BC's "Keep racing on the roads" campaign

Bronzie

"Not another bloody Facebook campaign" I hear you mutter - well, yes, but they are gaining some publicity (and not before time) trying the reverse the gradual erosion of bunch racing on the public highway.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/ma ... oad-racing

Sign up for it if you haven't already

jgsi

I hope that BC is also directly lobbying chief constables and police authorities - actual 'decision makers on the ground' rather than wannabe MPs who lets be honest, very very very few will have time to worry about cycling, especially when they is elected.

When a piece of legislation is changed by facebook silly load of bollox yuk I might consider signing up

SteveR_100Milers

What's silly about a piece of software that allows you to easily commmunicate in several ways to many people at once. It's not Facbeook that silly, it's the users, or yours or my perception of them....if you don't vote you can't change the world.

jgsi

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

.if you don't vote you can't change the world.

WHAT???? vote on facebook???
jeez don't rile me anymore please.
This thread is about continued road racing at amateur level.
I repeat the best strategy from strategic organisations (like BC) is to make 'friends' in high places.. and Ok if that HAS to include MPs
I will vote in the proper and appropriate manner, thank you very much.

SteveR_100Milers

You misunderstood my point sorry, I was too obtuse - I meant if you want to change facebook from being full of "silly" kids, then the more "sensible" adults that use it then the more 'sensible' it becomes to that group of users.

fastercyclist

Signed up for it, thanks Bronzie. Painless thing to do and these campaigns have made impacts in other areas before so lets not be so glum!

Bronzie

fastercyclist wrote:

Signed up for it, thanks Bronzie. Painless thing to do and these campaigns have made impacts in other areas before so lets not be so glum!

Yep - kept X-Factor from being number 1 at Christmas so it can't be sniffed at

Pross

Have a nose at fnegroni's comments at page 2 of this thread over on the commuting forum http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12692581&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

Fortunately he seems to be in a minority of one but with friends like this etc. :x

incog24

I guess there's idiots in every community (I include the tester in that too, providing its actually true).

There's a lot of opposition to this campaign over on veloriders. Personally I think BC should use everything available to them so applaud this approach. Lets hope the pothole situation improves too as that seems to be as big a threat at the moment!

Pross

As I hate closed circuit "road racing" on motor racing circuits and the like I'm fully behind this. Unfortunately there are a generation of riders for whom racing at Hog Hill and the like is in danger of becoming their only experience of road racing. We won't have any future pro tour riders from the UK if that is the limit of our racing options, these circuits have their place and are great in helping young riders and newcomers to experience racing but they aren't going to provide a foundation for 100 mile plus Olympic and Worlds races, classics or stage races. Just returning to cycling it is sad to see how many of the races I used to ride have disappeared to replaced by circuit races at Pembrey, Llandow and even on Maindy track!

incog24

Are the road races that are disappearing largely the 3/4th races, or is it pretty much even across the board? Whilst it should be possible for everyone to race on the roads, perhaps it might not hurt to prioritise the higher categories. It might lessen the impact on rider progression to the top end of the spectrum. Closed circuits definitely are useful for beginners, far safer and more accessible. Do tend to be a bit boring though if they're not purpose designed, and sometimes even when they are.

Pross

Seems to be all categories as many races that have gone would have had 1/2/3 and 3/J/V/W (good old days before 4th cat was introduced).

I would argue that racing on the roads is actually generally safer than closed circuits as there are less high speed bends and most injuries racing result from collisions with other cyclists but I agree the the perception of racing on a traffic free course is probably more appealing to a newcomer. I think it is also just easier for organisers to arrange a race on a closed circuit rather than submitting all the paperwork / risk assessments to race on the road (not to mention getting the required marshalls, lead cars and other helpers).

SteveR_100Milers

I can't quite get my head round a crit based on an outdoor track either...

fnegroni

Pross wrote:

Have a nose at fnegroni's comments at page 2 of this thread over on the commuting forum http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12692581&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

Fortunately he seems to be in a minority of one but with friends like this etc. :x

That comment was specific to a TT event organised, badly, by Reading CC.

I am more than happy with road racing, and if the rules are archaic they should be streamlined, so that there will be more races and fewer issues.

The issue I have is with two things:
a) races organised in an unsafe manner on the 'open' road: rolling road blocks are a bit too much, but at least get enough marshals to warn people and especially give them power to stop traffic
b) racers who think that they have more right to be there: notice that was my only experience of being endangered whilst on the bike by a cyclist taking part to a race, but not the first time I have been endangered when cycling by cyclists who 'think' they are racing, nor the first time I have witnessed situations where a badly orgainised race has had many potential issues and relied on the ability of the 'other' traffic to avoid collision. Both in this country and in Italy.

I would love to take part to a cycling road race. Not to win but because I think it would be nice to be able to not worry about traffic too much.

My rant was that, a rant, and I wished I made it clearer so my sincere apologies for not doing so.

I also made clear that numbers are very important: whilst cycling is still a minority sport, it is perceived as an 'anomaly' and is at best tolerated.

But one day it hopefully won't be, and will be part of every one; and I am fully supportive of that.

That day though, they won't be able to run road races at a whim anymore than now. The problems will be there just the same.

SteveR_100Milers

No one can organise a road race on a whim as you put it. It takes a lot of organisation and frankly hassle from the authorities to get it put on.

Slimbods

fnegroni wrote:

a) races organised in an unsafe manner on the 'open' road: rolling road blocks are a bit too much, but at least get enough marshals to warn people and especially give them power to stop traffic

If you insist on this, the races won't happen. Simple as that. These things are challenging enough to organize as it is. Why do we suddenly need extra rules for these events that have been running quite happily for years?

b) racers who think that they have more right to be there

You encountered a nob. Doesn't mean everyones a nob, doesn't mean you kneejerk and make everyone suffer because of one nob.

I would love to take part to a cycling road race. Not to win but because I think it would be nice to be able to not worry about traffic too much.

That day though, they won't be able to run road races at a whim anymore than now. The problems will be there just the same.

I think you're over reacting. We're talking about roads, they should be safe for bikes to use, no matter what we're doing on them. Traffic in a TT is just part of the deal, you be aware and you take care and you take guidance from the marshals. Sometimes you've got to slow and lose that time because there's a car or, like last night, a combine harvester on the road, that's the breaks. Expecting these events to require a closed road will kill the sport dead for very little benefit.

Pross

fnegroni wrote:

That comment was specific to a TT event organised, badly, by Reading CC.

I am more than happy with road racing, and if the rules are archaic they should be streamlined, so that there will be more races and fewer issues.

Really?

fnegroni wrote:

So, what do we do with road races taking part on the open road?

I used to have a powerful sportscar: when I wanted to race, I took it on race tracks: yes it's expensive, but I wouldn't endanger anyone else. Why is it deemed acceptable for cyclists to race on the open road?

fnegroni wrote:

So I get a peloton of 100 racing cyclists while I take my 3yo son for a ride, and that's 'safe'

fnegroni wrote:

Letting road races on the open road is stupid.

Perhaps now you can see why I may have misunderstood and thought you were opposed to all forms of racing on the road?

Incidently the reason that there is such a strong TT scene in the UK is due to past archaic attempts to ban cycle racing so those who wanted to race resorted to racing as individuals meeting up at locations identified by secret code numbers in the early hours.

SteveR_100Milers

'Style Envy' is an unpleasant condition isn't it?!

JJDLD

Back to the original topic, I note that the popular TLI series in N Yorkshire has been pulled due to difficulties getting police and highways approval…

While I don't doubt the value of Facebook campaigns such as this, and I do of course support the campaign to keep racing on the roads, I'm hoping that it's not all that BC is doing.

Surely the organisation behind one of the most successful Olympic teams since who-knows-when, and with a pretty substantial budget, can get to speak to ministers, civil servants etc (even if it is via lobbying organisations or "cabs to hire"...) to get the message across (albeit the current purdah period may limit this).

I'm sure that there are plenty of politicians out there at the moment who would love a photo-op with Sir Chris or Vicky or whoever. BC should not be relying on Facebook to get us back on the roads.

Jason.

Robstar24

the UK road racing scene is a little paltry for a number of reasons:

1) cost: entering a closed circuit race at Hillingdon costs somewhere in the region of £10, or £12/£13 if entering on the day, even for the fourth cats. That seems quite a high cost of entry to me, esp as somewhere like Hillingdon there is no need to pay as many marshals as it's not on roads. I was speaking to a guy who races regularly and he often heads over to France and Belgium on a weekend for races, they cost around 1 or 2 euros in most cases; over a season a club using a minibus and using the channel tunnel might well work out cheaper than racing in england.

2) police: tediously parochial in their attitude: if a race starts in kent it's kent police responsibility, but if it encroaches into surrey or sussex then it changes, and the other police forces don't want to take any responsbility, but neither will they let kent police onto their patch. In the 21st century with modern transport and technology it's like the smelly kid at school who would draw a demarcation line across your shared desk. In most of Europe they have a national police force, rather than scores of county/regional ones.

3) motorists: sadly still too much of the 'roads are for cars' attitude, and refusal to wait for even a few minutes while a race goes through. I cycle and drive, and it's a shame most motorists have such a bad attitude. The fact that in Belgium they have a more densely populated country yet still manage to race regularly (especially in crowded Flanders) is a sad indictment of the contempt that many motorists, police etc... hold cyclists in.

that said, i have had a couple of motorists apologise to me recently for slightly dodgy pull-outs from driveways etc: as no harm was done i politely said no worries and to drive safe; better to try to improve relations between motorists and cyclists than erupt into a rage at them for what are usually honest mistakes that cause no harm.

state of the roads currently in england is a bit of a bummer too, even recent club runs have been fairly hair-raising given the huge number of potholes, really sharpens up your bike handling.