Disgusting.

[youngoldbloke]

What is shown in the video is not typical behaviour of cyclists in general, but it is typical of racing cyclists, and I speak as one who raced a lot in my younger days. Like it or not, once you pin a number on your back and ride competitively the red mist comes down and woe betide anyone obstructing your progress.

Been there, done that and seen it extensively from myself, fellow competitors and also as a marshall and a motorcycle escort. It is not right by any means, but it is fact.

Human nature in action.

The people on bikes involved in this shocking incident were TRIATHLETES.

 

[smutchin]

I know we all want to express our detestation of those cyclists, and things said on cyclechat don't always need to be taken literally, but it needs to be registered that these attitudes aren't actually encouraging of civilised shared use of roads either.

Exactly this. I also think that we shouldn't be going down the path of apologising to horse riders on behalf of other cyclists - it reinforces the idea of collective responsibility that leads many motorists to "tar us all with the same brush".

Am I the only one tired of this knee-jerk nastiness? Further up we have someone supposedly joking about an assortment of knives being used on these offenders, and now you wish close passes on them in perpetuity. It’s offensive.

As noted earlier, @jefmcg's post was clearly a joke, but agreed on the latter comment about close passes, which is just silly.

[QUOTE 5280953, member: 9609"]I passed two lady riders tonight when I was out and they were as ever very polite and cheerful, I rode with them for a few minutes and they never mentioned the video so I didn't - may be we have got away with it [/QUOTE]

"Got away with it"????

[QUOTE 5281087, member: 43827"]Having agreed earlier 100% with the condemnation of these idiots, and supporting their prosecution if possible, I think that the knee-jerk response from many motorists is a bit hypocritical.

The following comes from a newspaper article last year:

"EIGHT out of 10 horse and rider deaths on UK roads have been caused by cars driving too fast or close.

Over the last six years, the British Horse Society has reported 2,570 road incidents leading to 38 riders and 222 horses being killed."[/QUOTE]

This crossed my mind too. It reminds me of what goes on in the New Forest, where cyclists are the target of the locals' ire, yet it's clearly motorists who are the real menace in the New Forest.

Any motorist who wants to blame all cyclists for incidents like this can in return take their share of the blame for bad behaviour by motorists.

I've been thinking about this overnight, calmed down a little now Starting to think it's possible that this was on a blind corner on a closed circuit and the cyclists coming around the corner in a group, therefore with limited visibility of the horse in the road around the corner?

I honestly don't think any cyclist would choose to overtake on the inside of a horse at speed, no matter how much a cock they are.

tl;dr was the horse rider on a closed road event?

There's absolutely no excuse for the behaviour. Even if it were on a closed road event, which it wasn't.

It was a "corporate triathlon", so basically it was group racing taking place on open public roads. Not a TT where people ride alone, but peletons of "mates" charging about among the other road users. I am amazed that this is even legal.

I'm sure bunch riding isn't usually allowed in triathlons. I've done triathlons on the open road where you'd get disqualified for bunch riding if spotted by a marshal. I have a feeling that kind of riding is already illegal. Cycling road races on open roads are subject to strict rules about having lead and following vehicles and marshals. Time trials, as you say, are only permitted because they're not bunch races.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

The people on bikes involved in this shocking incident were TRIATHLETES.

Sorry but I am unsure of the relevance of your statement?

 

[raleighnut]

Have a look at the link to the event - it mentions "mate waves" of start times. It's the word "cororate" that is the big clue. As someone else has already said, these are most likely bunches of bankers.

Couple of spelling mistakes there, I assume you mean corporate and the last word starts with a W.

EDIT - I see you've fixed one of them

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks for mansplaining my wit.

 

[dodgy]

Sorry but this is irrelevant, what if it had been a group of children? Please do not try to excuse their anti-social behaviour

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much pissed off with these triantelopes, just trying to be level headed. I'm not trying to excuse them, just wondering if there's something missing from the story. Right now they look bang to rights.

 

[smutchin]

[QUOTE 5281309, member: 9609"]i'm sure @Inertia will be along shortly do do an in depth analysis of what I said, find hidden meanings for a justified attack and my little fan club will all arrive on scene to cheer, like and clap along - should be fun.[/QUOTE]

I'm not interested in picking on you, just thought it was an odd way to put it. No reason why other horse riders should take against you as a cyclist, seeing as you're not one of the cretins involved in that incident, and by your own account behaved in a considerate and friendly manner towards them.

 

[Pale Rider]

Sorry but I am unsure of the relevance of your statement?

I'm guessing it's (yet another) cyclist class thing.

I am a roadie so as a proper cyclist I look down on him because he's a triathlete.

I'm a triathlete and as a well-rounded sportsman I look down on the self-absorbed roadies.

And so on, ad infinitum.

 

[steve292]

I'm guessing it's (yet another) cyclist class thing.

I am a roadie so as a proper cyclist I look down on him because he's a triathlete.

I'm a triathlete and as a well-rounded sportsman I look down on the self-absorbed roadies.

And so on, ad infinitum.

I am both, and I don't "look down" on anyone.

 

[Nigeyy]

Wow. It's all been said: waayyyy to close passes to the right, undertaking on the left. What idiots. And yes, things like this will give other cyclists a bad name. Hope they can find the culprits. Sadly they are doing what's been done unto other cyclists by motor vehicles but clearly haven't learned from it which is incredibly sad.

Alas, I've experienced similar seeing groups of racer-like cyclists blow red lights and stop signs. It's as if they cannot slow down for fear of losing time. Bunch of idiots.

 

[MartinQ]

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much pissed off with these triantelopes, just trying to be level headed. I'm not trying to excuse them, just wondering if there's something missing from the story. Right now they look bang to rights.

I presume they had their race heads on and that was their priority.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Near where I live. Bastrds

 

[bianchi1]

I'm guessing it's (yet another) cyclist class thing.

I am a roadie so as a proper cyclist I look down on him because he's a triathlete.

I'm a triathlete and as a well-rounded sportsman I look down on the self-absorbed roadies.

And so on, ad infinitum.

It seems appropriate to highlight this as a triathlon rater than a cycle road race as there are differences in the organisation. If it was a BC, TLI or LVRC road race it would have lead cars and sometimes motorbikes. you would not be able to change part of the course at the last minute (which appears to have happened in this tri) unless you had police approval. You definitely would not be allowed to ride with tri bars, which is insanity in a bunch. In all the races I have been involved in organising, stables near the route are contacted and signs are put out for horse riders weeks in advance warning of the race.

Even in CTT timetrials the rules for organisers are strict. No right turns at junctions, crossing roads, police approved times and route, no traffic lights etc. My local triathlon route would not be be granted CTT permission as it breaks all those rules.

Fingers crossed next time our club organise a road race the police don't use this video as an excuse not to approve it.

 

[Pale Rider]

It seems appropriate to highlight this as a triathlon rater than a cycle road race as there are differences in the organisation. If it was a BC, TLI or LVRC road race it would have lead cars and sometimes motorbikes. you would not be able to change part of the course at the last minute (which appears to have happened in this tri) unless you had police approval. You definitely would not be allowed to ride with tri bars, which is insanity in a bunch. In all the races I have been involved in organising, stables near the route are contacted and signs are put out for horse riders weeks in advance warning of the race.

Even in CTT timetrials the rules for organisers are strict. No right turns at roundabouts, crossing roads, police approved times and route, no traffic lights etc. My local triathlon route would not be be granted CTT permission as it breaks all those rules.

Fingers crossed next time our club organise a road race objections the police don't use this video as an excuse not to approve it.

It would be a shame if this incident impacts adversely on what are currently considered properly organised road races.

Regrettably, the difference between triathlon and road race will be lost on everybody outside cycling, and quite a few people inside it as well.

Many flat bar leisure riders couldn't give a stuff about the sport in whatever form.

It seems odd to me that cyclists are allowed to race on open roads in any shape or form, but I don't understand the ins and outs.

 

[alicat]

Just watching it back, one of the triathletes seems to raise his middle finger just after the horse rider screams. Truly disgusting behaviour.

The only racing that should be allowed on open roads is time trials.