Ride London 2016

itboffin

SWT my daily punishment, expect the totally unexpected like bus replacement during the Olympics

Fucking genius

Grahamsjz

Rode over some of the course yesterday, no gel wrappers, rubbish etc. so they did clean up afterwards.

cremator

Well if people had not thrown rubbish down they would not have to clean up

sloppyschleckonds

optrexeyedrops wrote:

Don't worry about me mate, I was out in Iraq in 1991 whilst you were still an itch in your dads pants. I'll be fine.

:roll:

White Oakleys?

nicklong

Kingstonian wrote:

nicklong wrote:

So, here's my experience:

Set of at 7am, not many other fast riders so ended up with an Italian guy and we rode together averaging 37kmh till Kingston, 85 miles in. Once through the town we caught up with some other riders who joined us, started to ride off each other until BANG!

Guy in front didn't wave for an obstacle, and I hit a traffic island at full speed - flipped over handlebars, landed my jaw on the other side of the island. 2 fractures in my jaw, 6 stitches in my jawline, an STI lever-shaped bruise on my sternum, broken handlebars and roadrash from my cheek to my shoulder. Was escorted over to Kingston A&E and later transferred to King's College Hospital.

If anyone knows any spectators in the Kingston area who might have caught the crash on video if appreciate a copy.

Feeling rather lucky it wasn't worse - no neck damage, though haven't seen my bike or helmet since the crash.

Do you know where in Kingston ? Trying to figure out where you could have hit an island. Maybe outside Kingston Grammar School?

Coombe Lane, just starting to go uphill. They put a bright yellow two-arrow sign in front of it, after I hit it.

Just got my bike back, amazed that nothing else other than me and the handlebars are damaged.

philbar72

nicklong wrote:

Kingstonian wrote:

nicklong wrote:

So, here's my experience:

Set of at 7am, not many other fast riders so ended up with an Italian guy and we rode together averaging 37kmh till Kingston, 85 miles in. Once through the town we caught up with some other riders who joined us, started to ride off each other until BANG!

Guy in front didn't wave for an obstacle, and I hit a traffic island at full speed - flipped over handlebars, landed my jaw on the other side of the island. 2 fractures in my jaw, 6 stitches in my jawline, an STI lever-shaped bruise on my sternum, broken handlebars and roadrash from my cheek to my shoulder. Was escorted over to Kingston A&E and later transferred to King's College Hospital.

If anyone knows any spectators in the Kingston area who might have caught the crash on video if appreciate a copy.

Feeling rather lucky it wasn't worse - no neck damage, though haven't seen my bike or helmet since the crash.

Do you know where in Kingston ? Trying to figure out where you could have hit an island. Maybe outside Kingston Grammar School?

Coombe Lane, just starting to go uphill. They put a bright yellow two-arrow sign in front of it, after I hit it.

Just got my bike back, amazed that nothing else other than me and the handlebars are damaged.

Without trying to sound too harsh, you need to have your wits about you on several places on this course. that was one of the places.

The turn into it wasn’t too tricky if you had full visibility, but if you were in the wheels then you’d be at risk.

I also noticed when I met up with others at the pub later that the later riders were all struggling with it. And yes it did have a sign there as well…

milemuncher1

I've just been informed that the chap who crashed at Pyrford has died from his injuries. That's sad news, condolences to the F&F.

Thigh_burn

That's terrible. Condolences to his loved ones.

specialized_nick

Awful news

MattPillinger

Terrible news. Rest in Peace

I think each year now there have been fatalities. At risk of going OTT, does the course need amending to make it safer - I don't necessarily mean the heart attack victims - that can happen on any course, but crashes suggest a course which could be improved?

milemuncher1

MattPillinger wrote:

Terrible news. Rest in Peace

I think each year now there have been fatalities. At risk of going OTT, does the course need amending to make it safer - I don't necessarily mean the heart attack victims - that can happen on any course, but crashes suggest a course which could be improved?

That's 5 deaths in 4 years now. 3 fatal cardiac arrests on Leith Hill, 1 fatal cardiac arrest on Kingston Bridge, and the fatal crash at Pyrford. Bits of the route are not suitable for the size of the event. The problems come when you get 'bunching' on the tighter lanes and hills of the Surrey section, caused by delays due to accidents and such like. The riding standards were particularly bad this year IMO. Lots of 'chain gang time trials' going on, and general dickish riding from the 'vocal minority'. I've sent a few missives to the organisers, with some of my personal views on how the risk assessments could be improved, and one or two minor tweaks to the event, which I believe could improve things. I hope some of the ideas strike a chord with the organisers, as it would be a shame to lose such a fun and interesting event.

MattPillinger

Milemuncher1 wrote:

MattPillinger wrote:

Terrible news. Rest in Peace

I think each year now there have been fatalities. At risk of going OTT, does the course need amending to make it safer - I don't necessarily mean the heart attack victims - that can happen on any course, but crashes suggest a course which could be improved?

That's 5 deaths in 4 years now. 3 fatal cardiac arrests on Leith Hill, 1 fatal cardiac arrest on Kingston Bridge, and the fatal crash at Pyrford. Bits of the route are not suitable for the size of the event. The problems come when you get 'bunching' on the tighter lanes and hills of the Surrey section, caused by delays due to accidents and such like. The riding standards were particularly bad this year IMO. Lots of 'chain gang time trials' going on, and general dickish riding from the 'vocal minority'. I've sent a few missives to the organisers, with some of my personal views on how the risk assessments could be improved, and one or two minor tweaks to the event, which I believe could improve things. I hope some of the ideas strike a chord with the organisers, as it would be a shame to lose such a fun and interesting event.

I was really thinking about crashes, but come to that, the volume of riders must make it harder for emergency services to get through and while I have no expertise at all, everyone talks about the 'golden hour'

milemuncher1

MattPillinger wrote:

Milemuncher1 wrote:

MattPillinger wrote:

Terrible news. Rest in Peace

I think each year now there have been fatalities. At risk of going OTT, does the course need amending to make it safer - I don't necessarily mean the heart attack victims - that can happen on any course, but crashes suggest a course which could be improved?

That's 5 deaths in 4 years now. 3 fatal cardiac arrests on Leith Hill, 1 fatal cardiac arrest on Kingston Bridge, and the fatal crash at Pyrford. Bits of the route are not suitable for the size of the event. The problems come when you get 'bunching' on the tighter lanes and hills of the Surrey section, caused by delays due to accidents and such like. The riding standards were particularly bad this year IMO. Lots of 'chain gang time trials' going on, and general dickish riding from the 'vocal minority'. I've sent a few missives to the organisers, with some of my personal views on how the risk assessments could be improved, and one or two minor tweaks to the event, which I believe could improve things. I hope some of the ideas strike a chord with the organisers, as it would be a shame to lose such a fun and interesting event.

I was really thinking about crashes, but come to that, the volume of riders must make it harder for emergency services to get through and while I have no expertise at all, everyone talks about the 'golden hour'

The 'golden hour' is very important. If you find yourself in need of resusc, you're chances of survival are already very slim, outside of the 'golden hour' they reduce to the square root of bugger all. The organisers do have helivac available to them, so unless the problem occurs in the most remote part of the hills, they can get to the casualties quickly enough.

philbar72

its statistical that mass participation events that test the endurance will give rise to death from something like heart Failure... the big marathons usually have at least one a year. as for crashing though, well, you are in charge of your front wheel!!!

milemuncher1

philbar72 wrote:

its statistical that mass participation events that test the endurance will give rise to death from something like heart Failure... the big marathons usually have at least one a year. as for crashing though, well, you are in charge of your front wheel!!!

Some 'stato' on another site did some stuff with the numbers for this event, re. numbers of deaths and 'serious' injury accidents. The numbers were far higher than they should have been IIRC. A multiple of 10 for expected deaths, and about a multiple of 50 for serious crashes I think.

onemoresolo

I thought the chap that crashed at Pyrford posted on the RL Facebook page after the event? Is this another bloke involved? Tragic either way.

milemuncher1

onemoresolo wrote:

I thought the chap that crashed at Pyrford posted on the RL Facebook page after the event? Is this another bloke involved? Tragic either way.

The guy who posted on the Facebook page came off on Leith hill, he's a bit knackered, but generally okay. The guy at Pyrford was this guy.


http://road.cc/content/news/203549-cycl ... s-injuries

ugo.santalucia

Milemuncher1 wrote:

philbar72 wrote:

its statistical that mass participation events that test the endurance will give rise to death from something like heart Failure... the big marathons usually have at least one a year. as for crashing though, well, you are in charge of your front wheel!!!

Some 'stato' on another site did some stuff with the numbers for this event, re. numbers of deaths and 'serious' injury accidents. The numbers were far higher than they should have been IIRC. A multiple of 10 for expected deaths, and about a multiple of 50 for serious crashes I think.

I don't think projected stats is the way to approach it. The correct way is to look at comparable events and see where you stand. The most similar event for numbers and terrain might be the RVV and the Cape Argus. The big alpine granfondos are significantly different

itboffin

add the Amstel Gold to that list its the only other event i've done with such obviously unprepared entrants given the distance, volume of people and surprising amount of climbing and if unlucky like me minus temps with sleet and rain.

all that and I did see or hear of any crashes, very annoying to have people unclip at the bottom of a climb on mass blocking the road especially as they clearly hadn't even attempted the climb.

I think the main difference is those routes are themselves the attraction and the challenge, its not all about blasting around closed roads at top speed pretending to be in the pro peloton :x

Sleepy Jeannie

I came through 90 seconds after the crash happened, was horrific, three other riders taken out at the same time and the horrible realisation that it was more than serious. Poor sod, that was a brutal descent and if you aren't switched on, then a crash was easy to have.

It was a great day out and event all told, 90% of the riders were tops, just quite a few idiots as well, undertaking on the left hand side when there was no need was the main culprit!

thebikeboy16

Yes, I heard that too. Must be hard for his family.