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Skye

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Marco vb rode the front very hard up that drag' date=' but stayed to the left - not even up against the white line, the left shoulder of the road!  We had discussed this before the race, and we chose not to gutter there because of the danger.

 

The TCS boys kindly returned the favout and guttered us on the Tarlton road (when it was perfectly safe to do so).
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Hey Bruce....still pissed at me?  EmbarrassedBig%20smile

 

Still looking for parts of my right lung that was lost in that race!!!  Dead

 

As a famous rocker once said "Don't get MAD, get EVEN" Evil%20Smile

 

So, with this piece of sound advice blasting in my iPod, I have taken to training harder than ever this Dec/Jan, just so I can get even!!
bruce2007-12-04 06:51:34
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So' date=' with this piece of cound advice blasting in my iPod, I have taken to training harder than ever this Dec/Jan, just so I can get even!!
[/quote']

 

Dankie tog.......
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One cannot argue that is unfair to single out individuals or clubs.

 

We have all being warned enough times and usually this is a standard warning at the beginning of the race, if you do not listen to it, it does not make you innocent.

 

The evidence is on camera and they should be Dealt with to the fullest extent that the PPA can do so.

 

Any marshal reporting such incidents the incidents should also be investigated and deal with

 

It should be that any cyclist going over the solid white line should run the risk of being reported by fellow cyclists, or at least be ostracized from the group who mostly always ride with them

 

What is the argument about closure of Helhoogte, the old road had no vehicle traffic on it, and the new section is plenty wide enough for cyclists to stay on the left,  and especially not be such idiots to cross on a blind corner.

 

Ban them for at least a year and a hefty fine

 

PPA at least do something, or must we wait until someone is killed or these type of events are banned

 

 
MikeA2007-12-04 12:54:42
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Interesting problem.

Racers - believing they were in a proper race - simply abused the privilege afforded them of rolling road closure, and strayed over the white line. It might not have been a real problem if they were in fact advised prior to the event that they ought not stray into the oncoming lane if tempted to do so.

In doing so lives were put at risk, motorists offended, and the sport of cycling done harm.

Pantani advises that when racing, if the peloton jumps into the fire, so will he, because there's prize money at stake, and results ensure sponsorship.

In a certain sense I can understand Pantani's views, he's not saying there is no problem, he's saying that when the avalanche started, he had to go with the flow. Being competitive means that you will take chances.

 

An insurer having accepted the race event's risks - looking at these pics - will in all probability be justified in repudiating any racer's claim that might have arose on Helshoogte, whereas the motor drivers' claims will have to be upheld, the race organisers being liable for creating, allowing and endorsing the 'crossing over to the other side'.

 

I would suggest to put the blame of this ludicrous risks taken suarely on the race organiser's lap. They were not in control - as they are supposed to be - and their entrants abused the conditions under which the road was made available to them as organisers of the race, creating a dangerous situation on Helshoogte.

 

As to Pantani's admission that when racing, safety is a secondary (and faraway) concern, i can only shrugg my shoulders, look off into the distance and have a differing opinion.

 

Interestingly, the only reason why a craft is subject to professionalism, is because you subject yourself and become accountable to a 'professional organisation'. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, politicians, are all subject to their organisation, and accordingly standardised, or labelled as  'professional'. Network specialists, plummers, builders and bookkeepers - all of whom might be doing a stirling job - are not subject to vaguely the same scrutiny and possible censure, and their crafts are accordingly not categorised as 'professional'.

 

A 'professional' ("elite" nogal!) rider is subject to the rules of the road, the rules of the organisation to which he is a card carrying member, and if the organisation does not enforce the basic rules of the road, it becomes a  farce.

 

View it from the other side (no pun intended). If a struggling bus' driver would have crossed the line, and a bunch of elite riders smashed into him coming down around a blind corner, the only remaining question would be where we are going to hang him? At the top, or bottom, of Helshoogte.
peloton2007-12-04 16:02:21
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Right PPA ban our top pro's. Show some balls.

 

My point exactly... Ban the Pro's, and then we can weed the problem out at grass roots too.. But the fun riders need to know we mean business!

Pantani2007-12-04 20:46:53

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Well said Peleton... I repeat my call... The organisation should ban the Pro's... We have an outcry from teams, back to the table, talks, and maybe we will find a solution... In the mean time, yes, exercise your mandate as the controlling body in cycling and start by banning the Pro's. Make it clear that line crossing will not be tolerated. Thus it will be easier to enforce this rule down the ranks.

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Right... I'm out to go on a training ride... and while I'm there I'm going to practice some attacks on the wrong side of the road... You know, all licensed riders are idiots that can't act rationally because we have a sense entitlement...

 

Whatever...

 

For goodness sake, I'm sure as hell that every Pro in the world pays lip service to cycling safety and endorses it where they can, I somehow can see they have a problem practicing what they preach...

 

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Mikea... As we went up to the top, I would guess about 400m from it, a car came down on our right handside on the old Pass.

 

 

 

I think it was someone who came from the Coke Lorrie. Someone that had parked there and then decide to come down the pass.

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Just one last thing.. Why dont we have any races over Constantia Nek anymore.

 

 

 

Because about 5 years ago we had a funride and one guy was cutting the corners (crossing the whiteline) and hit a bus head on.

 

 

 

He is no-more, he died on the scene, and races was stop .

 

 

 

So, do we wait till it happened again.

 

 

 

popeye2007-12-05 00:31:43

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Just one last thing.. Why dont we have any races over Constantia Nek anymore.

Because about 5 years ago we had a funride and one guy was cutting the corners (crossing the whiteline) and hit a bus head on.

He is no-more' date=' he died on the scene, and races was stop .

So, do we wait till it happened again.

[/quote']

 

sorry popeye jou info is still wrong

 

die een ou se tubie het geblaas, wat die ou laat uitswaai het, net daai oomblik kom n rooi ford courrier bakkie met n horse trailer van voor af en hy het die wheel arche geclip met met sy pedal en sy kop geslaan teen die agterkant van die trailer - noboddy fault

 

ek het nog oor sy bene gebunny hop toe hy in die pad gel? het

 
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Orca, dit kan wees dat jou geval 'n ander een was. Ek onthou nog duidelik van die ryer wat reg van voor teen 'n Toerbus vasgery het.

 

 

 

Maybe is daar iemand wat die Bus een kan onthou?

 

 

 

Ek onthou ook in daai jaar het een ou in een van daai suidelikke races nog bo-oor chappies se muur ook gery.

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I take note, and appreciate the real concern for other cyclists. (I just used the two strongest teams as examples) and yes, in my races I have rarely seen either team cross the white line- even when guttering with a left wind. However, even if no guttering occurs at the front, at the back the bunch does get blown across the white line and often into the bushes on the other side as well. I have to make a choice between:

 

1. get fitter and race at the front

 

2. get dropped

 

3. cross the white line.

 

 

 

so I get dropped often. smiley18.gif

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