When Sportive meets road race

[Fnaar]

Apols if this is on here elsewhere... but this was interesting.
Sportive goes along same road (in opposite direction) to a road race... fairly amusing "What's up wi' you, you great barmcake'-type argument ensues between a sportive rider and a marshall. Full write up and vid here:
http://road.cc/content/news/119412-video-what-happens-when-sportive-meets-road-race-coming-other-way

Or just the vid here:

 

[ianrauk]

Just watched on YouTube not five minutes ago.
What a bunch of selfish idiotic cocks.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

That could have ended badly, especially with that guy in the blue and green stripe top.

 

[ianrauk]

That could have ended badly, especially with that guy in the blue and green stripe top.

WTF was he thinking? Oh I know... he wasn't thinking.

 

[JoeyB]

Road race wins.

 

[Fnaar]

Seems to me like the Sportive riders (some) didn't know there was a road race coming through, thought 'the event' was theirs (bit of weekend warrior thrown in) and some were just numpties.
Some lack of communication between organisers too. The great dozy barmcakes.

 

[jdtate101]

Mod message: this is here again because two threads on the same subject have been merged.
---------------------------------------
Oh the utter stupidity of some riders never fails to amaze. These sportive riders should hang their heads in shame, especially the utter TW*T in the Kelme kit:

 

[PK99]

Apols if this is on here elsewhere... but this was interesting.
Sportive goes along same road (in opposite direction) to a road race... fairly amusing "What's up wi' you, you great barmcake'-type argument ensues between a sportive rider and a marshall. Full write up and vid here:
http://road.cc/content/news/119412-video-what-happens-when-sportive-meets-road-race-coming-other-way

Or just the vid here:

from the video, it looks like the road closure was by marshalls not by the ploice

section 4 of > http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/Road_Race_Organisers_Guide_-_FINAL.pdf

make clear that road closure must be by police and that marshals have no power to close roads.

Can someone clarify?

 

[ASC1951]

...
section 4 of > http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/Road_Race_Organisers_Guide_-_FINAL.pdf
make clear that road closure must be by police and that marshals have no power to close roads.

Can someone clarify?

Er, no it doesn't. It says that the whole route has to be covered by a rolling road closure order sanctioned by the police and under that Order - see para 4.4 - BCF-accredited marshalls do have the legal power to do the spot closures.

 

[Bollo]

You just know Mr Stripey is too good a cyclist to ever get hit jumping a red.

I tried a few sportives a couple of years ago. Most of the other riders were fine, but there was a significant quorum of @rseholes that I just couldn't be bothered with in the end. The final straw was being chastised as 'unprofessional' (duh!) by a group for not pointing out potholes. They didn't seem to accept that this would require me to ride no-hands for about a mile with my arms permanently pointing at what was left of the tarmac.. Maybe I should have just shouted "pothole, pothole, pothole...." like some cycling happy-hardcore remix. It was a road made exclusively of potholes. Slow down and look FFS! Oh, and you came up on my left to tell me that without warning!!!

There. All better. The therapist will see you now.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm not sure what the situation is now, but a few years ago the National Escort Group were given lollipop powers in Essex as part of an experiment to see if it could be rolled out nationally. Frankly, my participation in sportives ended due to the embarrassment of being part of a group containing a high percentage of complete muppets.

 

[Rob3rt]

from the video, it looks like the road closure was by marshalls not by the ploice

section 4 of > http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/Road_Race_Organisers_Guide_-_FINAL.pdf

make clear that road closure must be by police and that marshals have no power to close roads.

Can someone clarify?

Have a look into the BC accredited marshal scheme, accredited marshal's have the authority to close the road.

 

[PK99]

Er, no it doesn't. It says that the whole route has to be covered by a rolling road closure order sanctioned by the police and under that Order - see para 4.4 - BCF-accredited marshalls do have the legal power to do the spot closures.

Are you certain of your interpretation?


3.1
Events of this status must have a road closure in
place for the entire course. This road closure can be:
• A complete closure where the course is
completely closed to traffic.
• A rolling road closure where traffic is stopped/
controlled by police only at the point it meets
the race.

4.3 Volunteer Marshals
Volunteer marshals should be dispersed around
the course to give advance warning and notice
for the riders and other road users, as per the risk
assessment. Please note that volunteer marshals
used in this function do not have any legal powers
to stop and control traffic.

4.4 Traffic Management
Most events will require some level of traffic
management to facilitate the safe passage of
the race. The measures implemented can vary
from the deployment of advance notice signs
before the event to implementing part or full road
closures as required. These measures are typically
used as a supplementary measure to support
the Police and NEG in controlling traffic around
the race route. Traffic management can be used
to restrict traffic from entering the race route.
In some scenarios, traffic management may be
used to maintain the flow of traffic around the
course rather than close it down completely. The
organisation should seek advice from the local
authority for guidance on local suppliers.

 

[jay clock]

i am lost. If the issue is the riders heading away from the camera not meant to be there, why is there a marshall making ZERO attempt to do anything about it.

If the road was meant to be closed heading away from the camera why did they allow cyclists there and then do nothing about it. The oncoming racing cyclists appear to be breaking traffic rules by crossing onto the wrong side of the road.....

 

[Hacienda71]

There clearly needs to be some communication between the organisers of both events. Whilst the road race needs to take priority, I don't think the sportive riders should be totally demonised.