jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
Were the racers in this clip instructed that the roads were closed in each direction and that it was ok for them to cycle on the right? If so, why were the marshals not enforcing it
I think a few facts need stating.
It wasn't a sportive it was a charity ride for the Prince of Wales Hospice Pontefract.
Well spotted. Deffo it is Mr Stripy Cock for my money!If you look very very closely at about 1.55 in, on the left, looks like someone has a clipless moment... Might even be Mr Stripey
The two at the end, one of whom was on the road? After the race had passed?I did notice how the two women riders just bumped up onto the pavement and carried on as normal; no fuss, no abuse,
@2:15 I'm paraphrasing what was said but.
Angry Sportive: You just shouted at them.
Angry Marshall: Because they rode through a 'Road Closed' sign!.
Angry Sportive: You've always got an excuse you.
The marshals in the clip do not appear to be accredited marshals as it seems from the audio they are using 'road closed' signs instead on the approved signs in the photo posted earlier. Having said that the way in which it is marshalled should be similar and marshals with stop signs would be placed as in the picture below often with red flag marshals to provide further assistance. This gives the racers room to swing out wide on a left turn as seen in the clip.Were the racers in this clip instructed that the roads were closed in each direction and that it was ok for them to cycle on the right? If so, why were the marshals not enforcing it
I took place in this sportive and entered on the day. No instructions were given in regards to safety only that the organisers wanted you to call them if you weren't finishing as they couldn't leave until everyone was back and they would rather be sat in a beer garden enjoying the sun rather than waiting for people who wouldn’t return. That is actually what they said!!! There was also no mention of the cycle race taking place. I've entered many sportive rides but would say the class of rider on this particular ride was completely and utterly shocking. I was too afraid to clip in myself for the first 3-4km due to people swerving all over the road, riding down roads on the wrong side of the road with no regards to traffic, not looking behind before pulling out etc. I could go on and on if I'm honest. I have never been so afraid at the start of a sportive before; for my own safety and that of others. At the start of the ride many were treating the road as if it were closed when it clearly wasn’t at one particular point when we came to a set of cross roads I was half expecting some to go through a red light and get severely injured or worse.
In all honesty, I am not surprised that this incident happened in the slightest. I didn’t witness this particular incident but I did cycle past the race elsewhere where there was no road block. There were signs out on the road to warn people that a cycle race was taking place. It’s a shame the charity is getting bad publicity but better planning, organisation and instruction is clearly required on their part. Some of those riders need a good talking to also and not just the ones on the video.
Miss Cavy
I know it was a charity ride, I was there, but I still expect people to have a bit of common sense and be aware of their surroundings. Families with young children were actually the least of my worries and probably some of the better behaved out there in the first 5km. They were the poeple actually paying attention to their surroundings. I have entered other chairty rides such as the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride havent experienced such shocking riding and behavour before. I still think a proper safety briefing might have helped prevented some of the very poor riding and would have alerted people to the fact that they may encouter closed roads at some point due to a different event. The incident with the marshall need not have occured.