|
|
|
Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
I have just started back racing this year after my New Year’s resolution to get back out on the bike so on the 1st of the year, I hauled my very overweight arss onto the bike and now, for my sins, the best part of three years away from racing, the love of food and lack of bike, I find myself participating in A3 events.
Due to work commitments I’m only capable of getting to events two weekends out of every four which basically means I have been at 50% of the races so far this season and what I’ve witnessed at some of these events can only be described as madness.
I can’t fault any event organiser this year with their event safety so far, quality of roads used, marshalling and lead cars, all of which make for a very safe event but I am appalled at the bike handling or lack of, with some of my fellow competitors or in my case participants. Their sheer ignorance, utter selfishness and stupidity towards themselves and the safety of the riders around them leaves a lot to be answered.
Looking at the photos of the racing over the weekend, I noted two crashes at the finish of the A3 event. It was also the same last week.
I have continuously witnessed riders on the wrong side of the road, while the cars are in no hurry to slow down, pulling across the bunch last moment to avoid being walloped by the cars! oblivious to the effect it has on the bunch. Or the next best one is forgetting they have left their MTB’s at home with 500mts to go at a finish and deciding now is a good time to move along the side of the bunch via the ditch!!! as they ride into a hole, leave their bike there and proceed to catapult themselves into the bunch, bravo great footage for YOU TOOL, whoops, I mean YOU TUBE!
I think it’s time to start naming and shaming. If riders can’t or won’t compete in a safe manner around others, they should not be there. Some of us have to work the next day, we all have to pay bills and we all have grown very attached to our skin.
All of this madness and stupidity just to get placed in a pokey A3 race in the back of beyond for a few Euros or maybe even a rare bit of carpet!
Contrary to believe, these are not UCI races, we don’t have closed roads or even rolling road closures, if a car hits you or you hit the ground it hurts, a lot, for more than a few days.... if you lucky. You will not make friends by smashing their good wheels or breaking their new frame and teeth at the same time and you definitely won’t be getting your face on the back page of a National newspaper by getting placed in an A3 event at whatever cost.
Folks, please wise up before someone is seriously injured of worse.
Brian Taaffe,
Dublin Wheelers.
|
|
|
|
