willcove wrote:
In Gear asked how a motorists could miss a trike with a rider who was wearing fluorescent clothes and a bright orange race number - here's some supposition that might give an insight:
I've seen another report on this (
here) and AFAICT the incident happened at a roundabout on the A46 at Alcester. This is a busy trunk route that runs under the western edge of the Cotswolds escarpment and is the main route between Birmingham and Evesham.
Most recumbent trikes that I've seen are very low and so easily masked by vegetation, road furniture, and other road users. This was a time trial and the woman competitor would probably be more interested in reducing aerodynamic drag than being seen, and so probably didn't have a safety flag. If it's the roundabout I'm thinking of (by the Travelodge), there are hedges close to the road at the southern exit that would have masked the trike from the driver. He wouldn't have known the trike was there - particularly if he'd come from Alcester itself where a bend in the road hides the roundabout from view until you're almost on top of it.
Edited to add: The motorist hit the trike from behind, from which direction the recumbent seat would have hidden the rider's fluorescent clothing and possibly her race number.
While I have sympathy for all the victims concerned, I had to ask why on earth was a race being held on a busy, open, primary route. For that, I have to ask why any event where there is an incentive to put speed before safety is allowed on open public roads.
We had the same probs with last year's TOB.. where it was clear a "rolling roads" shut down was not working.
One of the stages took in the Lancs Hills. This is where "willi speedifonly he could" lives and the route went past his house.
Whilst he was delighted at the chance to watch from the comfort of his own home.. taking the day off for this event.. he did pass comment over the naff signing at the time.. and did note that some drivers had to be threatened with the police at one point.
He worried about his neighbours to me I will quote his words with moderation as he did
rather a lot on the phone to me at the time.
willipspeedifonlyhe couldgiven half a chance - as known on some motoring fora in phone call to me over the TOB muppets wrote:
Not kiddin' Muppets the lot of them.
Sign was there for over a week. OK so it was a little yellow one .. but even my youngest noted them and she's only three .. Gawd.. it's been there for past two weeks.. and I've been going on about the race down the pub all summer. You'd think Bert next door would know,, but no,..,.. just as the TOB drivers and the motorbikes past the front window.. good old Bert decided to try to reverse out of his drive and appeared astonsished when told he'd be arrested if he even put the bull bars on that Landy of his past his gat post..
I mean .. sign's been outside his house for past fortnight.. you'd think he'd've noticed it..
But it is a bit small and it just says "may be closed between 12.00 pm to 13.00 pm in small letters and just tied to the lampost.
This is an important cycling showpiece event. You'd think BIG signs and a CLOSED road ..
for duration. Not like we are busy busy .. I live in a tiny village .. church, pub, handful of houses and two farms. Heaven help Clitheroe and the other big towns on this stretch ..
So.. perhaps partly organisation and some lack of support or even liaison with the police.
There is some good news for 2007 TOB though. Lessons have been learned on each side.. (police say they will work a lot more closely with the organisers of this and close off temporarily the routes accordingly) - and hopefully we will get both the Prologue and London-Canterbury stage of the BIGGY Tour de France and the later 2007 TOB completely right and place Britain FIRMLY on the map for the sport!
Bike races test speed, stamina, determination and endeavour - whether traditional, sportive or speedway style
For our part.. it does take effort and organisation.. but if we know the route in advance.. then we can police and divert to avoid gridlock and frustrations from road closures.
Let's just say ./. we can eat and enjoy our cakes at cake stops if we work together a lot more .
and that applies to CM and other organised rides for whatever reason
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