Ride London Accident

[jefmcg]

I think I did the sums last year, after the second heart attack inside three years, and realised that it was about on a par with the London Marathon. So, again, on a statistical basis it's not surprising that there was a cardiac fatality again.

I've been thinking about this. I think that these figures might be useful in understanding the risk.

So if the riders were a representative group of the population of the UK, then you'd expect more than an hundred people to die in the next 12 months from that group, at least one every 3 or 4 days. Of course it's not representative, not having the very old, very young, frail, terminally ill etc etc. The obese would be in a lower proportion than the general community, but I observed quite a few obese riders (at the 85 mile mark, so presumably more started). The group would also be less sedentary than the general population. It is also predominantly male, who are at twice the risk in the age groups that would include most of the riders. But even it the riders are 10 times less moribund than the general population, that still leaves a dozen or so riders who aren't going to around this time next year. It's not at all surprising then, that one person dies from the exertion most years.

 

[jefmcg]

• Crash on Kingston Bridge, reported by @jefmcg https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/4391502/ - possibly http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/ridelondon-tragedy-cancer-survivor-robin-11688265

It didn't look like the aftermath of a crash. Only one injured I could tell. I'm now pretty sure this was Robin. I spoke briefly to a passerby who obviously had stopped to lend a hand, and had stayed until the casualty was in the ambulance. He was thanked by the police. I said "I hope it's not serious", and he didn't say anything, but his expression now makes me realise he either knew it was a fatality, or thought it was. I didn't press the matter.

 

[rb58]

I think the organisation and the Fear-Of-Broom-Wagon time limit is very unhelpful here, encouraging everyone to keep push on lest a mechanical or the man with the hammer prevents them from finishing a ride that they ordinarily could do comfortably in a day.

That's my point. The broom wagon is because roads need to be clear for the pros. If the pro race went first then it's not so pressing. I know there would be other other challenges in reversing the order - the pro-peloton won't like starting at, say, 8.00am for example. But worth consideration I think.

 

[mjr]

It didn't look like the aftermath of a crash. Only one injured I could tell. I'm now pretty sure this was Robin.

My misunderstanding. Thanks for the update. Wording edited to "incident".

 

[mjr]

I don't suppose the TV companies would be too keen.

BBC cover the Marathon in the morning and even yesterday had some show on BBC two at ten am. Do we really think the BBC care much what time they fail to show the pro race finish?

 

[vickster]

That's my point. The broom wagon is because roads need to be clear for the pros. If the pro race went first then it's not so pressing. I know there would be other other challenges in reversing the order - the pro-peloton won't like starting at, say, 8.00am for example. But worth consideration I think.

I don't think the sponsors would be keen either. They wouldn't get the crowds of spectators. Apparently it's the richest one day race

 

[jefmcg]

I've always assumed that the pro-race was the point of the day, but as they need to have the road closures, and staff and infrastructure, why not run a huge sportive at the same time? Changing to pro-ride to improve the sportive would be putting the cart before the horse.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

The BBC article says one is being treated with head injuries. But I thought everybody has to wear helmets?

 

[mjr]

I've always assumed that the pro-race was the point of the day, but as they need to have the road closures, and staff and infrastructure, why not run a huge sportive at the same time? Changing to pro-ride to improve the sportive would be putting the cart before the horse.

And there was me thinking the point was a mass participation Olympic legacy event...

 

[srw]

And there was me thinking the point was a mass participation Olympic legacy event...

The London & Surrey Cycling Partnership is a joint venture between London Marathon Events Limited, owner and operator of the Virgin Money London Marathon andSweetSpot Group, operator of the Tour of Britain.

“The team at the London & Surrey Cycling Partnership are thrilled to be appointed by TfL as delivery partner of Prudential RideLondon.

https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/about/organisers/

It's a TFL enterprise, delivered by an organisation that does mass participation events and an organisation that does pro bike racing.

To be honest, I don't think that any one of the half-dozen events than currently make up the weekend would happen without both the Sportive and the pro race - they are both Olympic legacy events, twin legs on which the promotion of cycling by TfL rests.

[edit]

This Guardian article has some thoughts.

 

[mjr]

The BBC article says one is being treated with head injuries. But I thought everybody has to wear helmets?

Yes, but at least one guy at Limehouse had a huge chunk missing from the front of his helmet (how? Far too many people for anyone to crash heavily unseen there and hopefully someone would have worried about a guy with a smashed hat) and no one was stopping him. Helmets are limited use in single- rider falls and less in pileups and there seemed no attempt to check helmets, so I think they're safety theatre driven by the UCI/BC helmet zealots rather than any practical concern. Basic bike checks (simple brake tests and chain spin on the way into the start pens, for example) would probably improve safety more.

Despite all that, nearly 30,000 rides finished OK, because cycling's basically safe.

 

[vickster]

The BBC article says one is being treated with head injuries. But I thought everybody has to wear helmets?

Maybe the provided public liability insurance demands it, rightly or wrongly

 

[steveindenmark]

The BBC article says one is being treated with head injuries. But I thought everybody has to wear helmets?

A cycling helmet will not necessarily prevent head injuries. This has always been a bone of contention.

 

[Beebo]

Is there a published list, or just the rider tracker? Anyway, if the event didn't publish, there would still be some Straviots and Garmingers racing for top places on their sites.

Yes, there is even a long interview and photograph of the "Winner" on their main Home Page. To rub it in, he claims that he has never cycled further than 50 miles before!

Basic bike checks (simple brake tests and chain spin on the way into the start pens, for example) would probably improve safety more.
.

They can't possibly check everyone's bike, it would take too long, and could then make them liable if something went wrong. They do make suggestions in the pre ride literature to make sure your bike is road worthy. Despite this I stopped at Chiswick bridge (about 15 miles) for a call of nature, as I was in the queue there were two people with bikes up on the mechanic's stand, both needed new bearings in the rear wheel, which were flopping about. I have no idea whether they gave up or carried on.

 

[jefmcg]

My misunderstanding. Thanks for the update. Wording edited to "incident".

Just checked, and I did call it a "nasty crash". So mea culpa. That was my assumption based on the apparent serious condition of the rider.