Etape Caledonia sabotaged
Comments
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Tusher:
As they do on the London to Brighton.the Kirk would have eagerly grabbed a marketing opportunity to open early and hand out water, jiuce, let people in to the loo etc.
glasgowpompino:
That's an interesting point. I think I saw you before the hill - I called out "Pompino" to a bloke riding one with Moustache bars.I was curious, even before getting to Schiehallion yesterday, that I hadn't seen a single protester on the route, compared with last year ... The protestors clearly knew something we didn't.
Shaved Legs:
What's there to be ashamed about? One twit, a handful at most? Be ashamed if the Etape on closed roads doesn't continue in Perthshire, otherwise you Perthshire folk have my gratitude.I took my Perth United club shirt off when I got over the line yesterday - it's the first time I've ever felt ashamed to be associated with my town and area.
bahzob:
The Acarsaid was very welcoming, laid on an early breakfast and provided secure storage for our bikes. Big baths, plenty of hot water and a decent bed all yards from the start/finish!Hotel to be selected with care though.
sawarze:
Maybe glasgowpompino should take that one up - he's a journo.I posted a comment on this site: http://blog.commentonline.co.uk/ earlier today actually complementing the local residents for their support despite the incident - nothing remotely offensive. 2 hours later it has been removed
I loved the Etape and I'm much too stubborn to let a handful of twits stop my fun. I'll be packing a space blanket next year though...0 -
el123 wrote:I am local to the area and live on the route effected by Etape Caledonia, I work in the tourism industry at a property also on the effected route. The reckless actions of some mindless fool(s) at the weekend make me embarrassed to belong to this area and these actions actually seem to have pushed the locals towards supporting the event and this year the majority of people in the area are trying to accept and embrace the event. However, there has been a lot of animosity towards this event and the way it is run, for various reasons, long before cyclists arrived.
I do have to mention that the tourism business I work in suffered drastically due to the event, for example of Saturday we took over £750 (pre booked, customers nothing to do with Etape) and on Sunday we opened for the afternoon and only took £150.00, we also ask all our visitors where they are staying and how they heard about us and not one has even mentioned Etape. I would question the benefits to the area outwith Pitlochry. Our tourism business actually lost money - the complete opposite of what many reports are saying about the it boosting tourism in the area.
I believe the best way forward is to consult with locals further and come to an agreement, it is very inconvenient for the roads to be closed for 4 hours (although people could just do as I did and get up early and get out of the area!), i think locals would welcome a reduction in the time the road is closed for the different sections. Or even for there to be clear benefits to the local people...
Anyway, I feel very strongly regarding the tacks incident as it is nothing to do with the cyclists themselves and is a very dangerous thing to do, those responsible should have acted in a grown up manner and taken their issues up with the organisers of this event - although some members of the organising team have not been too friendly to locals who have embraced the event and offered help and equipment for free!
I know 4 hours is not that long but it is inconvenient, but i guess atleast we don't live near Balado - not sure I could put up with the noise, smell and rubbish from T in the Park for weeks, good for the local community who do put up with it!
This is something those of you who live/work in the area should sort out between yourselves.
Overall the region as a whole must get a substantial windfall benefit as a result of the etape. One estimate I saw was around £500k. I very much doubt that without the etape many of the hotels/cafes/restaurants around Pitlochry would have been as busy as they were last weekend. Not to mention other tourist sites visited (e.g. I had very happy hour or so at the Edradour distilllery).
In the business I worked in (a very successful one) we would jump at the opportunity presented by such a concentrated increase in consumers and treat it with imagination and excitement rather than moan.
You and others should look for opportunities provided by this event. Couple of specific examples
- Post event I wanted to take a trip round the Blair Atholl distillery (400m or so from finish). But it was closed. Only open Sundays in June onwards (which seems to indicate May not so busy...) Pretty obvious marketing opportunity there I would have thought. Few leaflets at event/hotels saying something "now you've finished how about a wee dram of celebration"...and/or hold an event of some sort to keep the many supporters waiting near the finish occupied during the morning.
- This event has probably had the most info emails of any I have done. Wny not negotiate with organisers so that those coming have option to get information on other things to do. Given long journey I came up Friday so had Saturday and Sunday afternoon to fill. I found out about Edradour and the Moulin brewery when I arrived. How much better to be told about them and other attractions in advance.
Nowithstanding the actions of the mindless tw0t I enjoyed the event , the surroundings and most of the people. I plan on returning next year with my wife so we can take a longer look round. So stuff like above would be good.
el123: If you let me know exactly what/where your business is I will give you some ideas that will mean next year you should end up in profit.Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
PS to the above. Hotel I stayed at showed sort of attitude I am talking about. Emailing us in advance to find out what we wanted to eat night before + getting up early to put on a great breakfast for us. As a result they I would certainly plan to return there again + happy to recommend to others (It was Rosemont)Martin S. Newbury RC0
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First bit of good news on this story -
http://www.tayside.police.uk/newsitem.php?id=1665
Will be interesting to see who this person is when they appear in court tomorrow, and whether they are connected to the ACRE group.0 -
I just got this reply to my email to Hounam
"If you took part in the race I can understand your anger. Alas you do not know the full background and why should you, and not do most of those commenting to the Daily Record. This is an economically fragile area. Businesses that were forced to close today cannot afford to lose several thousand pounds on a summer Sunday. Our business is on an open road and was not affected, but got no benefit. As you may have noticed, it does not attract crowds except perhaps in Pitlochry. The strength of feeling here would have been less if the council had consulted properly and listened to suggestions that the event should take place in shoulder months, not peak season. The sad fact is that the event is of some financial benefit to some businesses in Pitlochry where the event begins and ends, and no benefit along the route or even the rest of Highland Perthshire. Many ACRE members are not businesses and oppose the council's imposition of this event on our area. We do not know who tried to sabotage the race. On behalf of ACRE I have condemned what happened. We have never encouraged any illegal protest. The BBC website makes our position clear. We are against our council ignoring local wishes and allowing a commercial company to close our roads for a type of event that everywhere else in the UK is conducted safely on open roads. This year we organised no protest during the race because our argument is with the authorities, not with cyclists who are welcome here. I am grateful you got in touch. I can send you more information if you wish. Our organisation has from the outset offered to help marshall at no cost an open road event.
I am sure you will agree we are entitled to make our heartfelt views known. Over 500 people here signed our petition and such strength of feeling cannot be ignored.
Peter Hounam"0 -
MegaCycle wrote:
..."our business is on an open road and was not affected, but got no benefit.
Peter Hounam"
Can anyone confirm for us which B&B it is that Hounam runs so we can all make sure we boycott it next year and at all other times? Although I suspect that there are probably enough paranoid conspiracy theorists buying his books that he doesn't need the money that much.
For any local business that actually wants to make more money, I think posters on this forum have already mentioned a few of the obvious ways that they could turn it to their advantage.
But some of them don't want to, do they? They'd much rather have a good excuse to moan and blame somebody else, if it means they don't have to look at their own lack of drive, creativity and imagination.
Sadly, I think there is a strong dose of fatalism that runs through traditional Scottish tourist businesses, that believes that it's really all down to luck whether the sun shines, the snow falls, the punters come.
Over the last 10-20 years, I think there has been a bit of a change, with more and more businesses showing boldness in investment, and creativity in thinking of ways actually to attract people in.
Highland Perthshire is well up in this, and is starting to develop a bit of a reputation as a place to go for active, adventurous holidays, at the same time as being a place for style, comfort, culture even.
But not everyone has caught up with this yet!
As for Shaved Legs' post - allez the Tayside Polis!0 -
bompington wrote:
As for Shaved Legs' post - allez the Tayside Polis!
Hear! Hear! Fantastic work by the police there!0 -
Police have arrested a 62 year old man, who will appear in court on wednesday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8057084.stm
I'm not very "up" on the subject other than what has gone in the news since Sunday.
But it seems that if ACRE have a problem with the closing of the roads ONLY, that isn't coming across particularly well in the press. Probably due to the carpet tack incident, the focus is squarely on the "cyclists taking over the roads" and I have yet to see or here any response from the Perthshire council who are supposed to be the "baddies" in ACRE's eyes.......
.....it will be interesting if the man arrested has had anything to do with ACRE.
So ACRE have a 500 signature petition.... is that significant in the petition scheme of things? Would it be worthwhile getting a counter-petition started for locals to sign their suport for the event?
Re. ACRE supporting local business and the fact that thousands of pounds are lost on a Sunday morning because the roads are closed, is this truly proven? and has it not been proven that the race brings thousands of pounds to the area anyway? It's not a very good case for ACRE, certainly in the national press, they do come across as though this protesting is just a hobby (unfortunate for them).
The fact that there is no backroad route available for diversions, (I dont know the roads, going on reports here) the route probably needs to change. But that isnt discussed openly in the press either is it, positive action is surely better than grumbling all the time. ACRE should be striving to achieve a positive outcome, where the route can change for the benefit of both sides (get a traffic diversion), closed road cycle racing and economically viable Sunday morning business activity!0 -
ETAPE CALEDONIA CYCLE RACE INCIDENT -
MAN CHARGED
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tayside Police can confirm that a 62-year-old man from the Rannoch area of
Perthshire has been charged in connection with an incident that resulted in
a number of bicycles being damaged during the Etape Caledonia cycle race on
Sunday, May 17.
A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the man is expected
to appear at Perth Sheriff Court tomorrow (Wednesday, May 20).
Police enquiries into the full set of circumstances are continuing and
officers would appeal to anyone who was in the Aberfeldy area on Saturday
night (May 17) or Sunday morning (May 18) to contact 0300 111 2222, or speak
to any officer.0 -
There certainly were a few of us in the area on the sunday morning...glasgowpompino wrote:Police enquiries into the full set of circumstances are continuing and officers would appeal to anyone who was in the Aberfeldy area on Saturday night [May 17] or Sunday morning [May 18] to contact 0300 111 2222, or speak
to any officer.0 -
Let's hope that if he is convicted a group civil action is brought against him for damages, especially by those who punctured a number of expensive tubulars.Shaved Legs wrote:First bit of good news on this story -
http://www.tayside.police.uk/newsitem.php?id=1665
Will be interesting to see who this person is when they appear in court tomorrow, and whether they are connected to the ACRE group.0 -
More from the local God-botherer bigots. Just take whiff of the racism implicit in the following response. Very 'Daily Mail'!
Meanwhile, an alternative view was offered by Eveline Bright from Fortingall, Aberfeldy, who said while the incident could not be condoned, she did not feel the event brought anything to areas outwith Pitlochry.
“Aberfeldy, Glen Lyon and other rural areas do not find any benefit, merely a considerable amount of concern,” she said.
“The roads in the area are closed for half of the day of the race, preventing those in the Glen Lyon, Fortingall and Keltneyburn areas from leaving their homes at all.
“We may not leave our homes for any essential items and, much more importantly, the whole community is prevented from attending the Sunday Christian services.
“I wonder if the roads would be closed and the residents ‘restrained’ if we were of other faiths or nationalities.
“I was under the impression that we were attempting to fight discrimination. Perhaps not if you are white and Christian and don’t cycle.”
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2009 ... 1718t0.asp
Oh, and they are moaning about the aftermath of the sabotage...
...we feel we must point out that no matter how many punctures were incurred, there was no reason for all the damaged inner tubes to have been discarded everywhere.
They doubtless create an unacceptable danger to grazing and wild animals that use this area, not to mention the danger from all the Co2 cartridges, also discarded.
The majority of people in this area are pleased to support the event but I am sure, as we are, that they are unhappy with the amount of rubbish left on this occasion.
Mary and Walter Bannister.
Hazel Cottage,
Kinloch Rannoch.
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2009 ... etters.asp0 -
caw35slr wrote:That's an interesting point. I think I saw you before the hill - I called out "Pompino" to a bloke riding one with Moustache bars.
No matter how much impressed you are by another bloke's moustache, you really want to be careful shouting out 'pompino' - at least in Italy that is.....
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Never mind the punctures - I was disappointed at the number of PowerGel wrappers left strewn about the course - even before the climb. Given that I went off at 7:10, there couldn't have been that many in front of me. I shudder to think what the roads were like after everyone had passed.0
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The midday news on Five Live reported that someone has been arrested in connection
with the carpet tacks incident.0 -
Dr U Idh wrote:Never mind the punctures - I was disappointed at the number of PowerGel wrappers left strewn about the course - even before the climb. Given that I went off at 7:10, there couldn't have been that many in front of me. I shudder to think what the roads were like after everyone had passed.
I tuck Empty Gel wrappers up the inside of my bibshorts at the thigh, keeps them secure and out of the way and not difficult to do.0 -
To my mind a simple modification to the 'closed roads' would help drastically.
- The further round the course you get the more lengthy the closures get to account for the fact the field is more strung out
- But as you get further round there are more parallel roads to allow alternative access (eg. A827 through Aberfeldy) and by this point the route is predominately on minor roads
However the 'pinch' point is the short stretch of A827 from Ballechin to Logierait which when 100% closed requires a pretty significant diversion for road traffic to get to Aberfeldy. Why not just close one side of this road for sole use for bikes and have temporary traffic lights to allow cars from either direction to use the other half of the road. Seems simple?Why the name? Like the Hobbit I don't shave my legs0 -
I think the positive impact of the event on the area is a bit over-played though, so I can understand the concerns of the locals.
Of the dozen or so people I personally know who did this event, only two had plans to stay in the area more than just one or two nights; all the rest were doing a flying visit that involved an insane 1000 mile round trip (considering the brevity of their visit) so they could be back at work on Monday morning. The two that were staying a week had relatives in the area, so weren't staying at a hotel or eating out every night either.
Also I bet the majority of the cyclists weren't there with family members or otherwise doing much in the way of visiting paying tourist attractions because, lets face it, if you're up there in glorious scenery with your bike and cycling friends for just a couple of days then the obvious thing is to get out and do some more riding in the area.0 -
Maybe, but it is interesting that all the arguments 'for' this event seem to focus on economic issues. One gets the impression that cyclists are not 'welcomed' because people want others to see and enjoy the area they live in, or because the event brings a bit of a change to the usual routine of going to church and buying your copy of the 'Daily Mail' (or whatever the Scottish equivalent is), or any other even vaguely altruistic reason, but purely and simply because they might put cash in the pockets of 'the locals'. In my books that doesn’t amount to much of a welcome.Le Commentateur wrote:I think the positive impact of the event on the area is a bit over-played though, so I can understand the concerns of the locals.
It might be unfair but when I lived up there I very much got the impression that many of those living north of the border, be they indigenous Scots or 'white settlers', would quite like to see large collection boxes being set up along the border with signs saying 'You've seen the view, now cough up some cash, turn around and go home!'0 -
Oh here we go again.0
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There is never any excuse for litter (which includes tubes). I've seen tubes discarded in Richmond Park, so I'm not surprised but that doesn't curb my disappointment.
It's very hard to stay on the high ground at all times, but it is always the place to be. Please, please take your litter with you!0 -
good news - police have arrested a man - 62 year old from Rannoch area - assuming he is guilty - any thoughts on a suitable punishment - keep it clean please!!!
Maybe a few years hard labour in a rubber plantation making up for all the wasted repairs on Sunday?
:twisted:older, balder, faster, slimmer, better0 -
bilbo.baggins wrote:
However the 'pinch' point is the short stretch of A827 from Ballechin to Logierait which when 100% closed requires a pretty significant diversion for road traffic to get to Aberfeldy. Why not just close one side of this road for sole use for bikes and have temporary traffic lights to allow cars from either direction to use the other half of the road. Seems simple?
Knowing the area well, I'd agree that it is this closure that has the biggest impact. The A827 is far and away the busiest road that is closed for any length of time. I think your idea of temporary traffic lights is a good one - however the stretch you're talking about is over 2.5 miles long - I think that's too long for a one way system.
What about keeping this stretch open? The Bealach sportives work well on a partial closure basis?0 -
aurelio wrote:
It might be unfair but when I lived up there I very much got the impression that many of those living north of the border, be they indigenous Scots or 'white settlers', would quite like to see large collection boxes being set up along the border with signs saying 'You've seen the view, now cough up some cash, turn around and go home!'
Yeh, you're right that is unfair. Places like Perthshire are no different to areas like the Lakes, or Cornwall, or anywhere else that relies on tourism. Businesses involved in tourist encourage visitors and welcome them, people who live there and businesses not getting benefit generally resent visitors for invading their space. Scotland is just a part of the UK, good bits and bad bits, good people and a light sprinkling of ignorant people, nasties and idiots.
I woman who works in the Co-op thought it was disgusting that all the roads in and out of Pitlochry were closes 'all day'. Even when I pointed out that I had just driven into town at 12:30pm and parked outside the shop, she said that I couldn't have. Sigh.0 -
Run the course in reverse? That way, the closure of the A827 would be for less time.0
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'People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'.Dr U Idh wrote:Oh here we go again.
'Stop trying to send the Sassenachs homewards'
Author accuses some Scots of racism in their attitude towards English 'settlers'
The Scotsman 21/10/97
HATRED of English settlers north of the Border represents the first tentative steps towards an outbreak of ethnic violence, according to a Scottish historian. Author Dr James Hunter believes that a growing resentment of the English in some Scottish communities amounts to open racism and should be firmly quashed.
"People who have these views no doubt think they are patriotic Scots, but there is nothing to be proud of in founding your sense of identity on animosity towards other human beings," he said. "That represents at least putting one foot or maybe two feet on the top of the slippery slope that leads to what happened in Yugoslavia. "It is a very dangerous issue potentially and it is one we ought to confront and discuss and debate seriously before it gets too late."
Dr Hunter's comments were made in a BBC Frontline Scotland programme on Scottish racism against the English, to be broadcast tonight. The documentary investigates growing feelings of resentment against so-called "white settlers" across Scotland.
In Brechin recently, two families from Manchester were forced to return south after a vicious cycle of anti-English rumours surfaced at a meeting of the community council. The Kershaws and the Andersons were accused of causing rising vandalism, crime and an influx of drugs at a time when police said that crime was actually falling.
In the remote west coast village of Sunart on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, English hotelier John Burgess was forced to sell up after a string of violent incidents. "There was an anti-English feeling about people taking over businesses in Scotland," he said. "I've had cracked ribs in the bar, we've thrown people out, we've had chairs thrown through windows and flower containers and tables thrown into the loch." He also received death threats from Settler Watch.
On the Black Isle, anti-English feeling erupted into violence when two teenagers from south of the Border were set upon by a gang. The procurator-fiscal told a court he was convinced anti-English feeling sparked the attack.
Despite the increase in anti-English feeling, Dr Hunter believes the arrival of devolution will ease the problem. "We now have a great opportunity to create a society where people from all sorts of backgrounds are made to feel a part of the new Scotland," he added. "That new Scotland won't be worth having if it's based on antagonism, hostility and racism. But I believe that with more autonomy Scots will have no excuse to blame the English for all the ills of the world and that will lead to a better relationship."0 -
aurelio wrote:
Maybe, but it is interesting that all the arguments 'for' this event seem to focus on economic issues.Le Commentateur wrote:I think the positive impact of the event on the area is a bit over-played though, so I can understand the concerns of the locals.
Exactly. The arguments I have heard from protesting local people, and Hounumpty in particular, have actually not so much to do with it being on a closed road, but everything to do with the whole idea of the event. Really, if your business is suffering, IT IS because you're not cashing in on 3,500 riders with 2,000+ support staying and spending in the area. Really, if your business relies on a road being open on that particular Sunday for just those three hours and you cannot come up with ideas to make the most of it, you're not a really a good businessman/woman. Saying this, might upset people, but that's the way the world goes round i'm afraid.
I still have to hear one good argument against the closed roads (closed for motorised vehicles only let's not forget), rather than against the event. 3,500 riders on an open road race, even somewhere else, is NOT the solution (even if they say it is), the problem is the attitude of those protesting local people.
Example extraordinaire: Norman Beedie (DRSAM; LRAM; ARCM; DCKHD) is happy to get his hands on funding from the Arts Council but doesn't like the idea that the Etape gets money from P&K council. You can see from my quote below what business he runs and rather come up with some brilliant solution to his predicament 'the boy will lose his singing and conducting lesson'. Now that's very harsh and we can see what 'business' man we are dealing with here. He not only has got a serious chip or two on his shoulder, he should not be allowed to run a business with a mind like that. He goes on to play the 'freedom to exercise religion' card. Local churches seriously should consider telling that man off. Don't get me started on the snow and ice that shuts down businesses in the winter in the highlands: if your business can live through that, it will survive another day after the Etape.My wife and I will lose money that day as an under-graduate music student from Dundee will be unable to attend his conducting and singing lesson. Obviously he will lose his lesson. For those businesses and residents and churches situated on the roads that will be closed the impact can have a truly detrimental effect and it is morally questionable to close roads and impact on church service times thus interfering with the freedom to worship – a basic human right at law. It is also morally and legally questionable to allow one business to use the public roads to make profit to the detriment of the community – resident and visinting.0 -
No, I mean unfair as in 'too harsh'. The fact that many other tourist areas in the UK share the same attitudes does not mean that such attitudes don't exist in Scotland!johna101 wrote:
Yeh, you're right that is unfair. Places like Perthshire are no different to areas like the Lakes, or Cornwall, or anywhere else that relies on tourism.aurelio wrote:
It might be unfair but when I lived up there I very much got the impression that many of those living north of the border, be they indigenous Scots or 'white settlers', would quite like to see large collection boxes being set up along the border with signs saying 'You've seen the view, now cough up some cash, turn around and go home!'0 -
You managed to find a 12 year old newspaper article quoting a handful of "word-of-mouth" reports? Do you know how pathetic you come across.
Thing is aurelio hatred of the English isn't confined to Scotland. What's it like not to be welcome anywhere?0 -
This thread has taken some twists and turns.
Concerning local attitude : those who resent the closure do so because they see a poorly consulted restriction imposed upon their freedom of movement and a negative impact on some businesses outside of Pitlochry itself.
This doesn't make them peculiarly Scottish, Christian, immigrant settler or anything else, it is merely a (minority) point of view obsessively held to the extent it has been expressed in criminal direct action. That could be the case anywhere. There is a proposed (with planning permission) wind farm close to our village. Doesn't stop some people saying they'll lie down in front of the bull dozers.
What the claimed 450 anti petitioners and ACRE overlook is that the road closure decision was subject to due legal process and is part of local democracy. You can protest but they have (before the tack spreading) taken it to the point of obsession and the poor sense of proportion and judgement that often accompanies obsession.
The direct benefit is only measured by the protesters in takings on the day. What is Highland Perthshire's advertising budget? How much would it have cost to buy media space equal to Etape caledonia coverage?
For what it's worth i stayed in pitlochry year 1 and Aberfeldy year 2. Aberfeldy welcome (2 rooms booked and evening meal for 4) was very average, village windows were full of ACRE signs. So I will book pitlochry for 2010 unless I see some evidence this sn't all a local jealousy gotten out of hand.Where the neon madmen climb0
