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Drawing pins found at Redhill CC race 2015 cropped (picture courtesy Adrian Webb)Pedal for Scotland becomes latest cycling event to be hit by drawing pin attack
Last Sunday’s Pedal for Scotland has become the latest cycling event to be hit by sabotage. Large numbers of riders in the 50-mile ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh sustained punctures after nails and tacks were found littering the road between Limerigg and Avonbridge in Stirlingshire.
Herald Scotland reports that Alpine Bikes, the firm providing mechanical support, were inundated with people who had punctures.
Andy Butler, senior buyer at the firm, said that the tacks had been dangerously placed on a fairly narrow road, causing up to 50 punctures within a short space of time. Extra mechanics were sent in to help out and additional inner tubes provided, but Butler says it was still a challenge to cope with the volume of punctures.
"The tack incident caused a constant queue of around 30 people for more than four hours, even though each mechanic was finishing a repair every five minutes. Some very sporting riders even stopped to pick up tacks in an attempt to clear the road – whoever those people are, we are grateful."
One of the participants, Kenny Laird from Glasgow, said that the tacks didn’t just find their way into tyres.
"There was lots of people, one after the other, stopped at the side of the road with punctures. It was a mixture of carpet tacks and slate nails. I heard of someone who got one in their knee. They must have come off in among them.
"I was fortunate enough to avoid getting a puncture but I passed at least 30 small groups of people helping each other. My wife, who was also cycling, said she could hear the hiss of people's tyres going down around her."
Pedal for Scotland, which raises money to help combat child poverty, wasn’t the only charity bike ride affected at the weekend. The Marlow Red Kite bike ride was also targeted with around 50 riders sustaining punctures.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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20 comments
I was at a social event last night where someone who otherwise gave every impression of being an updstanding retired member of the community implied that he had put tacks out on the RideLondon course.
As I left to go cycle home, he asked if I'd done that 100 mile Surrey ride ("Yes"). He then suggested I was lucky to avoid getting a puncture as I passed the end of his road because "some chaps" had been putting tacks out. He suggested that this was a perfectly reasonable response to their road being blocked off all day and them being "unable to get out or go anywhere". He genuinely didn't seem to think this was an issue. I was gobsmacked. Rather than get into an argument on the subject that would not have been a good thing to do at that time in that situation, I restrained myself and just headed off (only to then be berated by some gobshite at Trafalgar Square for jumping a red light when I stopped past the stop line in order to leave the way clear for an ambulance to come through - he probably had issues with cyclists too).
There are two things here... many people don't see this as being dangerous (they imagine a puncture on a bike is a mere inconvenience) and there is a toxic culture here that causes many people to view cyclists as 'the enemy'.
You need to put some 6 inch wood nails in his driveway.
It's the only way these morons will learn.
Do you honestly think that these morons have the ability to join the dots? Good luck.
Terrorism:the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.
Is counter cycling action political?
I imagine a test would be whether they are isolated nutjobs acting on their own grudge, or people working towards a larger aim. It's the difference between someone being annoyed at cyclists who they feel cause them a problem on local roads, and people who think cyclists shouldn't be on the road full stop.
Possibly not that difficult to establish the latter. For example, if they had a history of posting various rants against cyclists on the Interweb.
But terrorism is the wrong word, it's already misused and abused. Those asking whether it might be a hate crime are probably right.
I picked up a tack just after Avonbridge. I strongly suspect it had been chucked aside when another rider mended a puncture. I also applaud the riders who stopped to warn others of the danger. Thankfully it didn't spoil a very enjoyable ride in what was, for this summer, astonishingly good weather.
Why don't they do it on the Tour of Britain course? Surely that's causing more disruption up there.
I think these sorts of things could benefit from one of these, but the magnet would need to be pushed to protect the vehicle.
I know it's not great, but it would help save a ton of inner tubes and cyclists inner tubes and knees...
https://twitter.com/Dr_Carl/status/605310853412364289
is it likely that the culprit would be watching the event to witness their sabotage?
There was nobody around and the tacks were put out over a section that lasted about 1 mile.
They knew exactly what they were doing as the road was under tree cover making it more difficult to see them.
Seemingly the same thing happened last year but they got a tip off and managed to clear them. No such luck this year.
It's probably time to re-consider putting signs out in advance of bike rides like this. Issue paper maps to all riders and make GPS files available on the day.
If people respond to friendly "Bike event here this weekend" signs by putting down tacks, then they're not really helping.
I did the bike ride on Sunday and this seems to be a growing problem with closed road events.
I noticed people repairing punctures every 20m at the location described and then got one myself. Full blowout going downhill and pulled a 3/4 inch slate nail out my rear tyre. Fortunately managed to control the bike but a novice with limited bike time could have been seriously injured by some tool trying to make a point.
Typical crappy attitude in Britain im afraid.
As this is becoming a regular occurence maybe its time it was treated as a hate crime. That way anyone caught, and found guilty, will have the punishment increased so it becomes a deterrent.
I think that it would be counted as a hate crime if we set up the First Church of Christ the Cyclist or something and all joined. If a crime such as this is shown to be aimed at a particular group who share ethnicity, or religion, or sexual orientation, then it's a hate crime; if not, then it's just treated as some pillock in it for the lols. Unfortunately
Christ on a bike?
Quid pro quo at work.
http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/CCTV-video-shows-suspect-140-tyre-slashin...
There was one who got quite a bit of media coverage a few years ago, as he left notes explaining that it was in revenge for mobile use. All around Portsmouth if I remember right.
I think I can say with some confidence, that he failed to resolve the problem.
Us cyclists are a hard bunch. Some nobody with lots of spare time on their hands won't get us off the roads.
All that'll happen is that we'll avoid this event next year. I'm sure those affected by child poverty (which is what this charity raises money for) will be really pleased with this result.
Some people really are shitty. I think it'll just take one suspect to be arrested for terrorism charges (which is what this should be treated as) for a pretty fucking clear message to be sent out.
A particular problem in this case is that the 50 mile event attracts a lot of families and youngsters
Anything that could cause them injury should be stamped on damn hard
Are these people really so stupid?
If we take it to childish levels I can bet that they'd have plenty to say if I were to go to an event that they enjoy and disrupted it.
Are they not aware that the things that they enjoy have an effect on others, even if it is crowds attending X-factor or Big Brother TV shows causing local parking problems?
#SelfishMuppets