Tacks were found on a road near Box Hill yesterday, in another act by saboteurs which has put weekend cyclists at serious risk of injury.
The drawing pins were spotted by a number of passing riders at the top of a hill in Headley, 3.5 miles North East of popular weekend cycling destination, Box Hill, on Sunday 16 August.
One cyclist, quoted as Dan by the Wimbledon Guardian, who didn't want to give his full name, said he had seen a group of cyclists punctured travelling between 25-30mph on the road, and that he generally avoids the area due to tensions between those on bikes and in cars.
Careful on the road off Headley towards Epsom as there are drawing pins in the road. #cycling @RideLots #surrey pic.twitter.com/Wu3YeHjiwr
— Sigma Sport (@SigmaSport) August 16, 2015
Asked if the pins could be accidentally placed Dan said: "No, of course not. Wherever there's drawing pins scattered down a hill frequently its aimed at cyclists.
"It is definitely somebody out to cause trouble.
"Generally I stay away from these areas where there's friction between cyclists and car driver.
"It is becoming more and more regular."
Sigma Sports issued a warning to fellow riders after it spotted the Headley drawing pins. One rider responded to the tweet to say tacks had also been spotted near Reigate Park, six miles away from Headley, to the South East.
16 thoughts on “Tacks found on the road near Box Hill on Sunday”
I’ve ridden that road many
I’ve ridden that road many times, as I should imagine will have plenty of others reading this site, as it’s a safe way past the M25 heading out to Surrey. You get a lot of horses on that stretch as well.
When the Police finally catch one of these idiots, whether it’s this one or one of the others around the country, I hope they remember their duty to protect the public.
It’s pretty much a go to
It’s pretty much a go to route for box hill for southwest London and one where there shouldn’t be conflict as there’s loads of faster car routing alternatives so I’d put it down to a belligerent local. Sad really but someone needs to be made an example of, “pour encourager les autres”. Surrey police are one of the better police forces thankfully, a few miles and the Met would have filed it in the big round cabinet on the floor.
Shocking behaviour from those
Shocking behaviour from those responsible.
Can you imagine the outcry if
Can you imagine the outcry if belligerent locals scattered these across the road?
http://www.magnumspike.co.uk/magnumspike-products.html
Apparently they’re good for narrow A roads to multi lane motorways.
Hmmmm…
I think the Police might get
I think the Police might get a lead on one or two suspects by reading the comments on that link to the Wimbledon Guardian.
I’m still so very confused by
I’m still so very confused by all this cycling hatred…..
Wow, there are some real
Wow, there are some real mouthbreathers who comment on the Wimbledon Guardian! (Who’da thought?)
A friend was part of a group
A friend was part of a group caught up in this Sunday. Front tyre punctured suddenly on a tack and he came off at more than 20 mph causing a lot of bruising and pain but fortunately nothing serious. Pretty shook as well as you might expect. Really is difficult to understand the hatred and resntment that leads to dropping tacks on a dangerous descent.
Size of tacks = size of
Size of tacks = size of penis.
I’ve just come back from a
I’ve just come back from a week in the Alps. Where the drivers shout encouragement to us as I’m grinding up another HC. Britain is depressing.
I always find it interesting
I always find it interesting that some people focus so much on stopping others from “killing themselves”, yet don’t see what they do as even more dangerous.
Imagine the furore if some
Imagine the furore if some dimwit poured 2 inch nails from a motorway bridge during rush hour.
Anyone think it might just be
Anyone think it might just be kids doing it out of badness? It’s one of those sort of ‘comic book’ pranks that they might not even think could be harmful…
I sometimes wonder how many of these ‘saboteurs’ are really just kids with nothing better to do, I know I did a few things as a kid that I rapidly realised were stupidly dangerous (hiding in a hedge and throwing water balloons at passing cars seemed like such an innocent idea at the time… #o )
Ian, I’d be inclined to agree
Ian, I’d be inclined to agree if the incidents weren’t happening just before major cycling events (as recently in Wales) or at a point that is so close to a well known cycling hotspot. Kids will be kids but let’s not suggest they’ve any great planning skills or patience 🙂
I was cycling up Box Hill on
I was cycling up Box Hill on August 9th – first visit to the Surrey Hills, which I really enjoyed – but was pretty dismayed to find two bands of broken glass that had clearly been strewn across the lower stretches of Box Hill. I was ascending and so able to spot it and weave through the lowest risk section (although was on tubular tires due to my clincher wheels being off the road with a fault – so heart was in mouth in case I’d ripped a big hole in them) but there were plenty of people, including children, descending who wouldn’t have been able to see so well. I hope no one was injured. It is truly depressing what people in the UK will do for “fun” – they could kill someone. As another poster said, contrast to France or Belgium (both of which I’ve visited this year – enjoyed the cheers today in Ventoux) where people of all walks of life support any cyclist toiling up a hill. (Unless you are Chris Froome, but that I think is a different issue…)
Tacks spread across the road
Tacks spread across the road could just as easily puncture a car or motorcycle tyre. Whoever is doing this is a nutter.