seems to have been the battle cry of both CW and C+ as police have refused to provide a police presence at many an event even if the organisers are prepared to foot the bill!
Err... it is a matter of resources and we do need the officers out there to "catch real criminals" after all
(we do do a bit more than cop nowty drivers, binge on doughnuts dunked in mugs of tea.. (mmmmm!)
But I do agree - if we police football matches - then we should also provide the same support for other sporty events.
But Roger St Pierre is worried that this signal the demise of cycling road races and sportives - and is concerned that "elf n safety" will clobber another traditional sport.
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We can argue that cars with one occupant take up as much space as 4 cyclists riding two abreast, and creating more emmissions :roll; - even we have stoked up on bread pudding and baked beans befor the ride
No fig rolls then
Oh 'ere we go...
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The motoring lobby and parlaimane consider us to be a damn nuisance whenver we choose to ride in anything but single file, even though it's not ilegal to do so unless creating a serious obstruction
I think it's more common sense and courtesy
I have no problem in dropping back or overtaking my riding partner dependent on the traffic condition as it unfolds in that second. It's no real problem. Just a matter of taking full account of the road situation and risk assessing all the time.. just as I do when driving.
But then comes this gem ...
Quote:
With time trials already forced off trunk roads - ratehr sensibly one must admit - bunched road racing is now under serious pressure.
Traffic calming measures, Sunday car boot sales and congestion around garden centres and out-of town shopping malls have forced th abandonment of many polular courses and now th police are putting some of a#our key events in jeopardy by refusing to provide a police presence [/quote}
Um
though they wanted "traffic calming measures!"
But as said - it's more the problem of providing the staff . Apart from that many of these officers will be using a "rest day" - which means overtime rates
There's also as TVP are quoted the safety element...
Yes - I do accept Roger St Pierre's point that
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statistically - whether on a closed or open road - a competitor in a British road race is less likely to be involved in an incident than any other road user
But .. as we've seen from ed's story from Oz.. road rage is a very real and increasing danger out there
All we need is one idiot and all events from a local rambling WI walk to a local Rose Queen parade need a full risk assessment on the o#part of the organisers these days - for insurance purposes.
Of course, it is worrying that the Wessex Premier Calendar and Archer GP both had to be cancelled because police could not or would not provide essential cover - especially when these have been annual events for the past 50 years or so
and insurers will not insure if health and safety requirements - such as safe controls are not met.
The main worry though for Roger St Pierre is that
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If road racing gets the squeeze today - it will be sportives next .. and after that it will be forbidden to ride in any kind of bunch on the roads - spelling the end of club runs and even th Sunday ride with friends
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