Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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38 comments
'Using Dual Carriageways for cycling events at peak time on Bank Holiday weekends'
Add that to 'helmets' and 'obeying red lights at all costs' as Things Never To Raise At Cyclist Dinner Parties.
My thoughts go out to the families involved at this difficult time.
There are no excuses for this loss of life, if your driving a vehicle, you are in charge of it and responsible for your actions.
However, aha on earth is any club doing running any for of organised cycling on a dual-carriageway that feeds directly off a busy motorway and is clearly used as a trunk road in and out of a major city.....especially when it has no hard-shoulder for safety?
Then add in the seasonal effects and weather.
Irresponsible.
Sportives are equally run without the need for police sanctioning but I couldnt imagine any organiser using a road like this for one.
There is no need for the loss of innocent life in situations like this regardless of historical venues.
Please, lets have some common sense and prevent further losses like this one.
unless you've pinned a number on your back keep your comments to yourself!!
Am tempted to +1 one to this but there's more to it than that.
Having now organised an event as well as participating for a few years then I do find that the least helpful comments come from those who haven't done it. Put simply: if you don't want to expose yourself to the risk then don't do it. Time triallists know the risk they take riding on the road as well as anyone.
I wouldn't ever try skydiving, ice/winter climbing, MTB downhill racing or paragliding and see those things as far more dangerous than a time trial. But equally I don't wish to see any of them banned and wouldn't show my ignorance by mouthing off on a mountaineering/outdoor forum that people shouldn't be allowed to climb up mountains in winter.
The discussion about safety of all UK time trial courses and events should not revolve solely around a single fatality. Yes it's desperately sad and each time those in the sport feel something of the loss. We all want to make time trialling as safe as possible, but it's not just as simple as "tell them to stop racing on DCs". I don't understand why you think you can influence a sport about which you know almost nothing.
Not sure a) who this is aimed at (I've ridden a fair few tt's though admittedly not many on DCs, as I seem to have a direct neural pathway linking 70 mph trucks to brown bibs)
b) why that has a huge bearing; if you have no direct experience of something you're not entitled to an opinion?
I REALLY cannot understand how stupid organisers are, WHY....really WHY would you put a time trail on a dual carriageway.....Then to compound it, on a public holiday...let alone Easter weekend.
My thoughts go out to the riders family and friends.
No one forces them to race on that road and anyway they could just of easliy been killed just riding along that road and not been racing. Or are you saying bikes should not use dual carriage ways? Perhaps cars towing should take more care?
Thousands of time trials go on over the year, many on dual carriageways and with very few incidents. CTT should be assessing traffic levels on approved courses on a regular basis and a risk assessment goes out to every organiser pointing out what safety precautions they need to take (I have become one this year). Signs would've been out to alert motorists to the event.
Saying that, 10:30am does seem late in the day to be riding - especially on a 10. Also when I ride a TT I use a flashing rear light and would advise anyone else riding one to do so.
But still I can't really see how the blame for this should be on the rider or the organiser. TTs are an important part of cycle sport (especially for fat gits like me who can only power along the flat).
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