Do we have to be notified when there is a bike race?

I too dislike the racing bikes, they are rude and attempt to be intimidatory, perhaps those in the other countries that Mithras is extoling so much are better mannered? Orange arrows do not tell me what day or what time they will be coming through, or even that they are cycle racers. Most equestrian competitions are held on private land, as are time trials for motor sports, so the cyclists are the ones who race on the roads, disregarding the highway code and general common sense and as far as I am aware, the law. Of course we should be able to share the roads with all varieties of transport and do on the whole, the ones who I find cause the problems are those who use the roads as competition venues.
 
Mithras said:
I really do find comments like this very uneducated. Believe it or not, in certain rather more civilised parts of the world, bikes are used as transport! Yes! And in fact, in other stunning news, sometimes cyclists want to go places where there are no cycle paths! Really! People in fact often take exercise, on bikes, without driving with the bikes in a car and unpacking them to cycle on a little artificial created path!

In Holland and Germany, if you said you hated or disliked cyclists, you'd almost certainly be saying that you hated your own brother, sister, partner, mother, daughter, father, etc..

And in other breaking news, you shouldn't overtake when driving until its safe to do so, or until the road ahead is clear...
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as you like breaking news how about this from the highway code which applies to cyclists in this country (as this is the country we are in rather than germany or the netherlands! )
66
You should
keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
keep both feet on the pedals
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
not ride close behind another vehicle
not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with your wheels or chain
be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted
67

oh and the other bit in the highway code which yep , you got it, applies to cyclists in this country;)

215
Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. Be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver.

And while cyclists may be revered in germany or holland, in majorca they feel exactly the same about the road hogging lycra brigade as we do:p
 
Mithras said:
Look, I'm really not that interested in Harlow (been there...) (however if you went elsewhere in the world you might gain a wider perspective...). Nevertheless, if you aren't sporty, perhaps it needs to be pointed out that when cycling, not everyone wishes to cycle slowly at a speed suitable for a funeral procession/cycle path. Cycle paths can also be bumpy/badly maintained/strewn with glass, and they don't always go where you want to go. Its not a legal requirement to cycle on a cycle path, cyclists are entitled to full use of the road, and no, you do not have the right to be annoyed about it. Cycling on a road is perfectly legal in this country. You are not the police, neither are you the legislature, and you cannot control other's choices.

All of this is perfectly self evident. Are people really so disinterested in exercise that they are unaware of how to cycle and what it involves? Is taking exercise on a bike a rarity?
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But I am not talking about other places. Yes other places might not have cycle tracks so there is no other choice but to cycle on the roads. Fair enough. I am not saying "lets ban bikes" I have never said that! I personally don't cycle, but have nothing agaisn't those who enjoy it.

But my point is when there are cycle paths, that are well maintained available to cyclists, why cycle on the roads ?!. It is fustrating for drivers!!

Some towns (not all, granted) have large ammounts of cycle routes for people to enjoy. It's a waste of money, if they would rather just be on the roads.
 
Ibblebibble said:
And while cyclists may be revered in germany or holland, in majorca they feel exactly the same about the road hogging lycra brigade as we do:p
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The Highway Code is voluntary.

Since you live in Mallorca, lets hope you are not financially dependent on the vast income from bike tourism. My husband is in Peurto Pollensa right now, warm weather training, having completed this weekend's Half Ironman, along with many thousand other cyclists, including many Olympic athletes. And I doubt very much that the large number of other people, from both Mallorca itself and immigrants like yourself from other countries, necesssarily share your intolerant and anti-sport and activity views.
 
I think yorksg raises a good point re comp venues. As a rider, just like a cyclist, I slow down traffic flow. However apart from the rude exceptions, most riders do their best to move into laybys, trot past etc to lessen the obstruction & thank everyone who passes sensibly. Which isn't what anyone expects from a cyclist. Likewise, I've never met up with dozens of other riders to go on-road hacking, whilst expecting everyone else to make way. We don't get many cycle races where I hack now, but we do get runs across one bridlepath. Whilst I do my best to avoid them if its just a case of changing hack routes I will. But if I lived in an area with weekly cycle races, I wouldn't be constantly changing plans to suit. Did meet a cycle club the once hacking to a show. Inconvenient or not I wasn't about to move as instructed, my hobby is equally important. Just carried on through those on my side of the road, like a parting of the seas!
 
I'm a firm believer in the world not stopping for horse riders or other users having to give special consideration to horses - other than not driving into my horse or acting in an outright dangerous manner.

But in my experience racing cyclists are among the most inconsiderate road users I encounter. I've never had a problem when riding the beast. I have however encountered cyclists on the wrong side of the road on blind bends on national speed limit roads, often 3 or 4 abreast, and not seeming to care that they are very close to taking on a Land Rover head on. I can only imagine that around here they have a collective death wish.

It is frustrating to be stuck behind herds of cyclists who have taken over the entire road, in contravention of the highway code - just as non-riders would find it frustrating to be stuck behind horses being ridden 3 or 4 abreast in the road, and none of us would dispute that.

I'm not psychic, I don't know when they're going to be racing, since I rarely see signage on the roads. I might avoid them if I did. If I chose to ride out during a race, I would have to accept that I would meet potentially scary things while riding. However, I would still expect those road users to obey the highway code and not ride across the entire road, forcing my horse off the road. I am more than happy to share the roads with any other users - from pedestrians with prams to dirt bikes, noisy kit cars to umbrella toting loose-dog walkers. I get the impression that the same is not true of race cyclists who seem to want to commandeer the roads for their own entertainment.

That said, individually, I often find them, and non-race cyclists, to be lovely, considerate, polite road users. More so that individual horse riders, as a general rule!
 
Mithras said:
The Highway Code is voluntary.

Since you live in Mallorca, lets hope you are not financially dependent on the vast income from bike tourism. My husband is in Peurto Pollensa right now, warm weather training, having completed this weekend's Half Ironman, along with many thousand other cyclists, including many Olympic athletes. And I doubt very much that the large number of other people, from both Mallorca itself and immigrants like yourself from other countries, necesssarily share your intolerant and anti-sport and activity views.
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lol i live in wiltshire, england not majorca, thats where my brother lives with his spanish wife, it was her who mentioned the cyclists and asked is we had the same problems in the UK!!!!!;) why's your husband only doing a half ironman? my other brother does full ones:D and far from being intolerant and anti-sport i take great interest in my marathon running, road cycling, lake swimming brothers activities, he was also a ski instructor in the army and an all round action man and i'm proud of him!!:D perhaps you are the intolerant one, you do seem to have a problem with anyone who you feel is beneath you intellectually having a different opinion to yours!! :rolleyes:
 
Mithras said:
And I doubt very much that the large number of other people, from both Mallorca itself and immigrants like yourself from other countries, necesssarily share your intolerant and anti-sport and activity views.
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Well, gosh - that didn't come across at all patronising, did it?

Road rash to all lycra bandits, I say! :eek:
 
I'm another in the Surrey Hills and have to say the majority of cyclists I have come across do warn me as a horserider that they are behind me. One particular race didn't however and I went to speak to a marshall who was the rudest man I ever met! I did write an email to Evans Cycles who organised it but never got a response.

My biggest problem is meeting the road races in my car. Seeing a cyclist hurling down the steep Surrey hills towards you on the wrong side of the road or even worse meeting one on your side of the road round a blind bend is something that sends me cold. How one of them haven't killed themselves yet I have no idea! I've had them hit my wing mirror whilst i'm half up the bank and allsorts, and no I haven't reported it as too shocked at the time to get a number and half the time there are no signs up or marshalls to tell you what race it is!
 
HHO users, can I respectfully ask that those of you who have problems gather as much info and FACTS as possible?
Write to your council.
Write to your MP.
Contact the police if it is a traffic/accident issue.
If problems on the roads are not reported, then how can authorities react?

We have a once a year 'fun' cycle race. After the 1st year of over 800 cyclists bombing past our yard which is on an unmade road leading to a bridleway which links 2 roads & commons (no notice, no signs up) and riding over the white line on the very busy A roads each end of it, we contacted everyone we could think of.
Organisers were dismissive.
Police took interest on safety grounds.
Local council got humpy with race organisers as no plan had been put in place

The 2nd year & therafter in this 3rd year, we were notified & signs are up - and those cyclists out are a damned sight more well behaved.

Please 'dont bother' but please ACT :)
 
Good points and will take on board. Mithras...you keep missing the point. I am not anti cyclists or exercise and enjoy sport. I am fed up with regularly (as in every weekend) interested in meeting a lot of cyclists treating single track roads like a private road track. it is simply an accident waiting to happen.
 
Everyone scattered when Malaga was around in his Mad Malaga days but Bikes don't bother him as much now.Yesterday on our round village hack I had 10bikes pass me altogether and not one warned me they were behind or passing,it was only Malaga's ears that told me ;) (But they are lovely ears :D )

MalagavisitsVikkiforaPedicure.jpg
 
YorksG said:
I too dislike the racing bikes, they are rude and attempt to be intimidatory, perhaps those in the other countries that Mithras is extoling so much are better mannered?
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In Germany I can assure you that they manufacture only bikes which are polite and well mannered at all times!

What I had gleaned from this thread was the need to be careful driving/cycling/walking/riding through Surrey (incidentally where I met the screaming horseriders), lest one be drawn into rehearsals for an episode of the Jeremy Kyle Show, now I find Yorkshire is populated by rude, intimidatory bikes. The mind boggles!

YorksG said:
Orange arrows do not tell me what day or what time they will be coming through,
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Most unreasonable of them.

How dare other people use the roads! Thats whats most unreasonable of all! Its dreadful that, away from motorways, you might find things like bikes on country roads when you are trying to drive or ride somewhere!

I'm stepping away from this thread now, before it degenerates even more into a slanging match.
 
Mithras said:
In Germany I can assure you that they manufacture only bikes which are polite and well mannered at all times!

What I had gleaned from this thread was the need to be careful driving/cycling/walking/riding through Surrey (incidentally where I met the screaming horseriders), lest one be drawn into rehearsals for an episode of the Jeremy Kyle Show, now I find Yorkshire is populated by rude, intimidatory bikes. The mind boggles!



Most unreasonable of them.

How dare other people use the roads! Thats whats most unreasonable of all! Its dreadful that, away from motorways, you might find things like bikes on country roads when you are trying to drive or ride somewhere!

I'm stepping away from this thread now, before it degenerates even more into a slanging match.
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How very droll of you, the comment about the arrows was in response to your rather patronising comments about how non racing bike riders were supposed to know, and thus avoid the routes the racers would take. Mind you I think perhaps I am more concerned about the idea of a voluntary high way code!
If I were in your shoes Mithras, and found the people, culture and manners of people in this country so offensive, that I would move back to what you appear to perceive as the far superior countries of Germany and Holland.
 
Originally Posted by LaurenBay
But I'm not talking about other parts of the world. I am talking about my town. Which is full of cycle paths!! they are also very well maintained so no need to use the road.

You cant use cycle paths on a 'road' bike...it would be trashed. Most cycle paths are tinder or crushed stone multi user paths - fine for a mountain bike but no good for a road bike - totally the wrong bike, set up and tyres for cycle paths. If we did use our road bikes on even tarmac cycle paths...are we supposed to pootle along gently so as not to upset anyone by going too fast or taking corners too sharply???!!!
People want to train to compete for gods sake...we are not talking about people that are going out for a potter on a Sunday after lunch...the point of a race is to race...build up speed, go fast, do well, develop endurance at speed and on hills...roads are the best place for this by far.
 
pottamus said:
Originally Posted by LaurenBay
But I'm not talking about other parts of the world. I am talking about my town. Which is full of cycle paths!! they are also very well maintained so no need to use the road.

You cant use cycle paths on a 'road' bike...it would be trashed. Most cycle paths are tinder or crushed stone multi user paths - fine for a mountain bike but no good for a road bike - totally the wrong bike, set up and tyres for cycle paths. If we did use our road bikes on even tarmac cycle paths...are we supposed to pootle along gently so as not to upset anyone by going too fast or taking corners too sharply???!!!
People want to train to compete for gods sake...we are not talking about people that are going out for a potter on a Sunday after lunch...the point of a race is to race...build up speed, go fast, do well, develop endurance at speed and on hills...roads are the best place for this by far.
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But not the safest, or the most legal. Just one question, why should everyone else move, slow down, stop their activities, to allow you to train?
 
pottamus said:
are we supposed to pootle along gently so as not to upset anyone by going too fast or taking corners too sharply???!!!
People want to train to compete for gods sake...we are not talking about people that are going out for a potter on a Sunday after lunch...the point of a race is to race...build up speed, go fast, do well, develop endurance at speed and on hills...roads are the best place for this by far.
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Are the public roads your personal race track ? Is the rest of society supposed to keep out of your way so you can enjoy your sport ?

Many times I've been in the car stuck on country lanes for several miles behind groups of them out training (not racing). Riding 4 abreast, never have they pulled over to allow motorists to pass at an opportune moment.

The lycra set stand apart in their rudeness from all other sportsmen and hobbyists.
 
It's also my legal right to dawdle down the road on a horse two abreast with an adult friend but I don't do it because its rude & inconsiderate. Even when riding a horse for fittening work I pull in if possible to avoid holding people up. I ride abreast of my 7yr old but even then I go in front or move into a passing space once a vehicle has slowed down & I'm confident it won't drive into her. Possibly why local drivers don't get annoyed with me in the way they do with cyclists.
 
I have had a lot of problems with cyclists in the areas of Surrey that Luci is referring to. I have also had plenty of problems with other horse riders, and a few (luckily not many) with drivers.

The real issue I have is that cyclists are allowed to race on roads at all - I have no problem with people cycling on roads as a means of transport or as a hobby, but I dont understand how racing is acceptable - racing horses in sulkies on roads is illegal IIRC, and racing ridden horses or cars on roads is not something that happens either.



I used to pass a lot of cyclists on my way to work at a stables early on sunday mornings, and they were all spread out at intervals of a few minutes. If races HAVE to be run on roads, surely this is far safer and much more considerate for everyone involved?
 
horserider said:
Are the public roads your personal race track ? Is the rest of society supposed to keep out of your way so you can enjoy your sport ?

Many times I've been in the car stuck on country lanes for several miles behind groups of them out training (not racing). Riding 4 abreast, never have they pulled over to allow motorists to pass at an opportune moment.

The lycra set stand apart in their rudeness from all other sportsmen and hobbyists.
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^^^^^ this
 
My husband is a keen cyclist, time trials etc and I have to say he and his fellow club members are very considerate towards other road/bridleway users. They make you aware they are behind you so that your horse doesn't spook and pass when it is safe. However he has had a lot of abuse from car drivers for getting in their way, nearly been knocked off his bike several times, often gets "cut up", shouted/sworn at etc.

I think we just need everyone to be a bit more tolerant and understanding. We are all just pursuing sports that make us fitter and happier.

I was hacking on Sunday and found myself in the middle of a "fun run" of 26 miles (how the heck can that be fun?). One marshall was very rude and bossy but all the others and all the runners were friendly. We reported the rude marshall to the next marshall we saw who apologised on his behalf and we assume he was spoken to later. (Rude marshall forcefully suggested we were not allowed down the road as 700 runner were coming (what all at once I doubt it!!), but we pointed out it was a public highway and we would be using it)

Enjoyed seeing all these mad people including superman!!
 
we have to be tolerant of other road users and as long as they are obeying the law then that is fine but if they are cycling in a dangerous maner they should be reported. The cyclists should be wearing numbers so you can take down the number find out who organised the race and send a complaint maybe saying you that you are considering contacting the police.

what annoys me is when they are on the bridleways doing mountain races because not only do they do this on race days but they practice on other days prior to the race. The bridleways do not have much space for people to overtake horses in many places and this causes problems not just for riders but for walkers as well who can find large groups of cyclists racing intimidating.

I think that with races on bridleways cycle clubs should be required to contact local riding club who can get the message out to the yards and also local rambling groups too as the walkers are affected as well.
 
I apologise for bringing up rather an old thread, but wondered if all this has got progressively worse since this? Particularly not we are entering 'sportive season' again..
 
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