Ride London Surrey 100 - No registration

rich_e

nolf wrote:

I had a look at the website and note it says
"For the events on Sunday 4 August, cycling on the event route is not recommended as the roads will be very busy before and after the events have passed, with preparations such as barriers and race infrastructure being put into place. Event stewards will be on hand to advise people."

On that basis, doesn't sound like they'll imprison you for using the closed roads. In my situation, I want too ride, but don't intend to use any of the benefits, except the closed roads. I'll buy food/water separately.

Depends how you read that statement though.
It just as much looks like they are saying that there is nothing to stop you before and after both events, but bare in mind that there will be workers loading/unloading barriers and support staff on the road. The way it refers to events passing suggests that you aren't allowed on the route at that time and given its a closed roads event where they need to carefully manage time, safety and insurance there is no way they are ever going to say its fine for people who aren't competitors to be on it.

velo-city

Sounds like there's going to be a lot of nice, friendly, open minded and charitable people riding in this one! "freeloading scroungers, arrest, police, nameless authorities, grassing up, tazers, eviction." Hell, why not bring back hanging?!

In my experience of many charity rides over the years, there aren't actually that many people interested enough in getting up at the crack of dawn on a whim and fighting the uk transport system nightmare on a bike event day (aka a massive hassle to get your bike anywhere near, or back afterwards), on the off-chance of taking part in a long (and possibly gruelling for unfit casual riders) bike ride. Plenty do, but even on the most famous one the L2B, the late registration tent at 5am isn't exactly carnage.

Would a few extra cyclists - possibly very experienced and potentially already charity supporters, who knows - tagging along on top of 20,000 people on a closed road event just to try and enjoy the experience really bring it to its knees, cause chaos, and ruin it for everyone?

No idea whether its doable or not - I wouldn't bother since the organisers have seemingly gone out of their way to make it as beauricratic and painful as possible for anyone wanting to enter, which makes it completely unappealing to me even as a strong supporter of charities - but good luck to those that try.

Hope you have fun if you're riding (registered or not), and don't forget to cheer along the ones struggling - they often just get ignored by faster, experienced cyclists and for some people long charity rides are a huge once in a lifetime challenge.

antfly

This isn't really a charity ride, by the way. Of course those that think they are going to tag on don't have to worry about the bureaucracy, which includes a highly inconvenient journey to the Excel centre in the days before the event.

chrisaonabike

velo-city wrote:

Would a few extra cyclists - possibly very experienced and potentially already charity supporters, who knows - tagging along on top of 20,000 people on a closed road event just to try and enjoy the experience really bring it to its knees, cause chaos, and ruin it for everyone?

Of course not. But that's not the point, which you have sadly missed.

The point is that trying to gate-crash the event, is basically sticking two fingers up to everyone that has taken part in the organisation, and to everyone who has got their place fair and square.

It is deceitful (since you will have to sneak in somehow, avoiding the marshals, the barriers, police, etc), selfish ("you can pay for it, mate, if you want to, but I'll just get the enjoyment myself without bothering to contribute"), and lazy (since there were plenty of charity places available, and fundraising isn't that hard).

Personally, I think it's a contemptible attitude.

thegreatdivide

I've got video footage of a chap that though it would be fun to tag onto the back of the peloton on the TDF this year. The same treatment should be applied to non-registered riders - shoved off his bike ;-)

velo-city

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Personally, I think it's a contemptible attitude.

I think you made that clear in the preceding three paragraphs!

Personally, I just thought it was a shame to see so many seemingly angry men (I assume men anyway, sorry any ladies) getting their knickers in a twist about being potentially 'jilted' by someone (the OP) even suggesting potentially sneaking into what is essentially a charity bike ride with another name. Keep a sense of proportion, perspective and reason, I always try to think anyway. If no one ever did anything 'naughty' the world would be a very dull place. In my opinion.

It might be of interest to the OP (and any others wanting to do the ride) to know that the central London loop is open for everyone to cycle on Saturday (9am - 4pm) - you can simply turn up when you like and ride for as long as you like, and its traffic free (other than lots of bikes). No registration necessary, and it's actually stated that this one is allowed to be FUN!

So for those wanting to experience riding en-masse, or just get the chance to ride around central London without traffic but don't want to upset the lynch mob and/or get pushed off their bikes, tazered, imprisoned, etc, that's probably a good option. 50,000 are expected throughout the day so the advice is to get there early!
More info here: http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/T ... r_Info.htm

Slo Mo Jones

It doesn't harm anyone for a few people to ride the train without paying, but I couldn't face the embarrassment of being caught.

Ed-tron

I picked up my registration for RideLondon yesterday, and they give you large numbers to put on your handlebar, bikeframe, jersey and helmet. So although there are a lot of people doing it, if you don't have those things whilst going up Box Hill etc, you'll stand out quite a bit. Sure you probably wont get 'caught' but if I did it, it would make me feel like a bit of a tool when chatting with other riders etc

Anyway, If I didn't get my place on the ride there is no way I would sneak into it on my bike...

...I'd instead have an amazing day out on Leith hill watching Sagan et al beast it round three times!

rich_e

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

It doesn't harm anyone for a few people to ride the train without paying, but I couldn't face the embarrassment of being caught.

Its all well and good saying that, but what if the 50,000 something other people who applied but didn't get a place decided to all do the same?

The other big issue is that by being on a closed roads event and not a participant, from a legal standpoint you likely aren't covered. Say you caused an accident, you have an accident yourself, or your bike or somebody else's bike gets damaged. Insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid paying out a claim, so if they find out you were riding an event which you weren't allowed, I doubt you would be getting a new bike.

Slo Mo Jones

Rich_E wrote:

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

It doesn't harm anyone for a few people to ride the train without paying, but I couldn't face the embarrassment of being caught.

Its all well and good saying that, but what if the 50,000 something other people who applied but didn't get a place decided to all do the same?

The other big issue is that by being on a closed roads event and not a participant, from a legal standpoint you likely aren't covered. Say you caused an accident, you have an accident yourself, or your bike or somebody else's bike gets damaged. Insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid paying out a claim, so if they find out you were riding an event which you weren't allowed, I doubt you would be getting a new bike.

I was agreeing with you. I've got a place. Well, I didn't get a place in the ballot (not surprising given that I didn't even own a bike when the ballot closed), so bought a place from a charidee and raised some money.

My point was to the people saying there's nothing wrong with tagging along, or saying there's little harm in it, that the embarrassment factor alone would put me off. You'd effectively be caught stealing.

And it's just massively pikey. Pay for a place you tight c unts

chrisaonabike

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

And it's just massively pikey. Pay for a place you tight c unts

Excellent summary

simonhead

Just been to the excel, cunningly enough the bloke queuing in front of me asked if his mate could tag along and he got a deadpan "of course he can, if he can climb over the barriers without being spotted by the marshals, do the 100 miles without being ejected because he doesn't have a number and is prepared to loss off 20,000 people who have paid to take part"

aem77

Who are you kidding!? There will be 20k registered on Sunday and probably another 30k unregistered.

antfly

Troll alert.

simonhead

aem77 wrote:

Who are you kidding!? There will be 20k registered on Sunday and probably another 30k unregistered.

What a great first post

CoutinhoRed

When are the roads closed from? I assume it will be tomorrow?

peat

Stuff in the City tomorrow, the London-Surrey route about 5am to 5pm Sunday.

Rob85_

If I see anyone with out any race numbers I will quite happily push them off there bike given a good opportunity. Its simple stealing and if you haven't paid you shouldn't be there.

I didn't get a place in the ballot so I got one with a charity. I have paid for my place and worked hard training and getting sponsorship.

velo-city

Rob85_ wrote:

If I see anyone with out any race numbers I will quite happily push them off there [sic] bike given a good opportunity. Its simple stealing and if you haven't paid you shouldn't be there.

Yeah, that would certainly justify you taking the law into your own hands and potentially seriously injuring or killing another cyclist.

I can just imagine the newspaper headlines "Bikeradar Bragger Jailed for Manslaughter".

Unfortunately (for you) if anyone now reports being pushed off their bikes and injured during the event, you'll most likely be the first door knocked on for questioning.

Seriously guys, just have a Snickers and enjoy the ride.

charlie_potatoes

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

And it's just massively pikey. Pay for a place you tight c unts

Excellent summary

Blimey :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

I was thinking cad, bounder or charlatan

simonhead

So did any of you freeloaders have a crack at it, saw 2 riders ejected at Hampton court and another just after Leatherhead.

chrisaonabike

simonhead wrote:

So did any of you freeloaders have a crack at it, saw 2 riders ejected at Hampton court and another just after Leatherhead.

Didn't someone say that some cvnt had actually breezed up the Mall and despite having no numbers or anything, accepted a finishing medal? Cheeky sod.

Seriously, would it have been so hard for the medal disher-outers to check for a number and only give a medal to the genuine finishers?

dandrew

I know of someone who did it with no race numbers. Had forgot them and left them in his hotel room. Also know of 2 policemen who rode the course from Box Hill to the Mall in their civvies, they'd been out on a ride and couldn't resist joining in. Don't think they caused anyone any problems.
Then there was the Boris Bike man who came over Chelsea Bridge onto the Embankment much to the chagrin of the marshals there who went chasing after him and sent him careering almost into my path! Nearly ended my ride!

MickTheMove

Did they actually check your identity at registration?? Would never ride anything without paying my way but have rode a few in someone elses name as it was full and they sold me their entry.

drlodge

I know of someone who faked their identity, showed himself to be someone else at Registration. not sure how he did it though.

rich_e

MICKTHEMOVE wrote:

Did they actually check your identity at registration?? Would never ride anything without paying my way but have rode a few in someone elses name as it was full and they sold me their entry.

Yes, you had to show your passport, so they certainly were making sure.

As for the actual start though....not really from what I saw.

When your wave started loading, there were a few people stood under the letter gate for the wave who took your rider card from you. I think the woman who took mine barely even glanced at it, as obviously there is a stream of people moving through, so a thorough check would also take a while. Presumably they were checking for anyone who didn't have numbers attached, but I didn't see anyone who fell foul of that.

There were people who were in the wrong loading groups, which they let slide, whether because they didn't mind or just didn't spot I don't know. There was one person in my group who was simply late getting to the QEP and so just entered a later wave. Before we started I also chatted with a mother and daughter who were in my group, one of them had joined from another wave so that they could ride together.

I also spotted a rider card lying on the ground somewhere around Chiswick, suggesting it had never even been handed in.

theotherjake

I was in wave B and no one checked my card or numbers, either on the bike or me.

make mine a triple

I was checked (wave D) they even looked at my bike numbers and checked it against the rider card which they asked for (this was someone walking round near the entry point)

Stedman

theotherjake wrote:

I was in wave B and no one checked my card or numbers, either on the bike or me.

I was also in wave B, but I had my card taken, numbers checked and I was even stopped from going into the pen because the marshal did not immediately see the separate number on the frame.

With ballot places changing hands on e-bay this year for £200, I wonder if the organisers are going to do anything special to specifically challenge this next year?

Boleynboy

Stedman wrote:

theotherjake wrote:

I was in wave B and no one checked my card or numbers, either on the bike or me.

I was also in wave B, but I had my card taken, numbers checked and I was even stopped from going into the pen because the marshal did not immediately see the separate number on the frame.

With ballot places changing hands on e-bay this year for £200, I wonder if the organisers are going to do anything special to specifically challenge this next year?

I was in wave T and had my card taken but it was not checked against my number, the steward looked like she had had enough and was just collecting them as fast as she could!
I watched the riders going through in the pen next to me and the stewards there were checking every number so it was a pretty random process if you had your card checked or not.
I saw the guy with no obvious numbers collecting his medal, maybe he had lost them enroute but it looked to me like he had bunked on, got carried away and thought he would push his luck by crossing the finishing line.
I cannot believe people were selling their places on ebay, is nothing sacred anymore!?