Ride London Accident

[screenman]

Cant disagree with that. Add panniers, a tent and some decent weather and I've found cycling heaven...slightly better than the sweet spot in my case or hell for others.

I've never done an organised event, I've never actually cycled anywhere of note with anyone...hence I didn't really feel qualified to post on the thread. Its my idea of Benidorm on a bike.

My idea of cycling hell, the thought of touring by bike with a tent, no thanks. Each to their own of course.

 

[Scoosh]

MOD NOTE:
A substantial number of posts have been Deleted, being OT, arguing and/ or being rude; NOT what this thread is about.

Keep to the topic - the Accident on the Ride London event and the thread can continue.

Thank you.

 

[doog]

My idea of cycling hell, the thought of touring by bike with a tent, no thanks. Each to their own of course.

haha - it can be that at times...not sure where my post went however.

 

[RedRider]

I feel about "them" something of what I feel about Sustrans cycle paths. It's good the see people out on bikes enjoying themselves. It's good to see people doing so in ways they might not otherwise do or taking on challenges they might not otherwise. Anything that raises the profile of cycling or normalises it has got to be at least partly a Good Thing. All that is good and I'm not churlish enough to deny it.

But neither promotes the cycling experience as I value it. Cycling is about freedom. It's about spontaneity. It's about self sufficiency. It's about exploring. It's about connecting, with the land and the landscape. It's about being normal, as normal as walking, wearing the same clothes, using and sharing the same collective networks developed by generations for society to do just that. It's about stepping out of my front door, getting on a bike, and just cycling. And it's not about sport.

Neither Sustrans nor the Prudential exactly promote cycling as I love it, except as a stepping stone. Which is why I get sad when they become the mainstream of cycling, or at least of the public presentation of cycling.

(And I haven't even started on the ethics of sponsorship )

This is close to how the better part of me feels about it.
The 'Benidorm on bikes' description sits uneasily close as well. Uneasily because it's a snobbish thing to say and I recognise in it a poor outlook. There's enthusiasm around sportives for good or bad and as tempting as it is to want everyone to share my/our idea of a cycling culture imo it's slack to generalise about people taking part in these mass events.
In terms of the accidents today perhaps they weren't caused by ignorant cycling or perhaps they were.
In any case I'm saying a defiant 'no' to loathing.

 

[Milkfloat]

The message on the course from the marshals was that the accident at mile 38 was a heart attack and a group of people crashing into the victim. I don't know if that was true, but certainly the ''nobbers' as described above near me, were full of compassion and humor about the whole situation, I saw a wide range of cyclists from a guy on fixed, lots of Bromptoms, mountain bikes, the Boris bike a couple of interlopers with tri bars and other banned bars. I saw a few bits of sketchy riding, including a crash. However, most of all I saw thousands of people enjoying their cycling and thousands of people supporting them. I think those critising the event and the choices made by this raising millions of pounds should grow up. I don't critising your choice of sandles and socks plus you pootling at 5mph so I don't see why you should be so high and mighty about others.

 

[jonny jeez]

There's a very recognisable type. It's noticeable to me that most of the photos I have seen of today's event, in whatever context, seem to show nothing but a sea of lycra-clad and helmeted men, all looking very serious and taking themselves very seriously indeed. Even the pictures that women friends have put up of themselves have a backdrop of that very same sea.

I agree about your first comment, in so much as it promotes cycling as "dangerous" but you need to be there to experience the tandem riders, the Brompton peletons, clubs, groups of friends, strangers meeting and of course... the Boris Bikers all mixing it up to make it a real festival. I didn't see too many head down Men, I saw a lot of Women who were spinning past riders and going very fast, up and down the hills.

Helmets are mandatory by the way.

 

[jonny jeez]

Apparently, according to one of our own resident altruistic, team-player, selfless domestique-material MAMILs, today was: 'A lovely ride, spoiled (a bit) by some prat, ignoring the shouts from the Marshalls and wrapping himself round a tree, because he couldn't grasp the concept of "slow down there's a nasty corner ahead".'

I don't think ride 100 is for you.

 

[jonny jeez]

Has anyone got anything to say about the crash this thread is about?

I went past the incident after what I assume must have been a few minutes of it happening. It was on a very short, dark, steep decent that had hay bails to the outer edge, it looked like a rider had collided with either the bails or had gone over them and hit something else. the delays were minimal at the time, hence the reason I think it had just happened. As I rode past the fallen rider the Medics were working on him/her and were accompanied by a number of clearly emotional riders. I heard a medic say the words "Tachycardic" as I went by, the helicopter was above. the rider was on their back and motionless

I looked like a collision to me

 

[jonny jeez]

Well it was the nasty selfish attitude of the person who posted that comment that struck me most.

But for the Ride 100, you are absolutely right, it sounds ghastly. One of the clubs I belong to decided to do a 100-mile ride. They planned an out and back route with a few wiggles on the way back to ring the changes and tea, lunch, and more tea stops, and set out early one morning. No training, no helmet bollocks, just a great day out, all day riding our bikes. And it didn't cost anything to take part, thanks very much .

I understand but as you do seem to be finding all the really negative aspects of the ride, so I agree that its not for you. I also do agree that it is treated by many as a race (personal or otherwise) and this is mostly due to the fact that its a closed ride, so personal bests are most likely to be achieved on a closed road. However, what I saw was more of an enjoyment of the safe, closed roads with an eclectic mix of participants.

The food stops were crap though, how many gel bars can a man eat!...where was the cake?!

 

[screenman]

OK. I'm not sure about the closed roads thing though, sadly. The Isle of Wight Randonnee, which isn't run on closed roads and, as is clear from the name, isn't even a sportive, has gone the same way. I rode it a couple of times and enjoyed it some years ago when it was just a merry ride but now it's horrible (last year one 'team' had a support car!) and sadly ruined.

Maybe you should have added, for me, on the end. It seems to be growing so others may see it different.

 

[jonny jeez]

I saw a rider stop in Dorking to take on a sandwich that his support team produced from a Tupperware.

I Saw a few riders stopping for "Care packages" from supporters, I assumed it was a dietary thing but now think its just an experience thing. I wish I'd stopped in Arbinger Hammer for the village Barbecue that was laid on, it looked and smelt excellent, even at 9.00

 

[Milkfloat]

The was a nice cake stall at the Leatherhead hub, it took all of my powers of restraint as all I needed was a wee.

 

[EltonFrog]

When I rode past the scene of the accident police where taking photographs of the area, and what looked like a torn and blood soaked jersey lying on the ground.

It's very sad, I hope the person is ok.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I used to do sportives, but did my last one at 6 or 7 years ago. I stopped for a number of reasons. I could see more and more people entering them who just didn't have the road skills for cycling - either solo or in a group; the only way I would get a faster time would be to take more risks which then makes me a worse rider; and also I realised it just wasn't worth spending £40+ just to have a bike ride!

Similarly, I won't do the DunRun any more - it's just not enjoyable with large numbers. I now spend most of my weekends running Sustrans rides encouraging new cyclists to come on short, social rides, to basically just get people cycling. Which is much more rewarding than racing on a sportive to get a medal or a certificate.

With any sort of event, especially Ride London with tens of thousands taking part, as already stated, you will get incidents happening. A closed roads event for a long ride like this out into the Surrey Hills really doesn't do cycling any favours. What we want to be doing is encouraging people to think of cycling as a normal everyday activity that they don't need to wear special clothes or a helmet for. That's why the events which close the centre of London only would be far better, and so allowing people to explore the city on 2 wheels without motorised vehicles getting in the way.

 

[srw]

I saw a rider stop in Dorking to take on a sandwich that his support team produced from a Tupperware.

And I gather that some riders even got flapjack and cups of tea from evil support teams which had previously been planted on the route...

I half get the negativity, but it is beginning to feel like churlishness. Cycling is a lot of things, and my observation is that they all bleed into each other.

I think of a runner who did a Ride London, discovered she loved cycling as well as running and came on a holiday with a bunch of mad-keen cyclists.

I think of a demon time triallist whose honeymoon was spent bike touring and who is now on an unsupported race across a continent.

And I think of a commuting rider who is grateful to Sustrans for promoting riding and signposting possible rides, and who also dreams of bigger things.