Die Burger 2011 Safety Concerns

[Niner]

Ok... so to sum this thread up:

 

Howard wants there to be a bike marshal for every little group that splits off from the start bunch.

 

Secondly, the bike marshal (1 per bunch split) needs to keep the cyclists on the left of the white line as well as keep the vehicles on the road in check and make them wait if it is unsafe to pass (while still keeping the cyclists in front of him/her in check)

 

The bike marshal must also ride on the left of the white line as this is the rule of the road.

 

My stance is - marshal yourself and be aware of the group dynamics. Watch how the guys ride and adapt your riding style to suit the bunch i.e. if there is a guy who swerves a lot, then sit far away from him.

 

That is my a$$hole - as the saying goes, opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has got one.

Well summed up....

 

Fully agree with your opinion.

This fread should NEVER have been started.

[Tiny K]

You must have a special gift to judge speed that accurately.

 

Have you ever riden a bike? Unless cars from the front were flashing them I would not assume that it was unsafe.

Bike can take a gap 400x quicker and safer than a car.

 

+1. Agree 100%

 

I ride bike everyday to work and I can ride quite well ON the white line. No obstruction to either side of traffic flow.

[Niner]

+1. Agree 100%

 

I ride bike everyday to work and I can ride quite well ON the white line. No obstruction to either side of traffic flow.

 

Maybe this fread should be renamed to

 

Burger seeding shambles...Non capable Riders ended up in the A group.....

[Tubehunter]

I have no problem being vocal amongst other cyclists behaving badly in any fashion. If someone is doing something particularly dangerous I don't miss a beat telling them to move to the back and do that **** on their own where they are only a danger to themselves!

[Tiny K]

Maybe this fread should be renamed to

 

Burger seeding shambles...Non capable Riders ended up in the A group.....

 

HAHAHAHAHA!!! :clap:

 

Thankfully I was in the % bunch.

[MiShaDo]

Gentleman. (and Ladies)

 

For the sake of clarity, Let me state some facts.

 

10 Think Bike Marshals. 6000 Cyclists.

100Km Stretch of road. 10 bikes to cover it.

We have to contend with cyclist and the median of the road.

We have to contend with vehicles from the front.

We have to contend with vehicles from the back.

We have to contend with Support vehicles that don't want anybody to pass.

We have to look out for route markers.

We have to look out for foot marshals and dangerous intersections.

We get called out of our bunch to attend to more serious situations.

Intersections that are unmanned or waiting to be manned.

We stop at accident scenes to contact medical, assist in traffic control and attend it until it's under control.

We do this with full safety gear and 33 Degrees heat.

We do this for Zero financial gain whatsoever. And in some cases a big loss with most of our marshals doing close to 400Km on Sunday.

 

This is but only a few. We con not be everywhere all the time. Simply impossible.

 

Some of the allegations above are disturbing to say the least.

 

We are not there to Police the white line. But yet we have to. Because of safety concerns. The rules states very clearly that a cyclist may not cross the median of the road. The Median (middle) Not the white line or solid white.

 

The best of all being the allegation of one of our marshals having a beer next to the side of the road.

 

Never !! And I repeat NEVER ! will a Think Bike Marshall even enter an establishment that sells alcohol with his bib on never mind having a beer. This is a very serious allegation and we don't take this lightly.

 

If you have proof ( which i doubt) please mail me at mishado (at) thinkbike (dot) co (dot) za

 

We have our handles on the back of our BIBS. Should be easy to spot.

 

If not I expect a full apology for even insinuating that one of the Think Bike Marshals had a beer on duty.

 

For the others. If you have any constructive criticism to add please feel free to use the same email address.

 

Thanks

MiShaDo

Think Bike Head Marshal

Edited December 6, 2011 by MiShaDo

[Slowbee]

Everyone take note of the think bike marshal post.

[Niner]

Gentleman. (and Ladies)

 

For the sake of clarity, Let me state some facts.

 

10 Think Bike Marshals. 6000 Cyclists.

100Km Stretch of road. 10 bikes to cover it.

We have to contend with cyclist and the median of the road.

We have to contend with vehicles from the front.

We have to contend with vehicles from the back.

We have to contend with Support vehicles that don't want anybody to pass.

We have to look out for route markers.

We have to look out for foot marshals and dangerous intersections.

We get called out of our bunch to attend to more serious situations.

Intersections that are unmanned or waiting to be manned.

We stop at accident scenes to contact medical, assist in traffic control and attend it until it's under control.

We do this with full safety gear and 33 Degrees heat.

We do this for Zero financial gain whatsoever. And in some cases a big loss with most of our marshals doing close to 400Km on Sunday.

 

This is but only a few. We con not be everywhere all the time. Simply impossible.

 

Some of the allegations above are disturbing to say the least.

 

We are not there to Police the white line. But yet we have to. Because of safety concerns. The rules states very clearly that a cyclist may not cross the median of the road. The Median (middle) Not the white line or solid white.

 

The best of all being the allegation of one of our marshals having a beer next to the side of the road.

 

Never !! And I repeat NEVER ! will a Think Bike Marshall even enter an establishment that sells alcohol with his bib on never mind having a beer. This is a very serious allegation and we don't take this lightly.

 

If you have proof ( which i doubt) please mail me at mishado (at) thinkbike (dot) co (dot) za

 

We have our handles on the back of our BIBS. Should be easy to spot.

 

If not I expect a full apology for even insinuating that one of the Think Bike Marshals had a beer on duty.

 

For the others. If you have any constructive criticism to add please feel free to use the same email address.

 

Thanks

MiShaDo

Think Bike Head Marshal

 

Thank you for all your work on Sunday, I can say that the Marchal riding with the A-bunch I was in, helped us a lot.

 

Please disregard this thread, and also thank the other Bike Marchals....

 

Well done to all of you on Sunday....

 

[FrankTank]

MiShaDo - thanks for the excellent job you guys are doing. Much appreciated. Really thought that all your expenses like petrol etc were at least covered.

 

IMHO Die Burger is too big to control without full road closures.

 

Another forum member mentioned a Think Bike marshal taking photos of white line transgressors in the $/% bunches. Any chance that you can post these pictures.

[Niner]

MiShaDo - thanks for the excellent job you guys are doing. Much appreciated. Really thought that all your expenses like petrol etc were at least covered.

 

IMHO Die Burger is too big to control without full road closures.

 

Another forum member mentioned a Think Bike marshal taking photos of white line transgressors in the $/% bunches. Any chance that you can post these pictures.

I dont think these pictures is any of our / people on this forums problem or bussiness.....

[Slowbee]

I dont think these pictures is any of our / people on this forums problem or bussiness.....

 

 

yes they are.

 

post them

[FrankTank]

I dont think these pictures is any of our / people on this forums problem or bussiness....

 

I do not agree - this thread was started with the statement "Anybody stunned by the lack of motorcycle marshaling on yesterdays's Die Burger 92KM? I was in group A, not a single marshal with us."

 

The marshals do their best to care for the safety of cyclists at no reward, but more often than not get negative statements and comments written about them. A photo of a bunch spread across a non-closed road will show sympathy to what the Think Bike marshals must content with. We are quick to have negative things to say about marshals but never about ourselves the cyclists.

[Niner]

I do not agree - this thread was started with the statement "Anybody stunned by the lack of motorcycle marshaling on yesterdays's Die Burger 92KM? I was in group A, not a single marshal with us."

 

The marshals do their best to care for the safety of cyclists at no reward, but more often than not get negative statements and comments written about them. A photo of a bunch spread across a non-closed road will show sympathy to what the Think Bike marshals must content with. We are quick to have negative things to say about marshals but never about ourselves the cyclists.

 

Why do you need a photo to confirm that the bunch was spread accross the road....I can confirm that for you......in the cross wind they were all over the road.

 

Posting a pic here will cause people to be a target of abuse....

 

The Think bike did a fantastic job and was there, and yes the A-bunch was blocked the WHOLE road at some stages due to the wind.....what more proof do you want?

[Tankman]

Tank man, you miss my point. My original issue was that there were no marshals to begin with, and that the organisers need to explain that....

 

Correct, the ThinkBike Marshals were not there to begin with. We have been cycling without them for ages! They only appeared on the scene around 3years ago if I am not mistaken.

 

It is not their obligation to be there, they do it out of their own, so the organisers owes you no explanation at all.

 

They add great value to our safety and we all feel much safer when they are around. I thank you ThinkBike Marshals!

 

But please don't go crying every single time you don't have a Bike marshall next to you, especially when you are busy breaking the law and expect them to come and sort you out! We must sort ourselves out!