[PedallingHulk]

I was disappointed to read an article on Yahoo at the weekend stating that once again, cycle races are being postponed or cancelled due to ‘safety concerns’. Reading between the lines it seems that the actual reason for these issues are complaints from members of the public who are simply unhappy with the disruption caused.
As a huge cycling fan and one who has enjoyed a time trial and road race or two in my time, what concerns me more are the anti-cycling comments following the article which state the road racers and sportive participants are simply ‘boys playing with their toys’ who get in the way of ‘proper’ road users.
The article can be found here https://uk.news.yahoo.com/complaints-halt-yorkshire-cycling-races-104027213.html#ZXlT5oq

Topic

[Martyn_K]

Nothing like an anti cycling
Nothing like an anti cycling article to muster the polarized views of Joe Public.

I spotted a couple of references to Manchester in the article comments. I wonder if there are complaints of traffic chaos every week now the football season has started again. From experience the surrounding few miles around Old Trafford is gridlocked before and after a home match.

However, i do have some sympathy with those living in areas with a large number of sportives taking place. I have seen first hand the congestion that can be created when an event organiser has no consideration of the route and potential pinch points for both bike and motor traffic. Having numerous ‘sportive’ events in an area then creates an issue for the long standing road races in the same area.

I don’t race and probably will never race but it appears that the increase of commercial events that are largely unregulated is causing problems for club run, organised, more regulated road racing. That is a shame, and can only affect our ability to generate cycling stars of the future.

[Author]

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