Skyride Muppetry :(

[smokeysmoo]

I'd forgotten it was the Bolton Skyride today, (not bothered either TBH, more on that later), but I was headed back from today's ride when I saw a couple of tabards and I suddenly remembered reading about it during the week.

Now if I'd hit my target I'd have carried on regardless, but I needed to add a couple of miles to the ride to ensure I hit 40, so I decided to do a lap, big mistake!

I did the Bolton Skyride a couple of years ago, and TBH I vowed then it would be the last time.

Now I know it's not a race, and I completely appreciate that there are all ages and abilities of riders, not to mention all styles of bicycles as well, (think rickshaws etc), however, it amazed me two years ago, and amazed me more today, that despite all the 'marshalls' or event staff, call them what you will, not a single one attempts to maintain any sort of order on the roads.

Why not tell people to keep left, why not enforce the message as people pootle round, why not reprimand people for veering across the whole width of the road to speak to their mate on the pavement?

Upshot was that after nearly 40 miles of varied cycling today, including rural roads, urban roads and even dual carriageway, it was left to a 'Skyrider' on her BSO to very nearly wipe me out with the same maniacal veering manoeuvre mentioned above!

So I'll leave the Skyride well alone in future, it has it's place and it serves it's purpose, but if you want to ride above 5mph in safety, and not have to have 360 degree vision, then they are not designed for you either.

Rant over.

 

[dan_bo]

See ya next year then Smokes.

 

[jdtate101]

The skyride is designed for people who get their BSO out of the shed once per year. I am riding the Coventry one this yr with my 6yr old (after Birmingham council stuffed up YET again), but I'm going on my winter hack and will be going SLOWLY with my head on a swivel.

 

[vickster]

^^^ this, not really designed for adults who ride bikes regularly

I certainly won't bother with the London one again, especially as it might well be the day before Ride 100

 

[davdandy]

I considered the Skyride until i noticed the mileage,is it 5 miles or 5km,either way it is far too short to even be worthy of getting down there.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

They really aren't designed for 'us'. The Manchester one is worse than a bad commute with all the veerers, the got to be at the front of traffic lighters, the sod the 19998 other of you, its only me & little Tarquin on the road and the dreadful dull industrial backstreets full of potholes route they pick to get past Piccadilly station.

best avoided unless you're a once a year cyclist or masochistic.

 

[DCLane]

Coming into Bradford on Friday pm I ended up behind a group on the A650. They were weaving across the road .... saw the Skyride vests and thought 'danger ... slow'. They wobbled for about 200 yards and then off to the right.

Not sure what the leaders were doing as one was on the pavement with young kids across the road.

Me? I simply slowed, let them wobble on and off to a RH road whilst I kept the traffic behind me.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

to be fair, the couple of individual guided ones I've taken the kids on have seemed well planned & managed. It is the closed road mass participation ones that are the problem. I get the notion behind them but don't really see an upsurge in regular cycling around them

 

[smokeysmoo]

The Manchester one is worse than a bad commute with all the veerers

Don't know why but this made me instantly think of this.....................go to 1:26

 

[Globalti]

We did a couple but found them so terrifying that we gave up.

 

[ufkacbln]

Remember Southampton a few years back, came round a corner to see about 30 bikes in a heap where they where they had all run into each other.

At the front small child and embarrassed mother.

Small child then states in that loud serious and vehement coice that only young children can manage...

But Mummy - you TOLD me to stop!

 

[RussellZero]

I dont think its just skyrides, I came across some folk on the Wiggle Bournemouth sportive on Saturday, and came across the same kind of behaviour - its just people. Generally anyone whos been out on a bike more than once has learnt that it can be a dangerous place if you dont stick to the rules of the road, but others seem completely to think that its an event, therefor 6 abreast and 2 of you on the wrong side of the road is fine, and you dont need to look behind because noones going to want to overtake you while youre discussing how much you drank last night... etc... but seriously some individuals can be shocking unaware of the fact theyre on a public highway.

 

[ufkacbln]

Also had my Catrike confiscated by the Police one year

A group of Police were admiring it as we waited for thr lights, and we got chatting. WPC asked if she could try it, promising to leave her colleagues as a deposit!

DIdn't see it or her for about 15 minutes, but she was certainly a convert, and as a piece of PR it worked as people were asking her about her trike!

 

[smokeysmoo]

I dont think its just skyrides.

That's a fair comment IME.

I've seen muppetry of the highest order on rides like Manchester to Blackpool, Great Manchester Cycle and Rourkes Cat & Fiddle Challenge, so you are right, sadly

 

[Profpointy]

Also had my Catrike confiscated by the Police one year

A group of Police were admiring it as we waited for thr lights, and we got chatting. WPC asked if she could try it, promising to leave her colleagues as a deposit!

DIdn't see it or her for about 15 minutes, but she was certainly a convert, and as a piece of PR it worked as people were asking her about her trike!

a very tenuously related story was recounted to me by a mate cycling in Vietnam on a tandem. He'd gone off on the bus on some wild goose chase over some important thing, leaving his Mrs behind with the tandem. Upon return, no tandem, but his Mrs now seemed to have a Kalashnikov. The local bobby wanted a go, so off he and his pal went, leaving behind their machine gun !