Triathlon - Open Road

essex-commuter

My local council have organised a Triathlon next weekend to coincide with the opening of a new leisure centre. I entered a month ago (incuding having to purchase a British Tri Ass. one day licence).

They have just disclosed that the cycle will be on open roads in the Borough ( a busy Borough) and if the traffic lights are red you stop ("it's just a case of luck" the lady on the phone said).

I don't think this is safe, think how many will be jumping reds. I also can't believe the BTA have agreed to this, especially as they are encouraging newcomers to take part.

This sounds like a recipe for disaster, I'm thinking of airing my views and suggesting that the event is unsafe. How can you organise a race...but you can't race because of traffic lights? Traffic I can handle (I TT so it's normal business), but lights??

Any thoughts?

asprilla

I've done a few and most of them are on open roads and the TT I did at the weekend had lights on it.

It's not so bad.

essex-commuter

Asprilla wrote:

I've done a few and most of them are on open roads and the TT I did at the weekend had lights on it.


It's not so bad.

I've TT'd on a course with lights before but only ped lights or temporary ones. This couse crosses major junctions and cross roads, it just seems wrong...and a bit pointless.

iPete

Sounds a bit ill thought out as its a 1 off event but it can't be a big enough to warrant closing the roads. The event sounds like more of a fun run than one for the more hardcore who care out finish times.

kelsen

I don't do triathlons so don't know the specific rules, but I agree with essex-commuter that holding a race on open roads is pretty silly.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Asprilla wrote:

I've done a few and most of them are on open roads and the TT I did at the weekend had lights on it.

It's not so bad.

+1.

spasypaddy

they will have marshalls on the points with lights (at least they should do), you jump them then you are DQd. its as simple as that. same with drafting.

asprilla

kelsen wrote:

I don't do triathlons so don't know the specific rules, but I agree with essex-commuter that holding a race on open roads is pretty silly.

It's difficult to find a location where you can have a 20, 40 or 80k route on closed roads. The only place I know that can accommodate is Dorney lake and that's only a 5km loop so it gets a bit boring after the third time around.

essex-commuter

Good comments, guess I'm just a bit pee'd that I've been training till me eyes bleed with this event in mind and now there is a chance that I will be stopped at a red and when they change some Fred will bounce past me on a 80 quid full suss!

:twisted:

Wrath Rob

Asprilla wrote:

kelsen wrote:

I don't do triathlons so don't know the specific rules, but I agree with essex-commuter that holding a race on open roads is pretty silly.

It's difficult to find a location where you can have a 20, 40 or 80k route on closed roads. The only place I know that can accommodate is Dorney lake and that's only a 5km loop so it gets a bit boring after the third time around.

Blenheim Palace

The Rookie

Don't worry, you should catch him again in 5 seconds....

Seriously, all they need to do is get onto the Police to get there PCSO's out to do something useful (for one.....), under the PRA most now have the authority to stop traffic, so they can stop crossing traffic and wave cyclists through.....

Simon

spen666

spasypaddy wrote:

they will have marshalls on the points with lights (at least they should do), you jump them then you are DQd. its as simple as that. same with drafting.

i never draft traffic lights & certainly not red ones

Kieran_Burns

This section of the A516 between the A50 and Mickleover (left to right as you see it) is commonly used as a time trial section. They loop around the far left roundabout under the A50 and up off the A516 round the roundabout and back down again at Mickleover.

You see them tanking up and down here most weekends, and occasional evenings... I got told to "get the f*** out the way" by one of them when I was commuting home one night.

Arrogant tosser.

spen666

Kieran_Burns wrote:

This section of the A516 between the A50 and Mickleover (left to right as you see it) is commonly used as a time trial section. They loop around the far left roundabout under the A50 and up off the A516 round the roundabout and back down again at Mickleover.

You see them tanking up and down here most weekends, and occasional evenings... I got told to "get the f*** out the way" by one of them when I was commuting home one night.
Arrogant tosser.

Think the shock of hearing such language would possibly have caused me to swerve possibly into the way of say an arrogant time trialist slowing him down

suzyb

My "commute" route is used by the local cycling club as their TT route. But the odd occasion there has been someone doing some training when I've been out they've been quite friendly and given a quick hello as they've zoomed past.

spasypaddy

spen666 wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

they will have marshalls on the points with lights (at least they should do), you jump them then you are DQd. its as simple as that. same with drafting.

i never draft traffic lights & certainly not red ones

eh?