things you say wouldn't happen. Surely it would be better for a marshal to stop the traffic at the junction, or for whole sections of a road, so that competitors can take part safely.
It happens for non competitive events, like sky rides, but not when riders are competing.

I'd rather the road was closed, I might fancy having a go myself then.

 

[Rob3rt]

This is why I think the road should be closed to other traffic, if not for the whole duration of the event then at least while the event is on a section of road.
The things I saw are the things you say wouldn't happen. Surely it would be better for a marshal to stop the traffic at the junction, or for whole sections of a road, so that competitors can take part safely.
It happens for non competitive events, like sky rides, but not when riders are competing.

I'd rather the road was closed, I might fancy having a go myself then.

Massive amounts of time and effort have gone into trying to secure such powers for marshals.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/accreditedmarshal

 

[Mr Bunbury]

The things I saw are the things you say wouldn't happen.

"DC" = Dual Carriageway

The things I said cannot possibly happen on a dual carriageway because the riders are going out and back on a straight, flat piece of road with good sight lines. That was the point of my post: people talk up the dangers of racing on DCs but they forget that racing on SCs and minor roads has a whole different set of dangers, such as cutting corners at the bottom of hills etc.

 

[davester65]

Quick question, why do people with no idea about, nor indeed any interest in racing insist on commenting about racing and racing related matters?

Furthermore, why on earth is this thread in the cafe?

It's here because the OP is about one of our fellow riders losing their life.

Why do people like you assume that, just because we don't race or TT, we have no interest or knowledge about the sport?

 

[Noodley]

Maybe people who have never raced and know bugger all about it should stick to commenting on tea and cake?

 

[Rob3rt]

It's here because the OP is about one of our fellow riders losing their life.

Why do people like you assume that, just because we don't race or TT, we have no interest or knowledge about the sport?

You have misunderstood my point. Or misread it. I asked, why do people feel the need to comment on something they know nothing about, nor have any interest in?

There is a difference between expressing condolences for a fellow cyclist (I would not have commented if this was the case) and playing the blame game (as is typically the 1st reaction of many on CC) and/or going about how racing should be organised and run.

i.e. If you don't know anything about racing, or have no interest in it, why not just express your condolences and move on without going off on one about how things should be done and who is to blame etc.