ACPO Investigation?

Caer caradoc

I am not too clear on how accurate this information is but if true it would have major implications for sportives. I hope this is incorrect.

I met a cyclist the other day who purported to know that ACPO may be about to re-evaluate cycling events held on the open road. In particular, sportives which are not bound by the same agreement as time trials or road races. Those familar with the race scene will be aware that organisers have to inform their local police contact about planned events (the route, timing, so and so forth) with the chance that the police may forbid the event if it is deemed to be dangerous. Sportives are of course unregulated and some times treated as psuedo-races which is a cause for concern.

For anyone that does not know, ACPO set policy for chief and senior police officers in the UK.

Scrumple

don't worry

they can't do anything, and can't decide anything, and haven't the cash to do anything etc... They may suggest things to the Government, but thats about it.

Pointless worrying, and worthless to speculate at this time. If something ever happens, then discuss. ACPO have a road safety lead so it is onyl normal they may discuss this.

Means nothing, in relative terms. May even be good for the sport to regulate better.

ugo.santalucia

I have heard this rumour before...

Not necessarily a bad thing. Too many sportives at the moment, the majority badly organised and best avoided

Philip Whiteman

Hopefully, the 'problems' perceived or otherwise on such events won't impinge upon the organisation of events also not covered by police agreements, for example, charity rides or audaxes. God help us if it extended to club runs too!

nickwill

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I have heard this rumour before...

Not necessarily a bad thing. Too many sportives at the moment, the majority badly organised and best avoided

I don't think I've come across one of these 'badly organised' sportives yet, and I do several each year.This seems to be a bandwagon that seems to get jumped on regularly.

Sportive Challenge

To some extend it doesn't matter what ACPO think of sportives, cycling on the highway is a perfectly legal thing to do and they can't stop it unless there is a change in the law.

If they wanted to change the law on safety grounds they would need to show the public interest in doing so by showing how dangerous the events are. They won't be able to do this because they are not dangerous. The amount of accidents in events is minimal and certainly no worse than the accident rates for cycling in general.

nickwill

Sportive Challenge wrote:

To some extend it doesn't matter what ACPO think of sportives, cycling on the highway is a perfectly legal thing to do and they can't stop it unless there is a change in the law.

If they wanted to change the law on safety grounds they would need to show the public interest in doing so by showing how dangerous the events are. They won't be able to do this because they are not dangerous. The amount of accidents in events is minimal and certainly no worse than the accident rates for cycling in general.

Hear hear!