Petition - give NEG more power to stop traffic during races

Richmond Racer

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46709

I've started its own thread so that it doesnt get lost in the other one

rick_chasey

Does this not belong in amateur race?

Richmond Racer

ah....banished to Am Race then....

Will you delete pls Mr Mod?

bigmat

It belongs in as many places on this forum as possible - can we not be pedantic just this once?!

deejay

Rick Chasey wrote:

Does this not belong in amateur race?

Do they not look after the Pro's as well. ?? ie Tour of Britain.

Turfle

signed, and forwarded on.

Rodrego Hernandez

So what happens to races not covered by NEG?

I thought that BC was in talks with the government around race marshalling and problems associated with it. There was also talk a while ago about static marshals getting stop powers.

Well intentioned though this petition is, I'm afraid that it is a little misguided and premature. Surely our efforts need to be coordinated rather than random such as this. Having 3 governing bodies plus all of the other 'experts' now acting as cycling spokesmen isn't helping us either.

I give it 3 seasons before road racing is banned (for our own good).

Desperately sad times for cycling.

Art Vandelay

Signed.

deejay

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

So what happens to races not covered by NEG?

I thought that BC was in talks with the government around race marshalling and problems associated with it. There was also talk a while ago about static marshals getting stop powers.

Well intentioned though this petition is, I'm afraid that it is a little misguided and premature. Surely our efforts need to be coordinated rather than random such as this. Having 3 governing bodies plus all of the other 'experts' now acting as cycling spokesmen isn't helping us either.

I give it 3 seasons before road racing is banned (for our own good).

Desperately sad times for cycling.

OFF TOPIC

No way, should you allow BC and Time Trials to merge because of what I posted elsewhere.
It might have changed but when I organised an Open TT I had to only notify the Police at least 28 days before the event.
They cannot legally stop a TT but they can make it very awkward to run the race.
The Police these days have so many vehicles they sit about in and a bit of fun for them would be to harass and stop lots of riders to bugger the race completely.

A BC road race needs the Police "Permission" to use the public roads and they monitor that race for "as they say" the public good.

They won't stop TT's because we would go back to the old days of "Private & Confidential" mail with Neutral colour attire.
That way it would be the same as your granddads days and if they stopped a rider who obviously was only getting some exercise on a bike.

The third body are Tourists.
So if you merge the bodies then the Police will have control over all cycle racing.

rob churchill

Signed. For what it's worth.

Pross

The legislation is already there to allow these powers. It is just that few police forces are prepared to hand over the powers. Essex do it I believe as do the 4 Welsh forces, the same applies to accredited marshalls.

Rodrego Hernandez

Pross wrote:

The legislation is already there to allow these powers. It is just that few police forces are prepared to hand over the powers. Essex do it I believe as do the 4 Welsh forces, the same applies to accredited marshalls.

Thanks for clarifying this, is it in the road traffic act?

Load of use this petition is then.

It was concerning hearing yesterday that the ACPO have advised forces not to enforce the argus 20mph speed limits. What other laws have the police chosen not to enforce?

Rodrego Hernandez

Just found this on another forum;

A perfectly good system already exists, so why might such a petition be thought necessary?

For some years the CSAS accreditation scheme has been applied to both static marshals and NEG m/c riders so during road races they both have the same authority as PC's to stop and direct traffic (though the NEG must park and dismount their m/c's before doing so).

All that's required is for the Police chief constable in the relevant area to sign up to the scheme (and accept delegation of the training and assessment if done in another police area).

Because the training and assessment is done by the police it tends to weed out the wonkiest m/c riders.

It may not be the cheapest arrangement but it makes such an enormous difference to the experience of marshalling, being a m/c escort, and competing in races in those areas that even English clubs are organising RR events in Wales to take advantage of it.

AFAIK at the moment this scheme only operates in Wales and Essex; what you'd have thought was needed is for it to be applied to the rest of the country. Presumably only a certain lack of energy is responsible for that not happening yet (?).


IME the whole process of controlling traffic safely requires training (2 days initially, then 1 day per year), plenty of practice, and careful consideration.

Definitely not a thing that can be done on the fly by anyone who happens to be standing on the pavement or around the event HQ.

Pross

It works really well over here and at £65 a bike it means you can get a very good escort at a sensible budget. Of course, there is still little they can do if someone refuses to stop other than report it to the police afterwards but as they are linked by radio to the lead cars and commissaires at least a warning can be given. I'd like to see them wearing helmet cameras too so that anyone ignoring their instructions can be dealt with by the police (it would also help to identify any riders who ride dangerously).